Samsung Galaxy S25 review - The star among compact smartphones is losing ground
Already going on strike?
The compact Galaxy S model from Samsung has always been one of, if not the best phone among small Android phones. But the Galaxy S25 no longer seems to be able to live up to this status. At least, a glance at its datasheet gives us little hope. Or does Galaxy AI make all the difference?Marcus Herbrich, 👁 Daniel Schmidt (translated by Daisy Dickson) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S25
Even in its 15th generation, the small Galaxy phone has retained its virtues. The upper-class phone is compact and lightweight, feels very high-quality and features powerful hardware. Samsung's great update policy and its focus on sustainability in particular give it some unique selling points over the competition from China.
However, a look at the Vivo X200 Pro Mini or Xiaomi 15 shows what is possible in the area surrounding battery technology and makes the Galaxy S25's technically solid endurance and charging speeds seem a little meager. But the X200 Pro Mini in particular also outperforms the Samsung phone when it comes to cameras—and clearly so. Still, this isn't surprising, because any manufacturer who has been using the same sensor for its main camera for four generations is, simply put, lacking in innovation.
In general, the Galaxy S25 has the same problem as its predecessor. Although its overall package is attractive, its hardware offers hardly any advantages over the previous year's model—and on the software side, older Galaxy S phones will close the gap even more with their update to One UI 7 including the improved Galaxy AI.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
The base model of the Samsung Galaxy S25 has an MRSP of $799.99 and you can order it directly from Samsung's online store. Alternatively, the device is available on Amazon for a reduced price of $699.99.
Table of Contents
- Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S25
- The Samsung Galaxy S25's specifications
- Case - The Galaxy S25 is waterproof
- Connectivity - The Samsung smartphone with image output
- Software - The Galaxy phone with long update support
- Communication and GNSS - The Galaxy S25 of course with 5G
- Telephone functions and call quality - The Samsung smartphone with dual-eSIM support
- Cameras - The Galaxy S25 without a sensor upgrade
- Accessories and warranty - The Samsung phone comes without a power supply
- Input devices and operation - The Samsung Galaxy S25 comes with FaceUnlock
- Display - The Samsung phone with AMOLED
- Performance - The Galaxy S25 has a huge amount of power
- Games - The Samsung smartphone manages 120fps
- Emissions - The Galaxy S25 stays quite cool
- Battery life - The Samsung smartphone with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0
- Notebookcheck total rating
With its 6.2-inch AMOLED display, the Galaxy S25 is the smallest model in the Galaxy S series. In contrast to its predecessor, not much has changed on the hardware side, with the biggest upgrade being its new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. The Qualcomm chipset, which has been specially adapted for Samsung, is said to offer advantages in the local acceleration of Galaxy AI and ProVisual Engine compared to the standard version of the SoC.
In the absence of much hardware innovation, Samsung is instead focusing on new AI features in its Galaxy S25. In this review, we'll be taking a look at where Galaxy AI has improved and what minor tweaks the successor to the Galaxy S24 has received.
The Samsung Galaxy S25's specifications
Case - The Galaxy S25 is waterproof
Samsung has stuck to its tried and tested design, only making minimal changes to the look of the Galaxy S25 compared to its predecessor. However, thanks to thinner bezels around its 6.2-inch OLED panel, the phone is slightly more compact. This is also reflected in its display-to-surface ratio of 91.1 percent, which is slightly more efficient and very good for a small smartphone. On the other hand, hardly anyone will notice its slight weight reduction of around 6 grams.
Standard colors of the Galaxy S25 compared (image source: Daniel Schmidt)
The Galaxy S25 is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, whereas Gorilla Armor or the current version Amor 2 is again reserved for the Ultra model. The Armor aluminum frame features a matte finish, as does the back of the device. The small S model is available in four standard colors again this year. In addition, there are three exclusive colorways that can only be bought from Samsung directly.
We have nothing to criticize about its build quality—the case has a very high-quality feel. Thanks to its IP68 certification, the Samsung phone is waterproof, so you can clean it under water with no problem.
