Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ Arrive to Refine the Formula

Today is January 22nd, and you know what that means. It’s Samsung Unpacked Day, and that’s something of a global holiday for everyone who loves Samsung and what they have to offer. The Galaxy S25 series has finally arrived, putting to rest months and months of leaks and speculation.

The Ultra model might be the showstopper, but not everyone is a fan of everything that makes it cost so much more. For those people, the Galaxy S25 and S25+ are the perfect options, so let’s dive into what stays the same and what changes in Samsung’s premium flagship line for 2025.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Stays Small But Brings Big Power

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is perfect for those who want a solid flagship but don’t need all the extra bells and whistles of the bigger models. It’s also the closest thing that we have to a compact flagship phone across the industry right now. The hardware barely changes compared to last year, but it seems Samsung wants us to focus more on the software.

The Design

This year is not a facelift year for the Galaxy S25. I’ll say it straight: expect a device that looks essentially identical to what we’ve been getting since the Galaxy S23. The S25 is mostly rectangular, with gently curved corners, and brings back the flat frame, flat screen, and flat back panel of its predecessor—it’s the sort of look that’s trending at the moment. IP68 certification doesn’t go anywhere.

There are some minor changes though. The bezels around the camera lenses become more defined, and they’re blacked out, regardless of the colorway. It also drops 0.4mm to become 7.2mm thick, and it loses a few grams to become 162g. The design language is still very valid; it’s just that the people crave something new.

The Screen

It might not seem like it, but the S25’s screen is a talking point, purely because of its size. With super slim bezels and a 6.2-inch diagonal, it is one of the smallest flagship phones that you can get as of 2025, and that gives it a unique selling point. Not everyone is a fan of the behemoths going around.

The screen is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X unit with FHD+ resolution, which is fine considering its smaller size. It has a 120Hz max refresh rate with LTPO tech, which means it can adjust its refresh rate anywhere between 1Hz to 120Hz, which can help with power efficiency.

The Internal Hardware

Inside, unsurprisingly, is the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy—Samsung’s partnership with Qualcomm is still going strong. It’s a notoriously powerful chip, so you’re not going to have any issues on the performance front.

Samsung finally gets rid of the 8GB options and makes 12GB the only choice for the S25. That’s a win. You can configure the phone with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. You also get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

The Battery and Charging

This is one spot that I am desperately craving a change from Samsung, but once again, this isn’t the year. The Galaxy S25 still sticks with a 4,000mAh battery, which is a little annoying since a similarly-sized competitor like the Vivo X200 Pro Mini (6.31 inches) has a 5,700mAh battery.

Needless to say, I’m sure you can also guess that the company sticks to a max of 25W for wired charging (next year might be the one that finally brings a change). Wireless charging still makes an appearance, but no mention of Qi2 for that magnetic goodness.

The Cameras

Samsung generally has great cameras on its flagships, but that doesn’t change that it’s a department we’d still love to see an upgrade in.

The 50MP primary camera with OIS makes a return, joined by the usual suspects: a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP 3x telephoto. On the front is a 12MP selfie camera. It’s the same as always, but they should show some improvement over last year thanks to refined software—one example is 10-bit HDR recording is now the default, offering better colors in videos.

Bang for Your Buck: Samsung’s Galaxy S25+ Hits The Bullseye

Just like last year, the Samsung Galaxy S25+ finds itself as the flagship with the best value in the lineup. If you don’t care for the S Pen, the extra telephoto camera, or the upgraded ultrawide, the S25+ is a good direction to move in. However, just like its smaller sibling, not that much changes—it’s merely a refinement of the usual formula.

The Design

The S25+ sticks to the same formula as its sibling, the S25, as well as its predecessor, the S24+. Again, it’s hardly a bad look, but it’s been in the family for some time and it’d be nice to see something new. You get the same flat back panel, flat screen, and flat frame. The camera lenses also come with blacked-out bezels.

The device loses 0.4mm to become 7.3mm thick and it loses enough weight to bring it down to 190g. The reduced dimensions should at least make it more comfortable to hold. The dust and water resistance stick to their IP68 certification—maybe the OEM will follow the IP69 train in 2026.

The Screen

For those who want the same look but a much larger footprint, the S25+ brings that with its 6.7-inch QHD+ display. You get Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2x tech, which means an LTPO display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. That’s not bad on paper, and we know Samsung’s screens always impress in person.

The Internal Hardware

What makes the S25 series nice is that you get roughly the same performance from the bottom to the top of the lineup. The S25+ maintains the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy and also carries 12GB of RAM like the smaller model. However, you only get two storage configurations here: 256GB and 512GB. You get Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7, NFC, and the other usuals.

The Battery and Charging

The battery in the S25+ is a lot better than what you find in the S25, but nothing changes compared to last year. You still get a 4,900mAh cell with 45W wired charging—the fastest that Samsung offers, so it’ll have to do. Wireless charging shows up, along with Wireless PowerShare to slowly juice up your earbuds, smartwatch, or even another phone.

The Cameras

If you’re a photography person, it’s important to keep in mind that the camera loadout on the S25+ is exactly the same as the S24+ and exactly the same as last year, at least on paper.

A 50MP main sensor takes the lead, with a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP 3x telephoto by its side. It should do the job, but in 2025, it’s understandable if you want more. The punch hole on the front of the phone houses a 12MP module.

Pricing and Availability for the Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+

The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ can be pre-ordered starting from now and will be available on shelves on February 7th. As always, the phones are launching globally. Both phones will be available in Silver Shadow, Navy, Icy Blue, and Mint colorways, along with the Samsung.com exclusive Coral Red, Blue Black, and Pink Gold options.

For the folks in the United Kingdom and the United States, the Samsung Galaxy S25 will start at $799 while the S25+ will have a base price of $999—consistent with last year. Considering how little is different, I’d hardly say they had a choice.

And do you want to know what’s even better? If you pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S25 or S25+ using our links below, you’ll get an exclusive $50 credit that you can only get from us. Need to buy a charger or a case to go with your brand-new phone? This is the easiest way, and your wallet will thank you for it.