In a world where smartphone launches often feel like a parade of incremental updates, Samsung’s new Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus are taking a refreshingly practical approach. After spending a week with these devices, I can tell you they’re not trying to reinvent the wheel – and that might just be their strongest selling point.
Let’s cut to the chase: If you’re holding a Galaxy S24, you might do a double-take looking at the S25. Samsung’s clearly following the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” playbook. But beneath that familiar exterior, there’s something interesting brewing.
AI That Actually Makes Sense
Remember when AI features felt like they were just thrown in to tick a box on a marketing checklist? The S25 series finally breaks that pattern. The standout feature, “Circle to Search,” is genuinely useful – and I caught myself using it more than I expected. During testing, I had fun with it identifying songs playing in videos, and yes, it even recognized my awkward attempt at humming Taylor Swift’s “I Hate It Here.”
The new AI Select tool is another winner, especially for anyone who deals with different languages. I tested it with some Spanish emails (my high school Spanish teacher would be disappointed to know how much I needed this), and the translations were quick and natural.
But it’s not all roses in AI land. Some features still feel like they’re trying too hard. Take “Portrait Studio” – sure, it’s fun watching the phone turn your selfies into artistic portraits, but after the novelty wears off, you might find yourself wondering when you’ll actually use it. And “Drawing Assist”? Great for turning my terrible doodles into something presentable, but it’s more of a party trick than a must-have feature.
The Hardware Story
Starting at $800 for the S25 and $1,000 for the S25 Plus, these phones aren’t cheap, but they’re bringing some serious hardware to the table. Both sport AMOLED displays with silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rates – the S25 at 6.2 inches and the S25 Plus at 6.7 inches. They’re surprisingly light too, thanks to aluminum frames.
I’ll admit to being a bit nervous when testing the water resistance at Filoli Historic House & Garden near San Francisco. But the IP68 rating isn’t just marketing speak – my S25 Plus survived its pool adventure without breaking a sweat.
The color options are worth mentioning. The icy blue S25 I tested is a head-turner, and the navy version of the Plus has this rich, sophisticated look. Samsung’s also offering some online-exclusive colors: blue black, coral red, and pink gold, for those who want something different.
Camera Magic Meets AI Smarts
The camera setup might look familiar on paper – a 50-megapixel main shooter, 12-megapixel ultrawide, and 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x zoom. But Samsung’s been cooking up some new AI tricks in the photography department.
The improved Generative Edit feature (now processed on device) is particularly impressive. I tested it by removing random objects from photos, and the results were sometimes jaw-dropping. The AI even managed to generate believable background patterns where objects were removed. Yes, these edited photos get tagged as “AI-generated content,” but that’s probably for the best in our era of digital manipulation.
Night photography has taken a notable step forward. The shots I took after sunset showed rich contrast and vibrant colors without looking artificial. Video performance in low light was equally impressive, with smooth motion and natural-looking results.
The Bottom Line
After a week with the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus, I’m convinced Samsung’s onto something here. These phones aren’t trying to wow you with flashy gimmicks – instead, they’re focusing on making AI actually useful in day-to-day life. The cameras are reliable, the battery life is solid, and the build quality is exactly what you’d expect from a flagship device.
The seven years of OS and security updates Samsung’s promising is a big deal too – it means these phones should stay current well into the next decade.
Are they perfect? No. Some AI features still feel more like tech demos than practical tools. And if you’re coming from a Galaxy S24, the upgrade path isn’t completely clear-cut. But for anyone looking to step up from an older phone, or making the switch to Android, the S25 series makes a compelling case for itself.
Samsung’s managed to thread the needle here – delivering phones that feel familiar enough to be comfortable, while packing enough new tricks to keep things interesting. In a market where innovation often feels forced, that’s refreshingly honest.
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