Samsung Galaxy S25+ review: smartest ‘Plus’ phone on the market

There’s a lot to like about the Samsung Galaxy S25+, even though it retains the same design as its predecessor. Its standout feature is Galaxy AI, a growing suite of AI-powered tools that gets more intuitive each year. Powering these features, along with improving the overall performance, is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, which delivers a significant leap over the Exynos chipset on the Galaxy S24+ (review). Additionally, its display experience remains top-notch, and the Galaxy S25+ offers stunning visuals and exceptional brightness.

However, at Rs 99,999, the Galaxy S25+ faces competition from OPPO Find X8 Pro (review) and Vivo X200 (review), which also have a bunch of AI features and incredible camera systems. Several Samsung rivals also offer a fast charger in the box, which surely will appeal to many customers. Read on to know more.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S25+ retains a design familiar to its predecessor but offers significant performance improvements with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. The upgraded AI features are a highlight, significantly enhancing the user experience. While the camera hardware mirrors the regular S25, the Plus model stands out with better battery life. I did notice minor heating during heavy usage, though that did not impact performance.

Design and display

Samsung and Apple follow a similar approach in designing the “Plus” variant in their flagship series. The Galaxy S25+ is simply an enlarged version of the regular Galaxy S25 (review), similar to Apple’s approach with the iPhone 16 (review) and iPhone 16 Plus. The large size allows for a bigger battery, which also demands faster charging speeds to ensure a consistent user experience across both the Galaxy S25 and S25+. The latter also offers a higher screen resolution to maintain the same display quality as the regular model, regardless of the phone’s size.

As mentioned, the Galaxy S25+ retains a design similar to the Galaxy S24+, which isn’t necessarily a drawback, as it maintains a sense of familiarity for customers. I don’t mind the design due to its minimalist and ergonomic appeal, though a few tweaks could have been considered. The Blue Navy variant I reviewed was my favourite among the available colour options, which include Blueback, Coral Red, Pink Gold, and Silver Shadow.

That said, the latest iteration is slightly slimmer than its predecessor and six grams lighter – a tiny but thoughtful difference. Samsung does not compromise durability to achieve a leaner form factor, and the Galaxy S25+ feels premium yet robust with its flat metal edges. The display and back incorporate Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the phone carries an IP68 rating for protection against dust and water. Several Android rivals are taking the durability game to the next level with the IP69 rating, which is a matter of time before Samsung adopts it for its flagships.

Samsung rarely disappoints with its display experience, and the Galaxy S25+ is no exception. The new model is almost a millimetre shorter, but thanks to slimmer bezels, it still offers the same 6.7-inch viewing area as its predecessor. Unlike the Galaxy S25, the S25+ features a QHD+ resolution (1,440 x 3,120 pixels).

Otherwise, the display remains punchy and vibrant, with a 120Hz refresh rate ensuring smooth scrolling. During my review, I watched content on YouTube, Netflix, and JioHostar and didn’t face any issues.

Cameras

The Galaxy S25+ boasts the same camera system as last year’s, featuring a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP telephoto camera. The front retains a 12MP snapper inside the hole punch cutout. The only changes are the software side of things to improve the image quality and post-production tools.

But despite the camera hardware remaining identical, the Galaxy S25+ still delivers sharp and vibrant photos and videos. Samsung typically prioritises punchy colours and a slightly warmer white balance, which remains consistent in the new model. I would have preferred better detail reproduction, but the current results are satisfactory. The cameras can be slightly inconsistent in low-light conditions, but Samsung mostly maps colours close to reality, which many customers, myself included, appreciate.

Overall, the camera experience for still photography remains reliable, but it’s the video performance that has taken me by surprise.

• First, the log mode in videos significantly benefits content creators, as it allows users to capture more details in raw format and adjust colours during the editing process.
• There’s 8K video recording at 30fps (up from 24fps), which can be useful to some users, although the stability at 4K30fps works best for me.
• My favourite feature is the Audio Eraser, which improves different sounds in videos shot without log mode. You can select options to suppress or enhance background noises for a cleaner vocal or an ASMR-like output, respectively.
• Apart from that, the AI-backed slow-mo option with one tap is another ingenious tool, which has continued to exist since last year.

I recently compared the Galaxy S25+ against the OPPO Find X8 Pro, and the former emerged victorious in most scenarios, which include daylight and low light. Meanwhile, here’s a detailed comparison against the Vivo X200, which has already made headlines for its camera at an aggressive price of Rs 65,999.

Daylight

While there’s an evident difference in the two smartphones’ colour science, both images have similar levels of detail. The Galaxy S25+ image leans towards warmer tones with boosted blue and green spots. On the other hand, the Vivo X200 offers a better dynamic range even with a cooler tone, especially if you observe the area near the trees.

Overall, Samsung’s image is closer to reality.

Ultra-wide

The colour science remains consistent with both phones’ ultra-wide lenses, though the Vivo X200 gains a slight edge by minimising distortions around the edges.

Otherwise, the Galaxy S25+ captures more details of the tiles in the foreground and signboards in the background.

Portrait

Samsung has considerably improved images with human subjects, which I also observed in the camera comparison against the OPPO Find X8 Pro.

It detects the subject’s skin accurately while offering superior edge detection. Even its bokeh effect with F/2.2 looks more natural in comparison.

