If there was a theme for smartphones in 2024, it was that flagship telephones lastly gained function parity throughout kind elements. Google’s Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL, in addition to Apple’s iPhone 16/Professional and iPhone 16 Plus/Professional Max, are a number of examples of smartphones that have been an identical except for their display screen sizes. Whether or not you wished an enormous or small cellphone, you bought the identical general expertise.
Now that the Samsung Galaxy S25 sequence is right here, it will be simple to suppose the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus can be an analogous story. As an alternative, Samsung’s first main launch of 2025 breaks the late 2024 traits.
Sadly, that is not the case. There are three Galaxy S25 fashions accessible this yr: the 6.2-inch Galaxy S25, the 6.7-inch Galaxy S25 Plus, and the 6.9-inch Galaxy S25 Extremely. At first look, you may mistakenly suppose the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus are an identical outdoors of their display screen sizes, with the Galaxy S25 Extremely serving as a higher-end choice.
The truth could not be extra totally different. In some ways, the $999 Galaxy S25 Plus shares extra in widespread with the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Extremely than the bottom $799 Galaxy S25. As such, it is best to know that you simply’re sacrificing much more than display screen actual property whenever you select the Galaxy S25 over the higher-priced Samsung handsets.
As a result of the Galaxy S25 does share quite a bit with the opposite two Galaxy telephones, it is easy to miss its shortcomings. There’s nonetheless a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, 12GB RAM, and the identical actual digital camera system as the larger Galaxy S25 Plus. However although the issues lacking from the Galaxy S25 aren’t apparent, they’re simply as vital.
The variations begin with the telephones’ shows, and it is extra than simply dimension separating these two units. Sure, the Galaxy S25 is smaller than the Galaxy S25 Plus. On prime of that, the screens have totally different resolutions, with the Galaxy S25 supporting Full HD+ and the Galaxy S25 Plus supporting Quad HD+. It is true that this can be much less noticeable on the Galaxy S25’s smaller show, however the bigger cellphone’s Quad HD Plus decision means the Galaxy S25 Plus has double the pixels of the Galaxy S25.
All advised the Galaxy S25 Plus ought to look crisper than the bottom Galaxy S25. Crucially, the larger cellphone helps Samsung’s “ProScaler for Quad HD+” expertise. It is described as “AI picture processing” that helps the Galaxy S25 Plus and Extremely “obtain a 40% enchancment in picture high quality.” So, it is clear the Galaxy S25 Plus may have a greater show than the Galaxy S25 — not simply the larger one.
The bottom storage configuration can also be decrease on the Galaxy S25, because the cellphone begins with 128GB of storage. For an additional $60, you may improve it to 256GB (that is cheaper now, because of pre-order offers). Nonetheless, the Galaxy S25 Plus begins at 256GB. It is a good perk, contemplating all the things else you get whenever you make the soar to the center Galaxy S25 cellphone.
A kind of issues is a much bigger battery. The Galaxy S25 Plus has a 4,900mAh capability, whereas the common Galaxy S25 has a 4,000mAh battery. There are some things to notice right here, although. For starters, the larger Galaxy S25 Plus display screen will draw extra energy, which implies the Galaxy S25 Plus might carry out equally to the Galaxy S25 in the actual world. But it surely’s simply as vital to notice that the Galaxy S25 Plus is manner nearer to the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s 5,000mAh capability, that means it may form as much as be a battery life champion.
If uncooked capability is not sufficient to sway you, how about charging speeds? The bottom Galaxy S25 maxes out at 25W speeds over a cable, whereas the Galaxy S25 Plus can cost at as much as 45W speeds. For what it is value, 15W wi-fi and 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging speeds are the identical throughout each units. With that being stated, in the event you’re in a pinch, you may want you had these sooner wired charging speeds on the Galaxy S25.
The ultimate benefit the Galaxy S25 Plus has over the bottom Galaxy S25 is the one I feel may find yourself being probably the most essential distinction in the long term. The previous has an ultra-wideband (UWB) chip, whereas the latter doesn’t. For the uninitiated, UWB is a nearfield radio communication protocol that’s wonderful for knowledge switch and placement, serving to you discover objects with pinpoint accuracy. It is the expertise that made AirTags so fashionable.
Nicely, the official Samsung SmartTag 2 additionally helps UWB for precision discovering, as do choose Tile trackers. It is attainable that as Google’s personal Discover My Gadget ecosystem blossoms, extra UWB units will enter the fold. In case your new flagship does not have UWB, it is not future-proofed.
Contemplating that Samsung is touting the Galaxy S25 as doubtlessly lasting seven years with full OS assist, these {hardware} limitations may turn out to be an issue — one which you do not find out about till effectively after the return window has handed.
To sum up, the Galaxy S25 Plus — regardless of trying like a much bigger Galaxy S25 — has a number of key benefits over its smaller counterpart. There’s the higher-resolution display screen, ProScaler AI enhancement device, higher-capacity battery, bigger base storage, sooner charging speeds, and UWB chip. Like I stated earlier than, the Galaxy S25 Plus could also be higher seen as a smaller Galaxy S25 Extremely than a much bigger Galaxy S25.
I am not precisely thrilled to let you know this. I do not need to say you want to pay $999 for the Galaxy S25 Plus as a substitute of $799 for the Galaxy S25. Actually, I feel it is commendable that Samsung has saved the bottom Galaxy S25 skinny, compact, and lightweight when the remainder of the Android cellphone market retains getting greater.
I want the Samsung Galaxy S25 had the identical inside parts and have set because the bigger Galaxy S25 Plus. Then, consumers may select the one they like most and never really feel pressured to dimension up. Sadly, as issues at the moment stand, it feels exhausting to suggest the bottom Galaxy S25, contemplating how rather more you get whenever you pay simply $200 extra for the Galaxy S25 Plus.
A sneaky winner
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is not only a greater Galaxy S25. It has loads of extra options and capabilities, like sooner charging, AI show upscaling, and sooner charging speeds.
