Yesterday, Samsung released the Galaxy S25 series, finally putting to rest months’ worth of leaks. Quite unfortunately, there were very few surprises and most of the leaks turned out to be accurate. However, the OEM managed to bring a lot of new stuff on the software front—probably the only major reason to consider the new lineup.
But maybe I’m being hyperbolic. Let’s take a look at each section of the S25+ and put it beside its predecessor so that we can properly assess all the differences between the two phones. This should be fun.
What Sets the Galaxy S25 Plus Apart From the Galaxy S24 Plus?
The Samsung Galaxy S25+ is finally here and if we don’t consider how much it might or might not have changed compared to its predecessor, I think it has the best value among the entire lineup. It’s close enough to the Ultra model with a big enough price gap to make it a bargain, and it’s far enough from the base S25 to make it worth the extra money.
However, if we’re comparing it to its predecessor instead of the rest of the family, how much of an upgrade is it?
The Design
First off, let’s talk about the designs. Now, I won’t be so unmeticulous as to say that the S24+ and the S25+ are perfectly identical. However, I also won’t say that everyone will be able to tell the difference.
The S25+ brings in minimally thinner bezels and a back panel and frame that somehow seems flatter than the S24+’s. Those are almost impossible for the average person to notice though. The biggest physical difference is the S25+ has bigger rings around the rear cameras, and they’re black regardless of the colorway you get.
The S25+ also slims down by 0.4mm, to a 7.3mm thickness, and is about 6g lighter at 190g. These aren’t things that the average person will notice though. These all make the S25+ the better-looking device, but only by a margin.
The Screen
If you wanted a better display, you’re not getting it with the S25+. In this case, beyond infinitesimally thinner bezels, it is perfectly identical to the Galaxy S24+. It’s the same 6.7-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X unit on both phones. That means QHD+, 120Hz refresh, and 2,600 nits of peak brightness.
The Internal Hardware
Okay, if there’s one place you can expect a change, it’s what runs the phone on the inside, right? You’re not wrong, as a chipset upgrade is expected every year. That remains true as the S25+ sheds the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and brings in the super-powered Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. It’s the first time Samsung is using a 3nm chip, and with a newer GPU, you should notice the difference if you tend to put your device through a lot.
However, that one upgrade that is our yearly right is where the big changes end. 12GB of RAM stays consistent, and the 256GB and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage options remain as they were. But hey, at least Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 show up for better connectivity.
The Battery and Charging
I won’t mince words: the battery doesn’t change, and neither does the charging. It’s still a 4,900mAh battery with 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. The latter does move from the Qi standard to Qi2, but it doesn’t bring intrinsic support for magnetic accessories, so you won’t notice a difference.
The Cameras
The cameras! That’s one place that something is bound to give, right? No.
The same 50MP primary sensor, the same 12MP ultrawide, the same 10MP 3x telephoto, and the same 12MP selfie camera. None of the hardware changes in the slightest.
Sure, there will be software improvements and additions, such as the addition of 10-bit HDR recording and LOG recording, but are those enough to make the device worth a buy over the S24+? Certainly not to the less technically inclined buyer.
The Software
Another expected upgrade is a newer software version. The S25 series has finally made One UI 7 official, which is annoying since it is several months later than essentially every other major OEM. But it is here and it brings way too many new software features to mention here. That’s the selling point of the S25+, and easily the biggest advantage it has over the S24+.
However! The S24+ will eventually get One UI 7, and will very likely have most of those new Galaxy AI and software features trickle down to it in due time, especially as both devices support seven years of major Android updates. So unless you’re very impatient, it is hardly a killer blow from the S25+.
The Pricing
The Samsung Galaxy S24+ and the Galaxy S25+ each launched at $999, which is fair—if the S25+ had been any more expensive, I’d have asked: “For what?”.
However, since the S24+ is a year old and has essentially the same hardware, sans the new chip, it presents a dilemma. You can get the S24+ on Amazon for 25% less—$750. It’s up to you whether you prioritize the newer device or major savings.
To be fair, if you use our link for the S25+ below, you’ll get an exclusive $50 Samsung credit, in addition to the $100 Samsung credit that Samsung is offering. That’s a total of $150 worth of free Samsung credits to use to buy a charger, case, and other accessories. Maybe that balances the playing field.
