There are already many rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, which will probably be launched in January. So it’s high time for an overview. What can we expect from Samsung’s new top devices?
Samsung Galaxy S25: the most important rumors
It is often quite cold at the beginning of the year. Samsung will also launch its new high-end smartphones. That will be no different in 2025. We still have to wait and see the exact date, but it is almost certain that the S25 series will be released in January. January 23 seems a good contender for the presentation.
As in previous years, the family consists of three smartphones, although a new member will probably join later in the year. These are the most important rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S25.
Galaxy S25: compact entry-level
The ‘normal’ Galaxy S25 is, as always, a compact entry-level model. There are rumors that the screen will grow to 6.36 inches, but most sources assume 6.2 inches. That’s just as big as the Galaxy S24. It is of course an OLED display. The maximum brightness would again be 2600 nits.
In recent months we have read many conflicting messages about the processor that Samsung wants to use. First it would be the self-developed Exynos 2500, then we even heard reports about a MediaTek chip. The well-introduced tasty Ice Universe However, reports that all Galaxy S25 smartphones worldwide will run on a Snapdragon 8 Elite.
That’s good news, because this processor is lightning fast and very efficient. It would provide a significant jump in performance compared to the Galaxy S24, which in the Netherlands has an Exynos 2400 chip from Samsung itself.
More working memory for AI
The S25 would also have 12GB of RAM for the first time. We probably owe this to artificial intelligence, which requires quite a lot of working memory. We also expect new or improved AI features, although it is not yet clear what exactly they will be.
Little changes to the design. The screen edges will become slightly thinner, but the cameras on the back, for example, look almost the same. This again concerns a 50 megapixel main camera, 12 megapixel wide-angle lens and a 10 megapixel telephoto lens that allows you to zoom in 3x. Those cameras have been around for a while.
The battery, like that of its predecessor, has a capacity of 4000 mAh. The charging speed may increase from 25 to 45 watts. This also applies to the (cheaper) Galaxy A56. It would be crazy if the S25 lagged behind.
The update policy is very nice. The S25 runs on Android 15 and gets seven major upgrades. You can also count on security updates for seven years. This applies to all phones in the series.
Galaxy S25 Plus: larger screen
In many ways, the Galaxy S25 Plus is ‘just’ a larger version of the normal Galaxy S25. It probably also runs on a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and also has 12GB of RAM. This also applied to the Galaxy S24 Plus.
The main difference is of course the screen. At 6.7 inches, this is clearly larger than that of the normal S25 and also has a higher resolution. You won’t notice much of this in practice.
What you will notice is the better battery life of the S25 Plus. At 5000 mAh, the battery is a quarter larger than that of its smaller brother. In our review of the Galaxy S24 Plus, the device appeared to last two days on a charge. Charging is again possible at 45 watts.
Galaxy S25 Ultra: luxury horse for demanding users
According to rumors, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the only device from the series that will have a different design. The edges of this smartphone are also becoming thinner, but the rounded corners of the screen are more striking. They were always straight on previous Ultra devices. This means that the Ultra now looks a little more like the other smartphones in the S25 series.
The screen may grow a bit from 6.8 to 6.9 inches. We expect another layer of Gorilla Glass Armor, which not only protects you against scratches, but also reduces reflections. We were very pleased with it in our review of the S24 Ultra.
In addition to the 200 megapixel main camera, the Ultra has two telephoto lenses: one of 10 megapixels that zooms in 3x and one of 50 megapixels that brings the image 5x closer. The wide-angle lens is completely new. It now has a resolution of 50 megapixels. That was 12 megapixels on its predecessor. This should make extra-wide photos look sharper.
Furthermore, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the only smartphone in the series with an S Pen, with which you can make notes on the screen. The battery (5000 mAh) and charging speed (45 watts) are the same as those of the S25 Plus.
New member of the family: the Galaxy S25 Slim
We won’t see it until January, but there are persistent rumors that Samsung is developing a fourth member of the S25 family: the Galaxy S25 Slim. As the name suggests, this is an extra thin (and probably light) device. It would be released in the second quarter of 2025. That is between April and June.
We do not yet dare to say whether the ‘Slim’ has the same hardware as the other devices. Well, there already are details leaked about the cameras, which shows that it is a high-end smartphone.
In addition to a 200-megapixel main camera, you can take snapshots with a 50-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens. This makes the cameras better than those of the regular Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus.
Source: www.androidplanet.nl
