Samsung has just unveiled this year’s Galaxy S25 lineup. While it’s the same S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra flagship trio, the smartphone maker has upped its game with more powerful silicon, enhanced camera capabilities, and an even more AI-forward approach to its software platform.
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There’s little doubt that the Galaxy S25 phones will place among the best Android phones of 2025, but this year’s lineup also brings some of the best of Google’s AI features into the mix, including direct support for Gemini Live, while also embracing new computational photography capabilities.
That’s enough to blur the lines with Google’s Pixel 9 lineup, a set of flagships with an AI photography pedigree that ushered in the Gemini era several months ago. So, how does the Galaxy S25+ compare with Google’s Pixel 9 Pro? Let’s find out.
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Samsung’s Sweet SpotSamsung Galaxy S25+
Samsung’s Galaxy S25+ continues to be the ideal middle ground in the lineup, with power to spare for folks who want a larger Samsung flagship but don’t need the bleeding-edge features of the pricier Ultra. This year’s model gains a wealth of new AI features, and promises greater photographic prowess and longer battery life.
Pros & Cons- Excellent 6.7-inch screen with even slimmer bezels
- Cutting-edge performance
- Advanced AI capabilities, including Gemini Live
- Design is getting a bit bland
- Not all AI features are useful
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Google’s Goldilocks
Google Pixel 9 Pro
$849 $999 Save
$150Google’s Pixel 9 Pro is a pocketable powerhouse that provides all the capabilities from Google’s larger Pixel flagships in a 6.3-inch form factor. This includes the powerful AI-focused Tensor G4 chip and Google’s excellent camera system that can always be counted on to take consistently great photos.
Pros & Cons- Excellent performance for everyday tasks
- Refined design that’s more pocketable than ever
- Oustanding camera system
- Some AI features are still of dubious value
- Slower charging speeds
- Still lags behind other flagships in gaming performance
Price, availability, and specs
The Galaxy S25+ will be released on February 7, although it’s already up for preorder directly from Samsung. Once it hits stores, you should be able to pick one up at all the usual online and brick-and-mortar retailers or from your carrier. The Galaxy S25+ starts at $1,000 for 256GB of storage, with a 512GB model available for $1,120, although you can knock those prices down quite a bit if you’re willing to trade in an older phone. This year’s standard colors are navy, mint, Icy Blue, and Silver Shadow, with exclusive Blueblack, Corralred, and Pinkgold finishes available if you order an unlocked model directly from Samsung.com.
Google’s Pixel 9 Pro can be purchased directly from Google, at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, or through most carriers. The base 128GB model sells for $999, with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions available for $1,099, $1,219, and $1,449, respectively. It’s available in up to four colors — Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz, and Obsidian — but not all storage configurations come in all colors. You’ll have to settle for Obsidian if you want a 1TB model, and Rose Quartz fans can only purchase the 256GB version.
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Samsung Galaxy S25+ Google Pixel 9 Pro SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Google Tensor G4 Display type 120Hz AMOLED LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz Display dimensions 6.7 inches 6.3″ Display resolution 3120 x 1440 1280 x 2856 RAM 12GB 16GB Storage 256GB/512GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB Battery 4,900mAh 4,700mAh Charge speed 45W wired, 15W wireless 27W wired, 21W wireless Charge options Wired, wireless, wireless powershare USB-C wired, Qi wireless Ports USB-C USB-C Operating System Android 15, One UI 7 Android 14 Front camera 12MP f/2.2 42MP, f/2.2 Rear camera 50MP, f/1.8 OIS main; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 10MP, f/2.4 telephoto (3× zoom) 50MP, f/1.7, OIS main; 48MP, f/1.7 ultrawide; 48MP, f/2.8, 5x telephoto Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.4 Bluetooth 5.3 Dimensions 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm 152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm Weight 190g 199g IP Rating IP68 IP68 Colors Silver Shadow, Navy, Ice Blue, Mint Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz Price $1,000 From $999
Read our review
Design
Similar but different
You’ll have a hard time telling this year’s Galaxy S25+ apart from its 2024 predecessor, as Samsung hasn’t made any really meaningful design changes. That’s not surprising, as last year’s Galaxy S24 models changed things up noticeably by adopting iPhone-like flat edges and screens. It stands to reason that Samsung would stick with that design for at least a year or two.
Nevertheless, even last year’s changes maintained the classic S-series aesthetic, and there’s no mistake that the S25+ is a Samsung phone, from the three distinct lenses on the back that make up the camera array to the curve of the corners.
As usual, the colors really set each year’s models apart visually, and this time, Samsung is offering the S25+ in navy, mint, Icy Blue, and Silver Shadow. Of these, only navy has any real deep saturation; the others are more pastel-like. For a more vibrant color, you’ll need to order from Samsung to get the exclusive Coralred. There’s also Blueblack for those who prefer a darker neutral than the Silver Shadow, plus a unique Pinkgold (and yes, these are the names; Samsung has omitted the spaces, presumably to make them feel more on-brand).
