If your heart is on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra phone but don’t have the money, you might want to opt for the less expensive variants in the latest series. These are the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+. These do not come with the artist-friendly S Pen stylus, but are high-end Android handsets with advanced AI and top-notch performance. The Galaxy S25+ that we checked out more extensively offers a nearly identical experience to the Ultra, but in a smaller design for less money.
The Galaxy S25+ sits in the middle of the S25 lineup. It shares the design and cameras of the base S25 but has a large, 6.7-inch high-resolution screen with rounded corners like the Ultra. It comes in two colours — Navy and Silver Shadow — in 12GB RAM and 256GB/512GB storage configurations. The phone is fortified with a strong Armour Aluminum frame, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an IP68 rating to protect from daily scuffs, dust and water.
I used the S25+ for over two weeks and it does everything well. For instance, watching Amazon or Netflix movies and TV shows for long hours or YouTube snack videos is not only a visual delight, the screen has a slightly warmer default tone, which makes viewing easier on the eyes. The display is sharp with a high pixel density and when compared to the Ultra, you might not notice much of a difference in day-to-day use.
The S25+ is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, plus you also get a bigger battery (4755mAh) and wired charging speed of 45W versus the 25W charging on S25 base model. I liked the fact that the side button can activate Google Gemini, in addition to Bixby. For the uninitiated, the former is an AI assistant that can help with tasks like brainstorming, research, and more.
The phone takes great photos in a variety of situations, thanks to a powerful rear setup comprising a 12MP ultra-wide camera, 50MP main camera and 10MP telephoto camera. On the front, we are looking at a 12MP selfie camera. The main camera captures lots of detail in day photography. Even in a night setting, the phone handles low-light scenes well, producing bright, clear images.
Some of the interesting AI features include that for photo and video editing, and search. Another thing I liked is the call quality on the S25+; it is loud and clear and the phone does a good job of removing background music and noise. Frankly, if you don’t mind giving up the S Pen stylus then this is a good phone that offers nearly everything the Ultra at a more affordable rate.
Likewise, the S25 is a good entry-level option for the S25 range. It has a good display, fast processor and improved AI functionality. For instance, Audio Eraser deploys AI analysis to differentiate and categorise sound types and remove noise from videos. It might be the smallest in the S25 series range, but it doesn’t skimp on power and hence it finds a strong mention.
(See attached file: Samsung Galaxy S25 & S25+.jpg)
KEY FEATURES
Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung Galaxy S25+
n Display: 6.2-inch
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
n 6.7-inch Dynamic
AMOLED 2X
n Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
n Operating system:
Android 15 and One UI 7
n Cameras: 50MP+10MP+12MP (rear), 12MP (front)
n Battery: 3885mAh,
25W charging
n 4755mAh, 45W charging
n Estimated street price: `80,999 (256GB),
Ra 92,999 (512GB)
n Rs 99,999 (256GB),
Rs111,999 (512GB)