Connectivity - The Samsung smartphone with image output
The Galaxy S25 is available in three storage versions, namely with 128, 256 or 512 GB. While the small entry-level version still only supports the slower UFS 3.1 standard, the top-of-the-range models use UFS 4.0. Although, in our opinion, a size of 128 GB no longer seems up-to-date in this price range, Samsung has at least increased the RAM for all versions to 12 GB.
In addition to Bluetooth 5.4, Samsung Dex, NFC and Miracast, the Galaxy S25 features a fast USB 3.2 port (Gen 1) that supports USB OTG and wired image output. During our copying test with a connected M2.SSD hard disk, the USB port's transfer speeds reached a solid 190 MB/s. However, we were a little surprised to see that the successor to the Galaxy S24 has a reduced output voltage. This is why we couldn't use the Samsung 980 Pro in our test and had to rely on the more frugal Samsung PSSD T7.
The exFAT file system poses no problems for the Samsung smartphone, but a data carrier formatted in NTFS can only be read, but not written to.
Software - The Galaxy phone with long update support
The Galaxy S25 comes with Android 15 and the latest version of One UI. One of the strengths of the Galaxy S series is its long update support—and the S25 is no exception to this. The top-of-the-range phone is set to receive updates for a full seven years (until January 31, 2032). Security patches will be rolled out monthly in the first few years. During our test, the device's latest security patches were from March 1, 2025.
With the release of One UI version 7.0, Samsung is said to have improved its in-house Galaxy AI. Thanks to the new "AI Agents", the Galaxy S25 can interpret text, speech, images and videos, which should make interactions with the digital assistant feel more natural. There are also improvements to Google's "Circle to Search", a new "Now Bar" for personalized information on the phone's lock screen, and "AI Select", which is designed to anticipate the needs of users.
Sustainability
Samsung has provided detailed environmental data on the Galaxy S25 in its Product Environmental Report. According to the report, the top-of-the-range phone uses a variety of recycled raw materials such as gold, copper and aluminum. Its plastic and Gorilla Glass are also partly made from recycled materials.
In order to better assess the environmental impact of its products, the manufacturer specifies the carbon footprint for the entire life cycle of each model, including procurement, production, distribution and product use. In this case, the Galaxy S25 has a value of 45.7 kg CO2 eq.
In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S25's packaging is sustainable and doesn't use any plastics. Thanks to the availability of spare parts, self-repair kits and repair instructions, it is possible to repair the device yourself to some extent.
Communication and GNSS - The Galaxy S25 of course with 5G
The Galaxy S25 supports a wide range of frequencies for all mobile communication standards, including 5G Sub6 and modern WiFi 7. However, its transfer rates with our reference router Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 still showed plenty of room for improvement in the 6 GHz WLAN range. The data rates we measured during transmission also weren't totally stable.
Thanks to dual-band GNSS support including all global satellite networks, the Samsung smartphone is capable of fast and accurate positioning. In order to check its location accuracy, we compared it with the Garmin Venu 2 on a short walk.
The Galaxy S25's results were great and, in some cases, more accurate than the Garmin smartwatch. This high location accuracy makes the Galaxy phone an excellent companion for users who value precise navigation.
Telephone functions and call quality - The Samsung smartphone with dual-eSIM support
The Galaxy S25 features dual-SIM support, giving users the choice between using two nano SIM cards, two eSIMs or a combination of both. Call functions such as VoLTE and Wi-Fi calls as well as AI-supported live translations are also on board.
The compact Galaxy phone's call quality is great, meaning callers can be clearly understood and voices are transmitted naturally. Background noise is filtered out reliably.
Cameras - The Galaxy S25 without a sensor upgrade
The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S23 feature almost the same cameras as the 2025 model. The lens on the front has an autofocus and a resolution of 12 MPix, and takes nice-looking selfies with a good level of sharpness in daylight.
The Galaxy S25's main camera once again comes fitted with the ISOCELL GN3. The 1/1.57 inch camera sensor, which has been used since the Galaxy S22, offers optical image stabilization and can use its full resolution of 50 MPix in Pro mode. It isn't clear to us why Samsung again hasn't opted for the much more modern ISOCELL GNK.
