Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Samsung’s Best Compact Phone Gets Better

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy S25 series, and I have the base S25 in hand for review. While the Ultra model usually grabs all the attention, the standard S25 is arguably the most interesting, mainly because it refines last year’s formula rather than reinventing it.

At first glance, the S25 might seem like a minor upgrade over the S24, but there are some noteworthy changes. The phone now has a completely flat design, making it feel more comfortable in hand, and the bezels are even thinner, adding to its sleekness. The new camera rings give it a fresh look, while under the hood, Samsung has fine-tuned performance, software, and processing.

The core hardware remains familiar—Samsung has opted for the same camera sensors as last year, which speaks to their confidence in the previous setup (or, you know, efficiency in manufacturing). The real star here is One UI 7, packed with refinements that aim to make the experience smoother and more intuitive.

For context, this is my first time properly using a Samsung flagship. I briefly used the Galaxy S21 FE on One UI 5, but this is my first deep dive into One UI 7 and Samsung’s ecosystem. The S25 I’m reviewing is running pre-release software with the December patch, meaning the day-one update hasn’t arrived yet.

So, is the S25 worth your money? Should you upgrade? And who is this phone really for? Let’s break it all down.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Specifications

• Display: 6.2-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1-120 Hz, 2600 Nits, 2340 X 1080, 416 PPI, Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• SoC: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (2 x 4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6 x 3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M, Adreno 830, TSMC 3 nm)
• RAM: 12 GB LPDDR5X
• Storage: 256/512 GB UFS 4.0
• Main Camera: 50 MP Samsung ISOCELL GN3, 1/1.56-inch, f/1.8, OIS, AF, 24mm, 4K30/60/8K30
• Ultra-wide Camera: 12 MP Sony IMX564, 1/2.55-inch, f/2.2, FF, 120°, 13mm, 4K30/60
• Telephoto Camera: 10 MP Samsung ISOCELL 3K1, 1/3.94-inch, f/2.4, OIS, 3X optical, AF, 69mm, 4K30/60
• Front Camera: 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL 3LU, 1/3.2-inch, f/2.2, 26mm, AF, 4K30/60
• Speakers: Stereo speakers with earpiece
• Battery and Charging: 4,000 mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless
• IP Rating: IP68 (1.5m for 30m)
• Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, eSIM
• Biometrics: Under-display ultrasonic fingerprint, 2D face unlock
• Weight: 162g
• Build: Glass back, metal frame

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Unboxing

The unboxing experience of the Galaxy S25 is as straightforward as it gets—no surprises, no extras, just the essentials. Open the box, and you’re immediately greeted by the phone itself. Inside the lid is a small insert holding the SIM ejector tool and a 3A USB-C cable. 

What’s missing? Well, quite a bit. There’s no charger in the box (Samsung continues its commitment to sustainability), no protective case, and not even a pre-applied screen protector—something many other brands still include. 

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Design & Build

The Galaxy S25 is easily one of the best-looking compact flagships out there. It strikes a fine balance between size, weight, and comfort—something that’s getting increasingly rare in the smartphone world. 

While the Pixel 9 also falls into the compact category, it doesn’t quite match the S25 in terms of ergonomics. It’s heavier, bulkier, and those bezels? Well, let’s just say Samsung has done a far better job at keeping things sleek.

At just 7.2 mm thin and 162 grams, the S25 is even more compact than last year’s S24—trimming 0.4 mm and shaving off 5 grams. It’s subtle, but these small refinements make it an absolute joy to hold. 

The flat frame (ahem, ahem), constructed from second-generation Armor Aluminum, feels sturdy, and Samsung’s choice of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both sides adds durability. However, there’s no anti-reflective coating, unlike the Ultra.

The color options this year are quite refreshing. The standard lineup includes Mint, Icy Blue, Navy, and Silver Shadow, while Samsung’s online store offers exclusive shades—Blue Black, Coral Red, and Pink Gold. We have the Icy Blue variant and it looks stunning in person.

