I put the Galaxy S25 Edge and Galaxy S25 Ultra through a 10-round photo face-off — here's the winner
Apart from its smaller battery, a big trade-off that many point out about the Galaxy S25 Edge is its camera system. Unlike the rest of the S25 lineup, the Edge only gets a dual camera setup — a 200MP main sensor paired with a 12MP ultrawide.
The only thing the S24 Edge is lacking is a dedicated telephoto camera, which shouldn't be too bad, right?
Well, it's tougher because of its $1,099 cost, which isn't too far away from the $1,299 sticker price attached to the S25 Ultra. Sammy's flagship comes with two dedicated telephoto cameras, a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and a 50MP one with a slightly longer 5x optical lens. They complement the S25 Ultra's 200MP main sensor and 50MP ultrawide.
There are clearly differences between them, but I mention in my Galaxy 25 Edge review how its main camera performs just as good as the S25 Ultra. Still, it's going to take more than that to convince people the Edge is the one to get.
It's no surprise that the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the best phone and best camera phone you can get right now, made better by its longer battery life and added S Pen utility.
I've taken both phones with me to capture the same scenes, then preview them on my computer to inspect their differences. In this Galaxy S25 Edge vs Galaxy S25 Ultra photo face-off, there can only be one that comes out on top.
After taking countless shots with their main cameras, I can say that their performances are more or less identical — which is a good thing. Overlooking Bryant Park's sprawling lawn, it's almost hard to tell the two apart because they're similar.
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Both phones do an excellent job of exposing the entire scene, including the shadows all around the trees in the background. Details in the foreground, like the chairs with Bryant Park etched on them and the wooden box, all look the same. Farther away in the background, the surrounding buildings and skyscrapers all hold the same amount of detail.
Winner: Tie
This is another reason why you can't always judge a camera by its specs. On paper, it seems that the S25 Edge is at a disadvantage with its 12MP ultrawide camera — especially against the pixel packed 50MP ultrawide of the S25 Ultra. But since the phones by default downsize images to 12MP, their performances look very similar.
At the corner of Broadway and 42nd street near Times Square, I pointed both cameras straight up to see how much of the scene they could capture. Even though Samsung hasn't disclosed its field of view, it appears as though the Edge has a wider one over the Ultra.
Meanwhile, the exposure of the shot and details throughout the scene, like the one way and Broadway signs to the left, all appear identical. But since the S25 Edge has a smidge wider reach, I'm giving it the win here.
Winner: Galaxy S25 Edge
Without switching to other color profiles, it's clear that Samsung's signature style is evident in how they produce colors by default. It's all about the saturated tones with these shots inside of Whole Foods by the produce section.
Many of the colors appear to be the same, like the yellow peppers on the middle shelf and green squash to the right. However, the red peppers on the top right and middle shelves are much more oversaturated with the S25 Ultra. I personally don't mind, but it's more of an unrealistic look compared to the Edge — which is still saturated in tone in my opinion.
Winner: Galaxy S25 Edge
Their main cameras again appear to have no major differences, as these shots from Bryant Park underneath the trees deliver the same exposure. I like how they prioritize the exposure on the trees, so the areas in shadow are brightened up a bit.
With the buildings peeking from behind the trees, they're overblown by the two phones, but neither one seems to be better or worse with this.
Winner: Tie
Sticking with their main cameras for capturing panoramas (instead of their ultrawide cams), it's another similar outcome between the S25 Edge and S25 Ultra.
Most notably, they cast the same exposure from left to right — struggling a bit with the brighter spots in the middle, which is due to how they compensate for the shot starting from the left. That area was in shadow when I started the shot more so than the rest, which explains the overexposure in the middle.
Winner: Tie
Both phones have 12MP (f/2.2) selfie cameras, and based on all the selfies I shot of myself, I can say they're identical. I really like how they capture the same fine details around my face, like my hairline and slight stubble.