Selfie

Similarly, the Galaxy S25+ selfie camera offers more details, while the Vivo X200 automatically adds a bit of depth for a dramatic effect.

Neither of the two smartphones captures the accurate skin tone of the subject, but Samsung’s output is closer to reality.

Low-light (with night mode)

As mentioned, Samsung could improve low-light camera performance (even with Night Mode). While it accurately maps the colours of different elements in the frame, details appear sketchy, and there is some amount of noise across the image.

The Vivo X200, on the other hand, enhances the scene significantly. Even though it is less true to life, it appears more aesthetically pleasing.

Performance and software

Like the Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra, the Plus variant also features the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC with 12GB of RAM. The new chipset ensures a big leap in performance, resulting in smoother animations and of course, smarter AI. Even based on benchmark numbers, the Galaxy S25+ attains significantly higher scores than any of its predecessors.

While its AnTuTu and Geekbench scores may not be as high as some other Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered counterparts, the numbers undoubtedly place the Galaxy S25+ firmly in the elite category.

Samsung rarely boasts numbers, and it’s the performance that matters to most customers. During my review, I did not face any stutters or lags, whether while playing games or doing any other heavy lifting. The phone can occasionally feel warm, but that doesn’t impact the performance.

Surely, it’s the software experience that sets Samsung apart from rivals, and the Galaxy S25+ is no different. It promises seven major OS updates, ensuring its useability till 2032. The Android 15-based OneUI also feels fresh with the refreshed app icons and control panel.

Not to forget, Samsung sits at the top when it comes to offering a comprehensive ecosystem against its Android rivals.

Galaxy AI

However, the new iteration is all about the AI-backed features, which remain consistent across the Galaxy S25 series. Some of these features will likely come to the older variants via firmware updates, but the AI camera tools, like the Audio Eraser, will likely be exclusive to the current lineup. Until that happens, the Galaxy S25 series remains the leader in the market (even against Apple and Google) for its AI features.

One can argue that some of these features like the Generative Edit to remove or move objects in photos, or Sketch to Image, are only useful at specific moments, which is also true.

However, tools like Now Brief, although still in its nascent stages, offer a new level of convenience, allowing users to check weather forecasts and daily schedules with AI automatically scanning emails and calendars. The potential for delivering a personalised daily summary is vast, especially once Samsung expands app support beyond its proprietary and Google apps.

I also like the idea of “Cross-App Actions” powered by Gemini, which lets users perform multiple actions using a single command, like sharing AI-curated lists with friends on Messages, for example. The next step could involve deeper integration with Meta, enabling seamless sharing via WhatsApp or Instagram. Additionally, the improved Circle to Search can now understand videos, marking the next phase of Google Search.

While there’s room for improvement in Samsung’s new AI tools, the company deserves praise for integrating AI into everyday usage, rather than limiting it to camera features, like most other flagships. The Galaxy S25+ continues to offer AI Summary and Writer within the Samsung Keyboard, making it highly useful for summarising or proofreading texts without leaving the current app.

The only catch is that most of these features require an active internet connection to function. If you select “Process data on-device” from the Settings, you can use them offline, but the results may not be as accurate or comprehensive.

Battery and charging

As mentioned, the Galaxy S25+’s bigger form factor allows for more battery capacity. However, Samsung, unlike OPPO and OnePlus, has yet to utilise the new-age battery tech (silicon-carbon batteries) for increased capacity without adding extra weight or thickness. As a result, the Galaxy S25+ includes the standard 4,900mAh battery with 45W charging and 15W wireless charging support (Qi2 compatible). Overall, its battery performance is reliable and you can easily expect a full-day backup with moderate settings (120Hz enabled, AOD disabled). It also offered a respectable backup on the PCMark battery test, if not the best. However, the charging speeds remain average, especially if we compare it with the likes of OnePlus, Vivo, or iQOO.

With a proprietary charger (sold separately), the Galaxy S25+ took an hour to go from 20 to 100 percent.

Interestingly, the Galaxy S25 Ultra with a slightly bigger battery and the same charger took only 44 minutes to fully charge, which suggests the battery performance can be further optimised.

Final verdict

While most of the upgrades on the Galaxy S25+ are incremental, there’s no doubt that this is the smartest and most powerful “Plus” variant on the market. The Snapdragon 8 Elite unlocks incredible performance, and Galaxy AI continues to elevate the user experience across productivity and camera functions. Compared to the iPhone 16 Plus, Samsung’s S25+ offers more power and smarter AI features.

The battery performance remains standard, and Samsung could explore options like a larger capacity or faster charging speeds. Additionally, the next iteration could introduce new camera hardware for sharper details. If these two factors matter most to you, the OPPO Find X8 Pro or Vivo X200 Pro are worthy alternatives.

However, when it comes to productivity, Samsung sits at the top. Features like seven years of software updates, the Samsung ecosystem, and Knox security make it a complete package for professionals.

Editor’s rating: 8 / 10

Reasons to buy

• The Samsung Galaxy S25+ boasts a tall and vibrant 120Hz display.
• The Galaxy AI features are designed to improve both productivity and camera performance.
• The battery performance is respectable in both benchmarks and real life.
• The log mode for videos and AI-powered tools can be a blessing for content creators.

Reasons to not buy

• The Galaxy S25+ features the same design as its predecessor.
• The charging speed is average at best. Plus, there’s no charger in the box.