Photos taken on the 50 MPix camera show a strong dynamic range and natural colors, but the edges appear somewhat blurred. In low light, the contours are much softer than in daylight due to the rather small sensor, but they are still well-lit for a compact smartphone. A Vivo X200 Pro Mini with the Sony LYT-818 (1/1.28 inch) delivers much better photo quality, however.
The device's ultra-wide-angle lens, as well as its telephoto lens with OIS and triple lossless magnification, haven't changed compared to the Galaxy S24. The Galaxy S25's photos look reasonably sharp, but quickly appear noisy in poor lighting conditions.
Video can be recorded at a maximum of 8K at up to 30 fps. In UHD quality, you can select up to 60 fps. The stabilization during video recordings is good thanks to the camera's well-functioning OIS.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Wide angleWide angleLow lightUltra-wide angle5x zoom
In controlled lighting conditions, the Galaxy S25 showed pretty good color reproduction for a smartphone. In our measurement, colors looked slightly brighter than the reference, but the phone's DeltaE deviations were still at a low level overall.
Accessories and warranty - The Samsung phone comes without a power supply
The Galaxy S25 only comes with a USB-C cable and SIM tool. It doesn't have a screen protector installed straight out of the box. A matching Samsung power adapter as well as other accessories are optionally available in the manufacturer's online store. Third-party providers, such as Torras, also sell cases for the small Galaxy S phone, which are available on Amazon.
In the United States, the Galaxy S25 is covered by a standard 12-month warranty, which can be extended via the manufacturer's own Care+ insurance package. This costs between $8 and $349, depending on the coverage period and scope of insurance.
Input devices and operation - The Samsung Galaxy S25 comes with FaceUnlock
Inputs on the phone's 6.2-inch OLED display are implemented accurately. Thanks to its compact design, the position of its buttons feels ergonomic and its fingerprint sensor is also positioned conveniently high up. This uses ultrasonic technology and unlocks the Galaxy S25 very quickly. Even with wet hands, the sensor in the OLED panel works reliably. Much less reliable 2D facial recognition using the front-facing camera is also available.
The power button not only serves as a classic on/off button, but it can also be assigned functions. Straight out of the box, the Galaxy S25 launches the Gemini voice assistant if you press and hold the control element long enough. Tapping the button twice opens the camera or an app that can be freely assigned by the user. The built-in linear vibration motor provides crisp haptic feedback and can be fully customized in the device's settings.
Display - The Samsung phone with AMOLED
The Galaxy S25 uses a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which dynamically adjusts its frame rate from 1 Hz to 120 Hz using LTPO technology. Despite its 1080p resolution of 416 ppi, the screen looks nice and sharp. The panel itself is likely the same as in the Galaxy S24—at least our measurements suggest this.
The OLED display's light output is almost identical to its predecessor. While its brightness is "only" 1,311 cd/m² when showing a fully white display, we measured a powerful 2,594 cd/m² for the APL18 sample. When playing a 4K HDR pattern video, it even reached 2,766 cd/m².
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 1301 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.86
ΔE Greyscale 2.3 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
97.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.01
| Samsung Galaxy S25 AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.2" | Samsung Galaxy S24 Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2340x1080, 6.2" | Google Pixel 9 Pro OLED, 2856x1280, 6.3" | Vivo X200 Pro Mini AMOLED, 2640x1216, 6.3" | Xiaomi 15 OLED, 2670x1200, 6.4" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -3% | 47% | 43% | 9% | |
| Brightness middle | 1301 | 1349 4% | 2083 60% | 1764 36% | 1021 -22% |
| Brightness | 1311 | 1369 4% | 2016 54% | 1817 39% | 1018 -22% |
| Brightness Distribution | 98 | 97 -1% | 84 -14% | 95 -3% | 98 0% |
| Black Level * | |||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.1 | 3.3 -6% | 0.7 77% | 0.84 73% | 1.3 58% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 4.4 | 5 -14% | 2 55% | 1.53 65% | 2.9 34% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.3 | 2.4 -4% | 1.1 52% | 1.2 48% | 2.2 4% |
| Gamma | 2.01 109% | 1.97 112% | 2.22 99% | 2.239 98% | 2.25 98% |
| CCT | 6454 101% | 6635 98% | 6560 99% | 6646 98% | 6658 98% |
* ... smaller is better
As a result of the installed OLED technology, Samsung uses PWM modulation to control the phone's display brightness. The Galaxy S25's screen flickers constantly at 240 Hz, which isn't that high. Samsung doesn't use high-frequency PWM dimming so unfortunately, nothing has changed—in fact, we at least observed an increase to 480 Hz with increasing brightness in the predecessor model.
