The more powerful Galaxy
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, giving it astonishing performance. You also get faster connectivity protocols and a slightly-tweaked design.
For
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor
- Galaxy AI agents and support for cross-app actions
- One UI 7 based on Android 15 available out of the box
Against
- Same charging speed
- No Qi2 support
- Same rear camera system
The previous model
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is still a fantastic phone despite the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. It has powerful cameras and an FHD+ resolution. It also has a great design and 128GB/256GB storage options.
For
- Fantastic cameras
- IP68 rating
- Various colors to choose from
Against
- Battery could be better
- Less powerful processor
- No charger in the box
It may seem like the Samsung Galaxy S24 just came out, but the next-generation Galaxy S25 lineup is already here. If you have the Galaxy S24, you’re probably not in the market to upgrade just yet. However, as the Galaxy S24 drops in price, you might find yourself choosing between this year’s model and last year’s model.
Highlighted by a speedy Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, the new Samsung Galaxy S25 is built for AI. That means there are a ton of cool Galaxy AI features to go along with it, like AI agents and cross-app actions. But hardware upgrades are limited, and the Galaxy S25 may be the better deal. Curious to see how these two flagships compare? We’ve got all the details here.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. Galaxy S24: Design and display
Samsung stuck to the design we've been looking at for years, which has rounded edges, a flat front, and flat sides. This year, Samsung is going for a unified look across all Galaxy S25 models, including the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The Galaxy S25 features flat sides all around, flat back and front glass, and rounded corners. The phone is slightly smaller than the previous model, measuring 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2mm. The phone's weight is just 162 grams, which is lighter than past Galaxy phones. In terms of water resistance, the new Galaxy S25 is rated for IP68 protection, just like its predecessor.
The Galaxy S25 has slimmer display bezels than the Galaxy S24. It comes in Icyblue, Navy, Mint, and Silver Shadow colorways and is built with an aluminum frame.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 measures 147.0 x 70.6 7.6mm, weighs 167 grams, and has an IP68 rating, which makes it dust-tight. You can submerge it for 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. You can choose from different Galaxy S24 colors, such as Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Onyx Black, and Marble Grey (Samsung exclusive Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, Sandstone Orange).
It also has a flat front and back with rounded edges and a soft finish. Armor aluminum makes the Galaxy S24 lighter than steel. It also has a Corning Gorilla Armor screen, which makes it more durable. The three cameras are in a vertical row on the back, a design that repeats itself on the newer model.
The Galaxy S25 has the same 6.2-inch low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED using M13 organic materials as the previous model. There’s also the same 120Hz and sharp display with crisp colors and Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S24 has a 6.2-inch 2340 x 1080 AMOLED 2x FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, so such a slight difference might not motivate you to upgrade. The Galaxy S24 can reach a peak brightness of 2,600 nits and has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. It offers excellent colors and a Super HDR preview on the viewfinder. Samsung also added Vision Booster to increase the brightness outdoors by flickering the display on and off.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. Galaxy S24: Hardware and specs
The smartphone sports a 50MP wide main camera, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The new Galaxy S25 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, which was co-designed by Samsung and Qualcomm. It’s an ultra-powerful SoC with the same Oryon cores Qualcomm pioneered for the Snapdragon X lineup of laptop chips. There’s an NPU for on-device AI and enhanced gaming performance, helping the Galaxy S25 decisively outperform the Galaxy S24.
All three S25 models borrow the camera module style for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and come with a more traditional DSLR camera lens with thicker borders and ribbed edges.
The smartphone sports a 50MP wide main camera, 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and 12MP ultrawide camera. It also has a 12MP selfie camera. This is the exact same setup as the Galaxy S24 and even the Galaxy S23 before that.
The Galaxy S25 matches its predecessor in terms of specs, with storage options such as 128GB and 256GB, although you will find more RAM, with 12GB for better performance and on-device AI processing. The S25 also has a 4,000mAh battery and supports wired and wireless charging. There is no fast charging or built-in Qi2 MagSafe support, however.
How does this compare to the Galaxy S24? That model has non-expandable 128GB and 256GB storage variants, stereo speakers, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 4,000mAh battery. The Galaxy S24 also has a 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto, and 12MP selfie camera.
Regarding charging speeds, the Galaxy S24 has 25W wired charging, 15W wireless, and 4.5 reverse wireless charging. The advertised charging speed is 50% battery in 30 minutes. That’s exactly the same as the newer Galaxy S25 offers.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. Galaxy S24: Software
The Galaxy S25 ships with One UI 7 on top of Android 15. The software upgrade includes a new visual style, icons, customization options, and more.
It’ll also have new Galaxy AI features, like AI Agents, that can take actions on your behalf — even across multiple apps. With Galaxy AI, you can have fun with generative AI wallpaper and generative edit features. It’s possible that some of these features will eventually make their way to the Galaxy S24, but that’s not confirmed.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S24 includes One UI 6.1, and you can have fun with AI features such as Circle to Search, which Android Central’s own Nicholas Sutrich says is his favorite. You can also have Gemini help you get information, identify objects, or tell you where to buy them. You also get seven years of software updates, just like the Galaxy S25.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. Galaxy S24: Should you upgrade?
If money is no object, the Samsung Galaxy S25 is an impressive smartphone available for the same $800 price point that the older Galaxy S24 met last year. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset is the real deal, and it’ll last for years and years with lengthy software support. However, it also shares a lot in common with the Galaxy S24, and you should consider going with the older model if you find a good deal.
The more advanced model
The powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and improved connectivity protocols mean that the Galaxy S25 is well positioned for the future. If you’re in the market for a new Galaxy, this base-model flagship isn’t a bad option.
The current model
The Samsung Galaxy S24 may be the standard model of the lineup but offer great Galaxy AI features such as Circle to Search, and more. It has a 4,000mAh battery and gets seven years of software updates.
