I’ve spent slightly little bit of time with the Galaxy S25 Plus this week, and whereas I haven’t but gone extensively by means of the brand new options and capabilities, I’ve had some fairly good first impressions of the cellphone. I beforehand reviewed the Galaxy S24 Plus, so Samsung’s newest mannequin feels each acquainted and like a welcome refresh. The truth is, with such a powerful give attention to AI, it is feeling extra like I am utilizing a suped-up Pixel than a Galaxy cellphone.
Right here are some things which have stood out to me to date whereas utilizing the Galaxy S25 Plus.
Colour is all the things
For the previous few years, I’ve been fairly unimpressed with Samsung’s coloration choice. The primary hues for the S sequence telephones have shifted towards pastels, and I continually complain that it makes Samsung’s already boring-looking telephones seem much more uninteresting. This yr, issues haven’t modified an excessive amount of, as most coloration choices for the Galaxy S25 Plus are nonetheless boring, however the standout colorway is the brand new Navy choice.
The Navy Galaxy S25 Plus is the perfect coloration Samsung has launched for a cellphone because the inexperienced Galaxy S22. I really like blue, so I am slightly biased, however the Navy hue is a deep blue with a really slight shimmer that just about glistens in direct daylight. Relying on the angle and lighting, the cellphone virtually seems indigo, which was an identical impact to the inexperienced Galaxy S22, which appeared blue in sure lighting. The frosted glass on the again is properly contrasted with the thick black digital camera rings within the nook, whereas the flat body provides off an virtually neon glow.
Based on Samsung, the colour is definitely impressed by Galaxy AI, intently matching the hue of the signature sparkle icon that accompanies many consumer-facing options on Android telephones. And given how centered the brand new telephones are on AI, it’s a pleasant technique to merge the design with the software program. I admit that the cellphone’s design remains to be fairly tame, particularly in comparison with different flagship Android telephones just like the OnePlus 13. Nonetheless, an incredible coloration choice actually helps make issues pop.
That is one thing Motorola discovered with the Razr Plus 2024. These telephones aren’t provided in easy colours like black, white, or silver; every Razr Plus 2024 coloration is vibrant and distinctive, such because the Sizzling Pink choice, which is a results of its partnership with Pantone. The Galaxy S25 sequence isn’t fairly there but, and lots of the different coloration choices retain the tasteless pastels (I suppose somebody should like them?), however with colours like Navy and even the Samsung-exclusive Coralred, the Galaxy S25 Plus already seems rather more compelling than its predecessor.
One UI 7 is easy like butter
The Galaxy S25 Plus could look largely the identical on the skin, however when you flip the cellphone on, it’s a distinct story. One UI 7 feels so good to make use of, and I already really feel like that is the perfect model of Samsung’s software program so far.
I’ve unapologetically been a giant fan of One UI for a while, as I feel the UI manages its house a lot better than the Pixel software program. With Android 15, Samsung modified loads of issues round that make the software program really feel considerably Pixel-like with its extra bubbly UI parts whereas retaining the extra environment friendly Samsung aptitude I’ve come to like whereas tweaking it in ways in which I discover fairly sensible.
As an illustration, there’s now a vertical app drawer. Beforehand, in an effort to get a vertically scrolling app drawer, you’d have to put in the Good Lock app and undergo the modules and settings. Now, you simply have to alter the app drawer to alphabetical sorting, which can change it from its default horizontal pagination (why it’s nonetheless the default is past me).
Then there’s the Fast Panel and notification shade. By default, they’re separate, and whereas many individuals could not like this iPhone-esque tackle the UI, it’s one thing I’ve gotten used to from different OEMs like Motorola. I already appreciated Samsung’s revamped take with One UI 6, which retains Wi-Fi and Bluetooth buttons in addition to different settings like brightness, media output, and extra.
One UI 7 takes it a step additional with further customization, and all of the settings you need are roughly at your fingertips with the full-page Fast Panel. Samsung even took after the app drawer by ditching the horizontal scrolling for the customizable fast settings by turning it into an expandable panel.
I additionally like how notifications are displayed. For those who get a couple of notification from the identical app, they’ll typically stack on prime of one another in order to not take up an excessive amount of house from different notifications. This habits additionally mimics the brand new multitasking display screen, which additionally stacks open apps behind one another as an alternative of putting them facet by facet. All of it simply makes for a extra visually interesting and cohesive expertise, and it appears like Samsung actually thought this by means of.
I can also’t go with out speaking about how good it feels to make use of One UI 7. Every little thing you do feels so easy and buttery with out feeling such as you’re caught ready for transitions to complete earlier than doing the following factor. The lock and residential screens really feel like they’re floating up at you whenever you activate the show, the Fast Panel and notification shade have a pleasant kinetic bounce to them, and animations between apps and screens are slick.
