Samsung Galaxy S25 – Pushing Android Innovation with Galaxy AI and Snapdragon 8 Elite
Introduction: the next evolution in Samsung’s flagship series
Samsung has dominated the Android flagship market for over a decade, but the Galaxy S25 family marks a turning point. Launched in February 2025 for the S25, S25⁺ and S25 Ultra and later expanded to an S25 Edge in May and the budget‑friendly S25 FE in Septemberen.wikipedia.org, the lineup is the first to integrate multimodal AI agents and ambitious generative tools directly into the operating systemnews.samsung.com. Samsung’s goal is not only to sell another premium phone but to create a true AI companion that simplifies how we search, communicate and create.
This in‑depth review looks at the design, performance, cameras, software and sustainability of the Galaxy S25 series, giving you the facts you need to decide whether it’s worth upgrading. We’ll also show you how to use the new Generative Edit feature and provide real‑world examples of how Samsung’s AI makes everyday tasks easier. Finally, we’ll answer frequently‑asked questions. Throughout the article you’ll find links to FrediTech’s Samsung Galaxy coverage and Smartphones & Mobile Technology section for deeper dives on related topics.
Release dates, models and pricing
Samsung announced the S25 family at its Unpacked event on 7 February 2025, putting three models on sale: the Galaxy S25 (6.2 inches), S25⁺ (6.7 inches) and the top‑tier S25 Ultra (6.9 inches). Later releases included the S25 Edge on 30 May 2025 and the S25 FE (Fan Edition) on 4 September 2025en.wikipedia.org. Pricing remains similar to the S24 generation: $799 for the base S25, $999 for the S25⁺ and $1,299 for the S25 Ultracnbc.com. The FE model starts at $649phonearena.com. All models come with 12 GB of RAM (8 GB in the FE) and storage options up to 1 TBen.wikipedia.org.
Design and display: titanium, recycled materials and brilliant screens
A refined “Essential Design”
Samsung’s design philosophy emphasises simplicity and emotion. The S25 Ultra uses a grade‑five titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Armor 2—a glass‑ceramic material with an anti‑reflective coating—making it Samsung’s most durable and scratch‑resistant phone yet. Reviewers noted that this results in a lighter phone with rounded edges for improved comfortwired.com. The S25 and S25⁺ use armour aluminium frames with at least one recycled material, and all S25 batteries incorporate 50 % recycled cobaltnews.samsung.com.
Displays that set the bar
All three flagship models share Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with HDR10⁺, a 1–120 Hz adaptive refresh rate and up to 2,600 nits of brightnessen.wikipedia.org. The S25 Ultra’s 6.9‑inch screen uses a slightly curved edge, while the S25 (6.2 inches) and S25⁺ (6.7 inches) are flat. An LTPO panel allows smooth 1 Hz low‑power mode, enabling always‑on displays without draining the battery. The FE features a 6.7‑inch FHD⁺ display with a 60–120 Hz rangenews.samsung.com.
Colours and ergonomics
Samsung offers earthy hues for each device. The S25 Ultra comes in Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver and Titanium Gray. The S25 and S25⁺ are available in Navy, Silver Shadow, Icyblue and Mint, while the FE has Icyblue, Jetblack, Navy and White optionsnews.samsung.com. Rounded corners and slimmer bezels make the phones slightly more comfortable than the blocky S24 Ultrawired.com.
SAMSUNG Galaxy S25+ Cell Phone, 512GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, AI Camera, Fast Processor, ProScaler Display, Long Battery Life, 2025, US 1 Yr Manufacturer Warranty, Silver Shadow
SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Cell Phone, 128GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, AI Camera, Fast Processor, ProScaler Display, Long Battery Life, 2025, US 1 Yr Manufacturer Warranty, Icyblue
Performance and hardware: Snapdragon 8 Elite and improved thermals
Custom Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Samsung partnered with Qualcomm to produce a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip. Samsung’s own newsroom claims the chip delivers 40 % faster NPU, 37 % CPU and 30 % GPU improvements over the S24 series. It also integrates ProScaler AI upscaling, improving image scaling quality by 40 %news.samsung.com. The processor uses 3‑nm lithography, delivering more efficient performance and enabling on‑device AI tasks without relying on the cloud. Popular Mechanics notes that this chip makes the S25 series “considerably more powerful” than the S24 while maintaining battery lifepopularmechanics.com.
