The Samsung Galaxy S25 has arrived, and it's looking to usurp its Galaxy S24 predecessor with revamped innards and shiny new features. Whether you’re thinking of upgrading from your Galaxy S24 or are weighing up whether it’s worth snapping up last year’s handset to save you some cash, this Galaxy S25 vs S24 comparison should see you in good stead.
Note that we've yet to put the S25 through our comprehensive review process, but we can still provide a reasonable comparison based on our experience, and you can rest assured that we’ll update this comparison with our complete assessment once we've subjected the S25 to the full review treatment.
For now, let's see what Samsung’s past and present handsets have to offer.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S24: price
The Galaxy S25 maintains Samsung's established pricing structure in most regions, beginning at £799 / $799 / AU$1399 for the 128GB configuration and £859 / $859 / AU$1599 for 256GB storage. The 512GB variant retails for £979 / $979 / AU$1599, and the handset will hit shelves on 7 February.
The Galaxy S24 has seen some price drops since its release, varying from retailer to retailer. This price difference might be enough to treat your wallet to a less hefty outgoing, but that of course all depends on how the two handsets stack up against each other.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S24: design and display
You’d be hard-pressed to notice any major differences between the two handsets, especially in terms of size and weight. The Galaxy S25 measures 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2mm compared with the S24's 147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm dimensions, and it tips the scales at 162g versus 167g. If you closed your eyes and held them both, you’d likely have a hard time telling them apart.
More notable differences can be found in the rear camera setup, where Samsung has introduced black trim surrounds in place of the previous body-matched finishing. The colour palette sees a complete refresh too, with Icyblue, Navy, Mint and Silver Shadow colours replacing the S24's equally zealously named Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Onyx Black and Marble Grey colour options.
The display is still 6.2 inches in size, though Samsung has achieved a 15 per cent reduction in bezel width. Bezel haters, rejoice. Both handsets feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology, offering FHD+ resolution (2340 x 1080), adaptive refresh rates spanning 1-120Hz, and peak brightness capabilities of 2600 nits.
Perhaps the most intriguing addition, though, is the S25's ProScaler technology, which promises to enhance the upscaling of lower-resolution content with 43 per cent improved detail rendering. This sounds remarkably similar to the AI Upscaler Pro feature we've tested and praised on Samsung's recent televisions, such as the Award-winning QN900D. Given how few smartphones offer meaningful picture quality improvements, this could be a significant advancement – though we'll need to assess its real-world impact in our full review.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S24: performance and features
The S25's most significant advancement comes via its Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor, which is a customised version of Qualcomm's flagship chip that’s been specifically optimised for the S25 series. This is great news for those who are particular about the silicon residing in their handsets – last year saw some regions receiving Exynos 2400 processors while others got the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with the latter regarded as being superior. The fact that everyone gets the same processor this time around is a big plus for the S25.
Memory configurations see a substantial upgrade too, with Samsung standardising 12GB RAM across all S25 variants – a notable improvement over the S24's 8GB RAM specs. Elsewhere, Samsung’s One UI 7 (overlaid on Android 15), introduces several AI-enhanced features. Returning capabilities include Circle to Search with Google, Live Translation, and Chat Assist, while new additions bring a new Now Bar for persistent notification display, and Now Brief for AI-curated daily summaries.
The implementation of an on-device large language model also promises to enhance various features, from natural language processing in system settings, to more sophisticated photo editing capabilities. Samsung's commitment to seven years of software updates also ensures long-term viability for both generations, which is another big win compared to some other manufacturers.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S24: cameras
The Galaxy S25’s camera system sees subtle refinements while keeping the S24’s core specs. Both phones have a 50MP main sensor with f/1.8 aperture, featuring dual-pixel phase detect autofocus and optical image stabilisation. This is complemented by a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom with PDAF and OIS, alongside a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera providing a 120-degree field of view. The front-facing camera maintains its 12MP f/2.2 configuration with dual-pixel PDAF.
Where the S25 distinguishes itself though, is its Next Gen ProVisual Engine, which promises to deliver more sophisticated noise reduction algorithms and enhanced detail preservation, particularly in trickier lighting conditions. The introduction of 10-bit HDR support also reportedly brings a significant enhancement to colour reproduction, with Samsung claiming four times more dynamic colours in captured images. This advancement should be particularly noticeable in scenes with challenging lighting conditions or broad tonal ranges, though we’ll have to wait for our full review to put this to the test.
Video capabilities are also similar, with both phones supporting 8K recording at 30fps, 4K at 60fps, and 1080p slow-motion at 240fps. However, the S25 introduces several AI-powered editing features like the new Audio Eraser feature, which enables one-tap removal of unwanted background noise from video recordings. An improved Generative Edit function, powered by an on-device large language model, also offers more natural-looking results when removing or manipulating subjects within photographs. Lastly, the S25 also has a new Audio Eraser feature – a post-processing tool for video recording which lets you remove unwanted background noise with a single tap. It sounds great in theory, and will hopefully deliver in the real world.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S24: battery and audio
The battery specs remain the same, with both devices featuring 4000mAh batteries. Charging speeds are also stuck at 25W wired charging (delivering a 50 per cent charge in approximately 30 minutes), while wireless charging tops out at 15W. Both support 4.5W reverse wireless charging for accessories.
These are disappointing figures compared to many other rival handsets from the likes of Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, Nubia, and more, with 90W+ charging speeds and batteries pushing 6000mAh all on offer. Still, the Galaxy S25's more efficient 3nm process architecture in the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip might provide better battery life than expected. Combined with the improved thermal management vapour chamber for enhanced cooling, we’re hoping to squeeze more juice out of the battery in between charges. Only time will tell.
As for audio, both handsets employ a dual-speaker arrangement, comprising one downward-firing speaker and one earpiece. These work together to deliver stereo sound, with Dolby Atmos support retained for both the speaker and headphone playback.
In our testing of the S24, we found its audio performance delivered energetic output with hints of warmth and impressive clarity, though it didn't quite match the subtlety of competitors such as the Sony Xperia 1 V. We'll need to put the S25 through our thorough audio testing process – including our extensive music and movie performance evaluations – before we can determine whether Samsung has made any meaningful improvements to the sound quality. Wireless audio connectivity comes via Bluetooth 5.3 in both the S24 and S25.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S24: early verdict
The Galaxy S25 presents a measured (if not mind-blowing) evolution of Samsung's flagship formula, emphasising processing capability and AI integration over dramatic hardware changes. The shift to a unified processor and increased RAM should be meaningful improvements, while the refined design and enhanced image processing both promise subtle but hopefully worthwhile differences.
For users of older Galaxy devices, the S25 presents a compelling upgrade path. However, current S24 owners may find the improvements, while welcome, insufficient to justify the significant price premium over their existing device. Stay tuned for our full review for the final verdict.
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