The newest plus-sized Galaxy
Packing a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip and a refreshed design, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is the best middle child yet. Best of all, it's priced the exact same as the Galaxy S24 Plus.
For
- Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
- One UI 7 at launch
- Same design as other S25 models
Against
- No camera upgrades
- Relatively slow charging speeds
- No Qi2/MagSafe support
The older Galaxy
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus has much to offer, such as a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection. It comes with Android 14 out of the box but upgrades to Android 15. You also get top-notch IP68 protection, meaning you can submerge your phone in up to 1.5 meters of water.
For
- High-resolution 120Hz display
- Seven years of OS and security updates guaranteed
- 12GB of RAM as standard
Against
- Audio quality isn't the best
It's true that smartphone progress is slowing down, but that doesn't mean the release of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is any less exciting. With a new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset and plenty of fresh AI features, this new flagship is a formidable opponent for the year-old Galaxy S24 Plus.
So, if you have a Galaxy S24 Plus, is it time to upgrade? Or, if you're in the market for a new phone, should you choose the discounted Galaxy S24 Plus or the brand-new Galaxy S25 Plus? That's what this comparison will help you find out.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: Design
The Galaxy S25 Plus features the same triple camera setup seen in previous Galaxy models but with a style inspired by the Galaxy Z Fold 6. You'll find thin bezels around the outer perimeter of the rounded corner design and an LED flash to the right. This DSLR-inspired look represents a slight design tweak for the Galaxy S25 Plus. We're talking about those black rings surrounding the lenses, while the rest of the back panel remains simple.
The Galaxy S25 Plus's IP rating is the same IP68 rating as the previous model. The S25 Plus shares the design of the other two new models, with flat sides all around and an entirely flat front and back glass with rounded corners. It's also slightly smaller, with dimensions of 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm and a 190-gram weight.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus has an Armor Aluminum 2 frame with tough drop and scratch resistance. Samsung also added Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The S24 Plus measures 158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7mm and has a glass back with a matte finish. The weight of the S24 Plus is 196 or 197 grams, making the Galaxy S25 Plus noticeably lighter.
The Galaxy S24 Plus comes in Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, and Amber Yellow, with exclusive colors including Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone Orange. The new model is available in Icyblue, Navy, Mint, and Silver Shadow, plus Samsung online exclusive colorways.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: Display
Both the new Galaxy S25 Plus and old Galaxy S24 Plus have the same 6.7-inch display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and a QHD+ resolution. The Galaxy S24 also has a 19.5:9 ratio and 513ppi density, giving it a sharp resolution. The Galaxy S24 Plus has excellent colors, and the phone also supports HDR10 Plus.
The Super HDR preview is visible in the viewfinder and gallery. Samsung also added a peak brightness of 2,600 to the Galaxy S24, and the Galaxy S25 will match or beat that.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: Hardware
The S25 Plus ships with a 4,900mAh battery. While the charging speed is unchanged, you'll still be able to charge at up to 45W with a cable. Unfortunately, there's no Qi2 or MagSafe support here.
Samsung will stuck with the same cameras for another generation, meaning that the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S24 Plus are both headlined by a 50MP main sensor. There's also a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP, 3x optical zoom telephoto lens. You can record 8K videos with stereo sound and HDR10, which enhances the colors, brightness, and contrast of your phone's display.
Samsung also improved the S25 Plus connectivity options with NFC, GNSS, 5G connectivity, Bluetooth 5.4, and Wi-Fi 7.
The new Galaxy S25 Plus' biggest improvement is in its Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor. It's based on Qualcomm's laptop chips and is paired with 12GB of memory. By comparison, the Galaxy S24 Plus has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM. Storage options include 256GB and 512GB, and UFS 4.0 is also included.
| Category | Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus |
| OS | Android 15, One UI 7 | Android 14 upgrades to Android 15, One UI 6 |
| Display | 6.7-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED display | 6.7-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED, 1440 x 3120 pixels resolution, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) |
| RAM | 12GB RAM | 12GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB storage |
| Cameras | 50MP wide-angle, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, 12MP selfie | 50MP wide-angle, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, 12MP selfie |
| Ingress Protection | IP68 | IP68 rating |
| Battery | 4,900mAh | 4,900mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired and (up to) 15W wireless charging, 4.5W reverse wireless | 45W wired and (up to) 15W wireless charging, 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Dimensions | 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm | 158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7 mm |
| Weight | 190g | 196g |
| Colors | Icyblue, Navy, Mint, Silver Shadow | Amber Yellow, Cobalt Violet, Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, Sandstone Orange |
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: Software
The Galaxy S25 Plus launches with One UI 7, including a fresh design focusing on simplicity, new elements that bring positive feelings, and a unique One UI vibe. Samsung keeps adding goodies, such as improved motion dynamics and a new blur system.
With One UI 7, users get new visuals, such as updated widgets and icons, smoother animations, and a split Quick Settings and Notification Pane. The update also brings a flashy animation when charging your phone and useful gestures for adjusting brightness. Notifications also have a dedicated panel and a handy gesture for turning on Dark Mode.
If you use the camera app often, you'll notice a massive redesign for one-handed use, focusing on zoom options and easier access to modes. You'll get seven years of OS upgrades with both models, so longevity should be excellent.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus comes with One UI 6 out of the box but can be upgraded to One UI 7 when the update becomes available. It has Galaxy AI, where you can use fun and helpful tools such as Circle to Search, Real-time translation, transcribing conversations into text with speaker labels, Chat Assist, Note Assist, AI Photo Editor, and more. All models in the S24 series get seven years of updates.
You can check out more of what to expect from the Galaxy S25's software by checking out our impressions of the One UI 7 beta.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus: Should you upgrade?
The Galaxy S25 Plus got the much-anticipated Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, undoubtedly making the newer model a more tempting option than the older Galaxy S24 Plus. However, both phones are still very capable in 2025. If you have a Galaxy S24 Plus, it's safe to say you don't need to upgrade. With that being said, new buyers will love the speed of the Galaxy S25 Plus and its new AI features.
The big-screen Galaxy
The Galaxy S25 Plus has same design as the other models and ships with the stable version of One UI 7 with all the Galaxy AI goodies. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, which is a huge advantage.
The older Galaxy
The Galaxy S24 Plus is still a great option with its 6.7-Inch LTPO AMOLED display. You can enjoy Android 14 out of the but upgrade to Android 15. You get a powerful processor and crisp colors when watching your favorite videos.
