Samsung’s Galaxy S25 trio is more than meets the eye

The Galaxy S25 Ultra leaves its Note-like design in the past

For better or worse

Let’s start with the largest of Samsung’s new phones, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is all but certain to gain the most attention from power users across the web. It’s also the only device this year with anything remotely resembling a new design, though that’ll likely depend on your definition of the word “new.” The Galaxy S25 Ultra has dropped its rounded frame and sharp corners for something more in line with the rest of the S-series lineage. It should be more comfortable to hold, but it comes at the cost of the Note-esque design that Samsung has held onto for more than half a decade.

Despite the new look, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s internals aren’t all too different from what came before. The shift to Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset should provide One UI fans plenty of power, especially once you consider Samsung’s exclusive customizations. Last year’s 12MP ultra-wide sensor has been replaced with a 50MP lens, though the rest of the camera lineup remains unchanged on a hardware level. Perhaps the biggest change you’ll find here though lies in its dimensions. At 218 grams, this device is significantly lighter than its 233g predecessor, despite the move to a larger 6.9-inch screen.

But largely speaking, this year’s specs sheet looks a whole lot similar to the one we saw just 12 months ago. Despite the shift to 16GB of RAM from competitors like Google and OnePlus, the S25 Ultra — like its cheaper counterparts — is sticking with 12GB of memory on all tiers. Battery capacity is stuck at 5,000mAh, with 45W charging speeds for those with a supported PPS charging brick. At least Gorilla Armor has been upgraded to a more durable second-gen finish, which should prevent some of the wear and tear we saw accumulate on last year’s phone.

The Galaxy S25 and S25+ are bound to have you feeling déjà vu

I’ve seen this one, this is a classic

Samsung’s hoping its new slate of Galaxy AI features will be enough to sell you on the future of its mobile product portfolio, but before we address what’s coming to One UI 7, let’s also look at the Galaxy S25 and S25+. The company’s “smaller” options aren’t quite as eye-popping as their big brother, but they represent solid follow-ups to last year’s Galaxy S24 series — even if nothing on this list is remotely different enough to persuade S24 owners to upgrade.

The smaller Galaxy S25 actually gets the most attention, thanks to a long-awaited move to 12GB of RAM across the board. Other changes, including Wi-Fi 7 support, are few and far between, though — this is, in most ways, the phone you saw last year, just with modernized specs. The same goes for the Galaxy S25+, which comes in a variety of new colors but otherwise looks and reads virtually identical to its predecessor. Battery size, charging speeds, storage space — it’s all familiar territory, for better or worse.

In the case of the Galaxy S25+, it’s mostly for the better. Aside from the additional telephoto sensor on the Ultra-sized model, Samsung’s middle child can go toe-to-toe in most cases with its more expensive big brother. But from its 128GB starting configuration to its missing UWB support, the S25 still feels behind the times here.

You might’ve expected Samsung to make more than a handful of hardware changes to a phone that feels hamstrung by its size, but unfortunately, you’ll have to keep waiting for the next generation. At the very least, both phones are lighter than the S24 series, weighing in at 162 and 190 grams, respectively. All three phones also get some software improvements to the camera, including LOG video recording and virtual DSLR aperture settings, though that comes at the cost of any changes to the lenses on the back.

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is coming soon

And you can pre-order yours right now

Obviously, the big thing this year is One UI 7 and an all-new version of Galaxy AI, filled with tools like the Now Bar, Now Brief, changes to Circle to Search, and so much more. You can check out all of the details in the news post linked below, and of course, we’ll have plenty to say about all three of these phones over the coming hours, days, and weeks.

That said, if you’ve already had your mind made up, you don’t have to wait. The S25 trio is up for pre-order starting today without a price hike — that’s $800, $1,000, and $1,300, respectively. They’ll hit store shelves on February 7th, a little over two weeks from now. As for that mysterious Galaxy S25 Slim, well, your guess is as good as ours.

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  Samsung Galaxy S25
  
  

  Samsung’s Galaxy S25 keeps things small without sacrificing power. With a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB of RAM, and all sorts of tools courtesy of Galaxy AI, this is everything you expect from a modern flagship squeezed into a relatively svelte chassis.

  $800 at Samsung
  $800 at Best Buy
  $800 at Amazon
• 

  Samsung Galaxy S25+
  

  Samsung’s Galaxy S25+ finds just the right middle ground between its two siblings. With a 6.7-inch display, up to 512GB of storage, and 12GB of RAM, this smartphone includes practically everything you could ask for in the modern AI age, without driving up the price.

  $1000 at Samsung
  $1000 at Best Buy
  $1000 at Amazon
• 

  Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
  

  Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra leaves the Note-like design behind for the very first time. With flat edges, curved corners, and a massive 6.9-inch display, this is a modern flagship through and through — and yes, that S Pen is still here too.

  $1300 at Samsung
  $1300 at Best Buy
  $1300 at Amazon