Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 16: The showdown begins

The Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. Apple iPhone 16 comparison makes for a very interesting matchup. Both phones have the same starting price and roughly the same dimensions, and they are the base models of their respective series. If you're someone who's not bought into either platform, choosing between these two phones can be quite the dilemma.

On the one hand, you have Samsung's latest phone for 2025 with a lighter design, a more potent processor, a telephoto camera, and a bigger battery. But the iPhone 16 offers Apple's vastly superior ecosystem benefits if you use its laptop or desktops, excellent ergonomics, and advanced video recording features across all cameras. It's actually a tougher choice than you might think. Let's break it down and see which phone would be a better buy for you.

Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 16: Design

Samsung hasn't messed about with the design of the Galaxy S25 too much. In fact, it's virtually the same as the Galaxy S24 but a bit slimmer and lighter. When compared to the iPhone 16 though, this difference is more noticeable. Compared to the iPhone, the S25 weighs just 162g (vs. 170g) and is 7.2mm slim (vs. 7.8mm). The overall dimensions of the S25 are also a smidge more compact, which should make it even easier to manage with one hand.

The Galaxy S25 carries forward the same design features as its predecessor. It has Samsung's Armor aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for scratch resistance, and an IP68 rating. There's an under-display Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication. The S25 comes Icyblue, Navy, Mint, and Silver Shadow finishes. You get three rear cameras with the same resolution as the S24 and a single front camera.

Overall, the phone isn't too different to look at compared to the Galaxy S24. Some might feel it's a bit of a cop-out and that Samsung is refusing to take risks (which it isn't), but I don't think there were many complaints about the design to begin with, so why fix what isn't broken?

On the other hand, the iPhone 16 is easily recognizable compared to the 15 due to the change in the rear camera orientation, which is now vertically stacked as opposed to diagonal. Unlike the S25, the iPhone 16 misses out on a third telephoto camera. It also gets a revamped ultra-wide camera with autofocus, an action key, and a new hardware button for the cameras.

The iPhone 16 retains the same weight and dimension as the 15, which is 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm and 170 grams. The phone is available in White, Black, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine. It also comes with an IP68 rating, but it's still a good idea to dry it off if the phone ever gets wet.

The iPhone 16 has the same aluminum frame as Apple's Ceramic Shield as the iPhone 16 Plus. It also has a frame and glass panel with a matte finish that should help with the grip.

Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 16: Hardware and specs

Samsung has partnered with Qualcomm to develop a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor. The new chip promises higher benchmark scores compared to the S24; a 40% bump is touted in the 3D Mark Solar Bay test. The cooling system is also said to be beefed up, which should allow for sustained workloads without a drop in performance. We'll be testing all these claims when we review it, but to get a sense of what this chip can do, check out our OnePlus 13 and Asus ROG Phone 9 reviews.

The Galaxy S25 starts at the same price as the S24, which is $799.99, but 12GB RAM is now standard instead of 8GB. Storage is still 128GB in the base variant, and there's a 256GB variant too. The cameras on the S25 include a main 50MP, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.

On the Apple side, the iPhone 16 has the A18 processor, which is equally powerful and can hold its own. Additionally, 8GB of RAM is now standard across the entire iPhone 16 lineup, all thanks to Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 16 has a third storage tier of 512GB, which the S25 lacks.

The iPhone 16 has a 48MP main, a 12MP selfie, and a 12MP ultrawide. In addition to that camera power, it has dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, and the ability to record in 4K. If your daily workload is not too intense, then the iPhone 16's 3,561mAh battery should suffice.

Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 16: Display

There isn't much of a difference in screen size between the Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16. The S25 has the same 6.2-inch Full-HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel as the S24. It also gets a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Maximum brightness levels should be similar, too.

The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with Dolby Vision playback. It delivers great visuals with a resolution of 1179 x 2556 and a density of 460ppi. Apple protects the display with Ceramic Shield Glass, which the company claims is twice as strong as Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. Furthermore, a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating keeps the screen smudge-free.

The iPhone 16 still trails behind the Galaxy S25 in terms of refresh rate. It's just 60Hz, which is simply criminal in this day and age. There's also no always-on display mode here to take quick stock of your notifications or check the time. This feature is still reserved for the Pro models only, whic,h again, doesn't make sense.

Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 16: Software

The Samsung Galaxy S25 runs One UI 7, with the latest Android 15. This software upgrade adds a fresh new look with updated customization options, icons, a new visual style, and more. The Galaxy S25 will also enjoy seven years of OS upgrades and security updates, exceeding Apple's track record.

Apart from cosmetic changes, One UI 7 also brings with it a host of new Galaxy AI features. This includes AI Agents for natural language search and integrated cross-app action, a new widgets-like Now Bar with Now Brief, and Audio Eraser for videos. Existing Galaxy AI features, such as generative AI wallpaper and generative edits, are also present.

The iPhone 16 comes with iOS 18 pre-installed and should get about five years of updates, if not more. You can fully customize the iPhone's home screen, recoloring and changing the app icons. You can switch between light and dark mode, rearrange the quick controls, and more.

The first batch of Apple Intelligence is available now, with more to come. Apple included features such as Writing Tools, Genmoji, the new Siri, Notification summary, Visual Intelligence, Priority notifications, Recording summary, Chat GPT integration, Image Playground, and more.

Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 16: Who wins?

If you're deciding between the Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. the iPhone 16 and don't have a platform preference, I'd recommend going with the S25. It's the lighter and more compact flagship; you get a highly useful telephoto camera that the 16 lacks, and it packs a larger battery. The processor should also be either on par or even better than the iPhone 16 in certain tasks. Galaxy AI on the S25 is also more fleshed out and refined compared to Apple Intelligence, which is still playing catch up. To top it off, the S25 has a better display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes a huge difference when scrolling through apps.

The iPhone 16 is a solid choice, too, if you're inclined more towards Apple's ecosystem. You'll have to accept some of the shortcomings, too, though, like the 60Hz display, only two rear cameras, and a smaller battery.