Summary
Samsungdropped the Galaxy S25+ price from $1000 to $800 on Best Buy, which is the kind of discount that makes you actually consider buying a flagship phone instead of just admiring it from afar. This is the middle child of Samsung’s S25 lineup - bigger than the regular S25, cheaper than the Ultra, and without that S Pen stylus that half the people who buy the Ultra never actually use.
The 12GB RAM and 256GB storage model is what’s on sale. No microSD slot means you’re stuck with 256GB forever, but unless you’re storing your entire movie collection locally, that’s… probably enough space. But let’s take a look at what it brings to the table.
Samsung’s S25+: Performance That Comes Through
The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip is the same one in the Ultra, so you’re getting identical performance for $200 less. AnTuTu benchmarks hit around 2.75 million, which is about 20% faster than last year’s model.
The 6.7-inch screen brings back QHD+ resolution after Samsung weirdly downgraded the S24+ to 1080p last year. People complained about that move pretty loudly, so Samsung went back to the sharper display. Peak brightness reaches 2600 nits, so you can actually read the screen outdoors without holding your hand over it like a visor.
Battery life clocked over 18 hours in testing, which surprised me since it actually outlasted the Ultra model despite packing a smaller battery. The 4900mAh capacity plus efficient processor means full days without worrying about finding a charger, even with heavy usage.
About The Camera Situation
Camera hardware is basically the same as the S24+ - 50MP main shooter, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto with 3x zoom. Samsung improved things through software though, using new processing that stacks multiple photos for cleaner low-light shots. Daylight photos look excellent with Samsung’s signature punchy colors that make everything pop more than in real life.
The 3x telephoto lens stays sharp up to about 5x digital zoom, then gets mushy beyond that. Don’t expect Ultra-level moon shots, but it’s fine for portraits and getting closer to subjects without walking over there. Video goes up to 8K resolution, though you’ll probably never use it since the files are massive and kill battery life. 4K recording with stabilization works well for most situations.
Build And Daily Use
The metal frame and glass back feel solid without seeming fragile. IP68 rating means it can handle getting splashed or briefly dropped in water, though I wouldn’t take it swimming on purpose. At 190 grams, it has some weight but thankfully doesn’t feel like carrying a brick around.
Wireless chargingtops out at 15W, and reverse charging can top up earbuds at 4.5W. Samsung also promises seven years of updates, taking this phone to 2032. That’s actually impressive and makes the higher price more reasonable since you won’t need to replace it just for software support.
Compared to the iPhone 15 Pro at similar pricing, you get better battery life and a brighter screen, but lose some ecosystem integration if you’re already invested in Apple stuff. The Pixel 9 Pro offers cleaner software and potentially better computational photography, but Samsung’s hardware feels more premium.
The regular S25 costs $200 less but has a smaller screen, worse cameras, and shorter battery life. The Ultra costs $200 more but adds the S Pen, better zoom cameras, and a slightly larger display. For most people, the S25+ hits the sweet spot.
For anyone who’s been waiting for Samsung’s latest to hit a reasonable price, $800 delivers flagship features without the Ultra premium. If you’re interested, I’d highly recommend going over to Best Buy and adding this to your cart before the discount runs out.