The S25 Edge and S25 Ultra capture the same details in the fabric of my hoodie. And finally, I don't see any difference in how my skin tone looks — which gets the exposure treatment to brighten me up a little.
Winner: Tie
With my colleague Ryan Epps as my model, the portrait shots from the S25 Edge and S25 Ultra appear identical at first glance. There's proper subject-background separation when I shot these portraits at 2x zoom, along with accurate blurring all around the edges of Ryan — including the two areas between his arms that can sometimes hang up some phones.
But when I zoom into his face, I notice an over-sharpening effect applied to the S25 Ultra's shot, which does draw out a little more detail. It's also worth pointing out that the S25 Ultra also offers portrait mode in 3x and 5x zoom, which I feel are better suited for portraits. In contrast, I'm locked into either 1x or 2x zoom with the S25 Edge.
Winner: Galaxy S25 Ultra
One of the trickiest parts of capturing macro photos with both phones is getting the same focus between them, since it's really narrow the closer I get to subjects — and this is one of those examples. I will say, though, that both phones take exceptional macro shots that are rich in detail.
Overall, I like how the shots came out with this yellow flower. Not only are the petals well defined, but they also capture the water droplets all around it. But it ultimately comes down to focus, which in this case goes to the S25 Edge.
Winner: Galaxy S25 Edge
So far in this Galaxy S25 Edge vs Galaxy S25 Ultra photo shoot-out, it's been largely a close race with neither one proving to me its cameras are considerably better. But as I've alluded earlier on, the lack of a dedicated telephoto camera with the S25 Edge could be a big trade-off for those needing to get closer.
I captured these telephoto shots at 10x zoom, seeing that's where the S25 Edge maxes out — whereas the S25 Ultra goes to an ridiculous 100x zoom.
Right away, there's a noticeable difference in what they capture with more detail and definition from the S25 Ultra's dedicated 50MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. I can make out the individual bricks and other ornamental details around the building, which appear as nothing more than streaky details with the S25 Edge.
For all the optimizations and enhancements that Samsung applies with the Galaxy S25 Edge's shot, its performance just can't match what an optical lens offers.
Winner: Galaxy S25 Ultra
Despite the rainy and windy conditions, the low light shots I captured with both phones appear to deliver the same qualities — which I'm not surprised given how similar their main cameras behave. The scene above was actually darker than what the images show, which proves how well they are at brightening up dark conditions with their night modes.
I don't see much difference between the S25 Edge and S25 Ultra here, as they properly boost the exposure to draw out the hidden details around the tree, while also mitigating the strong light source in the background. When it comes to low light, they can turn any dim scene and make them bright.
Winner: Tie
Technically this Galaxy S25 Edge vs Galaxy S25 Ultra photo shoot-out is a tie after tallying up the results, but it's not in my opinion. While the Galaxy S25 Edge wins in categories like colors and ultrawide, its margin of victory is narrow in those rounds.
In contrast, the Galaxy S25 Ultra proves to be superior when it comes to its portrait and telephoto performances. The former isn't a huge stretch over the S25 Edge, but its telephoto performance can't be overlooked because of the amount of detail it's able to capture. This gives the S25 Ultra an inherent advantage for capturing subjects farther away.
I'm not saying that the $200 difference separating the two is justified solely by the S25 Ultra's telephoto performance, but it's just one of many things that would convince me to buy the Ultra over the Edge.
Based on its performance, I would suspect the S25 Ultra would also have a benefit with video recording with its telephoto capabilities. All of these reasons validate my sentiments of the S25 Ultra being the better phone overall.