Attention to Detail (With Some Quirks)

Samsung has paid close attention to the finer details. The buttons are well-placed, and the USB-C port, speaker, and SIM tray are neatly arranged at the bottom. Up top, you’ll find dual microphones, while the left side remains completely clean. The right side houses the power button and volume rockers, placed well.

Now, let’s talk about those controversial camera rings. Some have labeled them ‘fake,’ but that’s a bit of a misnomer. They do protrude slightly, and yes, they do collect dust, but calling them fake is a stretch. They’re very much real. It’s just that their design might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

The S25’s front remains a highlight. The bezels are barely there, the punch-hole cutout for the front camera is so small you’ll barely notice it, and the earpiece is impressively slim. 

The Galaxy S25 doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to the design, but it refines it to near perfection. It’s compact, premium, and comfortable to use. 

Sure, the flat edges could have been a bit smoother, and the camera rings do require occasional cleaning, but overall, this is one of the best-designed compact flagships you can buy.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Display

The Galaxy S25’s 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is undeniably sharp and vibrant, but it’s not perfect. With a resolution of 2300 x 1080 pixels, a 1–120 Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support, it checks most of the boxes for a flagship display. 

Samsung claims the panel can hit 2600 Nits of peak brightness, and while that sounds great on paper, real-world usage tells a slightly different story. The brightness is technically high, but it doesn’t always sustain those levels when you need it the most—like in direct sunlight. 

It tends to drop due to heat, which can be frustrating outdoors. Fortunately, you can tweak this behavior using Samsung’s Display Assistant app. Also, there’s no Dolby Vision support—something that’s becoming more common in competing flagships.

A Display That Adjusts Itself: Vision Booster

One of the more interesting aspects of this display is how it handles brightness and color saturation. At both extreme brightness levels—either too high or too low—the colors shift. It almost feels like a grey filter is being applied, changing the saturation levels dynamically, making the colors appear washed out. This is an intended feature called Vision Booster.

This wouldn’t be an issue if users had control over it, but there’s no toggle to turn this off. The only workaround? Disabling auto-brightness, but that also disables HDR brightness, so it’s a trade-off.

On the plus side, HDR content on YouTube looks fantastic, with great brightness in highlight areas. Netflix streams in Full HD thanks to Widevine L1 compliance, and the display supports Android’s Ultra HDR standard too, available in the built-in Gallery, Chrome, and Google Photos.

PWM and the Not-So-Smooth Side of Things

Samsung’s PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) implementation is another aspect worth discussing. The phone supports a PWM between 240 Hz and 480 Hz, which isn’t exactly the most eye-friendly range for those sensitive to flickering. If you’ve ever experienced discomfort or headaches with certain displays, this could be it.

Additionally, the panel is still an 8-bit display, meaning you might occasionally notice color banding when viewing certain types of content. It’s not a dealbreaker, but once you see it, you can’t unsee it. At lower brightness levels, there’s also a faint graininess—something that’s not uncommon in OLED panels but is still worth noting.

ALSO READ: 8-Bit vs. 10-Bit Displays on Smartphones: Should You Care?

If you (unfortunately) happen to crack your Galaxy S25’s display, there’s a silver lining—Samsung has actually lowered the screen replacement cost. Unlike the ₹8,600 repair charge for the Galaxy S24, the S25’s screen replacement will only set you back ₹6,150. Now, that’s an upgrade you didn’t see coming.

On the surface, the Galaxy S25’s display is bright, sharp, and packed with flagship-tier features. For most users, it’s still a fantastic screen, but if you’re particular about display quality, you might find yourself noticing these small but significant details.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Speakers and Haptics

The Galaxy S25’s speakers are surprisingly good for a compact flagship. The loudness is decent, and there’s a nice amount of bass, making it ideal for both media and calls. While some competitors like the OnePlus 13 and OPPO Find X8 do have an edge, the S25 still delivers a solid audio experience that exceeds expectations for its size.

