Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Galaxy S25 Plus: Expectations

 
The Galaxy S Plus model has always been a strange "middle child" in the lineup, offering a slightly bigger screen and a bigger battery compared to the regular S-series flagship. The upcoming Galaxy S25 series is shaping out to be very similar in concept, but will this bigger battery and screen be enough to lure people into paying hundreds more for the Plus instead of going for the Galaxy S25?

This is our preliminary Galaxy S25 vs Galaxy S25 Plus comparison.

The design expectations for the Galaxy S25 series don't excite us as much as we'd like. It seems that Samsung is going to play it safe and offer just a minor tweak to the design here and there. We're looking at the same flat back and front with rounded corners and flat sides, the same we had with the previous couple of generations.

There's one rumor saying that the Galaxy S25 Plus will have the biggest bezels around the screen compared to the other two models, so there's also that. The camera systems look very similar to this year's in all the leaked renders; we're talking about three separate camera housings in the upper left corner.

The size difference between the S25 and the S25 Plus will probably stay more or less the same as on the previous generation—the 6.2 vs 6.7 inch display kind of limits what you can do with the size.

As far as materials go, both phones are expected to feature the same glass and aluminum sandwich that we're familiar with. There's no rumors about using exotic materials for the regular and Plus models; the titanium treatment is reserved for the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Finally, let's talk about the color variants, as we have some interesting rumors going around. Normally, the regular model and the Plus model share the available hues, but there's a rumor that we'll get one additional color option for the Plus mode. Below you will find the expected colors for both models.

Galaxy S25 expected colors:

• Moon Night Blue
• Silver Shadow
• Sparkling Blue
• Sparkling Green

Galaxy S25 Plus expected colors:

• Moon Night Blue
• Silver Shadow
• Sparkling Blue
• Sparkling Green
• Midnight Black.

Inside the retail box, you will most likely find just the phones and a USB-C cable, as this is the latest trend in preserving the Planet.

We don't expect huge display improvements in the Galaxy S25 series compared to the previous generation. Samsung doesn't seem to be hopping on the screen enlargement train at least for now, so we're looking at pretty much the same 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch panels as last year.

What we might get is the amazing anti-reflective coating we absolutely love on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Other than that, we expect the same 1-120Hz LTPO panels, with the already mentioned bigger bezels on the Plus model. In terms of resolution and pixel density, both phones will most likely retain the resolution and PPI of their respective predecessors, landing at around 416 PPI and 1080p for the regular Galaxy S25 and 513 PPI and 1440p for the Galaxy S25 Plus.

We might see a jump in brightness, as this is the latest trend and battleground for modern flagships, and as always, we will put these to the test once we lay our hands on test units.

In terms of biometrics, we expect the same ultrasonic under-display fingerprints as the ones inside the current generation; they work great, so there is no need for a change there.

One of the most substantial upgrades we expect on the Galaxy S25 family (and one that's already been confirmed) is the recently announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. According to information from Qualcomm and Samsung, this chipset will power the three S25 models, including the regular Galaxy S25 and the Galaxy S25 Plus.

Even though there are some rumors stating that Samsung hasn't completely given up on the Exynos Galaxy S25 variants, we expect the series to launch with Snapdragon 8 Elite in the US. The latest leaked benchmarks show the performance of this chipset to be on par and even better than Apple's A18 Pro, so we're very excited.

Another positive and a possible slight advantage for the Galaxy S25 Plus is that some comparisons show that the Geekbench 6 scores of the model are slightly better than the scores of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. We're talking unofficial benchmarks here, so take them with a grain of salt, but anyway, it's looking great for the Galaxy S25 series in general.

In terms of RAM and storage, things are not exactly clear; the Galaxy S25 Plus might get a slight advantage on both fronts, but we're not sure at the moment.

What we're sure of is that both models will come with Galaxy AI onboard and also the lengthy seven years of support. The phones will most likely launch with Android 15 out of the box and OneUI on top, which means that they will last all the way to Androud 23. Amazing!

The camera situation is one of the most guarded secrets prior to a smartphone launch, normally. The Galaxy S25 series is no exception, but we do have some information circling around. There's a potential switch (and upgrade) to Sony LYTIA sensors for the main cameras of the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus.

These Sony sensors feature the Japanese company's trademarked dual transistor-pixel stacked technology and offer some potential benefits in light capturing and also have potential low noise levels. The ultrawide and telephoto cameras seem to have remained the same; at least that's the most current info. Below you'll find the specs of the camera systems on both the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus. In terms of differences and buying decisions, the camera system shouldn't be a deciding factor; both will most likely feature identical camera systems.

Galaxy S25 series expected camera specs:
Main (wide)—50 MP, f/1.8 aperture, 24mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
Ultra-wide—12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video
3x telephoto—10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm, 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS

The latest rumors don't give us much hope in getting larger batteries in the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus. We will most likely get the same 4,000 mAh cell in the regular Galaxy S25 and the 4,900 mAh battery inside the bigger Galaxy S25 Plus.

According to the latest information from industry insiders, Samsung will optimize and extend the battery life of the Galaxy S25 series using AI. We can't comment on the actual battery life as we need to run our own battery tests once we have the phones, but there's another disappointing news coming our way. And it concerns the fast charging.

Leaked certification documents show that the Galaxy S25 series will once again be pretty conservative with charging speeds. According to the 3C certification authorities (a Chinese regulator), the Galaxy S25 will come with the same 25W wired charging speed as its predecessor, and the Galaxy S25 Plus will feature 45W fast charging. We don't have information about wireless charging speeds at the moment, but there's a good chance they'll remain the same as well.

Here's a quick comparison table for the number nerds out there. You can check out the full version on PhoneArena.

*rumored specs

It's the same old story once again, or at least it looks like it at this preliminary stage. The Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus look extremely similar, just like their respective predecessors, with the exception of the screen size and battery capacity.

This comparison is at its earliest stage for the moment, and we have to fill it up with benchmark scores and camera samples to be able to paint the full picture, but even at this stage, it's clear to see that Samsung seems to be following the same concept of offering a slightly larger version of its regular flagship with a bigger battery and a larger screen. Whether or not people will pay the extra $200 for the Plus, we have to wait and see.