Galaxy S25 Extremely Evaluation: Stellar, however extraordinarily boring

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Extremely will probably be the most effective smartphones of 2025.

It appears nice due to its minimized bezels and extra rounded design, feels strong, and snaps glorious images that rival the Pixel 9 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro— it is the entire package deal. Alternatively, the cellphone is sort of equivalent to the Galaxy S24 Extremely and embodies the quickly plateauing high-end smartphone completely.

Any means you take a look at it, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is a boring handset expertise lovers like myself haven’t got many causes to get enthusiastic about. There’s no flashy new feature this year like a questionably helpful devoted digital camera button, and whereas the design upgrades are welcome, they’re undeniably refined. Oh, and people new AI options Samsung is pushing? They don’t seem to be nice.

However you recognize what? That is okay to some extent. In case you’re transferring from a Galaxy S24 Extremely to the S25 Extremely, there is not loads to get enthusiastic about right here. However in the event you’re a Galaxy S20 Extremely, S21 Extremely, S22 Extremely, and even S23 Extremely consumer, you may actually really feel the upgrades right here. And in in the present day’s market the place persons are hanging onto their smartphones for a number of years earlier than upgrading, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is a top-tier package deal.

Beneficial

Galaxy S25 Extremely

The very best-end variant of Samsung’s flagship smartphone lineup for 2025, the S25 Extremely ships with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, an enormous 6.9-inch show, and a quad digital camera setup.

Professionals & Cons

• Beautiful design
• Snaps nice images
• Minimized bezels look nice

• Similar to the Galaxy S24 Extremely
• Now Temporary is not nice
• Most Galaxy AI options aren’t helpful

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Value, availability, and specs

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Extremely begins at $1,300 and is obtainable from a number of retailers, together with Samsung, in silverblue, grey, black, whitesilver. This 12 months’s Samsung Retailer unique colours embrace jetblack, jadegreen, and pinkgold.

The S25 Extremely encompasses a model of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) chip particularly designed for smartphones. Samsung says this chip affords a 40 % AI increase, a 37 % effectivity enchancment, and a 30 % visible efficiency soar over the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip (take a look at my very own Geekbench 6 benchmarks under). The cellphone’s AMOLED show measures 6.9 inches and has a 3120 x 1440 Pixel decision. Lastly, the machine additionally encompasses a 5,000 mAh battery that is equivalent to the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s.

Relating to its cameras, the Galaxy S25 Extremely options the identical array because the S24 Extremely, together with an f/1.7 200-megapixel (extensive) primary shooter, an f/2.4 10-megapixel 3x (telephoto), and an f/3.4 50-megapixel 5x (telephoto). New for this 12 months is the ultra-wide digital camera being kicked as much as f/1.9 50-megapixel.

Galaxy S25 Extremely construct and design

It is nonetheless a familiar-looking Observe with one other identify

This 12 months, Samsung made minimal modifications to the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s design. Actually, at first look, it is tough to seek out any variations between the S24 Extremely and the S25 Extremely. Let’s begin with the again first — the identical rear digital camera array returns, and fortunately, there nonetheless is not a large bump below the lenses like with the iPhone 16 Professional and different smartphones, with every lens sitting independently. As an alternative, Samsung has added a subtly lined black rim round every lens, identical to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. Am I keen on this transformation? Not likely, however it’s so minor I do not actually care, and I guess most individuals will really feel the identical means.

The sides of the Galaxy S25 Extremely are additionally barely extra rounded, giving the cellphone a friendlier, extra iPhone-like look that matches the remainder of the Galaxy S25 collection and the Galaxy S24 line. It additionally struck me as odd that final 12 months’s Extremely was a little bit extra squared-off than the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+, however now, that is not the case. I like this new look, however once more, like quite a lot of issues with the S25 Extremely, it is a minor shift some individuals may not even discover.

The S Pen is again once more and has a handy slot contained in the Galaxy S25 Extremely, much like the now-dead Note line. Nonetheless, this 12 months, Samsung has ditched Bluetooth from the stylus, which suggests it not works with “Air Gestures,” together with utilizing the stylus as a distant shutter for snapping images. It is a disappointing and perplexing downgrade to what’s imagined to be Samsung’s top-tier smartphone. Realistically, most customers will not discover that change since Air Gestures aren’t that common, however it would not make it any much less of an odd cost-cutting determination on Samsung’s half.

It is value declaring that the Galaxy S25 Extremely is barely “Qi2 Prepared,” which, in the identical vein as ditching Bluetooth from the S Pen, feels very bizarre. Whereas the cellphone helps the brand new wi-fi charging commonplace, together with quicker wi-fi charging speeds, you want a Qi2-compatible case. Meaning if you need iPhone-like MagSafe-style magnetic charging, equipment, and quicker wi-fi charging speeds, you may want a Qi2 case with a built-in magnet. This appears like an adjunct money seize on Samsung’s half, although there are already third-party instances accessible (take a look at the expensive however strong Casetify case under). Can we simply carry Qi2 to each Android machine already, please?

And that is it — severely. So far as design modifications go, there actually is not something new in regards to the S25 Extremely whenever you pit it straight in opposition to the S24 Extremely. I do know we’re firmly within the period of iterative smartphone updates, however how related each units look is wild.

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Galaxy S25 Extremely show

The minimized bezels and larger display are its finest new options

The display is my favourite Galaxy S25 Extremely improve over its predecessor and earlier variations of Samsung’s Extremely-tier smartphone. Due to its practically non-existent bezels, the cellphone’s 3120 x 1440 pixel decision, 6.9-inch AMOLED show appears extremely trendy, particularly sitting beside the Pixel 9 Professional and iPhone 16 Professional, its two key opponents within the US market.

Like in years previous, Samsung’s display prowess is on show right here. This show appears completely implausible. All the things from its shiny, vibrant colours to its 2,600 nits of peak brightness and even its dynamic 1Hz – 120Hz refresh fee (which is not new, to be clear) is flawless. That is an costly smartphone, however you get what you pay for within the display division, with the show surpassing the Pixel 9 Professional/9 Professional XL and iPhone 16 Professional/16 Professional Max when it comes to sheer high quality. It is actually the very best smartphone show I’ve ever seen.

It is value mentioning that the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s smaller bezels have sometimes precipitated me to unintentionally press the show with my palm after I’m holding it. It would not occur typically, however it might probably get annoying, so it is value noting.

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Galaxy S25 Extremely digital camera

The brand new ultra-wide digital camera is spectacular

I have been fairly outspoken about my dislike for Samsung’s out-there images and video post-processing. I am simply not a fan of blown-out highlights and vibrant colours that appear like they had been shot on one other planet, however I perceive why some persons are — the images can generally look very cool, in spite of everything. This aesthetic is toned down with the Galaxy S25 Extremely, however I nonetheless miss the iPhone 16 Professional’s extremely customizable Pictures Kinds and the Pixel 9 Professional collection’ extra grounded tackle images and movies. I am hoping Samsung finally brings a equally intuitive function to the Galaxy collection that lets you tweak images precisely the way you need earlier than you shoot them.

On the {hardware} entrance, the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s lenses are equivalent to the S24 Extremely’s, together with the f/1.7 200-megapixel (extensive) and f/2.4 10-megapixel telephoto, with optical zoom maxing out at 5x (I nonetheless miss the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s 10x optical zoom). The identical f/2.2 12-megapixel digital camera can be again. New for this 12 months is the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s f/1.9 50-megapixel ultra-wide digital camera, a step above final 12 months’s f/2.2 12-megapixel shooter. I do not shoot ultra-wide images typically, however the images shot with the Galaxy S25 Extremely look nice, providing extra definition and improved low-light efficiency over the Galaxy S24 Extremely.

Usually, in the event you like Samsung’s images and video type, you may benefit from the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s cameras. Personally, I like Google’s and Apple’s extra grounded tackle smartphone images, however it all is dependent upon your choice. Any means you take a look at it, the Galaxy S25 snaps nice images and may even get clear photographs when there’s ample movement within the scene, a problem I’ve encountered with previous Galaxy S collection units.

There are additionally a number of extra pro-focused additions this 12 months, together with Log video assist. This function provides you a flat video profile whereas retaining info associated to highlights and shadows, making it simpler to tweak the footage exactly the way you need. This function is aimed extra at filmmakers and creators than the typical consumer, so it is unlikely most Galaxy S25 Extremely customers will make the most of it.