The default haptic feedback is set to just 20%, which feels weak by default, but once turned up to 100%, the haptics feel amazing. They’re still not as good as the iPhone or the OnePlus, but definitely very solid. 

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Software

The Galaxy S25 ships with One UI 7, based on Android 15, and will receive 7 years of OS updates and security patches, meaning it’ll be supported up to Android 22—which is pretty insane.

This update brings a major visual overhaul, making it the biggest design shift since One UI’s launch. The widgets have been completely revamped, looking more modern and polished. Icons have been redesigned, the recents menu is different, and the notification shade and quick panel have been overhauled. 

There’s a heavy focus on glass effects, giving the UI a premium look, but the implementation is inconsistent. For instance, the lock screen lacks blur effects, but the notification shade has them. The notification panel is now split, letting you swipe between views but you can switch back to the old layout in panel settings.

Samsung’s system apps are surprisingly good, including Gallery, Files, Health, Calculator, Calendar, Reminders, Dialer, Samsung Wallet, and Notes. After using them, they feel better executed than Google’s apps. 

Samsung Messages isn’t pre-installed anymore, but you can download it from the Galaxy Store if you don’t want to use the default Google Messages app. Samsung Messages now supports RCS as well.

And of course, the Google suite is pre-installed, along with Microsoft apps like Office, OneDrive, Outlook, and LinkedIn. However, bloatware remains an issue, and the Galaxy Store still pushes gambling ads, while Gaming Hub is also filled with ads—something that takes away from the experience.

Customization 

One UI 7 brings deeper customization options with the Home Up module, allowing you to freely move icons and tweak animations. The default animations are smooth but lack blur effects, and while you can customize the closing animation, the opening animation remains fixed.

The UI looks great, but One UI still hasn’t fully standardized fonts—sometimes it shows Roboto, other times One UI Sans. A bizarre bug also causes the quick settings panel to take on a tint from the wallpaper color, which doesn’t always (or never) look good.

Now Bar is Useful 

The Now Bar is another new addition—it sits between the lock screen shortcuts and lets you quickly access timers, music, charging status, and even live navigation updates from Google Maps. More apps will support Live Activities in the Now Bar in future updates. It’s a lovely feature.

One UI 7 isn’t perfect, though. The blur effects are inconsistent, the default haptics are way too low (set to 20%), and some UI animations feel too fast or too slow. And notably, Samsung has removed DeX for PC, now pushing users toward Link to Windows, but DeX still works on external monitors.

Galaxy AI

Samsung has packed the Galaxy S25 with tons of AI features, many of which are actually useful. You get AI Summary, AI Keyboard, and even AI-generated emojis in the Samsung Keyboard. 

The Samsung Internet Browser now has AI Summarize, letting you summarize, translate, or read highlights aloud. 

Samsung also added cross-app actions and natural language search in Settings and the Gallery app, but Finder still doesn’t support it, which is disappointing.

In the Gallery app, you can search for images with natural phrases like “me wearing a hat”. In Settings, you can search things like “my eyes hurt”, and it will suggest eye protection settings. However, the search isn’t perfect, as it sometimes struggles to find obvious settings like USB debugging.

One of the biggest AI upgrades is Circle to Search, which now allows music recognition—just tap and hold, then search for the music playing in the background. 

Now Brief provides a smart daily summary for morning, evening, and night, offering weather updates, calendar reminders, and screen time reports. It also occasionally suggests YouTube Shorts and recommends routines based on morning usage.

Gemini AI is now fully integrated into One UI 7, supporting cross-app actions. You can ask it to plan a trip and send it to someone on WhatsApp, add something to your calendar, or play music on Spotify. 

