Samsung Galaxy S25 Series First Look: A Deep Dive into AI and Innovation
Our first experience with the new Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra is here. While the S25 Slim was not available, the initial impression of holding the main series phones is a noticeable difference in feel. Despite their large size, the devices are surprisingly light, feeling much better and lighter than the previous S24 series. The S25 Ultra, for example, is less than 12-15g lighter than its predecessor.
Design and Build: A Familiar Yet Premium Feel
At first glance, the design of the S25 series doesn’t stray far from its predecessors, featuring a boxier design with flat sides. The S25 Ultra is built with a titanium frame, while the base S25 and S25+ models use a recycled aluminum frame. All models have glass on the front and back, with a floating camera module that maintains a clean look. While the design may seem familiar, the focus is on the user experience and internal advancements.
The phones are also becoming more environmentally friendly. The frame of the base and plus models is made of recycled material, and 50% of the battery components are also recycled. The available colors are similar to previous lineups, with some online-exclusive options like pink. The black, dark grey, and titanium colors for the Ultra stand out for their premium look.
Upgraded Displays Across the Board
The displays on all three models are the Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 120Hz refresh rate, but the sizes have increased. The S25 Ultra boasts a massive 6.9-inch QHD+ display. The S25+ comes with a 6.7-inch QHD+ screen, and the base S25 features a 6.2-inch QHD display. Protecting these screens is the new Gorilla Glass Armor 2, which is reportedly 30-40% stronger than the previous Gorilla Glass Armor.
Under the Hood: The Power of a Customized Snapdragon
All three phones in the S25 series are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which has been specifically customized for these Galaxy devices in partnership with Samsung. This deep collaboration allows for new and exclusive features, particularly within the camera system.
In terms of memory, the entire series now starts with a 12GB RAM base variant, eliminating the 8GB option. Storage options go up to a top variant of 1TB.
Performance and Battery Specifications
The battery capacity remains consistent with previous models. The S25 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, the S25+ has a 4,900mAh battery, and the base S25 model contains a 4,000mAh battery. The phones support 45W charging and also feature reverse wireless charging. To handle performance and heat, the devices are equipped with a large vapor cooling chamber.
The Star of the Show: One UI 7 and the New Galaxy AI
The S25 series becomes truly exciting with the introduction of One UI 7 and the significant advancements in Samsung Galaxy AI. Because all three models run on the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the AI experience is consistent across the base, Plus, and Ultra variants. Galaxy AI is now more deeply integrated into the user’s regular workflow, with 70-80% of tasks being handled on-device for incredible speed.
Smarter, Faster, and On-Device
Galaxy AI’s on-device processing power is a major advantage. For example, converting a photo into a cartoon or a sketch takes only 5-8 seconds because the work is done directly on the phone without needing to access the internet. This on-device approach also enhances data privacy, which is further secured by the Knox Vault.
Practical AI Features for Daily Use
The new AI implementation introduces features designed for convenience and efficiency. Circle to Search has been enhanced to automatically detect phone numbers, emails, and URLs, allowing for actionable tasks like sending an email with a long press. You can perform complex tasks with simple commands. For instance, you can ask the AI to find flight options from Mumbai to San Francisco on a specific date and send them to a friend, completing a multi-step process in seconds.
Other new features include an AI Brief that provides a weather and day summary with one touch, and a Dynamic Island-like bar that shows timers on the lock screen. Live Call Assist continues to offer language changing and translation capabilities.
A Revamped Camera Experience
The camera system sees significant upgrades, especially on the S25 Ultra, which is complemented by a completely overhauled camera app in One UI 7.
S25 Ultra Camera Hardware
The S25 Ultra’s camera setup includes a 200MP primary sensor, a new 50MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 50MP telephoto lens. It also retains 3x and 5x telephoto lenses at 10MP each. The front of the device houses a 12MP selfie sensor.
A User-Friendly Camera App Overhaul
The camera app in One UI 7 has been redesigned for better one-handed use, particularly on the large Ultra model. Settings that were previously at the top of the screen are now accessible from the bottom, allowing users to change settings, set timers, and more without reaching.
Pro-Level and AI-Powered Camera Features
The customized Snapdragon processor enables new camera features. A zebra pattern, common in professional cameras, is now available to help identify overexposed areas in a shot. For videographers, the Expert Raw app is now integrated, allowing for the shooting of Galaxy Log videos.
One of the most impressive new features is the Audio Eraser. This AI-powered tool can remove unwanted audio from any video, even if it wasn’t shot on the S25. This process is done entirely on-device. The Portrait Studio feature has also been made faster, allowing for quick conversion of photos into various artistic styles like watercolor or sketch. Motion Capture is a new enhancement to Live Photos, allowing you to create boomerangs or slow-motion clips from a single shot.
For videography, the S25 series supports 8K at 30FPS, as well as 4K at 60FPS on both the rear and selfie cameras.
Additional Features and Long-Term Value
The S25 series is packed with other modern features, including WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Unprecedented Software Support
Samsung is continuing its commitment to longevity by offering 7 years of software updates. The phones come with Android 15 out of the box and will receive updates all the way to Android 22. Buyers will also receive Gemini Advance for 6 months and 2TB of Google Storage as an additional benefit.
Final Thoughts: A Software-Driven Evolution
While the hardware design of the S25 series may appear to be an incremental update, the software experience powered by Galaxy AI is a significant leap forward. The deep integration of AI into everyday workflows makes the entire package incredibly exciting and sets a new standard for what a smartphone can do.
