Samsung’s newest flagship, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is right here, however does it supply sufficient enhancements over the already wonderful Galaxy S23 Extremely to justify an improve?
At first look, you’d be forgiven for considering little has modified, however some key variations might sway your choice.
Let’s discover probably the most important upgrades and what they imply for on a regular basis use.
Design
The Galaxy S25 Extremely maintains Samsung’s signature boxy aesthetic however introduces some delicate refinements.
The corners at the moment are barely extra rounded, making the machine really feel extra comfy within the hand in comparison with the S23 Extremely’s sharp edges.
Whereas this modification received’t revolutionise usability, it does make long-term dealing with just a little extra nice.
Luke Baker
Samsung has additionally decreased the burden of the S25 Extremely by round 15g, making it barely much less of a brick to hold.
On condition that the flagship telephones have been getting heavier with every iteration, this can be a welcome change.
The titanium alloy body stays unique to the Extremely mannequin, reinforcing the premium really feel.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
One of many extra puzzling downgrades, nevertheless, is the removing of Bluetooth performance from the S Pen.
Whereas writing and sketching stay unaffected, options akin to utilizing the stylus as a distant shutter button are gone.
It’s a small however irritating step backwards, seemingly a cost-saving measure.
Show
On paper, the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s 6.9-inch AMOLED show appears almost equivalent to its predecessor’s, however Samsung has made some essential refinements.
In comparison with the 6.8-inch show of the Galaxy S23 Extremely, the brand new display is bigger and its bezel is now 15% slimmer, making a extra immersive viewing expertise.
Though it would look like a minor enchancment, it’s noticeable when watching movies or gaming.
Luke Baker
Maybe the most important improve is the usage of Gorilla Armor 2, which not solely enhances scratch and impression resistance but additionally improves the anti-reflective properties of the display.
This refined glass makes the S25 Extremely even higher, decreasing reflections for improved visibility in brilliant environments.
The S23 Extremely options solely Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Samsung has additionally launched ProScaler, an AI-powered characteristic designed to boost picture readability, though its real-world impression is questionable.
Whereas the S25 Extremely’s display is now top-of-the-line within the business, the S23 Extremely’s show remains to be holding up.
Cameras
The Galaxy S25 Extremely comes with a typical 200Mp digicam, a 10Mp telephoto with 3X optical zoom, and a 50Mp periscope with 5X optical zoom, and a 50Mp.
In the meantime, the Galaxy S23 Extremely got here with a 200Mp digicam, a 10Mp 3X telephoto, a 10Mp periscope with a 10X optical zoom, and a 12Mp ultrawide digicam.
Luke Baker
Essentially the most notable digicam adjustments within the S25 Extremely are the brand new 50Mp ultrawide sensor, changing the 12Mp one within the S23 Extremely, and the 50Mp periscope with 5X optical zoom, which changed the 10Mp one alongside the discharge of the S24 Extremely.
This does present extra element, notably when zooming into ultrawide photographs, but it surely’s not a game-changer in on a regular basis pictures.
In any other case, the core digicam system stays largely unchanged.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Nonetheless, Samsung has improved its picture processing with the introduction of the ProVisual Engine and Spatio Temporal Filter, which improve color accuracy and element. Pores and skin tones specifically now seem extra pure, making for a extra reasonable pictures expertise.
One main new addition is the power to shoot in Log format, giving skilled videographers higher flexibility in post-production. Whereas this characteristic received’t matter to most customers, it’s a giant step for content material creators, particularly provided that Samsung is among the solely manufacturers providing Log recording at 8K decision.
When you’re in search of the higher digicam cellphone out of those two, though the S23 Extremely remains to be nice, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is the winner.
Different Variations
Along with these key adjustments, the S25 Extremely additionally introduces the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset and a base 12GB of RAM, providing a efficiency enhance over the S23 Extremely’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which was paired with 8GB of RAM within the base variant of the cellphone.
Though this received’t make the cellphone considerably quicker in day-to-day duties, you’re more likely to discover a distinction with regards to gaming or extra demanding apps.
The S25 Extremely additionally encompasses a bigger vapour chamber for cooling, serving to the cellphone maintain excessive efficiency for longer gaming or intensive duties. Nonetheless, it nonetheless will get heat throughout prolonged use.
Luke Baker
Elsewhere, the S25 Extremely boasts AI-powered software program enhancements, together with a revamped Gemini assistant, AI-powered search, and Now Temporary summaries.
Whereas helpful, these options are largely software-based and will seem on the S23 Extremely after updating to Android 15 and One UI 7, which debuted with the S25 Extremely out of the field.
Value & Availability
The Galaxy S25 Extremely is priced at £1,249/$1,299 for the 256GB mannequin, £1,349/$1,419 for the 512GB model, and £1,549/$1,659 for the 1TB variant.
It’s accessible on the Samsung UK and Samsung US websites, however there are additionally some interesting gives accessible elsewhere.
Take a look at our information to the finest Galaxy S25 sequence offers to be sure to’re getting one of the best worth.
The Galaxy S23 Extremely was launched at £1,249/$1,199 for the 256GB mannequin, £1,399/$1,379 for the 512GB, and £1,599/$1,619 for the 1TB variant. With the launch of the S25 Extremely, Samsung withdrew the S23 Extremely from sale.
Nonetheless, it could actually nonetheless be bought for round £679 from Amazon or different UK retailers whereas shares final. When you reside within the US, you too can purchase it from Amazon at round $799.
Verdict
When you’re coming from the Galaxy S23 Extremely, the S25 Extremely won’t supply sufficient to justify the improve.
There’s no denying that it’s higher than its predecessor, however most of its enhancements are delicate, and lots of software program options are anticipated to roll out to the S23 Extremely sooner or later.
Nonetheless, should you’re utilizing the S22 Extremely or an older machine, the S25 Extremely is a implausible improve, bringing significant enhancements in design, show, and AI-powered options.