Samsungs Galaxy S-series is in its software era. Maybe the whole smartphone industry is, too, save for a few phones with hinges (Samsungs included). But overall, we have exited the hardware-driven innovation cycle and are firmly in the midst of a software-based one. If you want proof, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus are a good place to start.These are great phones, which is no surprise. They look, feel, and operate like devices worthy of their $799 and $999 price tags. Theyre slated to get seven years of OS upgrades, which amounts to a damn good return on that investment. I used both to take nice photos, play my little games, and generally go about my day without a hitch. 8Verge Score$800The GoodThe last reasonably sized Android phoneSeven years of OS upgradesVery good cameraThe BadSamsung software is as cluttered as usualAI is still a mixed bagHow we rate and review products8Verge Score$1000The GoodBig screen for people who love big screensSeven years of OS upgradesVery good cameraThe BadSamsung software is as cluttered as everAI is still a mixed bagHow we rate and review productsThis was all true of the S24 and S24 Plus and the S23 and S23 Plus. I couldnt give you a good reason why the S25 stands out compared to Samsungs last three generations of S-series phones. I dont think Samsung can, either, because its entire sales pitch for the S25 revolves around software and AI capabilities much of which will almost certainly be ported to previous S-series phones in short order.Heres the kicker: the software improvements arent all that great, either. AI can do a few handy things, like turning a chaotic page of notes into something readable. But much of it is still too unpredictable to rely on. One UI 7.0 includes nice interface updates, but lots of Samsung phones will get that upgrade soon. The list of reasons to upgrade to an S25 aside from my current phone stopped working and I need a new one is awfully thin.The Galaxy S25 (left) and S25 Plus (right) dont exactly break the mold.Maybe this says more about what passes for a small phone in 2025, but the Galaxy S25 is secretly the best small Android phone you can buy in the US. Thats probably not intentional more like a victory in a war of attrition. Googles phones since the Pixel 5 only come in big and bigger, and niche small phone options like the Asus Zenfone have dropped out of the race. By merely continuing to exist with a 6.2-inch screen, the smaller S-series model has become the default option if you dont want a huge Android phone.The effect is almost comical after a week using the gargantuan S25 Ultra. If you like a smaller device and I sure do its a relief to fit the S25 into a coat pocket comfortably and to reach my thumb across the screen to tap something while using the phone one-handed. A smaller battery is a concern with a tinier device, but the S25s 4,000mAh got me through a full day of moderate use.Of course, theres a bigger option. The S25 Plus has all the screen real estate to satisfy the big phone fans. It comes with a 6.7-inch panel and a bump up to 1440p resolution from the 1080p on the S25, which is a good thing; the extra resolution is necessary with such a big display. Likewise, the 4,900mAh battery goes all day, even with more pixels to light up. The design is basically the same as the last go-around: flat edges, curved corners, and Samsungs signature stoplight rear camera arrangement. I still appreciate Samsungs move to flat edges here, since it makes the phone feel more secure in my hand especially when I pick it up off a table. The flat edge design makes it easier to grab the phone off a table.Samsung is still using Galaxy AI as a key selling point. This collection of starter kit AI features includes new additions, like natural language search in the settings menu, background noise cancellation in video clips, and Pixel Best Take-like face swapping. Theres also a new voice assistant at the wheel: Gemini. Googles AI-imbued assistant is now the default rather than Samsungs Bixby, and it gains the ability to work across apps. This capability was the one I was most excited to try on the S25, and its not even a Galaxy AI feature its available anywhere you can use Gemini, including on iOS and the web. I went into much more detail about using Gemini in my Galaxy S25 Ultra review, but the tl;dr is that its promising but not consistent enough to rely on yet. But credit where its due: Samsungs artificial intelligence tools which it refers to broadly as Galaxy AI do a good job of adding structure to a bunch of chaotic notes. I typed out a list of my kids symptoms before a trip to the pediatrician, and AI organized it with sensible subheadings. It even accurately titled it Childs illness progression, even though I hadnt expressly written that. Samsungs One UI 7.0 software is a significant update that introduces a Dynamic Island-like Now Bar, a split notification and quick settings shade, and some subtle design updates throughout. As with any Galaxy phone, it still takes me a minute to de-Samsung the software to my liking, but overall, its a welcome refresh.Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus camera specsMain: 50-megapixel f/1.8 with OISTelephoto: 10-megapixel f/2.4 3x zoom with OISUltrawide: 12-megapixel f/2.2Selfie: 12-megapixel f/2.2 with autofocusEver seen a photo with a sky so blue, it practically jumps off the screen? Then youve seen a picture taken with a Samsung phone. Samsung is staying true to its oversaturated colors in the S25 series and continues another tradition: a damn good portrait mode. It doesnt always nail subject isolation, but when its good, its good. Its the same camera system as the one in the S24 series, minus some software tweaks. It doesnt have the upgraded ultrawide in the S25 Ultra, but thats not a huge loss. I noticed instances where the S25s camera insisted on focusing in the foreground rather than in the distance where I wanted. The depth of field is shallow enough that this makes a difference, so I wound up with two unusably soft photos. It wasnt a persistent issue, but it came up enough that Id keep an eye on it in the future.1/10Maybe its the hardware cycle slowing down. Maybe its software season. Maybe weve just reached peak phone. A combination led us to the iterative S25 series. But does that matter if youre ready to trade in your S21 and you just want something familiar that works?If you fit that description, the S25 or S25 Plus will do the job. The Galaxy S25 is the last full-featured, sensibly sized Android phone you can buy in the US. And the S25 Plus has the big screen that people apparently want. The cameras are good, battery life is fine, and the software updates will flow for seven years. If this is peak phone, its not a bad place to be.The Galaxy S25 presents an attractive image of what useful AI could look like on our phones. Telling your AI assistant to add the dates from an email to your calendar? Screenshotting a recipe and adding the ingredients to a shopping list? That sounds great. The trouble is that it doesnt work consistently right now, and its unclear when that might change. Galaxy phones from the past few years will get these updates, too. If youre happy with your current S-series phone, I dont see any compelling reason to upgrade to the S25. And thats just fine its a software era, after all.Photography by Allison Johnson / The VergeAgree to Continue: Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 PlusEvery smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it contracts that no one actually reads. Its impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit agree to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people dont read and definitely cant negotiate.To use the Samsung Galaxy S25 or S25 Plus, you must agree to:Samsungs Terms and ConditionsSamsungs Privacy PolicyGoogles Terms of Service (including Privacy Policy)Google Plays Terms of ServiceAutomatic installs (including from Google, Samsung, and your carrier)There are many optional agreements. If you use a carrier-specific version, there will be more of them. Here are just a few:Sending diagnostic data to SamsungSamsung services, including auto blocker, customization service, continuity service, nearby device scanning, personal data intelligence, and smart suggestionsGoogle Drive backup, location services, Wi-Fi scanning, diagnostic dataBixby privacy policy (required to use Bixby), plus optional for Bixby options like personalized content, data access, and audio recording reviewThere may be more. For example, Samsungs Weather app also has its own privacy policy that may include sharing information with Weather.com.Final tally: there are five mandatory agreements and at least 10 optional ones.See More: