Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus: A Refined Flagship for 2025
Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy S25 Plus, the successor to the Galaxy S24 Plus, continuing its tradition of delivering a well-balanced flagship experience. While the device doesn’t introduce groundbreaking changes, it refines key aspects to maintain its appeal as a premium mid-sized smartphone.
Though much of the attention is focused on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Galaxy S25 Plus deserves recognition for offering a compelling mix of flagship features without the Ultra’s added bulk, S Pen integration, or complex camera system. The Plus lineup has steadily improved, inching closer to the Ultra model in terms of specs while maintaining a more accessible price point.
So, does the Galaxy S25 Plus continue to be one of the best value propositions in Samsung’s flagship range? Let’s dive in.
Samsung is offering significant discounts for early adopters:
- Galaxy S25 Plus: Up to $700 off with eligible trade-ins, plus an additional $100 Samsung Credit.
- Galaxy S25: Up to $500 off with eligible trade-ins, including a $100 Samsung Credit.
The Galaxy S25 Plus retains Samsung’s signature design language, featuring a refined flat design with right edges. The Armor Aluminum frame and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 offer durability, though the anti-reflective coating remains exclusive to the Ultra model.
Samsung has slimmed the device down to 7.3mm (from 7.7mm) and reduced its weight to 190g, making it feel even more compact and ergonomic.
Color Options:
- Navy
- Ice Blue
- Silver Shadow
- Mint (Additional exclusive colors available on Samsung.com)
The 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display offers HDR support, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and 2,600 nits peak brightness. Samsung has also introduced ProScaler, an AI-powered upscaling feature to enhance low-resolution content.
The camera hardware remains unchanged, featuring:
- 50MP main sensor
- 12MP ultra-wide sensor
- 10MP 3x telephoto lens
However, Samsung has improved image processing with the ProVisual Engine, integrated into the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. This enables:
- Reduced noise and motion blur
- Better details in photos
- Expert RAW mode with virtual aperture (F1.4 – F14)
- 10-bit HDR video recording
- Galaxy Log video capture for flexible color grading
- Audio Eraser AI feature for enhanced sound control in videos
The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset ensures top-tier performance across all regions, eliminating last year’s Exynos/Snapdragon split. Samsung has also expanded the vapor chamber by 15% to manage heat more effectively.
Performance improvements include:
- 37% faster CPU performance
- 40% better ray-tracing capabilities
- Universal 12GB RAM (256GB/512GB storage options)
The Galaxy S25 Plus runs Android 15 with One UI 7, bringing new AI-powered features:
- Cross-App Actions: Automate tasks across multiple apps
- Now Brief: Smart daily activity summaries
- Now Bar: Dynamic lock screen widgets (similar to iPhone’s Dynamic Island)
- Improved Circle to Search with Action Chips for quicker shortcuts
Samsung has also committed to 7 years of software updates, ensuring long-term support.
Despite its slimmer design, the 4,900mAh battery remains, benefiting from the efficiency of the new chipset. Charging speeds remain unchanged:
- 45W wired charging
- 15W wireless charging
The Galaxy S25 Plus builds on the strengths of its predecessor, refining the essentials without introducing radical changes. It delivers a premium experience with excellent design, strong performance, and long-term software support. Priced at $999 (256GB) and $1,119 (512GB), it stands as a great alternative to competitors like the iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro for those who don’t need the Ultra’s S Pen or advanced camera system.
If you’re upgrading from an older model, the Galaxy S25 Plus offers a compelling balance of value and flagship features.
