Galaxy S25 series hands-on: Subtle tweaks, smarter AI
The formula for a Samsung flagship phone has become quite predictable by now. If you envisioned the latest Qualcomm flagship processor, a boxy glass-metal design, a stacked camera setup, and a touch of AI-driven features, then you are spot on
Samsung's yearly dose of the Galaxy S series is here; the company has unveiled the new Galaxy S25 series, both globally and in Bangladesh.
The formula of a typical Samsung flagship phone is quite predictable at this point. If your prediction includes the latest flagship processor from Qualcomm, a boxy glass-metal build, the familiar S-series-esque camera setup, and some AI features on top of that, then you have guessed it right!
The series includes three phones — the baseline S25, the middle child S25+, and the mighty S25 Ultra — and all of them appear to be similar to that of their predecessors — which, of course, was similar to their predecessors.
Unlike the global launch, the regular S25 will not be officially released in Bangladesh.
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"Not many people in Bangladesh buy the base variant, so we are not releasing the S25 model here," a Samsung official told TBS. However, the Plus and the Ultra models still provide a solid smartphone experience. At least that is what our first impression of the phones suggest.
Galaxy S25 Ultra: Mightier than ever
The Ultra phone of the S-family packs the best Samsung can do. For years, the Ultra felt like the odd cousin at a family reunion — bigger, boxier, and stubbornly different.
Not anymore. The S25 Ultra finally blends in, thanks to three tweaks — flat titanium sides (goodbye, Note-like curves), softer corners, and uniform camera bezels. These lenses now look identical across the lineup — even if their specs are not.
It is still a beast, though. The 6.9-inch screen (up from 6.8 inches) fits snugly in last year's frame, with slimmer bezels and lighter weight. Gorilla Glass Armour 2 adds durability, and new 'Titanium' shades (read: four greys) keep things sleek.
The S Pen is here too, but Bluetooth features are axed — a baffling choice for remote shutter fans.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip (a tweaked version of the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite) delivers a zippy performance.
The camera setup remains mostly similar to its predecessor — a 200MP main sensor handles the heavy lifting, backed by a 50MP ultrawide and dual telephoto lenses (3X and 5X optical zoom) for everything from sweeping landscapes to tight close-ups.
Galaxy S25+: Déjà vu
If the Ultra is the show-off sibling, the S25+ is the quiet one wearing last year's jeans. Beyond those chunky camera bezels, nothing has changed from the outside. Same 6.7-inch display, the same battery, and the same amount of RAM. Even the specs sheet is a carbon copy (insert spiderman pointing at spiderman meme here)!
The new colours — Navy, Mint, Silver Shadow, Icyblue — are underwhelming. The Navy one is a stunner, but the rest are barely distinguishable.
AI, that (almost) makes up for stale hardware
By now, you have probably thought that the S25 series does not bring much visibly new to the table. But hold on — the real change lies inside.
Gemini, Google's new AI voice assistant, replaces Bixby as the default assistant, which essentially unlocks a new plethora of capabilities. Bixby is not fully replaced, though a few features from it still persist.
Cross-app action, for example, allows you to draft a message and add events on the calendar app through voice commands. Want to set an alarm and do not want to bother going through the app? Ask Gemini. Want to share the location on the go with a family member or a friend while travelling on a shared ride? Ask Gemini again.
If you give Gemini a YouTube video and ask for the summary, it will provide the key points in seconds!
In our testing, a photo of a dish was shared with the Gemini assistant, and asked for the recipe. To our surprise, the tool provided a pretty solid step-by-step guide to make the recipe, along with some extra tips.
The Settings app has also received an AI-overhaul — you can just describe what you need to change, and it will intelligently understand and show you the menu you need to click. For example, typing "data sharing" will show you the portable hotspot menu, or "smooth display" will show the display refresh rate settings.
This feature is a godsend for those who are not quite used to the terminologies used in the settings — tech-phobic parents, for instance.
The audio eraser, first seen in the Google Pixel phones, is now in the S25 phones. Awful background noise in videos? Galaxy AI has got your back — it can isolate the voice, background noise and other different sounds, giving you better control over what you want to keep and what not.
Verdict: Smart, but where is the spark?
The S25 Ultra's subtle design tweaks and AI features, along with OneUI 7 based on Android 15, make it Samsung's most polished flagship ever (of course, we say this every year). On the flipside, the S25+ feels stagnant — same phone, slightly newer label.
With most of the S25 series' AI features being available on their predecessors, upgrading does not make much sense if you are still rocking one or two-year-old flagships. These devices can be great upgrades for those who are using a model that is older than that.
While the official pricing for Bangladesh is still under wraps, Samsung Bangladesh has confirmed that details will be announced soon. Pre-orders are set to open later this month with some exchange deals and discounts. Customers can expect their devices to arrive by early February.