Real‑world performance
Benchmarks from Tom’s Guide show the S25⁺ beating even Apple’s A18 Pro in certain synthetic tests; the S25⁺ scored 3,141/10,153 in Geekbench 6 (single‑/multi‑core) versus the iPhone 16 Pro’s 3,400/8,391. It also delivered class‑leading results in 3DMark gaming tests. Everyday use is fluid—launching apps, scrolling and multitasking feel effortlesstomsguide.com—and the improved cooling (40 % larger vapor chamber) keeps the phone cool during extended gaming sessionsnews.samsung.com.
For users who aren’t avid gamers, the performance bump might be overkill. Tom’s Guide notes that the awesome performance will be appreciated only by heavy gamers; however, the Snapdragon 8 Elite ensures smooth frame rates and quick responsiveness for all tasks. Popular Mechanics saw the S25 series handle 10–15 apps simultaneously without slowdownpopularmechanics.com.
Memory, storage and connectivity
Each Galaxy S25 model ships with 12 GB RAM (8 GB for the FE), with 16 GB options in some regionsen.wikipedia.org. Storage starts at 128 GB and maxes out at 1 TB on the Ultra. Connectivity includes Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 and 5G on all modelspopularmechanics.com. Wired and wireless reverse charging remain, though the removal of built‑in Qi2 magnets requires using a magnetic case for true MagSafe‑like accessorieswired.com.
Camera systems: pro‑grade sensors and AI editing tools
Hardware overview
The camera hardware differs across models.
- Galaxy S25 and S25⁺: 50 MP main, 12 MP ultra‑wide, 10 MP telephoto (3×), with 12 MP selfie camerapopularmechanics.com.
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: 200 MP main, 50 MP ultra‑wide (upgraded from 12 MP), 50 MP telephoto (5×), 10 MP telephoto (3×), and 12 MP selfie.
- Galaxy S25 FE: 50 MP main, 12 MP ultra‑wide, 8 MP telephoto with 3× optical zoom and a 12 MP selfie cameranews.samsung.com.
On all models, Samsung’s ProVisual Engine processes images and videos more intelligently. The new 10‑bit HDR recording quadruples color depth compared with 8‑bit video. Low‑light video is clearer thanks to better noise reduction and motion analysisnews.samsung.com.
AI‑powered editing tools
Samsung built generative AI into the camera suite. Audio Eraser allows users to isolate and reduce unwanted sounds—voices, music, wind or crowd noise—directly from videos. Virtual Aperture in Expert RAW mimics DSLR depth‑of‑field control, while Galaxy Log enables professional‑grade color grading. Portrait Studio now creates avatars with lifelike expressionsnews.samsung.com.
Popular Mechanics applauds these tools, especially Sketch to Image, which turns rough drawings into shareable artwork and makes up for a lack of drawing skillpopularmechanics.com. Reviewers also enjoyed the upgraded Generative Edit feature for object removal and resizing, noting that the S25’s version fills backgrounds more naturally than the S24hitechcentury.com.
Step‑by‑step: using Generative Edit on the Galaxy S25
One of the headline features is Generative Edit, which allows you to remove or reposition objects in a photo and have the AI generate realistic content to fill the space. Here’s how to use it:
- Open Gallery and select a photo. Launch the Gallery app, choose the picture you want to edit and tap Edit.
- Tap the Generative Edit icon. It appears as a sparkling pen. This opens the AI editing interface.
- Outline the object. Use your finger to draw around the subject you want to move or remove. The tool will automatically select it. You can adjust the selection using the sliderhitechcentury.com.
- Drag or remove the object. After selecting, drag the object to a new position or tap Remove to delete it. The AI fills the background seamlessly.
- Tap Generate and save. Once satisfied, tap Generate. The Galaxy S25 will process the image and provide a realistic edit. Save or revert if neededhitechcentury.com.