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Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
Samsung HW-S60D review: An affordable upgrade from TV speakers, but only if that TV's a Samsung
Samsung's HW-S60D could be one of the best soundbars… but only if you have a Samsung TV. While the S60D has a range of premium features that make its $349 MSRP much more appealing, said features are restricted to Samsung TVs. Features like Wireless Dolby Atmos and Active Voice Analyzer are unfortunately only available on compatible Samsung TVs, so I was unable to experience these while testing on my Panasonic. That's not to say the S60D is a bad soundbar — if you've got a Samsung TV, it could be a great way to upgrade from the built-in TV speakers for a relatively affordable price. However, if you've got any other brand (or an older Samsung model), then you'd be better off with something else. Don't worry, I'll go through all the details in my Samsung HW-S60D soundbar review. Price $349 / £359 Connectivity HDMI, Optical, Bluetooth Weight 6 pounds Dimensions 26.3 x 2.4 x 4.1 inches Colors Black Subwoofer No Dolby Atmos No; Wireless Dolby Atmos only with Samsung TV Channel 5.0 The Samsung S60D is $347 on Amazon U.S., but its MSRP on Samsung U.S. is $349. The S60D has an RRP of £359 in the U.K. but is available for just £279 on Amazon U.K.. £279 is a much better price for this soundbar — I think £359 is pretty steep considering you can get the Polk Signa S4 soundbar and subwoofer for just £329 (a 3.1.2 channel setup as opposed to the S60D's 5.0). If you're a home theater newbie looking for your first home setup, I wholeheartedly recommend the Polk Signa S4. It's got a subwoofer and soundbar for just $399. The Signa S4 is my go-to recommendation for beginners, as it's relatively affordable and sounds just as good as some of the $500+ options. Honestly, there's not really much to say about the S60D's appearance. It looks like a soundbar. They all look the same. Still, there's nothing inherently negative about that — there's a style, and it works. The S60D is quite inconspicuous, but it's deeper than the S801D's tiny 1.5-inch depth. It's not one if you need a super slim soundbar — the Polk Signa S4 I praised earlier could help you out there at just 2.4 inches deep. Although the S60D is unassuming in appearance, it's very easy to set up. I only had to plug it in and connect with an HDMI cable to my Panasonic MZ1500 4K OLED and it was ready to go. I love the on-bar buttons: there's volume, mic, and an on/off button. You don't need to use these, though: the S60D comes with a lovely remote control that has a range of features, including channel level and listening modes. The Samsung remote is much better than the Bose remote, which I find lacking in features. As with other Samsung soundbars, the S60D uses the Smart Things app. This is one of the best smart home apps I've ever used. I'm already familiar with it as I own a Samsung washing machine, and I can't lie — it's nice to see my virtual home fill up with more products. You can name each product to whatever you like (Soundbar McSoundbarface, anyone?). As you can see, there's a range of playback modes in the Smart Things app. I found that DTS Virtual X sounded the best across a range of movies and TV shows. You can even increase center and surround channel speakers to imitate true surround sound (but obviously it isn't 'true' surround as there's no Dolby Atmos on this soundbar, and there aren't enough channels). As with the Samsung S801D Ultra Slim soundbar I recently tested, the S60D's flagship features are restricted to Samsung TVs. As I was testing on our Panasonic testing TV, unfortunately, these features were lost to me. I think this is a fair criticism, as not everyone has a Samsung TV, therefore virtually limiting users of this soundbar to Samsung loyalists. It's a shame that I couldn't experience 'Wireless Dolby Atmos' as this was the mode I was most excited about. However, the DTS Virtual X listening mode made a valiant effort to create a Dolby Atmos experience. The S60D claims it has Dolby Atmos, but it doesn't really. The upfiring channel speakers don't perform adeptly enough to create an immersive experience, and Wireless Dolby Atmos is limited to Samsung TVs, as I just mentioned. Of course you can still use it (and enjoy it, as I did), but it's a shame that these major features are restricted. I'm sure that the room calibration feature, Space Fit Sound Pro, works a treat. I just didn't get the opportunity to experience it in all its glory. There are still a range of sound modes, though, including 'Standard', 'Game', 'Music' and 'DTS Virtual X'. I found that DTS Virtual X was pretty good at tricking my brain into thinking I was listening with true Dolby Atmos, as I'll get into below. As I watched movies with this soundbar, I actually felt like I had a full surround setup. However, I do think the S60D could