Better late than never, right? That’s the whole idea behind this slightly delayed Samsung S25 Plus review. I would go out on a limb and call this phone one of the safest Android flagships you can buy today. But that’s not the entire picture, especially if you’re going to spend nearly 5 figures on a non-pro Android device. And that’s where the twist begins.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus specifications
| Specifications | Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.77-inch QHD+ AMOLED display 120hz refresh rate |
| Cameras | 50MP + 12MP + 10MP triple rear cameras 12MP front camera |
| RAM and storage | 12GB + 256GB 12GB + 512GB |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| OS and updates | Android 15 out of the box 7 years of OS and security updates |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, WiFi , GPS, USB-C, |
| Battery | 4900mAh |
| Charging | 45-watt wired charging 15-watt wireless charging support |
| Dimensions & weight | 158.4 X 75.8 x 7.3mm 190 grams |
| Colours | Available with partner sellers: Navy, Silver Shadow Samsung online store exclusive: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold |
| Box contents | Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, USB C to C cable, SIM tool |
| Price | INR 99,999 |
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus design
The S24 series was boxy, the S25 series is boxier. If the S24s felt slightly muted to you, the S25s will feel more understated, quiet, and classy. There are narrow bezels on all sides, a flat display, and a solid-feeling chassis.
It is a slippery phone, but the weight distribution makes it feel light and ergonomic. One-handed usage is possible in a pinch, but you need two hands to use this big screen comfortably. Samsung’s camera design also allows them to keep a neat back. The shiny rings around the lenses grab attention, and the phone’s unmistakably Samsung look keeps the charm.
Both the S25 and S25+ get aluminum frames with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for the screen. Both phones also get an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. It is decent, but just this year, we’ve seen phones with IP69 ratings coming out at almost half the price.
So if you look at the big picture, the S-series has a signature design language with subtle improvements over the years. But the S25 Plus skips out on an IP69 rating, a razor slim chassis, and underwater usage modes. In a nutshell, the Samsung Galaxy S25+ is classy, but it isn’t as cool as it could’ve been.
Samsung Galaxy S25+ display
Samsung makes some of the best screens out there today, and the S25+ is no different. This is a 6.7-inch screen mated with a form factor that makes it almost too good to be true. It has QHD+ resolution with 16M colours, which makes it a promising screen on paper, but it also has a certain richness and depth that makes it a good screen in the real world. Outdoor visibility is excellent, and the OneUI has been optimized for this big screen, so one-handed usage isn’t an issue.
However, there are some places where I feel the S25 Plus’ screen has been shortchanged for the premium it commands. It misses out on the anti-reflective coating that is still reserved for the ‘Ultra’ lineup. There are plenty of screen customization options, but you still can’t fix the screen at a 120 Hz refresh. These niggles aside, you won’t have any major issues from this display. It is snappy, responsive, and bright.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review: Cameras
You get a triple 50+10+12MP camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus. The ultrawide lens takes care of 0.6x zoom, the main lens handles 1x and 2x, and the telephoto gives you 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom.
All three lenses deliver crisp results in outdoor lighting. You can expect sharp and detailed images out of the 50MP shooter in almost any condition, but the same can’t be said for the other two cameras. The front camera too can shoot good images in the right lighting, but it isn’t the best selfie camera for low light shots.
You will like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus if you’re a phone photography enthusiast. There’s a dedicated Expert RAW mode, a Pro mode, and functions like Dual Recording and Single Take that let you play around with the cameras. In short, you’re getting a capable camera system with a user interface that encourages you to take control and play around.
Samsung S25+ review: Performance
This is another area that Samsung has nailed with the S25+. You get the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage from the base variant. This is a future-proof combination that should allow you to use this phone for a decently long period.
I’m happy to report that the S25 Plus breaks no sweat despite long hours of gaming or outdoor usage at full brightness. I didn’t notice any hiccups, lags, crashes, or even an abrupt restart during my usage. The new OneUI is also a welcome refresh. You’ll like the new notification and quick settings panel, and you can vertically scroll the app drawer… finally.
Samsung has also made sure that the S25 Plus outdoes rivals like the iPhone in terms of AI prowess. Galaxy AI seems to work well most of the time. There are some hiccups here and there, but the image tools mostly work as advertised.
But just when I was thinking it was too good to be true, it turns out it isn’t. I found a Samsung support page that says, “Galaxy AI features will be provided for free until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices.”
This gives rise to a major concern of whether you could end up losing all the cool Galaxy AI features if you don’t agree to the subscription/purchase. Secondly, there’s no clarity on the pricing model after the end of 2025, which will arrive fast since it’s already April.
So investing almost a lakh rupees in a phone and not knowing the full scheme makes it hard for me to recommend Galaxy AI. The S25 Plus might be a fantastic phone with excellent specs, but all of it won’t make sense if you’re not able to use the full feature set.
Samsung S25 Plus review: Battery and charging
For a ‘Plus’ phone, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus does not have that big of a battery. However, even with its 4,900 mAh cell, it manages to outlast phones with 6000 mAh batteries. The trick? Optimization. OneUI is optimized to sip through battery and focus on the task at hand.
While background apps stay open, they don’t seem to drain much power. This allows the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus to easily deliver a full day of usage with moderate workloads and still have some juice left.
However, Samsung just won’t let us charge this phone fast enough. The 45-watt charging speed will feel sluggish to you if you’ve used any other mid-range Android phones. There’s no new or exciting battery tech either, which indicates Samsung is playing it safe with the S series.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review: Verdict
This could be the perfect Samsung that I could recommend to anyone, but it isn’t. Despite the missing IP69 rating, the missing anti-reflective coating, and the lack of clarity on Galaxy AI pricing, I was willing to recommend this phone for the sheer specs and premium it offers.
The only problem I have with this phone is the price. Samsung has ambitiously priced the S25 Plus at Rs. 99,999. You can get an S24 Ultra for that price in the right sale. You can also get the Z Flip5 for under Rs. 99,999. And you could even get any other crazily specced Android flagship at this price with higher ‘wow’ factor and a charger within the box.
So yes, Samsung has created a near-perfect Samsung with S25 Plus, but I would suggest you to wait and watch the price. In the meantime, you can our list of the best Android flagships under 1 lakh rupees.
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