The Galaxy S25 may not reinvent the wheel, but it packs enough upgrades to make upgrading from the S24 worthwhile. Here’s why it earns a place in your pocket.
For a limited time, Amazon is offering the Samsung Galaxy S25 for $100 off during its Big Spring Sale event. This offer applies to most colors and storage sizes.
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 battery life, and smarter AI features. But with minimal hardware upgrades over its predecessor, is it still worth the retail price of $799?
It helps that Samsung is counting on an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor this year, which not only brings speed improvements but also better image clarity and more efficient battery life — arguably the three most important aspects for consumers. I’ve spent the past week testing the device, and while the spec sheet may not excite you, the real-world experience tells a different story.
The Galaxy S25 is slimmer and lighter than last year’s Galaxy S24. In fact, it’s one of the most comfortable phones I’ve held and used. Unlike the larger Galaxy S25 Ultra, the flat sides don’t feel unwieldy, and the curved edges keep it handy. I’d go as far as to say it offers a better in-hand feel than the Google Pixel 9 and iPhone 16.
On the front, there’s a 6.2-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution, which, on paper, is less sharp than the QHD+ screens found on the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra. But in practice, it’s still sharp and vibrant for its size. From scrolling through Reels on Instagram to browsing on Chrome to watching movies on Netflix, the Galaxy S25 display delivers a satisfying content consumption experience.
I just wish the anti-reflective coating of Gorilla Armor 2 from the Galaxy S25 Ultra had trickled down to this model, as it makes the screen more usable in bright environments. It’s a quality-of-life upgrade that would have made the compact phone experience truly one of a kind. That said, the screen is still fairly legible in direct sunlight, as shown in the image above.
At Galaxy Unpacked, I had the impression that Samsung was over-relying on the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor to deliver a substantial upgrade over the Galaxy S24 this year. Maybe I dismissed it too quickly because, in my time reviewing the Galaxy S25, I’ve noticed battery life improvements that I’ve never seen from the smallest Samsung model.
From my tests, the Galaxy S25 lasted me at least an hour and a half longer than its predecessor under similar usage. It’s a one-day phone for moderate users — those who browse, use social media, and message frequently.
