Samsung Galaxy S25

The Samsung Galaxy S25 is the "powerhouse in pocket size" released in April 2026, impressing mainly with the global deployment of the extremely powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite and a further refined, slim design. While the performance and the 120 Hz AMOLED display remain at the absolute top, Samsung has stagnated in charging speed (25W) and battery capacity (4,000 mAh), which appears increasingly backward compared to the competition in 2026. Those looking for a compact high-end device with an update guarantee until 2032 and mature Galaxy AI will find one of the currently most powerful compact flagships on the market here.

Classification and target audience

The Galaxy S25 (released January 2025) is aimed at users seeking maximum performance in a case that can be easily operated with one hand. By April 2026, it has significantly dropped in price due to the release of the S26 series, making it an attractive entry into the premium class. It primarily competes with the iPhone 17 and the Xiaomi 16, scoring points with its lightweight (only 162 g) and superior multitasking software (One UI).

Display and case

The 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display offers a Full HD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz. With a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, it remains perfectly readable even in direct sunlight. The case is IP68 certified and uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The even narrower display bezels give the device a very modern and almost bezel-less look.

Performance and hardware

A significant gain for European users is the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which provides outstanding efficiency and computing power in 2026. Together with now standard 12 GB of RAM, the S25 handles even the most complex AI applications and demanding gaming without noticeable heat generation. The 4,000 mAh battery delivers solid runtime for a day; however, intensive users criticize the slow charging at a maximum of 25W, while the competition often offers 80W or more in 2026.

Video and camera system

The triple-camera system remains largely unchanged from its predecessor in terms of hardware but benefits massively from the new ISP unit of the Snapdragon chip.

• Photo: The 50 MP main camera delivers extremely detailed shots with more natural bokeh. The 10 MP telephoto lens enables a true 3x optical zoom, which, through AI-supported upscaling ("AI Zoom"), provides up to 10x magnifications in very good quality.

• Video: Recordings are possible in 8K at 30 fps or 4K at 60 fps with excellent HDR processing.

The Galaxy AI also enables new editing features such as changing the focus in videos after they have been recorded.

Software status

The Galaxy S25 currently runs on Android 16 (One UI 8), following the rollout of the stable update in spring 2026. Samsung guarantees a total of seven years of Android upgrades and security updates for this model. This secures the device software-wise until January 2032, making it one of the most sustainable investments in the current smartphone market.

Conclusion and price-performance ratio

With a current market price of around €580 to €620 (as of April 2026), the Samsung Galaxy S25 offers an excellent price-performance ratio for fans of small smartphones. You get cutting-edge processor technology and an unprecedented update guarantee, but you must accept the relatively slow charging speed compared to the competition as the biggest weakness.