Even if the amplitude is comparatively flat when measured using an oscilloscope, people who are sensitive to PWM may still experience some discomfort.
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 240 Hz Amplitude: 13.54 % |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 240 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 240 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8445 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Measurement series with fixed zoom level and different brightness settings (The amplitude curve at minimum brightness looks flat, but this is due to the scaling. The info box shows the enlarged version of the amplitude at minimum brightness).
Even in version 7, the Samsung One UI only features two color profiles. If you want the most accurate display of colors and grayscale, then you'll have to select the color mode "Natural", which doesn't allow the user to make any adjustments, such as to the color temperature. Samsung should urgently make improvements in this respect.
We examined the AMOLED panel's color reproduction using the Calman analysis software and a photo spectrometer. The Galaxy S25's deviations weren't high overall, but the competition showed more accurate colors and grayscales.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1.62 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.8925 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.729 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 7 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.7 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 2.64 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.538 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.103 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.4 ms). | ||
The Galaxy S25 is well suited for outdoor use; even in direct sunlight, content always remains clearly visible. However, if you don't use the ambient light sensor, you'll have to make do with less brightness (414 cd/m²). The "Additional Brightness" option (740 cd/m²) only helped to a limited extent during our test. We have nothing to complain about in terms of the phone's viewing-angle stability.
Performance - The Galaxy S25 has a huge amount of power
Unlike last year, it's not just the Ultra model that uses a Qualcomm chip, but also the smaller Galaxy S25. The for Galaxy edition of the Snapdragon 8 Elite is advertised as having up to 40 percent higher CPU and GPU performance than its predecessor.
This increase in CPU power could also be observed when running our selection of benchmarks. In Geekbench 6, we noted an increase of around 34 percent in both its single and multi-core performance. With regards to its NPU unit, which was particularly important for the AI benchmarks, the Galaxy S25 sometimes achieved an even greater leap in performance. However, its increase in RAM to 12 GB LPDDR5x should also have had a positive effect here.
| UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (21837 - 23281, n=3) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (1267 - 81594, n=149, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
The device features the Adreno 830 graphics unit, which has a slightly higher maximum clock rate (1.2 GHz) in the Galaxy S25. During our GPU test, the Galaxy S25 was therefore often slightly ahead of a Xiaomi 15 with the standard version of the Qualcomm GPU. However, individual values were weaker, probably as a result of its heat development and pronounced throttling.
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Score | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Score | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
The Samsung phone boasts high browser speeds. Websites are loaded quickly and you can scroll through them smoothly. Furthermore, the Galaxy S25 delivered consistently good results in the benchmarks.
| Jetstream 2 - 2.0 Total Score | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (236 - 334, n=3) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 (Chrome 134) | |
| Xiaomi 15 (Chrome 131.0.6778.104) | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini (Chrome 133) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 387, n=165, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122) | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro (Chrome 131.0.6778.81) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 (Chrome 134) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (425 - 446, n=3) | |
| Xiaomi 15 (Chrome 131.0.6778.104) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122) | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro (Chrome 131.0.6778.81) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (15.2 - 569, n=146, last 2 years) | |
| Speedometer 3.0 - Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 (Chrome 134) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (29 - 29.9, n=3) | |
| Xiaomi 15 (Chrome 131.0.6778.104) | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro (Chrome 131.0.6778.81) | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini (Chrome 133) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (1.03 - 34, n=96, last 2 years) | |
| WebXPRT 4 - Overall | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 (Chrome 134) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (236 - 244, n=3) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122) | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini (Chrome 133) | |
| Xiaomi 15 (Chrome 131.0.6778.104) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 273, n=157, last 2 years) | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro (Chrome 131.0.6778.81) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (95809 - 99202, n=3) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 (Chrome 134) | |
| Xiaomi 15 (Chrome 131.0.6778.104) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122) | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro (Chrome 131.0.6778.81) | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini (Chrome 133) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=206, last 2 years) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=166, last 2 years) | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro (Chrome 131.0.6778.81) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122) | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini (Chrome 133) | |
| Xiaomi 15 (Chrome 131.0.6778.104) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 (Chrome 134) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (377 - 389, n=3) | |
* ... smaller is better
The speed of the UFS 4.0 storage inside our 256-GB version is extremely high, however, its values when writing smaller data blocks were significantly weaker.