benefit from a dialogue enhancement sound mode. There were a few moments in 'A Complete Unknown' where I couldn't hear anything. That's definitely to do with the acting and sound mixing as well (the S60D isn't completely guilty), but is something to note if you struggle with hearing already. As I do with all soundbars I test, I watched various movies and TV shows, and listened to music. I watched 'Top Gun: Maverick', 'The Wild Robot', 'A Complete Unknown' on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, 'Stranger Things' on Netflix, and a range of music via Qobuz. Before we start, a word of warning: do not use 'Standard' audio mode, as it's really tinny. Like, really tinny. Just skip immediately to DTS Virtual X. As always, I watched 'Top Gun: Maverick' on 4K Blu-Ray. To see how immersive it could be, I upped the channel speakers to attempt Dolby Atmos. However, this didn't really improve the surround sound experience. As this soundbar doesn't have surround sound, I wasn't expecting it to mimic true 360° audio anyway. The high-frequency sounds like metal clinking and ropes swishing were a little lost with the bassy soundtrack. The jet engine sounds overpowered these smaller sound effects — I'd say the audio in this specific Top Gun scene was comparable to the Bose Smart Soundbar ($499). The louder parts of the soundtrack fell a little flat, but it's easily overlookable. It's good, but not mind-blowing. Next, I watched 'A Complete Unknown'. The singing sounded good, but there wasn't much clarity in the vocals. Dialogue scenes were a little overpowered by the soundtrack. I thought the semi-mumbled dialogue could be the problem, but I was able to hear this on the Samsung S801D. Also, I feel like loads of movies nowadays have mostly muted speech. The Samsung 60D lacks the AI voice-enhancing tech I've seen on other soundbars like the Polk Signa S4's 3 'voice adjust' modes. Samsung does have an Adaptive Sound mode for enhanced audio, but, again, this is restricted to Samsung TVs, which is a major disappointment. Last, I watched 'The Wild Robot'. There's one particular scene that's excellent for immersive audio, where the goose character is swimming for the first time. I use this always use this scene to test soundbars — the sound mixing here is excellent. Splashes in seemingly 360°, feathers rustling, and plenty of underwater bubble sounds. Even though the S60D doesn't have Dolby Atmos, the swimming scene sounded immersive and expansive. I felt like I could have been immersed in the water myself. However, it's worth noting that the water sounds weren't as clear as on the Samsung D801D Ultra Slim soundbar. To test TV, I watched 'Stranger Things'. Again, some dialogue was a bit quiet, mostly the gruffer actors like David Harbour, but I could hear all of the kids' speech clearly. In a few scenes, I felt a little overwhelmed; the dialogue was sibilance-heavy yet muffled at the same time. However, in general, the audio was good. Not excellent, but good, and way, way better than TV speakers ever could be. In the scene where Will is hiding from the monster, I felt immersed in his fear, and could hear the hissing lightbulb and his rapid breathing clearly. It was just in louder school scenes that the ambient noise overpowered the dialogue a little. 'Music' mode did enhance the dialogue a bit, but it lost some of the DTS Virtual X mode's immersive experience. It's a toss up: clear dialogue, or more surround immersion? I settled for the surround sound. Just as with the Samsung S801D soundbar, listening to music on the S60D soundbar was merely fine. It's not amazing, and it won't impress anyone really serious about the music. But does it do the trick? Sure, it's better than an Alexa or Google Home, but if you want a good speaker, you'll need to buy a speaker (or two). I listened to 'Let It Happen' by Tame Impala. While the synth mids and vocals were clear and powerful, the percussion and bass were both extremely lacking and disappointing. Next, I listened to 'Moaning Lisa Smile' by Wolf Alice, hoping to get some oomph. The heavy, grungy chorus was loud and effectual, but again, that percussion was rather tinny. Even so, I had a good time listening to music on this soundbar, but it wouldn't be the first thing I reached for for a party. If you've got a Samsung TV, you'll likely have a better experience than me. However, it's worth criticising the Samsung ecosystem for barring the best features from third-party TVs. Panasonic, Sony, TCL, and LG TVs are still incredibly popular in the U.S. and the U.K., and there's a good chance that you don't have a Samsung TV. So, if you've got a Samsung TV, then sure, this could be a great soundbar — I just couldn't test any of its flagship features. But if you have any other brand, it's just a good soundbar. I think you can get a much better deal with the Polk Signa S4 ($399 for a 3.1.2 channel, as opposed to $349 for a 5.0 setup).