The expertise is a stark distinction to One UI 6 on my Galaxy Z Flip 6 and even the Galaxy S24 Plus, which feels stiff by comparability. And whereas Android 15 on my Pixel 9 is admittedly very quick and fluid, even that appears like a half-step behind One UI 7. I don’t suppose I’ve ever loved the sensation of a UI this a lot.
It is giving Pixel
However sufficient about how the software program feels; what’s it truly doing for me? Properly, so much, it seems. Or, not less than, it’s making an attempt to. Samsung didn’t make {hardware} modifications this yr, which I’m nonetheless slightly bummed about. Nonetheless, with all of the give attention to AI, it now appears like Samsung is making an attempt to show the Galaxy S sequence into its very personal Pixels.
Out of the field, the Gemini is only a click on away with a protracted press of the ability button. Whereas I do not look after this technique of evoking an AI assistant (it is a energy button, let’s maintain it that approach), it emphasizes Samsung and Google’s robust partnership to convey the newest and best of Gemini first to the Galaxy S25 sequence.
One factor I recognize concerning the Pixel is that it appears to wish to make your life simpler by placing the AI options you may need proper at your fingertips. That is what I really feel Samsung has been working in the direction of since debuting Galaxy AI on the S24 sequence, and it is much more prevalent with the S25 Plus simply how a lot it needs to be a Pixel.
Drawing Help obtained an improve, which principally turns it into Pixel Studio, permitting you to create or alter photographs from drawings or textual content. AI Choose is actually Circle to Search with out the search, letting you extract content material out of your display screen to carry out varied actions like enhancing a picture, translating textual content, making a GIF, and extra.
Audio Eraser is Samsung’s model of Google’s Magic Audio Eraser, which analyzes a video to allow you to take away sure sounds. In my restricted use of Audio Eraser on some movies I took over New Yr’s Eve with one other cellphone, the function works shockingly properly, eradicating very loud music in order that I may solely hear my voice within the clips.
Then there’s the Now Bar and Now Transient. These two options I am most intrigued by, and I really feel like there’s fairly a little bit of potential there, even when they do not fairly dwell as much as it but. Now Bar acts like a bottom-mounted Dynamic Island, which exhibits music controls, timers, dwell sports activities scores, and even Google Maps instructions. It ought to act as a fairly helpful technique to work together with apps instantly out of your lock display screen, though to date, my interactions with it have been restricted, and it isn’t fairly as helpful a function as I had hoped.
The identical goes for Now Transient, which additionally seems within the Now Bar throughout sure occasions of the day (or you may set a widget on your private home display screen). It is principally a abstract of your morning, afternoon, and night, which ought to recall varied info primarily based in your well being stats, calendar, and extra, virtually like Morning Transient on the Pixel Watch 3.
Sadly, whereas I get a few of that data, the briefs aren’t as insightful or informative as I would love, exhibiting me the climate, upcoming calendar occasions, and suggesting Spotify songs to me. I nonetheless haven’t seen any well being stats seem in my transient regardless of actively utilizing Samsung Well being. I additionally want it was extra proactive at exhibiting me my briefs outdoors of the lock display screen, maybe with a notification.
Nonetheless, I see the place Samsung goes with these options, they usually have lots of potential. I think about the Now Bar will really feel extra helpful when it good points extra assist from third-party apps, and I am hoping I will get extra out of Now Transient after I exploit the cellphone extra.
Extra to come back
Whereas I could not be much less impressed with how little Samsung upgraded the Galaxy S25 Plus {hardware}, I am surprisingly having fun with the cellphone greater than I anticipated to. It’s nappy, the software program feels fairly polished, and the Navy hue is the one coloration price getting. Thus far, it feels just like the Pixel cellphone I’ve all the time wished.
I do not love all the things, from pointless modifications with lock display screen notifications to the seeming removing of the swipe gesture to evoke the assistant. Samsung additionally has some odd decisions for default settings that I discover slightly questionable.
That stated, there’s nonetheless fairly a bit that I wish to take a look at out extra completely, together with the cameras, battery life, general efficiency, and the Qi2 MagSafe charging (offered I get my palms on a Galaxy S25 Plus case that helps MagSafe). You possibly can stay up for all of this and extra in my full assessment of the Galaxy S25 Plus.
Samsung’s Pixel 9 Professional XL
The Galaxy S25 Plus is probably not that a lot totally different from its predecessor on the skin, however the brand new Snapdragon chip and enhanced AI capabilities make this a correct AI cellphone and competitor to Google’s finest Pixel cellphone.
