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.

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.

The S25 Ultra screen is bright, brilliantly so. It has more nits than your average primary school class, measuring 1,860 of them in the display's output. This makes it brighter than its aforementioned Apple rival and offers up a fantastic viewing experience.