Samsung launched the Galaxy S25+, a middle child sitting comfortably between the standard S25 and the premium Ultra model. This year’s Plus variant features a 6.7-inch QHD+ 120Hz LTPO panel, the same impressive camera array as the standard model, but packs a significantly larger 4900mAh battery and faster 45W charging. But with relatively minor upgrades from the S24+, is it worth the investment? Let’s find out in this detailed review.
Display, Hardware and Design
The S25+ comes with a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 3120×1440 pixels. The display has a peak brightness of 2600 nits, which helps with outdoor visibility.
The colour reproduction is accurate, and the screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The bezels around the screen are symmetrical and minimal.
The phone uses a 120Hz refresh rate with LTPO technology that adjusts between 1-120Hz based on content requirements. This helps balance smoothness and power efficiency. For gaming, the touch sampling rate increases to 240Hz.
The S25+ doesn’t include DC dimming or PWM dimming found in some competing devices. The front camera is housed in a small punch-hole at the top center, and the earpiece on the top edge doubles as a secondary speaker.
The in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor from Qualcomm is positioned in the lower half of the screen.
The frame is made from Armor Aluminum with a matte finish. Button placement includes power and volume on the right side, with nothing on the left. The bottom houses the dual SIM slot, USB Type-C port, and speaker, while the secondary microphone is on top.
The triple camera module on the back maintains the single-line arrangement. The S25+ measures 7.3mm thick and weighs 190 grams.
Camera
- 50MP main camera with LED Flash, 1/1.57″ Samsung S5KGN3 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, OIS
- 12MP 120° 1/2.55″ Sony IMX564 Ultra Wide sensor, f/2.2 aperture
- 10MP Telephoto lens with 1/3.94″ Samsung S5K3K1 sensor, f/2.4 aperture, 3x optical zoom, OIS
- 12MP front camera with 1/3.2″ Samsung S5K3LU sensor, f/2.2 aperture
The 50MP resolution option is now accessible from the aspect ratio settings, with the default output at 12MP after pixel binning.
Daylight images show good detail and exposure. HDR mode, which can be set to activate automatically, improves dynamic range in high-contrast scenes. The 3x telephoto camera provides optical zoom, while digital zoom remains usable up to about 10x. Autofocus speed is adequate across various lighting conditions.
Close-up photography requires using either 2x zoom from the main camera or the 3x telephoto lens as there’s no dedicated macro mode.
Portrait mode edge detection is generally accurate. Low-light photos show acceptable detail, with Night mode providing further improvements in darker environments.
The 12MP front camera offers both wide-angle (12MP) and normal (8.6MP) modes
Software, UI and Apps
The Galaxy S25+ runs Android 15 with Samsung’s One UI 7. The phone will receive seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates.
One UI 7 includes AI features powered by Gemini that can process text, speech, images, and videos. Circle to Search has been updated with one-tap actions for recognized information. Audio Eraser can remove background noise from videos, and the Gallery app includes Generative Edit and Sketch to Image tools.
Device management options allow for monitoring battery, storage, RAM, and security. The 256GB model has 224GB of free space out of the box. The phone comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, with about 10.86GB usable and roughly 4.5GB free when default apps are running.
RAM Plus can add up to 8GB of virtual RAM using storage space, enabled by default but can be disabled.
Fingerprint Sensor and Face Unlock
The S25+ uses Qualcomm’s 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 (QFS4008) for in-display fingerprint authentication. Up to four fingerprints can be registered. Face recognition is also available but has limitations in low light or when wearing accessories. Both security features are protected by Samsung’s Knox platform.
Dual SIM and Connectivity
The Galaxy S25+ supports 5G SA across multiple bands in India, with both Airtel and Jio 5G working without additional setup. It also supports 4G VoLTE and LTE-A with Carrier Aggregation.
Other connectivity features include Wi-Fi 7 802.11be, Wi-Fi-Calling, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS with GLONASS, USB OTG, and NFC. Unlike the standard S25, the Plus model includes Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology.
Performance and Benchmarks
The S25+ uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip with a 2 + 6 core configuration: 2 Oryon Prime CPUs at up to 4.47GHz and 6 Oryon Performance CPUs at up to 3.53GHz.
Built on TSMC’s 3nm process, it claims 37% CPU and 30% GPU improvements over the previous generation.
On day-to-day, usage we did not face any issues! However, there is thermal throttling when gaming, which is common in compact phones.
Battery Life
The 4900mAh battery in the S25+ lasts approximately one full day with heavy use including 5G connectivity. Testing showed around 6.5 hours of screen-on time with mixed Wi-Fi and 5G usage at 120Hz refresh rate.
The 45W fast charging capability fills the battery in about 50 minutes with a compatible charger. A 20-minute charge provides roughly 55% capacity. The phone also supports 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S25+ offers incremental improvements over its predecessor. The primary changes are the new Snapdragon processor, slightly refined design, and expanded AI capabilities.
For existing S24+ owners, these updates may not justify an upgrade, but those using older devices will find more significant improvements.
The larger display, bigger battery, faster charging, and better thermal management differentiate it from the standard S25.
Alternatives
Alternative options include the Google Pixel 9 Pro, iPhone 16 Plus, and OnePlus 13, each offering different approaches to the flagship smartphone experience.
Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S25+ is available in 12GB + 256GB (Rs. 94,999) and 12GB + 512GB (Rs. 1,06,999) configurations from Samsung’s online store, Amazon.in, and retail outlets across India.