Plus, Gemini Live lets you talk with the AI in real-time. Samsung is also generously offering six weeks of Gemini Advanced for free, which comes with 2TB of free Google Cloud storage as well. 

There’s also an AI emoji/sticker generator (using text/emojis) within Samsung’s keyboard and I really like it. There are multiple styles to choose from and each one has its own character. I wish this was available outside the Samsung keyboard too.

Audio Eraser identifies and removes background noises like wind, music, and voices. It’s good but not as advanced as Google’s Audio Eraser, which retains multiple speakers’ voices better. However, it’s way faster than Google’s and also works completely on the device with virtually no limit on the video’s length (Google has a limit of 2 minutes).

Samsung’s Generative Edit in the Gallery app is suspiciously good—it can generate faces, remove objects, and process edits both on-device and in the cloud. Other Galaxy AI features include:

Call Assist: Transcribes and translates calls, all on the device.

Writing Assist: Helps with text editing—spelling and grammar, writing style, summarize, bullet points, table, and composer.

Live Translate: It now supports 20+ languages.

Note Assist, Browsing Assist, Photo Assist, Drawing Assist, and Health Assist.

Samsung says Galaxy AI features will remain free until the end of 2025, but there’s no word on pricing afterward. I assume that only the the cloud based features will become paid, while the on-device (which is the most part) features will remain free.

Despite some issues, One UI 7 is one of the best versions yet. The AI features are hit-or-miss, but the design, customization, and Samsung’s first-party apps make the experience fantastic. 

Quick Share on Samsung is still better than Google’s verison of the same, multi-control works great with tablets, and Good Lock remains a game-changer. Samsung isn’t forcing Google apps like some other brands, which is a good move. If you get the Galaxy S25, you’ll love One UI 7.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Biometrics

The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner (Qualcomm’s 2nd gen ultrasonic scanner) continues to be one of the fastest in the industry—just a light touch is enough to unlock the device instantly. An animation would have been nice, but yes—if it slowed things down, it wouldn’t be worth it for some people. The scanner is also placed at very comfortable position.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Performance

The Galaxy S25 packs the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy—a custom-tuned version (or overclocked) of Qualcomm’s latest chipset. On paper, it’s the most powerful Android SoC, featuring two prime cores at 4.47 GHz, six performance cores at 3.53 GHz, and Adreno 830 GPU. It also benefits from a 15% larger vapor chamber than its predecessor.

Synthetic Benchmark Scores

• Geekbench 6: 2,473 (Single-Core) & 8,923 (Multi-Core)
• AnTuTu V10: 2,086,331 (noticeably lower than iQOO 13, realme GT 7 Pro, and OnePlus 13, which hit 2.7–2.8 million)
• 3DMark Wild Life Extreme: 5,746
• Solar Bay Stress Test:
  • Best Score: 10,918
  • Lowest Score: 5,730
  • Stability: 52.5% 
  • Temperature Spike: 32°C to 45°C
  • Battery Drop: 12%
• 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test:
  • Best Score: 5,928
  • Lowest Score: 3,106
  • Stability: 50.9%
  • Temperature Spike: 32°C to 45°C
  • Battery Drop: 12%
• CPU Throttling Test (50 threads for 30 min): 56%, average GIPS 311,877

Sustained Performance

While the S25 can deliver peak performance, it doesn’t hold up well under sustained loads. The throttling is significant, meaning performance drops sharply when the phone heats up. The vapor chamber doesn’t seem to be doing much, as the phone reaches 45-50°C under stress and struggles to maintain peak performance.

In daily use, the phone runs warm but not uncomfortably hot. However, in hotter climates (above 40°C), overheating could become a bigger issue. The phone is small and it’s not unusual for it lack the performance that its larger siblings offer.

