
Also: I replaced my iPhone 16 Pro with the Galaxy S25 Ultra – and there’s a clear winner
It helps that Samsung is counting on an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor this year, which not only brings speed improvements but also better image clarity and more efficient battery life — arguably the three most important aspects for consumers. I’ve spent the past week testing the device, and while the spec sheet may not excite you, the real-world experience tells a different story.
The Galaxy S25 is slimmer and lighter than last year’s Galaxy S24. In fact, it’s one of the most comfortable phones I’ve held and used. Unlike the larger Galaxy S25 Ultra, the flat sides don’t feel unwieldy, and the curved edges keep it handy. I’d go as far as to say it offers a better in-hand feel than the Google Pixel 9 and iPhone 16.
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On the front, there’s a 6.2-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution, which, on paper, is less sharp than the QHD+ screens found on the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra. But in practice, it’s still sharp and vibrant for its size. From scrolling through Reels on Instagram to browsing on Chrome to watching movies on Netflix, the Galaxy S25 display delivers a satisfying content consumption experience.
Like the charging, Samsung hasn’t updated the cameras on the Galaxy S25 this year. It features the same optics as the Galaxy S24, which are the same as the Galaxy S23 from the year before. Instead, Samsung continues to lean on the latest processor to enhance its camera hardware, which keeps the devices market-relevant, but nothing more.
For a refresher, the camera system includes a 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilization, a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide-angle sensor.
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The phone offers good dynamic range and consistent colors across its sensors. I’ve found my image samples to be slightly more detailed than those from last year’s model. Samsung has also worked on delivering more accurate human skin tones, along with better low-light results in terms of clarity and lesser noise in challenging environments.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 runs Android 15-based One UI 7, which will soon roll out to the older Galaxy S24 series, bringing most, if not all, of the features I’m about to mention to last year’s phones.
Starting with AI Select, my most-used AI feature over the past few days. It works like Circle to Search, allowing you to highlight on-screen content and suggest on-device actions based on the information.
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For example, if you receive an event invite via text or email with time, date, and location details, you can tap on AI Select from the Edge Panel, highlight the invite details, and the phone will suggest an “Add to Calendar” option. Tap on it, and the time, date, and location are automatically filled in within your Calendar app.
There’s also a new Galaxy AI feature called Now Brief, an app-widget hybrid that consolidates important data in one place. In theory, it can show weather updates, suggest taking the day easy if Galaxy Health detects poor sleep, recommend Spotify playlists from your favorite artists, display news and calendar events, and suggest YouTube Shorts.
Compared to Google and Apple, the Galaxy S25 offers a better display, the best in-hand feel in its segment, a more versatile camera setup, and good battery life. It’s better than the similarly priced Pixel 9 and iPhone 16 — and my top pick for anyone looking for a compact flagship right now.
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- Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/i-tested-the-standard-galaxy-s25-and-it-beats-google-and-apples-offerings-in-several-ways/