Samsung Galaxy S25 review: The subtle powerhouse that’s hard to put down

There’s something about the Samsung Galaxy S25 that doesn’t scream for attention—and yet, once you start using it, it’s impossible to ignore. The flagship may not have received the kind of radical upgrades you’d expect from a new number in the series, but what it does instead is perfect the small things. 

At a time when smartphones are in a race to offer “bigger and bolder,” Samsung sticks to an alternate route with the S25—refining, slimming down, and focusing on balance. In doing so, Samsung delivers a well-polished Android experience in 2025.

Design

Let’s start with the form factor, because this is where the Galaxy S25 quietly steals the show. 

Despite its 6.2-inch display, the Galaxy S25 feels incredibly compact. It’s the kind of device that almost vanishes into your pocket. At just 7.2mm thickness and a feather-light 162 grams, the phone is deceptively easy to forget… until you pull it out and remember just how good it feels to hold. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using the Galaxy S25, simply for its amazing hand-held formfactor.

The rounded edges wrap around your fingers gently, making the device ideal for binge-watching, endless scrolling, and long gaming sessions. I’m not a fan of sharp, flat designs, which is why Samsung’s ergonomics-first approach pays off in long-term comfort.

The rear panel houses the familiar triple-camera ring setup. Yes, it still wobbles when kept flat on a table, but the camera rings ensure the lenses don’t make direct contact with surfaces, in turn protecting them from any scratches.

There’s no dramatic redesign here—but compared to the Galaxy S24, you’ll feel the difference in weight, thickness, and overall polish the moment you start using it. These incremental improvements add up fast.

Performance: Small chip, big impact

If there’s one area where Samsung has turned up the heat, it’s under the hood.

The Galaxy S25 is powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite—custom-tuned for Samsung—and paired with 12GB of RAM. This custom chip clocks 4.47GHz at its peak, and the result is obvious from the first swipe. From navigating the UI, switching apps, to gaming intensively, everything feels instantaneous.

Over a three-week period filled with heavy multitasking, testing, and gaming, not once did the S25 stutter or heat up beyond comfort. That’s has to be due to the Vulkan Engine support, Ray Tracing capabilities, and a 15% larger vapor chamber cooling system.

Samsung’s focus on thermal performance is commendable. It’s a quiet upgrade that hardcore users will appreciate every single day.

Display & UI: Still the benchmark

Samsung’s display game is untouchable, and the S25 carries forward that legacy. The 6.2-inch AMOLED panel remains a visual delight—bright, vibrant, and crisp in every situation. Whether you’re outdoors on a sunny day or scrolling late at night, the display delivers punchy visuals and buttery-smooth animations.

And then there’s the new “Now” bar on the lock screen, which is a dynamic widget hub for timers, music controls, reminders, all at your fingertips without unlocking the phone. In a way, it’s Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Dynamic Island. Not as elegant, but quite effective.

Add to that the upgraded One UI features and Samsung’s AI-led enhancements, and you get a user experience that feels thoughtful, not forced. Plus, you get treated to the whole suite of Galaxy AI, the same as you’d get in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. You can read all about the AI features in the S25 Ultra’s review.

Cameras: Familiar hardware

The triple-camera setup on the Galaxy S25 includes a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP 3x telephoto. On paper, this is identical to the S24—and even the S22, for that matter.

But in reality, Samsung has quietly tuned the optics and software to offer improvements. The main sensor still leans towards over-brightening, especially in high-contrast scenes (think direct sunlight on faces), but detail retention and dynamic range have improved noticeably. 

The 2x zoom is sharper than before, and the 3x telephoto continues to offer dependable results—though it does fall behind the 5x setups offered by some competitors. The ultra-wide sensor is solid as always, providing consistency across focal lengths. And the portraits come out lively and fantastic. It’s brilliant how the smallest of the subjects are picked up with by sensor in portrait mode and the bokeh is applied with great accuracy. 

Check out some of the camera samples shot on S25:

And then there’s Generative Edit. This AI tool got a massive boost in the S25, delivering impressive photo manipulations with just a few taps. From object removal to background tweaks, it’s fast, fun, and highly usable.

Battery life & charging

The Galaxy S25 comes with a modest battery upgrade, but it still doesn’t push boundaries.

On light to moderate use, the phone comfortably lasts a full day—with around 20–30% left by bedtime. That’s decent, but given the performance improvements, a slightly larger battery would have gone a long way.

Charging, on the other hand, is efficient. You get a 50% top-up in under 30 minutes and a full charge in about an hour. But—yes, there’s no charger in the box. I still don’t mind that, but the charging speeds definitely need an upgrade. 

There’s more

With IP68 water and dust resistance, the S25 can survive accidental dunks. But what’s more impressive is the seven years of software and security updates, which means the phone is future-proof. That’s a promise only a handful of Android OEMs are making, and Samsung leads the pack alongside Google.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Galaxy S25?

Let’s say you want a balanced flagship Android phone in 2025; then the Galaxy S25 is it.

But no, it doesn’t have an over-the-top camera setup or 1TB of storage. What it does have is a refined design, top-tier performance, dependable cameras, long-term software support, and just enough AI to keep things interesting.

At Rs 80,999 starting, it’s not cheap—but it’s worth every rupee if you value a compact, reliable flagship that won’t weigh your pocket down—literally or metaphorically.

If photography is your passion, the Ultra model is still your best bet. If you want a larger display and battery, the Plus makes sense. But for everyone else, the Galaxy S25 is the sweet spot—the kind of phone that fits right in and never lets you down.

To wrap it up, Samsung Galaxy S25 is compact, powerful, and delightfully light; it brings meaningful upgrades where it matters—performance, cooling, usability, and software. It’s not flashy, but it’s reliable.