Gaming Performance: Decent, But Not for Hardcore Gamers

While it handles most games well, the S25 is not an ideal gaming phone due to noticeable thermal throttling and lower sustained performance. I tested few of the most popular games and here are the results:

• Genshin Impact runs at 50–60 FPS (Max settings and hits 41°C–43°C)
• Zenless Zone Zero: Stable FPS, (Max settings and hits 41–42°C)
• BGMI: No 120 FPS support yet, 88.1 FPS avg @ Smooth + Extreme+, gets warm but not unbearable.
• COD: Mobile: Ultra frame rate (medium graphics), smooth gameplay 
• COD: Warzone Mobile: Runs at max settings, but phone heats up a lot
• Wuthering Waves: Starts at 50+ FPS, drops to 35-40 FPS after some time due to thermal throttling (hits 43–47°C)

The best way to get a good gaming experience on the S25 is by lowering the graphics render resolution. This prevents the device from the getting too hot and also helps maintain a good FPS number.

The Galaxy S25 delivers smooth gaming in short bursts. It handles demanding titles well, but extended sessions push its limits, leading to throttling and higher temperatures. For everyday use, it’s fast and responsive, making it a decent choice for casual gamers.

That said, if you’re into marathon gaming, better cooling and sustained performance on devices like the iQOO 13 or OnePlus 13 might be worth considering. The S25 is quick, but when pushed hard, it doesn’t fully live up to its “most powerful chipset” label.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Cameras

The Galaxy S25 sticks to Samsung’s tried-and-tested triple-camera setup, led by a capable 50 MP main sensor. Here’s a deep dive into its performance across all modes.

Camera Specifications

• Main: 50 MP Samsung ISOCELL GN3, 1/1.56-inch, f/1.8, 24mm, AF, OIS
• 3X Telephoto: 10 MP Samsung ISOCELL 3K1, 1/3.94-inch, f/2.4, 69mm, AF, OIS
• Ultra-wide: 12 MP Sony IMX564, 1/2.55-inch, f/2.2, 13mm, FF
• Front: 12 MP Samsung 3LU, 1/3.2-inch, f/2.2, 26mm, AF 

All rear cameras support 4K60 recording, with the main sensor capable of 8K30. Samsung has also redesigned the camera app in One UI 7, placing the mode carousel below the shutter button and ensuring extra modes no longer obstruct the viewfinder. It’s very accessible, even with a single hand.

Main Camera Performance

Samsung’s 50 MP main sensor delivers clean, detailed images with a wide dynamic range. Colors are flat and natural, and the processing leans slightly towards a softer look, which some may find pleasing while others might prefer more optical sharpness. Motion blur still seems to be an issue.

Low-light performance is mostly reliable, thanks to Samsung’s auto night mode. However, the default processing tends to be conservative, producing images with subdued contrast. Manually forcing night mode brightens shadow areas and enhances contrast, though it introduces a risk of motion blur if the subject isn’t completely still.

Ultra-wide Camera

The 12 MP ultra-wide is arguably the weakest link of the S25’s camera system. In daylight, it captures a broad field of view but suffers from flat color reproduction and a lack of detail around the edges. While filters can help, the out-of-the-box results feel uninspiring.

At night, the ultrawide’s weaknesses become even more apparent. The lack of autofocus is a major drawback, often leading to soft and misaligned focus. Noise levels spike dramatically, and colors appear washed out. 

Portrait Mode: Good, But Not Perfect

Portrait mode is where the S25 truly shines, offering granular control over focal lengths (1X, 1.1X, 1.2X, 3.1X, 3.5X, etc.). Subject separation is generally excellent, producing natural-looking bokeh and, more importantly, natural textures and skin tones. It manages backlight really well but not consistently.

However, fine details get noticeably softer at 3X zoom and beyond, reducing sharpness in facial features. While the background blur looks great, this trade-off means portrait shots may lack the crispness some users expect. 

You can even zoom up to 5X with surpsingly decent detail in daylight.

3X Telephoto & Macro

The 10 MP 3X telephoto lens delivers respectable results in daylight, maintaining color consistency with the main sensor.

