Samsung Galaxy S25 Review

Mondo Admin / 21-01-2025 / Tech

Your Complete Guide to Features, Performance and Best Deals

Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S25, the ultimate smartphone choice for 2025, in our comprehensive review. Find out more about its design, performance and camera, as well as the latest deals.

Why the Samsung Galaxy S25 Stands Out

If you want a smartphone that will make a bold statement for you without you saying a word, look no further than the Samsung Galaxy S25. As one of the most popular smartphone brands in South Africa – and the world – Samsung often dominates the market thanks to their wide range of devices for everyone.

Known for setting industry standards in innovation, quality and performance, the Galaxy S25 is no exception.

While it’s on the pricier side, the Samsung Galaxy S25 easily justifies its premium tag with unparalleled features like advanced AI technology, a sophisticated design and powerful capabilities.

Whether you're a selfie snapper, a work-from-phone pro, or simply hunting for the best mobile contract deal, the Samsung Galaxy S25 promises to exceed expectations. This is more than just a phone – it’s a lifestyle upgrade.

This review has everything you need to know about the new Samsung Galaxy S25, so you can see how it meets your needs.

Design and Build Quality

Samsung has outdone itself with the Galaxy S25, crafting a device that feels as good as it looks. The premium materials, including a polished aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 3, provides both durability and elegance.

The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 3X display is a showstopper. It offers vibrant colours and crystal-clear detail that will captivate movie lovers, gamers and anyone who enjoys immersive visuals. With a 3200 x 1440 resolution and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, everything from scrolling to streaming feels seamless.

The S24 set a high standard. The Galaxy S25 has levelled up.

The bezels on the Samsung Galaxy S25 are slimmer, the in-display fingerprint sensor is faster and the brightness peaks at an impressive 2,500 nits, ensuring clarity even under direct sunlight.

Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Galaxy S25 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, paired with 12GB of RAM. This combination ensures blazing-fast performance, whether you're gaming or multitasking. The device runs on One UI 6, based on Android 14 and Samsung has incorporated AI-driven features, such as Smart Widget suggestions and enhanced multitasking capabilities, making the user experience more intuitive.

What really stands out though is the Galaxy S25’s AI capabilities, which extend to productivity tools, like AI-generated meeting summaries and entertainment perks, including real-time scene optimisation for videos.

Camera System

This is where the Galaxy S25 really shines, featuring an impressive quad-camera setup. The 200MP main sensor delivers stunning clarity in every shot, ensuring every detail is captured with precision. The 50MP ultrawide lens is perfect for landscapes and group photos, offering a wider field of view. For close-up shots, the 12MP periscope telephoto lens provides up to 10x optical zoom, bringing distant subjects into sharp focus. Finally, the 32MP selfie camera elevates your social media game, delivering crisp, high-quality self-portraits every time.

In low-light scenarios, the Nightography mode excels, capturing vivid details. Portrait shots offer DSLR-like effects and 8K video recording makes every moment cinematic. Compared to the Samsung S24, the Galaxy S25’s cameras boast faster autofocus and enhanced stabilisation, making it a top choice for all the content creators out there.

Battery Life and Charging

The Samsung S25 is built to last, with a 5,200mAh battery that keeps the smartphone running all day. In real-world tests, it easily handles 10 hours of screen time, even with intensive usage. While competitors like the iPhone 15 Pro Max offer solid battery life, the Galaxy S25 outpaces them in charging speed. The fast and convenient 65W charging means the S25 reaches 50% in just 20 minutes, while wireless charging and reverse wireless charging add to its versatility.

Deals and Pricing

Unlimited data plans with the Samsung Galaxy S25 start at approximately R799 per month while mid-tier plans offering 10GB data and free Samsung Buds come in at R599 per month.

Verdict and Recommendation

The Samsung Galaxy S25 is undoubtedly an Android masterpiece, excelling in every department from design and performance to camera capabilities and battery life. It’s ideal for anyone who makes regular – almost consistent – use of their phone.

If you’re ready for an upgrade or are in the market for a premium, high-performance smartphone that is sleek and sophisticated in design as it is in looks, the Galaxy S25 should be top of your list.

FAQs

Does the Samsung Galaxy S25 have a USB-C port?

Yes, the Galaxy S25 features a USB-C port for charging and data transfer.

Is the Galaxy S25 waterproof?

The Galaxy S25 comes with an IP68 rating, making it water and dust resistant.

Does the Galaxy S25 support expandable storage?

Unfortunately, the Galaxy S25 does not include a microSD card slot for expandable storage.

Does the Galaxy S25 support 5G connectivity?

Yes, the Galaxy S25 is fully compatible with 5G networks for faster download speeds.

Does the Galaxy S25 have a headphone jack?

No, the Galaxy S25 does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack.

References:

https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/galaxy-s25-ultra-vs-galaxy-s25-plus_id6643

https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-s25-review_id6900

https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/samsung-galaxy-s25

https://www.samsung.com/za/smartphones/galaxy-s24-ultra/?cid=za_pd_ppc_google_galaxy-s24-series_sustain_shop-mx-ao_text_sitelink-search-ad_custom&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1p28BhCBARIsADP9HrOzwC-Ws8-OvWllFZIu3G2SkR_MUzMKSRL6-UgmyjpsoxTZoh686MkaAqxAEALw_wcB

TECH NEWS

Samsung’s 100 Megapixel Camera is Coming!