As usual, the Galaxy S25+ is the larger of Samsung’s two standard models, with a 6.7-inch display. By comparison, Google has shrunk things with its Pixel 9 Pro this year, moving down to a 6.3-inch display; you’ll have to opt for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL if you want the full-sized model.
The Pixel 9 Pro is a bigger departure from its predecessor, with Google following in Samsung’s (and Apple’s) footsteps in adopting a completely flat screen and squared-off edges. In the process, Google has also gone for a more no-nonsense camera bar that protrudes from the back of the phone rather than going all the way across and blending into the edges. It’s a starker and more serious look for the Pixel, but we like it.
While the smaller Pixel 9 Pro may seem a more pocketable phone than Samsung’s Galaxy S25+, it’s actually thicker and heavier: 8.5mm and 199 grams versus Samsung’s slimmer 7.3mm and 190-gram weight. These are subtle differences, to be sure, but they could be enough to tilt the scales, especially if you plan on adding a rugged case.
That said, neither phone strictly needs extreme protection unless you’re regularly taking it on outdoor adventures. The Galaxy S25+ and Pixel 9 Pro both use Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for the front display and sport IP68 ratings for dust and water resistance, which translates to solid drop protection and the ability to survive immersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes.
Display
Neck in neck
The larger Galaxy S25+ naturally boasts a bigger 6.7-inch screen, but it hasn’t seen any significant upgrades from its predecessor. However, it also doesn’t need any. The display on last year’s Galaxy S24+ was fantastic, so the S25+ only needs to continue that tradition. Specifically, you’re getting a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels, which works out to 514 pixels per inch (ppi).
While some suggested we might see a higher peak brightness on the Galaxy S25+, this year’s model remains the same at 2,600 nits, which is already more than enough to see the phone outside on a sunny day.
Google also continues its own trend, with the Pixel 9 Pro using its own 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED LTPO display. As it’s a smaller screen, this naturally has a lower resolution at 2,856 x 1,280 pixels. However, it also ends up with a slightly lower pixel density, at 496 PPI. On the flip side, it can get brighter, with peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits. However, neither of these differences is something that most folks will notice with the naked eye.
With Samsung and Google embracing flatness, the front-facing designs are so similar that you’ll have difficulty telling them apart. Both have a single hole for the front-facing camera, and both displays are equally crisp and vibrant. The Galaxy S25+ has noticeably narrower bezels and corners that are slightly less curved, but the real difference between the two phones here comes down to the size of the screens rather than their quality.
Software
It’s all about AI
The Galaxy S25+ ships with Android 15 and Samsung’s well-known One UI layer on top. As usual, the new flagships mark the debut of One UI 7, but that’s been in beta for a few weeks, so we already knew what to expect.
This year’s One UI 7 release brings interesting surprises, including significant changes in user interaction. We think they’re mostly for the better, but they’ll take some getting used to for Samsung fans. Animations are also smoother, multitasking is better, and the Galaxy phones get an app drawer.
However, what really sets One UI 7 apart is Samsung’s expanded collection of AI tools. Bixby is gone in favor of Google’s Gemini Live, a Now Bar offers iPhone-like Live Activities, and a Now Brief gives you a surprisingly useful roundup of everything you need to know at any given time, from notifications to weather, news, and your health metrics.
Samsung may be catching up fast, but Google has a big head start in the AI game. Since Gemini Live is Google’s baby, it already came to the Pixel 9 Pro last year to replace Google Assistant. Google’s Pixel phones have long supported other “AI” tools from the days when they were more commonly referred to as “machine learning” (ML) features, and those are all still very much present and accounted for.
This includes the classic Call Screen and Magic Eraser features, the latter of which is joined by a more powerful Magic Editor on the latest Pixel phones. Other new creative features like Add Me and Video Boost are impressive, but there are also some tools of dubious value, like Pixel Studio.
Samsung and Google both promise seven years of Android updates, but it’s important to remember that the Pixel 9 Pro already received its first of these, as it shipped with Android 14. That means Samsung gets one more update, but it’s fair to say that many people will be shopping for a new phone when Android 22 comes along in 2031.
Performance
Gaming power or powerful AI?
The Galaxy S25+ has one significant thing going for it that could make it a viable platform for Android 23 someday: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip.
This is Samsung’s bespoke edition of Qualcomm’s latest silicon, and it packs so much power to spare that you’d be hard-pressed to use it all. Most folks probably won’t notice a significant increase over last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, as we’ve reached the point of diminishing returns in raw performance. However, that extra power is available for advanced AI features, and it’s good to know that it will be there to handle anything that Google and Samsung cook up in the future Android and One UI releases.
If you’re a gamer, you’re likely to notice the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s power the most, as frame rates should be smoother, and the Galaxy S25+ should run even cooler and with greater power efficiency. These areas are where it gets an edge over Google’s custom Tensor G4 used in the Pixel 9 Pro.