Android Authority
2 hours ago
- Android Authority
These are my favourite camera phones from the past 25 years
Robert Triggs / Android Authority It's been 25 years since Samsung launched the SCH-V200, which contentiously claims the title of the first camera phone (the Sharp J-SH04 also has its eye on the prize). It certainly wasn't anything like the photography behemoths we carry around in our pockets today — just a tiny 0.35MP rear camera with storage for 20 photos at a time. Compare that to today's best camera phones with 200 megapixels, 1-inch image sensors, and quadruple lens arrays, and it's hard not to feel a little old. There have been plenty of brilliant camera phones over the past two and a half decades. So, to mark 25 years since the SCH-V200 (whether or not it truly was the first), I thought I'd take a stroll down memory lane with a few of my personal favorites. Sony Ericsson K750i (2005) I'm dating myself here, but before Android was a thing, I bought a Sony Ericsson K750i on what felt like an outrageously expensive contract (honestly, who lets teenagers sign phone contracts?). Back in 2005, I had no idea I was buying into a sleeper hit. The K750i was a massive success for Sony, thanks largely to its groundbreaking camera. It packed a 2MP shooter with dual LED flash — trust me, that was impressive at the time. Most phones topped out at 0.3MP VGA sensors. By today's standards, the specs are meager, but Sony and consumers like me saw it as a game-changer. It had a retractable lens cover (I can still hear that satisfying snap), a dedicated shutter button, and a volume rocker that doubled as a zoom control. It was built to feel like a tiny camera you could keep in your pocket. The K750i is often overlooked in early smartphone camera discussions, but it laid the groundwork for the K850i, which upped the ante with a 5MP sensor, proper Xenon flash, and a more camera-centric interface. It also paved the way for Sony Ericsson's Cyber-shot phones, which aimed to fuse Sony's point-and-shoot camera chops with mobile tech. Sony's Xperia phones carry on that same legacy. The K750i might not have been the first or the most memorable, but for me at least, it was my first taste of a phone that put the camera front and center, and I haven't looked back. Apple iPhone 4 (2010) Ryan Haines / Android Authority This one's on my list reluctantly, mostly because I didn't use early iPhones myself. And honestly, even the many premium iPhones I've tried since wouldn't crack my personal top 10. Still, credit where it's due: Apple has played a massive role in shaping camera phone culture, not always by pushing tech boundaries, but by giving mobile photography its mainstream appeal. Who doesn't love social media, after all? The iPhone 4 is where that transformation began. With a decent 5MP BSI sensor, 720p video recording, LED flash, and a front-facing camera, the iPhone 4 had a solid, if not spectacular, hardware setup. But it was the software and ecosystem that elevated the experience. It made photo and video sharing not just easy, but inevitable. The iPhone 4 and Galaxy S2 kickstarted today's photo sharing culture. FaceTime introduced millions to video calling — arguably paving the way for vlogging culture. Instagram launched the same year, giving people a reason to share their iPhone photos. iOS 4 bundled in photo albums, geotagging, iCloud backup, and even iMovie for on-device video editing. Looking back, it's hard to remember a time when those weren't standard. From a pure photography standpoint, it wasn't groundbreaking, but the iPhone 4 is the godfather of the modern mobile photography experience. However, I spent this era with the superb Samsung Galaxy S2. It launched a year later with an 8MP camera and 1080p video capabilities, putting Android on the multimedia map too. I loved mine, though I remember it more as a solid all-rounder than a photography beast. Still, the S2 arguably marked a turning point for Android imaging and the platform's broader success, much like the iPhone 4 did for Apple. Nokia Pureview 808 and Lumia 1020 (2012-2013) Robert Triggs / Android Authority Fast forward to the real heavy-hitters. In its heyday, Nokia was the mobile brand to beat when it came to imaging, pushing boundaries all the