This process requires no third‑party apps and brings professional‑level photo manipulation to your phone, making social media posts look polished.
Battery life and charging
Battery capacities vary: 4,000 mAh for the S25, 4,900 mAh for the S25⁺ and 5,000 mAh for the S25 Ultraen.wikipedia.org. The FE also uses a 4,900 mAh cellnews.samsung.com. Tom’s Guide battery tests show the S25⁺ lasting 16 h 55 m in adaptive mode and 18 h 46 m at 60 Hztomsguide.com. These times surpass the S24⁺ by nearly an hour and beat rivals like the Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 16 Prot.
Charging remains 45 W wired and 15 W wireless (10 W on the S25), with reverse wireless charging supported. Tom’s Guide measured 38 % charge in 15 minutes and 70 % in 30 minutes on the S25⁺. Users who want Qi2’s magnet alignment will need a separate magnetic case, which reviewers found frustratingwired.com.
Software: One UI 7/8, Android and Galaxy AI
Operating system and updates
The S25 series launched with Android 15 and One UI 7, while the FE launched with Android 16 and One UI 8en.wikipedia.org. Samsung promises seven years of OS and security updates, extending the phones’ lifespan. One UI 7 introduces a more streamlined notification panel and improved multitasking; Tom’s Guide notes that you can now swipe down from the top right to access quick settings and use gestures to split the screen or resize appstomsguide.com.
Galaxy AI: multi‑modal agents, Gemini and Now Brief
Samsung’s vision is to make the phone a true AI companion. Galaxy AI uses multimodal agents to interpret text, speech, images and video simultaneouslynews.samsung.com. Circle to Search now recognises phone numbers, email addresses and URLs and lets you act on them immediately. An improved Personal Data Engine analyses data on‑device and powers features such as Now Brief (contextual daily summaries) and Now Bar, which surfaces AI suggestions on the lock screen.
The series ships with Google Gemini Advanced integrated into the power button. Popular Mechanics found Gemini could search Gmail, set calendar reminders, look up top‑rated restaurants and share details in secondspopularmechanics.com. Gemini Live allows conversational interactions and offers context‑based suggestions while you browse content. Users get six months of Gemini Advanced with 2 TB of cloud storage includednews.samsung.com.
Other AI tools
In addition to Generative Edit and Sketch to Image, Galaxy AI includes Call Transcript and summaries, Writing Assist for notes, Circle to Search with music identification, and improved gallery search that lets you type what’s in the photopopularmechanics.com. Now Brief offers morning and evening summaries on your lock screen, while Audio Eraser and Portrait Studio further extend the creative toolboxnews.samsung.com.
Durability and sustainability
Samsung emphasises sustainability by using recycled materials. Each S25 device incorporates at least one recycled plastic, glass or metal element in its exterior. The S25 is the first Samsung phone to use recycled cobalt extracted from old batteries. IP68 water‑ and dust‑resistance remains standard, and the Ultra’s titanium frame and Gorilla Armor 2 ensure excellent drop protectionnews.samsung.com.
Samsung backs the phones with seven years of software updates and offers Samsung Care+ for accidental damage. For those who always want the latest gadget, the new New Galaxy Club subscription aims to make upgrading easier. The FE includes six months of Gemini Advanced and aims to bring premium AI features to a wider audiencenews.samsung.com.
Comparisons and market position
How the S25 compares to the S24 and competitors
While the S25’s AI features represent a huge leap, the hardware changes are more incremental. Wired’s review summarises the sentiment: the S25 series offers better thermals, great displays, reliable cameras and long battery life, but the new AI features can feel boring, and the requirement of using two assistants—Samsung’s and Google’s—can be confusing. There’s not much novelty compared with the S24, making the S25 an excellent upgrade only if you’re coming from a three‑ or four‑year‑old devicewired.com.
Tom’s Guide criticises the S25⁺ for its “no man’s land” positioning: its 4,900 mAh battery is slightly improved but doesn’t deliver as much benefit as the base S25 or the Ultratomsguide.com. On the other hand, the S25 Ultra receives the most meaningful upgrades, including the 50 MP ultra‑wide camera and bigger display. Popular Mechanics recommends the Ultra for power users because it ticks every box—big screen, integrated S Pen, huge battery and versatile camerapopularmechanics.com.