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | Samsung Galaxy S24 | Google Pixel 9 Pro | Vivo X200 Pro Mini | Xiaomi 15 | Average 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 55% | 58% | 244% | 167% | 186% | 113% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 3982.43 | 3701.23 -7% | 1717.9 -57% | 3804.53 -4% | 3934.92 -1% | 3691 ? -7% | 2054 ? -48% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 2256.71 | 1435.39 -36% | 253.53 -89% | 3384.34 50% | 3889.06 72% | 2713 ? 20% | 1667 ? -26% |
| Random Read 4KB | 299.89 | 373.12 24% | 218.41 -27% | 302.11 1% | 296.95 -1% | 385 ? 28% | 286 ? -5% |
| Random Write 4KB | 51.76 | 175.98 240% | 261.55 405% | 532.65 929% | 360.36 596% | 415 ? 702% | 327 ? 532% |
Games - The Samsung smartphone manages 120fps
Thanks to its powerful Adreno 830 GPU, high details and stable frame rates are guaranteed on the Galaxy S25. Even when playing demanding games such as Genshin Impact, we didn't note any frame drops when using GameBench, and HFR gaming up to 120fps is also possible when running games with low system requirements or reduced details.
Emissions - The Galaxy S25 stays quite cool
Temperature
The Galaxy S25's surface temperatures stayed low during our test at around 43 °C in our load scenario—this is especially low for a compact smartphone. Unfortunately, however, the Galaxy phone lost about 50 percent of its maximum performance in the 3DMark stress tests. Xiaomi did a better job here with its small high-end phone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.7 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.3 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.7 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Steel Nomad stress test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Solar Bay Stress Test Stability | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | |
| Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 15 | |
| Vivo X200 Pro Mini | |
Speakers
The Galaxy S25 uses a dual speaker system with subtle bass and present trebles, but Samsung's phone isn't capable of handling very low frequencies. Our Pink Noise measurement showed an increasing frequency curve for the mids and a slight dip in the super tweeters. Overall, however, its sound is very decent for a smartphone in the compact class.
Samsung is less generous when it comes to its Bluetooth audio codec support. Even so, it features an option for Auracast broadcast. Alternatively, music can be output via the USB-C port.
Samsung Galaxy S25 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (91.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 7.1% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 10% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 83% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 30% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Samsung Galaxy S24 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (91.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.1% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.3% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 24% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 71% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Battery life - The Samsung smartphone with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0
Power consumption
When it comes to the phone's battery and its capacity, Samsung seems to be treading water. The same applies to its charging speed. The Galaxy S25 still has a 4,000 mAh battery, and wired charging is only supported at 25 watts. The Samsung phone can be charged wirelessly at a maximum of 15 watts. A full charge took around 70 minutes during our test with the Xiaomi 25000.