way back to the 2007 Nokia N95. Although I never owned one, 2012's PureView 808 left a lasting impression. It debuted Nokia's PureView pixel oversampling tech, which shrank massive 41MP images into lossless zoom or detailed low-res versions — effectively giving you the best of both worlds. Today's high-res, pixel-binning sensors owe a lot to this idea, albeit now done in hardware. The phone's 1/1.2-inch sensor was huge — even by today's standards — and paired with an f/2.4 lens, it could still hold its own in some respects. Sadly, the 808's Symbian OS was already being outshone by the burgeoning app ecosystems on iOS and Android. Nokia was hedging its bets with Microsoft's ill-fated Windows Phone OS, and 2012's Nokia Lumia 920 continued to review reasonably well. PureView was a precursor to today's massive megapixel sensors. By 2013, Nokia had shifted gears to the Lumia 1020. It reprised a 41MP sensor, added a faster f/2.2 lens co-developed with ZEISS, and launched with an optional camera grip accessory. It even supported RAW capture via a later update — a feature that Apple and Android phones wouldn't adopt for years. While plenty of camera phones existed before it, the 1020 was one of the last before a relative lull in all-out enthusiast-tier camera phones. I still have my canary yellow 1020 tucked away. I pulled it out five years after launch, and it still held its own against phones that had only just caught up in megapixel count. Sure, today's flagships blow it out of the water in dynamic range and detail, but that soft, natural image quality still holds a nostalgic charm of a simpler time. I'll be keeping hold of this one, it's a classic. HUAWEI P20 Pro (2018) Robert Triggs / Android Authority It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment when smartphones became true camera replacements, but the 2017–2019 window feels about right. That's when phone cameras went from 'good enough' to 'why bother with a point-and-shoot?' For me, the HUAWEI P20 Pro is the standout model that encapsulates this most exciting period in mobile photography. For starters, it was the first phone with a triple camera setup: a 40MP main shooter, an 8MP 3x telephoto, and a 20MP monochrome sensor used for image fusion. The photos? Spectacular for the time. Triple cameras and a bag of software tricks make the P20 Pro the grandfather of modern flagships. While the processing looks heavy-handed now, the P20 Pro kicked off HUAWEI's golden era. The P30 Pro was even better, and the Mate series was highly regarded too, but it was the P20 Pro that started the magic. The P20 Pro also debuted a proper night mode, multi-frame HDR, software-controlled aperture bokeh, hybrid zoom, and even 960fps slow-motion video, providing a level of versatility I hadn't experienced before. Others were working on similar features, but HUAWEI was the first to bundle them all into a flagship package that looked brilliant too. Or maybe it was just me who was persuaded to part with their cash. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if someone revisited the monochrome fusion concept today, especially given how ultrawide lenses have started to feel redundant with the rise of 23mm main sensors. This reminds me, I need to take more moody black-and-white photos for my library. Google Pixel 6 Pro (2021) Robert Triggs / Android Authority Yes, I could've mentioned the Pixel lineup much earlier — Google was pioneering HDR+ and computational photography long before 2021 — but it always felt like clever software making up for outdated hardware. That changed with the Pixel 6 Pro. Google finally joined the big leagues with a 50MP 1/1.31-inch sensor, a 48MP 4x telephoto, and a 12MP ultrawide. HDR+, Super Res Zoom, and Night Sight were all tried and tested at this point, but felt renewed with powerful hardware to back them up. I was particularly blown away by the telephoto lens, which actually produced photos as good as the main sensor — a rarity even now. Despite other review units landing on my desk, I stuck with the phone for a couple of years and barely took a bad picture with it in that time. The Pixel 6 Pro's cameras finally converted me to team Pixel. The Pixel 6 Pro also marked a turning point for Google's camera ambitions. It was when the