In the entirety of Samsung’s penchant for launching a trio of variants of its flagship Galaxy S Series smartphone, the Galaxy S25 Series marks the first time I’ve ever used a base model. That isn’t to say that I’ve not held or dabbled with a non-Ultra, or Plus for that matter; it’s the first time I’m using one as my daily driver.
I’ll get to my review of the S25 in due time. For now, this is just going to be my early impressions of it and right off the bat, it’s exceedingly difficult not to draw comparison between the Korean electronics brand’s current flagship and Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro series, or 15 Pro even. The overall shape of the chassis, the somewhat sharp edges – it’s a very familiar feeling and one that, again, hints towards that adage regarding imitation and flattery.
Given its considerably diminutive size compared to the Ultra models, I will say that it feels both a little easier and difficult. Easier in that I could slip it in and out of my pocket without much shifting about, difficult in that there is a weird sensation in feeling my fingers nearly touching, just from gripping it firmly. And I haven’t even gotten to the typing experience.
Typing on the Galaxy S25 feels both undeniably and expectedly cramped. If you’ve got small hands then sure, the argument can be made then that the size is perfect but sadly, I have bear paws. But that said, it’s a small price to pay, perhaps, for a phone of this stature.
Dabbling into its internals for a bit, the Galaxy S25 runs on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, albeit a somewhat modified version for Samsung. To be brief, it means that certain features that would otherwise be available are just removed, such as the full suite of Qualcomm’s latest aptX Adaptive codec.
Beyond those differences, everything else about the Galaxy S25 retains the status quo. Like its predecessor, it holds the same amount of RAM, the same storage configuration, same 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED X2 display, as well as the same main camera setup. I won’t speak too much about the camera’s performance here and instead save the results for my in-depth review of the phone.
The Galaxy S25 also marks my first foray with Samsung’s One UI 7. The new layout and interface are certainly more intuitive but the change towards splitting the notifications and quick access toolbar by dragging down from left or right is mildly infuriating. Off the bat, the change feels rather unnecessary and I would’ve preferred it if Samsung didn’t emulate Apple in this aspect. There’s also the AI aspect of the phone; I’ll need more time to really get a feel, to see how the company has integrated the buzzword into the phone but at this stage, it feels
As I mentioned, an in-depth review of the Galaxy S25 is underway so check the main page over the coming weeks.