However, it doesn’t capture as much detail, making it a noticeable step down from the main camera.

Here are some zoomed in shots (max zoom is 30X).

The S25’s ultra-wide camera doesn’t feature autofocus, which might make you think that the phone lacks macro capabilities but that’s simply not true. Thanks to the 12.5 cm focusing distance on the 3X lens, you can get good macro shots using the S25. 

Under bright conditions, macro shots can look surprisingly detailed, but this capability quickly diminishes in low light due to increased noise and detail loss. It’s a decent macro shooter. Make sure to disable auto lens switching from the Camera Assistant app for this.

Front Camera

The 12 MP front camera with autofocus is my favourite lens on the S25. It consistently produces sharp, well-balanced selfies, even in challenging lighting. Skin tones are rendered naturally, and HDR ensures highlights and shadows are well-managed without excessive smoothing. The portrait mode is also excellent.

Video Performance

The Galaxy S25 supports 4K60 on all four cameras, with the main sensor also handling 8K30. Pro Video mode adds 24fps options for both resolutions, but there’s no 4K120 like on the Ultra.

HDR Recording Looks Good But Convert it to SDR First

HDR recording is now 10-bit, delivering noticeably better dynamic range and color depth compared to last year’s 8-bit video. In daylight, HDR footage looks great, with less clipping in highlights and more detail in shadows. 

However, low-light HDR struggles, with noise creeping in and details softening. Also, if you’re recording on HDR, ensure that you convert your video to SDR using the Gallery app before using it.

The Most Accessible LOG Video

Galaxy LOG mode is a big step forward for video creators and even regular users. You can now color grade directly within the Gallery app, eliminating the need for third-party software. 

Samsung also provides its own LUTs (1D and 3D LUT) for easier and faster color grading when you choose to use a third-party editor. LOG mode works well in bright conditions, but it falters in low light.

H.265 (HEVC) is the default codec, balancing quality and file size, with H.264 as an alternative (only available in the regular video mode). Video stabilization is available on all cameras but can be disabled too. 

Audio Eraser 

As discussed earlier, the AI Audio Eraser in One UI helps reduce unwanted sounds like wind, crowds, or background noise. It’s helpful but I found it to be a little less effective when compared to the Pixel’s Audio Eraser.

Overall Video Performance 

Main camera footage from the Galaxy S25 is sharp, vibrant, and flagship-level, while 3X zoom video holds up well with solid detail. The ultra-wide camera struggles with softness, both in daylight and low-light, where it lacks detail and clips highlights. The 3X telephoto could do better in low-light.

Stabilization is one of the best around (at 1X and 0.6X), delivering smooth, shake-free footage in 4K, particularly at night. Oh, and if you’re wondering, the lens switching is still abysmal.

ExpertRAW and Camera Assistant 

Samsung’s ExpertRAW and Camera Assistant apps are very useful and if you are serious about photography, you must use these apps. You can install both from the Galaxy Store, and I highly recommend trying them out.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Battery Life and Charging

The Galaxy S25’s battery may be 4,000 mAh, but it holds up surprisingly well. In the Standard profile, you’re looking at a solid 5-6 hours of screen-on time with everyday use, and if you switch to Light profile, you can stretch that to around 8 hours—perfect for all-day use on Wi-Fi. Gaming does take a hit, but that’s expected.

As for the charging speeds, 25W might not be the fastest, but it takes about 1 hour 8 minutes for a full charge, and while it slows down after 85%, that’s standard for battery health. A faster option would have been nice, but overall, it’s a well-optimized setup that gets the job done. 

Oh, and the Galaxy S25 also supports 15W wireless charging but there’s no Qi2 support. Instead, Samsung offers magnets inside the case as an alternative (Qi 2.1). There’s also support for reverse wireless charging, up to 4.5W.

Review Verdict: Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25?