Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Deep Dive Review: Is it Worth the Upgrade?

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Deep Dive Review: Is it Worth the Upgrade?Samsung officially unveiled its highly anticipated Galaxy S25 series on January 23rd, but the official launch in China is slated for February 14th. This almost two-week waiting period gives us ample time to carefully consider whether this new Samsung flagship is worth the purchase

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Deep Dive Review: Is it Worth the Upgrade?

Samsung officially unveiled its highly anticipated Galaxy S25 series on January 23rd, but the official launch in China is slated for February 14th. This almost two-week waiting period gives us ample time to carefully consider whether this new Samsung flagship is worth the purchase. This review will delve into the differences between the Galaxy S25 and S24 series to help you make an informed buying decision.

I. AI Empowerment: A Smarter Interactive Experience

AI is undeniably the core selling point of the Galaxy S25 series. Samsung dedicated significant time during the launch event to showcasing the transformative AI features, highlighting their importance. While some features like AI image search, AI text summarization, and AI cutout are already common in Chinese-made phones, Samsung has introduced several refreshing AI innovations.

For example, the intelligent screenshot function can intelligently predict the area users want to capture. A simple gesture outlining the target area is all it takes to complete the screenshot. This is particularly useful for video screenshots, as the function automatically selects the optimal framing and directly captures dynamic videos, facilitating GIF creation. The call transcription feature generates detailed text information simultaneously with voice recording, greatly simplifying note-taking and organization. The instant briefing function, similar to other phones' "Dynamic Island," provides a briefing area at the bottom of the lock screen displaying important schedules or interesting content. Furthermore, system interaction is more intelligent, with many system settings controllable via voice commands, and image styles intelligently matched based on existing image effects.

In short, the Samsung Galaxy S25 series boasts significantly enhanced AI capabilities. While many of the features showcased at the launch rely on Google technology, there are some questions about the full implementation in the Chinese version. However, considering that the Galaxy AI features on the S24 series are largely consistent with the international versions (with only some features using local solutions), and Samsung has confirmed that all features shown at the launch will be included in the Chinese version, excessive worry is unnecessary. Even so, users can always opt for the Hong Kong version. It's also worth mentioning that Samsung Galaxy AI primarily performs local computations, with Samsung emphasizing data security.

II. Refined Design: The Perfect Fusion of Slimness and Aesthetics

The Galaxy S25 series inherits the design philosophy of the S24 series, with subtle yet refined improvements. Samsung has further reduced screen bezels and lightened the weight of all three models, showcasing its mastery of industrial design.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra shows the most significant design changes. The screen size has increased from 6.8 inches to 6.9 inches, but thanks to the reduced bezels, the overall dimensions haven't significantly increased, and it retains the rounded corners. The overall design is closer to the S24+'s rounded corners, but with a more restrained radius, creating a clear differentiation from the S24 Ultra. The thickness has been reduced from 8.6mm to 8.2mm, the width by 1.4mm, and the weight from 232g to 218g.

The Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ maintain the previous generation's design style, with unchanged screen sizes but adjusted dimensions. The Galaxy S25 is thinner (7.6mm to 7.2mm) and lighter (167g to 162g), while the Galaxy S25+ is also thinner (7.7mm to 7.3mm) and lighter (196g to 190g).

In terms of materials, titanium remains exclusive to the Ultra model. All models feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with anti-reflective properties, reducing surface reflections in various lighting conditions to enhance screen clarity and improve scratch and drop resistance. All models are IP68 rated for water and dust resistance. Three standard color options and four Samsung exclusive colors are available for all three models.

III. Performance Configuration: The Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy

The Galaxy S25 series' specifications are a mixed bag, with exciting upgrades alongside some carryovers from the previous generation. If configuration alone is the primary concern, the S24 series remains a capable option.

The entire Galaxy S25 series features the customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, with the super core clock speed increased to 4.47GHz, theoretically outperforming other Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones. To fully unleash this performance, Samsung has improved cooling specifications. The VC vapor chamber area in the Galaxy S25 and S25+ is increased by 15%, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra sees a 40% increase. With two consecutive generations of significant cooling improvements, performance should be notably better.

In terms of storage, the Galaxy S25 base model is upgraded to 12GB RAM, eliminating the 8GB RAM version, promising smoother performance. The Galaxy S25+ storage specifications remain unchanged, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra finally offers a 16GB RAM option, albeit only on the 1TB top-end model, filling a significant gap.

Battery life remains unchanged across the S25 series, with 4000mAh, 4900mAh, and 5000mAh for the base, plus, and Ultra models respectively. Fast charging specifications remain at 25W, 45W, and 45W respectively. Improvements in battery life are primarily attributed to the higher energy efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.

IV. Imaging System: The Concert King Gets an Upgrade

Samsung phones are often referred to as "concert kings," frequently rented out in large quantities at concerts. The S25 series introduces several new imaging features. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ have largely unchanged camera specifications, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra features a new 50MP ultrawide camera with macro capabilities. The periscope telephoto lens remains the same as the S24 Ultra, offering 5x optical zoom, 10x lossless zoom, and an f/3.4 aperture, ideal for long-range shots.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra significantly enhances video recording capabilities, accurately identifying static and dynamic objects and performing real-time semantic segmentation. It offers improved low-light performance with significant noise reduction and brightness enhancement. 10-bit HDR video capture captures more details. The audio eraser function allows for the identification and custom volume adjustment of various sounds in videos, beneficial for concert videography, enabling the removal of audience noise while preserving stage sound. Therefore, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is poised to remain the concert king.

For professional photography, Samsung offers Galaxy Log video, providing precise color grading options for significant advantages in post-production.

V. Price and Purchase Recommendations

The domestic pricing of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series has not yet been officially announced, but Samsung has revealed pre-order pricing. The starting prices for the three models are 6499, 7499, and 10199 respectively, the same as the S24 series' pre-order prices (the S24 base model's starting price increased due to storage upgrades). Historically, the final prices of the S24 series were lower than the pre-order prices, with additional launch discounts. If a free upgrade promotion is offered again, purchasing at launch would be more cost-effective. Regarding government subsidies, the Galaxy S25 series is no longer eligible.

For users with the S24 series, those with 128GB or 512GB base models might consider upgrading, as local Galaxy AI computation requires more memory, making the upgrade beneficial and providing more possibilities for future AI feature upgrades. There's seemingly less need for Galaxy S24+ users to upgrade, as improvements are primarily in the processor, with continued use after upgrading to One UI 7 being sufficient. The Galaxy S25 Ultra upgrade is significant, with virtually no drawbacks except for the higher price and unchanged battery capacity.