The Tensor G4 is a very respectable chip, and it’s a very solid upgrade over prior generations, which tended to run hot and cause a serious hit on battery life when placed under load. However, it’s still built with a stronger focus on AI performance. This gives the Pixel 9 Pro better support for computational photography and Gemini features, but don’t expect it to be a gaming powerhouse.
Then again, if you’re not a gamer, this isn’t something you’re likely to care much about. Neither the Galaxy S25+ nor the Pixel 9 Pro will have any problems keeping up with you for everyday tasks, although it’s worth mentioning that the Pixel could be a slightly better multitasker. Samsung gave the Galaxy S25+ a healthy boost to 12GB this year over the 8GB in the S24+, but that still falls short of the 16GB that comes standard on the Pixel 9 Pro.
Battery life
Power efficiency is where it’s at
The Galaxy S25+ packs in a 4,900mAh battery. That’s the same capacity used in last year’s model, which delivered great battery life. Running the S24+ dry in a day was virtually impossible unless you were trying hard.
We expect the Galaxy S25+ will do even better, thanks to the improved power efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. We’ve already seen what that chip can do on other phones, such as the OnePlus 13, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the Galaxy S25+ turns out to be a two-day smartphone.
As a smaller phone, the Google Pixel 9 Pro has a smaller battery at only 4,700mAh, but the Tensor G4 has been optimized enough to ensure that you can still count on all-day battery life. In our testing, we easily hit five hours of screen time even while pushing it with background tasks like music, and six hours seems achievable with more moderate use.
However, charging speeds are another matter. The Pixel 9 Pro still falls behind most other smartphones by offering only 27W charging. The Galaxy S25+ maintains the 45W speeds of its predecessor, which means you should be able to top it up much faster. Neither phone supports Qi2 wireless charging directly, although, with support for 15W Qi charging, you can get the same effect by adding a magnetic case. You can get 21W wireless charging if you pair the Pixel 9 Pro with a Google Pixel Stand, but those are hard to come by these days.
Camera
The magic is in the software
Samsung has always put its best cameras on the Galaxy Ultra, and this year is no exception. However, this doesn’t mean the Galaxy S25+ is a slouch in the photography department. It still includes a very capable camera array, including a 50-megapixel (MP) primary wide camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
Those are the same specs as last year’s Galaxy S24+ cameras. However, Samsung and Qualcomm have a few tricks up their sleeve that will hopefully address some of the earlier model’s shortcomings. The Galaxy S24+ struggled to take good pictures in challenging lighting conditions. The Galaxy S25+ could do a lot better thanks to a new “ProVIsual Engine” that uses the neural processing engine (NPU) an AI-powered image processing to enhance quality and details and reduce noise.
Samsung has also seemingly taken a page out of Apple’s iPhone 16 playbook with new AI-powered noise reduction algorithms, “Nightography” for low-light recording, and support for the professional Log video format. We’ll have to wait and see how well this translates to actual results, but if Samsung delivers what it’s promising here, the Galaxy S25+ may be a whole new ballgame for photography and videography.
Google’s Pixel 9 Pro is much more of a known quaintly, as Google led the way into the era of computational photography with its first Pixel phones years ago. The cameras are the same 50MP(ish) sensors as before — a 50MP main shooter joined by 48MP 5x telephoto and ultra-wide cameras. Google’s custom Tensor chips and software and hardware image processing pipeline have always made the Pixels some of the best camera phones on the market.
While the Pixel 9 Pro may no longer enjoy the same huge lead over rivals that its predecessors once did, it still produces the most consistent results we’ve gotten from any of the phones we’ve tested. That’s something Samsung’s phones have struggled with. We’re hoping the Galaxy S25+ changes that, but it’s still too early to tell.
Which is right for you?
It’s a close race between these two powerhouses, but the Samsung Galaxy S25+ has an edge here. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip delivers incredible performance and power efficiency while also bringing Samsung’s latest flagships all the way into the realm of computational photography — a landscape once dominated by Google.
The Galaxy S25+ also comes in at a lower price since the $1,000 base model offers 256GB of storage. It also offers faster charging, a larger screen, a whole slate of advanced AI features, and one more year of Android updates.
Samsung Galaxy S25+
The Galaxy S25+ delivers incredible performance, efficiency, and advanced AI tools thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip. While the design and camera specs haven’t changed much, new AI algorithms promise better photo and video results.
Still, the Google Pixel 9 Pro is a solid phone that won’t disappoint. It’s one of the most pocketable powerhouses out there, thanks to its 6.3-inch screen, while also delivering a 5x optical zoom and a camera system with a proven track record.
Google Pixel 9 Pro
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10
$150
The Pixel 9 Pro is a surprisingly premium flagship for its diminutive size, giving you all the power of Google’s traditionally larger Pixel Pro models in something much more pocketable. The Tensor G4 chip has performance to spare with all-day battery life, and the camera system consistently takes great photos.