Real‑world examples: how Galaxy AI helps
- Travel planning with Gemini. Popular Mechanics’ reviewer used Gemini to search Gmail for an upcoming trip, set calendar reminders and look up highly‑rated restaurants, then share details with a travel companion—all in a few tapspopularmechanics.com. This demonstrates how Galaxy AI can streamline planning.
- Finding photos quickly. With thousands of photos on a phone, scrolling manually is tedious. Galaxy AI allows you to type “sunset at beach” and instantly surface the right picturepopularmechanics.com.
- Editing on the go. Generative Edit, Sketch to Image and Portrait Studio transform casual snapshots into polished works. HitechCentury’s guide shows that removing unwanted objects is as simple as outlining and tapping generatehitechcentury.com.
- Reduced background noise in videos. Audio Eraser can isolate voices or music, making vlogs and recordings clearernews.samsung.com.
Conclusion: should you upgrade?
The Galaxy S25 series undeniably pushes Android toward an AI‑first future, integrating generative editing, contextual search and multimodal assistants across the OS. It offers best‑in‑class displays, a high‑performing Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, pro‑grade camera hardware and excellent longevity thanks to seven years of updates. The S25 Ultra stands out with meaningful hardware upgrades (200 MP camera, 50 MP ultra‑wide, titanium body) and remains the power user’s choice.
However, the standard S25 and S25⁺ feel iterative. The AI tricks are impressive but may not justify upgrading if you own the S24, especially since Samsung will back‑port many AI features to older modelspopularmechanics.com. If you’re still using a Galaxy S22 or earlier or want to experience the future of on‑device AI, the S25 series is a strong candidate. For those on a tighter budget, the S25 FE offers many flagship features—Gemini integration, generative editing and a robust 4,900 mAh battery—at a mid‑range pricenews.samsung.com.
Before making a purchase, consider your usage: do you need the Ultra’s S Pen and advanced cameras? Are AI tools like Now Brief, Circle to Search and Generative Edit features you’ll actually use? Your answers will determine whether the Samsung Galaxy S25 truly pushes your personal boundaries of Android innovation.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
When was the Galaxy S25 released?
The Galaxy S25, S25⁺, and S25 Ultra launched on 7 February 2025, followed by the S25 Edge on 30 May 2025 and the S25 FE on 4 September 2025.
How much do the S25 phones cost?
Launch pricing (US): S25 starts at $799, S25⁺ at $999, S25 Ultra at $1,299, and S25 FE at $649. Final prices vary by region, retailer, and promos.
What are the major differences between the S25, S25⁺ and S25 Ultra?
- Cameras: Ultra: 200 MP main + 50 MP ultra-wide + two telephotos; S25/S25⁺: 50 MP main + 12 MP ultra-wide + 10 MP telephoto.
- Design & input: Ultra adds a titanium frame and integrated S Pen.
- Display: Ultra is larger (~6.9″) vs smaller panels on S25/S25⁺.
- Chip & AI: All use Snapdragon 8 Elite and share Galaxy AI features.
- Battery/size: S25 vs S25⁺ mainly differ in footprint and battery capacity.
How long will Samsung support the Galaxy S25?
Samsung commits to seven years of Android OS and security updates for the S25 series.
Is the S25 worth upgrading from the S24?
If you have an S24, many improvements are modest and several AI features arrive via software—so waiting is reasonable. Upgrading makes more sense from an S22 (or earlier) or if you specifically want the Ultra’s camera system and titanium build.
How do I use the new AI editing tools?
Open Gallery → choose a photo → tap Generative Edit or Sketch to Image. Lasso/outline the subject or sketch what you want changed, then apply. For video, Audio Eraser reduces background noise.
What makes the Galaxy S25 more sustainable?
- Use of recycled aluminum, plastics, and glass in device construction.
- 50% recycled cobalt in the batteries.
- Recycled paper packaging and programs like New Galaxy Club to ease upgrades.