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Galaxy S25 Extremely efficiency

All-day (after which some) battery is again

Excessive-end telephones (and most telephones, for that matter) have featured energy overkill for roughly half a decade or extra, and the Galaxy S25 Extremely is not any exception. This 12 months, Samsung’s top-tier smartphone encompasses a customized model of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip alongside 12GB of RAM. Would I’ve most well-liked the machine to supply 16GB of RAM given its “Extremely” moniker? You guess — however total, the S25 Extremely is lots highly effective. Whether or not you are operating questionably helpful Galaxy AI options, taking part in high-end video games, or simply watching the world finish on social media, the expertise is silky easy.

For those who care about benchmarks, the Galaxy S25 Extremely hits a formidable 3,104 for single-core and 9,831 for multicore on Geekbench 6. I’ve additionally been impressed with the smartphone’s battery life. With common use, together with a cellphone name or two, some digital camera testing, and scrolling social media, the S25 Extremely’s 5,000 mAh battery holds up like a champ, lasting properly into the night with 20-30% leftover on most days.

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Galaxy S25 Extremely software program

The brand new Now Temporary disappoints

Look, I get it. AI is a development space for tech giants and is pegged as the following massive factor. This business strikes in large cycles and AI is simply the factor proper now. I am additionally conscious that each one of this expertise may be very a lot a piece in progress. With that out of the best way, Galaxy AI nonetheless feels half-baked in comparison with Google’s and even Apple’s AI choices.

This 12 months’s marquee function is the “Now Bar,” which reveals up on the cellphone’s lockscreen, and the “Now Temporary,” an AI-powered widget that lives on the house display. The idea is that it pulls knowledge out of your cellphone, together with your calendar, e mail, images, and extra, and delivers a snapshot of data you care about, all pulled from a number of apps.

After a few weeks and making a concerted effort to combine Google’s app suite into Now Temporary, it solely reveals me the climate, assumes I am continuously touring, and hasn’t even began pulling in information tales I care about. No different info has appeared within the widget, which may be very disappointing. The thought of Now Temporary is spectacular, and I genuinely suppose it might be the primary instance of smartphone-powered AI that matches into my life, however in its present state, it feels fairly ineffective. Hopefully, Now Temporary will enhance the extra the cellphone is used. I am additionally curious if this Galaxy S25 series-exclusive function will make its option to earlier S collection units within the coming months.

Sticking with this theme, whereas the S25 Extremely’s cross-app performance powered by each Gemini and Bixby is spectacular (you are able to do quite a lot of this with different Android telephones with simply Gemini and Google, to be clear), it would not all the time work reliably. For instance, I requested Gemini to make a Google Calendar itemizing for an upcoming work occasion with my work e mail, and could not differentiate between the 2 accounts I had signed in on the machine. There’s potential right here if Samsung can iron out the problems and make its AI brokers extra succesful, however because it stands at present, it is simpler and way more dependable to carry out duties like this your self.

On a extra constructive word, OneUI 7 appears nice — it is simplistic, stripped again, and encompasses a revamped, easier-to-use digital camera app. It additionally form of appears like iOS (sorry, Samsung followers), which, so far as I am involved, is an efficient factor. I’ve quite a lot of points with Apple’s smartphones, however the clear structure of iOS 18 is not one in all them.

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Must you purchase the Galaxy S25 Extremely?

It is dependent upon what cellphone you at present personal

One of many greatest questions surrounding the Galaxy S25 Extremely is why you’d go for it over the Galaxy S25 or 25+. Except you are actually into the S Pen and snap quite a lot of telephoto photographs, you might in all probability go for one in all Samsung’s very succesful Galaxy S25 units, relying in your show dimension choice. This 12 months, the hole between Samsung’s different units and the Extremely is tiny, much like the Pixel 9/9 Professional and the iPhone 16/iPhone 16 Professional.

Whether or not the Galaxy S25 Extremely is actually value it for you’ll rely upon what Samsung machine you are at present utilizing. These rocking a Galaxy S24 Extremely will not discover a lot right here, and the identical will be stated for Galaxy S23 Extremely homeowners to some extent. Nonetheless, in the event you’re utilizing an earlier Galaxy Extremely cellphone, just like the S20, S21, or S22, you may get loads out of the Galaxy S25 Extremely.

Regardless of the minimal upgrades, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is without doubt one of the most strong all-around smartphones Samsung has launched in years.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely

This machine was supplied to Pocket-lint by Samsung.