Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Review: Incremental AI Upgrades Amidst Hardware Similarities
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Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus Review: The Best Thing About AI Is I Hardly Notice It
Battery life is similar to the baseline S25 Similar specs as the S25, at a higher price Better cameras on other phones at the same price Samsung's mantra when debuting the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus appears to have been, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," as this year's phones share a striking
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Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus Review: Just Enough AI to Not Make Me Go Crazy
Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. Samsung's mantra when debuting the Galaxy S25
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Galaxy S25 Ultra Review: Greatest Phone Screen Ever, but Let's Not Talk About the AI
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S25, Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, OnePlus 13 With the new Galaxy S25 Ultra in my hand, I stand in the lobby of the LinkedIn building in San Francisco, which happens to be a POPOS: a privately owned public open space. It's a gorgeous
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Samsung Galaxy S25 review: More powerful, but more of the same
Over a year since it dipped into generative artificial intelligence, Samsung's Galaxy S-series phones are now the vanguard for its gen-AI features. This year, we're getting even deeper hooks into Google's Gemini AI assistant and more built-in software tricks than ever before. At the same time,
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review: Not enough to justify an upgrade
Not much else going on besides new AI tricks Some of the "new" AI features aren't really new AI continues to be largely stupid Phone companies are going to need to start doing new releases every two or three years instead of annually if this is how things are going to go from now on. Annual phone
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review: It's so good I'm thinking of ditching my iPhone
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate. Here's the most ironic thing about the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The moment it launched, lots of
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I tested the standard Galaxy S25, and it beats Google and Apple's offerings in several ways
The camera still suffers from shutter lag, making it less ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects. The Samsung Galaxy S25 might not be as flashy as the Ultra, but it's still the best compact phone you can buy right now. It refines an already great formula with a slimmer, lighter design, better
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Why I'm recommending the standard Galaxy S25 over the Plus and Ultra this year
The camera still suffers from shutter lag, making it less ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects. The Samsung Galaxy S25 might not be as flashy as the Ultra, but it's still the best compact phone you can buy right now. It refines an already great formula with a slimmer, lighter design, better
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: A Compact Flagship For Everyone
Samsung's new Galaxy S25 is the series' most pocketable device. Both in its form factor and price starting at $799.99 the same as last year's S24. It shares a similar flair to its previous iterations with under-the-hood changes and AI enhancements. Having used the phone for a week, I can
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I'd like the Samsung Galaxy S25 just as much without the AI
I'm Google Editor here at AP, and I spend most of my time carrying a Pixel. Samsung plays a central role in the Android ecosystem, though, and I've used plenty of its phones over the years, too. I reviewed the S24+ last year and the S23+ the year before, and I liked them both just fine. This year,
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Samsung Galaxy S25+ vs. Samsung Galaxy S23+: Leaping into the AI generation
An AI powerhouse Samsung Galaxy S25+ Samsung's Galaxy S25+ continues to be the ideal middle ground in the company's flagship lineup, offering an expansive, crisp, and bright display for those who don't need the advanced features of the S25 Ultra. Pros & Cons Oustanding 6.7-inch screen with even
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4 reasons the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the right choice for your first Samsung phone
Pre-order numbers reveal buyers are Ultra-impressed with Samsung's new top-of-the-line flagship If you've been following our coverage of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, you'll see that we have mixed opinions on the phone. While it's undoubtedly a phenomenally powerful phone that's packed with
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5 unique and powerful features the make the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra stand apart from the competition
Pre-order numbers reveal buyers are Ultra-impressed with Samsung's new top-of-the-line flagship The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is available now, but many outlets (including us) have noticed that Samsung seems to have taken a lazy approach to hardware development this year. However, while the Galaxy
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5 promising Galaxy AI features on Samsung's latest S25 flagships
If Samsung wants me to care about the Galaxy S25, it should come in better colors It's no secret I've been critical of Galaxy AI in its current form on the new Samsung Galaxy S25 phones. It needs a bit more polish to be ready for prime time, especially if Samsung wants to use it as the main reason
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I won't be upgrading to Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra -- here's why
We're just under a week away from the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra release day, and with that comes a choice many Android phonemakers will have to make: Will you buy the phone, or skip it and choose something else instead? Frankly, for me at least, it's a pretty easy decision to make. The answer is a
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: what's new?
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 This story is part of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 coverage Updated less than 1 minute ago Table of Contents Table of Contents Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: specs Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: design and display Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
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Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 series, including the S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra, offers minor hardware improvements but focuses heavily on AI features, raising questions about the necessity of annual upgrades.
Minimal Hardware Changes, Maximum AI Focus
Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 series, comprising the S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra, has hit the market with a clear emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) features while maintaining largely similar hardware to their predecessors. This approach has sparked discussions about the necessity of annual smartphone upgrades
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.Design and Hardware: Subtle Refinements
The Galaxy S25 series maintains a familiar design, with only minor tweaks. The S25 Ultra, for instance, features slightly curved edges and a marginally larger 6.8-inch display, making it more comfortable to hold despite its premium size
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. All models in the series boast high-quality AMOLED displays with 120Hz adaptive refresh rates, protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 21
.Under the hood, the phones are powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which promises improved performance, especially for AI-related tasks. However, for everyday use, the performance boost may not be immediately noticeable to most users
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.AI Features: The Main Attraction
Samsung has heavily invested in AI capabilities for the S25 series. Some notable features include:
- AI Select: Suggests actions like summarizing or translating text on screen
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. - Improved Gallery app: Uses conversational search terms to find photos
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. - Audio Eraser: Cleans up background noise in videos
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. - Google's Gemini integration: Accessible via long-press of the side button
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. - Circle to Search: Recognizes songs from humming or background audio
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While these features showcase the potential of AI in smartphones, their practical utility and long-term value remain questionable for some reviewers
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.Camera Capabilities
The camera systems across the S25 series remain largely unchanged from previous models. The S25 Ultra continues to offer the most versatile setup with a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto lens
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. Samsung claims improved low-light performance and computational photography enhancements, particularly for challenging shooting conditions3
.For videographers, the S25 series introduces new features like HDR video capture by default and a Galaxy Log mode for improved dynamic range and color grading options
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.Related Stories
Battery Life and Charging
Battery life across the S25 series remains competitive, with the S25 Ultra offering up to 31 hours of video playback according to Samsung's claims. Real-world testing suggests about 24 hours of general usage between charges
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. The introduction of Qi2 charging support, albeit through compatible cases, marks a step towards improved wireless charging capabilities4
.Pricing and Value Proposition
With prices starting at $800 for the base S25 model and reaching $1,300 for the S25 Ultra, the value proposition of these devices is debatable, especially for owners of recent Galaxy models
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. The incremental nature of the upgrades raises questions about the necessity of annual smartphone releases5
.As the smartphone market continues to mature, Samsung's focus on AI features in the Galaxy S25 series represents an attempt to differentiate in a landscape where hardware improvements are becoming less pronounced year over year. Whether these AI enhancements are enough to justify an upgrade will likely depend on individual user needs and preferences.
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