It’s no secret that the camera has always been the smartphone’s strongest selling point. With the growing popularity of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, users have become photo-centric, constantly chasing after the best cameras to produce the best pictures to share with their followers. In fact, digital camera sales have taken a dip since the rise of the camera phone, which allows users to carry one device that performs many functions rather than purchasing a specific device for each of their needs. The first phone with a built-in camera was manufactured by Samsung in the year 2000. This digital camera could take up 20 photos at 350 000-pixels, or 0.35-megapixels, but you could only access your photos by connecting to a computer. By the year 2003, camera phones were becoming more popular with better specs and lower prices. In 2004, Sprint released a phone with a 1.3-megapixel camera that could capture images, share them wirelessly and even allowed you to print them. Finnish manufacturer Nokia jumped on the bandwagon in 2005 and released a 2 megapixel camera on their N90 model. Shortly after, the world was introduced to Sony Ericsson, whose aim was to steal the crown from Nokia. They adopted Sony’s Cybershot digital camera branding, which earned them first place in the camera phone market. The Sony Ericsson K800i was released in 2006 with a 3.2-megapixel camera that had auto focus, image stability and a Xenon flash. The baton was passed back to Samsung when they released the first ever 5-megapixel camera and then the 8 megapixel camera in 2008. The smartphone camera race continued, with Samsung appearing to be the winner with their release of the M8910 Pixon 12, which had a 12MP camera, in 2009. However, they were soon bested by Nokia’s N8 in 2010 and then the 16MP Sony Ericsson S006 that came at the end of 2010. Fast forward a few years and Samsung are at it again! To maintain their position in the market, the technology giant has decided to partner up with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi to create the world’s first 108-megapixel camera. Current high-end smartphones typically host cameras with between 12 and 16-megapixel resolutions, so a 108 megapixel camera would be a massive improvement to the conventional smartphone camera. The Isocell Bright HMX is designed to shoot incredibly detailed photos and is said to be comparable to a top DSLR camera. You can expect to capture better low-lit images as this camera will merge pixels to absorb more light. In terms of video recording, no smartphone camera will have better capabilities than this one. It will be capable of shooting up to 6K resolution at 30 frames per second which is very impressive compared to the 4K resolution at 60 frames per second limit of other smartphones. It’s been predicted that Xiaomi will release a smartphone with a similar camera before Samsung does, and even though Samsung has announced that production on these camera lenses begun at the end of August, they’ve remained tight-lipped about when we’ll be seeing a device with the 108-megapixel camera on the shelves.

Samsung Galaxy A Series: Flagship Experiences on a Budget

South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung has blazed a trail in the local smartphone market with the launch of their mid-tier A series cell phones that give their more expensive flagship counterparts a run for their money. Most likely, this range was created in response to stiff competition in the mid-tier smartphone category from the likes of Chinese rivals Huawei and Xiaomi. The company launched the Galaxy A2 Core, A10, A20, A30, A50, A70 and the A80 in South Africa this year, with the A90 expected soon. The A Series is a welcome change in pace for the company’s mid-tier devices, as the range now offers you a premium look and feel at a lower cost, as well as upgrades to the internals to give these devices more power and features, such as triple-lens camera systems on selected models. Let’s take a quick look at each model in the Galaxy A range: Galaxy A2 Core A simple but powerful entry-level device, the Galaxy A2 Core features the Android Go operating system, which is designed to optimise performance through the device’s hardware. Android Go is a lite version of the OS but allows devices like the A2 Core to offer a smooth user experience at an affordable cost. The A2 Core also features 5 MP cameras on the rear and face of the device and can support an SD card of up to 512GB, complementing its 8GB or 16GB of onboard storage. This will allow the user to cram more music and pictures into the device. The A2 Core also comes fitted with a 5-inch display. Galaxy A10 & A20 The Galaxy A10 and Galaxy A20 smartphones have many similarities. While both come with the Android 9.0 operating system, one of the most distinct differences is the screen size, as the A10 features a 6.2-inch display, while the A20 features a slightly larger 6.4-inch AMOLED display. Both devices feature the same processor, with the A10 featuring 2GB of RAM and the A20 fitted with 3GB of RAM. Another major difference between the devices is that the A20 features a dual 13MP and 5MP rear camera, while the A10 offers a 13MP rear camera. The A20 offers an 8MP front camera versus the A10’s 5MP shooter. Both smartphones pack 32GB of internal storage. Galaxy A30 & A50 The A30 and A50 smartphones set a new benchmark for affordable smartphones in the mid-tier category. The A30 comes with 64GB of onboard storage, while the A50 offers a massive 128GB of storage. Both devices feature a gorgeous 6.4-inch AMOLED display, the Android 9.0 operating system, 4GB of RAM and all-day battery-life thanks to a colossal 4000 mAh battery, usually found in premium smartphones. The A50 smartphone features a triple rear camera setup with a 25MP, 8MP and 5MP cameras offering great wide screen shots, while the A30 features a dual 16MP and 5MP rear camera configuration. The A50 sports a powerful 25MP selfie camera and the A30 a 16MP front camera. Galaxy A70 & A80 Essentially competing in the premium smartphone segment, the A80 is set to become one of the most unique smartphones available on the South African market. The A80 will feature one of the first pop-up rotating camera modules, consisting of a powerful 48MP wide lens, 8MP ultra-wide lens and a Time of Flight (TOF) 3D camera to capture not only images from the rear but also for selfies. The device sports a 3700mAh battery and 128GB of onboard storage, with a 6.7-inch display. The Galaxy A70 features a slightly larger 4500mAh battery compared to the A80 but will run off the same processor and operating system – Android 9.0. The A70 smartphone features a triple camera module consisting of a 32MP lens, 8MP wide-angle lens and 5MP depth sensing lens with a 32MP selfie camera. Read the reviews: Galaxy A2 Core Galaxy A10 Galaxy A20

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