Pixel finally became a top-tier camera phone and premiered the now-iconic Pixel camera bar. But with that new hardware came computational photography tools like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur, and Real Tone, which have since expanded into an entire AI suite that encompasses Magic Editor, Add Me, Video Boost, and a ton of other extras. Features that were once Pixel exclusives are now being copied left and right. If I had to choose one older phone camera to use today, it would be the Pixel 6 Pro. The modern day: spoilt for choice Robert Triggs / Android Authority Looking back, I've been lucky to use and even own some of the most iconic camera phones of all time — some intentionally, some by accident. I've seen the evolution from barely a megapixel to today's quad-lens phenomenons. Today's flagship phones — like the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Xiaomi 15 Ultra — are undeniably impressive, even compared to models from just a handful of years ago. So much so that they've left my beloved Fuji mirrorless collecting dust on the shelf. From today's huge sensors and multiple lenses to shooting tricks and editing tools, no other part of the smartphone has advanced quite as dramatically in the past 25 years as the camera. Of course, I can't mention every great camera phone without turning this into a small book. The HTC One M7 and its 'Ultrapixel' gamble, the LG G2/G3 and their laser autofocus, the ASUS Zenfone 6's rotating front/back camera, and Sony's Xperia line (especially the Pro-I) deserve a mention too. In fact, the G3 remains one of my all-time favorite Android phones, thermal throttling and all. But now it's your turn: did I miss your favorite camera phone of all time? Drop it in the comments — I'm always keen to reminisce.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Samsung Galaxy S25+ is free with this AT&T trade-in deal
Carrier deals aren't always bad. Sure, you're locked into a longer-term commitment than you would be with an MVNO, but if you're used to staying with one company for years, there are benefits. Carrier discounts are a fantastic way to score a premium flagship smartphone for less, and if you catch one at the right time, you could even pay nothing. The Samsung Galaxy S25+ is an excellent device, and given its position in the company's lineup this year, I think it's the sensible choice for most people. AT&T wants you to pick up a Samsung Galaxy S25+ for free. You need to trade in an eligible phone and stay on an AT&T unlimited plan for 36 months, but if you were going to do that anyway, it's an excellent chance to save money on one of this year's best. I know the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is getting all the attention for being thin, but the Galaxy S25+ isn't exactly a thick smartphone. It's only 7.3mm thick and weighs only 190g — it's a joy to hold in your hand. It's also durable, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back, and an aluminum frame. The Galaxy S25+ features a gorgeous (and manageable) 6.7-inch AMOLED screen that refreshes at 120Hz. Samsung nailed the displays on this year's crop of Galaxy phones, and if you enjoy the saturated Samsung displays of old, you're going to love what you see on the Galaxy S25+. You won't be lacking in horsepower with the Galaxy S25+. Its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is precisely as advertised, with snappy performance and better power efficiency than I expected. I can get a full day of use and then some on a single charge from the phone's 4,900mAh battery. Camera performance is excellent, with sharp, crisp images and deep contrast from the phone's triple sensor setup. I wish the phone had the new 50MP ultrawide lens that the Galaxy S25 Ultra enjoys, but I can't complain. Of course, software is the centerpiece of this year's Galaxy S25+. I still don't understand the functions of Now Brief, but the Now Bar on One UI 7 is proving useful. I love using it to get sports scores and help with turn-by-turn navigation on Google Maps. In addition, it's hard to beat 7 years of software support and updates, meaning your Galaxy S25+ will get new features for years. All told, it's an excellent smartphone, and even better if you can pick one up for free.
