Samsung’s Galaxy S-series is in its software era. Maybe the whole smartphone industry is, too, save for a few phones with hinges (Samsung’s included). But overall, we have exited the hardware-driven innovation cycle and are firmly in the midst of a software-based one.

As regular as clockwork, Samsung has launched its 2025 flagship phones trio, fronted by the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Beneath the big boss is this model on review, the Galaxy S25 Plus, acting as the middleman above the smaller-scale base S25 model.

The Galaxy S25 Plus is a tougher sell given how it shares the same set of Galaxy AI features and cameras found on the cheaper S25 model. It's a powerful, big-screen phone, but it's hampered by a dimmer display and modest battery life improvements over its predecessor.