At an average of around 1 watt, its power consumption in idle mode is on par with the competition, but the Qualcomm SoC draws significantly more power under load than a Xiaomi 15. This was also visible in its power consumption during Geekbench and GFXBench.
| Off / Standby |   0.02 / 0.14 Watt |
| Idle |  0.47 / 1.04 / 1.07 Watt |
| Load |
13.33 / 16.38 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 4000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S24 4000 mAh | Google Pixel 9 Pro 4700 mAh | Vivo X200 Pro Mini 5700 mAh | Xiaomi 15 5400 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 1% | -4% | -30% | 11% | 0% | -17% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.47 | 0.42 11% | 0.59 -26% | 0.6 -28% | 0.5 -6% | 0.49 ? -4% | 0.872 ? -86% |
| Idle Average * | 1.04 | 0.93 11% | 1.1 -6% | 1.6 -54% | 1.11 -7% | 0.967 ? 7% | 1.415 ? -36% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.07 | 1.07 -0% | 1.2 -12% | 2.5 -134% | 1.13 -6% | 1.037 ? 3% | 1.556 ? -45% |
| Load Average * | 13.33 | 15.43 -16% | 7.15 46% | 8.9 33% | 8.91 33% | 13.9 ? -4% | 7.04 ? 47% |
| Load Maximum * | 16.38 | 16.51 -1% | 20.37 -24% | 11.2 32% | 9.3 43% | 16.5 ? -1% | 10.6 ? 35% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power consumption: GFXbench (150 cd/m²)
Runtimes
The slightly tight energy storage helps the Galaxy S25 achieve good battery runtimes, but a look at the competition from China reveals what endurance is possible in the compact smartphone class. Since the Galaxy phone overheated in the Burnout benchmark, we ran the load test under simplified conditions (CPU only).
| Samsung Galaxy S25 4000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S24 4000 mAh | Google Pixel 9 Pro 4700 mAh | Vivo X200 Pro Mini 5700 mAh | Xiaomi 15 5400 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -17% | -6% | 21% | 39% | |
| Reader / Idle | 2712 | 2398 -12% | 3211 18% | 3759 39% | |
| H.264 | 1590 | 1227 -23% | 2098 32% | 1784 12% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 1082 | 880 -19% | 1017 -6% | 1153 7% | 1367 26% |
| Load | 182 | 159 -13% | 227 25% | 326 79% |
Notebookcheck total rating
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a great smartphone, but the compact competition from China is increasingly gaining on the former class leader.
Samsung Galaxy S25
- 03/28/2025 v8
Marcus Herbrich
Total Sustainability Score: Possible alternatives compared
Image | Model / Review | Price | Weight | Drive | Display |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. 88.9%  | Samsung Galaxy S25 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 830 ⎘ 12 GB Memory, 256 GB | Amazon: 1. OtterBox Samsung Galaxy S25+... 2. $17.99 Super Fast Charger Type C, 2... 3. $7.98 firtstnow 3 Pack Glass Scree... List Price: 899€ | 162 g | 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.20" 2340x1080 416 PPI AMOLED |
2. 90% v7 (old)  | Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Exynos 2400 ⎘ Samsung Xclipse 940 ⎘ 8 GB Memory, 256 GB | Amazon: List Price: 899€ | 167 g | 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.20" 2340x1080 416 PPI Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
3. 85.7%  | Google Pixel 9 Pro Google Tensor G4 ⎘ ARM Mali-G715 MP7 ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 128 GB | Amazon: 1. $949.99 Google Pixel 9 Pro - Unlocke... 2. $1,799.00 Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold - Un... 3. $649.18 Google Pixel 9 - Unlocked An... | 199 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.30" 2856x1280 495 PPI OLED |
4. 87.2%  | Vivo X200 Pro Mini Mediatek Dimensity 9400 ⎘ ARM Immortalis-G925 MC12 ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB | Amazon: 1. $11.69 YOUULAR [3 Pack Privacy Scre... 2. $14.95 BoxWave Screen Protector Com... 3. $3.98 3pc Glass Camera Lens Protec... List Price: 700€ | 187 g | 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.31" 2640x1216 461 PPI AMOLED |
5. 88.4%  | Xiaomi 15 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 830 ⎘ 12 GB Memory, 512 GB | Amazon: 1. $128.99 Xiaomi Watch S3 - Smartwatch... 2. $7.99 Suttkue for Xiaomi 15 Screen... 3. $232.99 Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE Only WiF... List Price: 760€ | 191 g | 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.36" 2670x1200 460 PPI OLED |
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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