The Galaxy S25 Extremely does not really feel very Extremely to me for these 5 causes

Samsung unveiled
its newest top-of-the-line flagship smartphone, the S25 Extremely, at a Galaxy Unpacked occasion on January 22. The telephone serves as probably the most premium of Samsung’s sweet bar-style lineup, sitting straight above the usual S25 and its bigger S25+ sibling.

The South Korean tech big additionally

teased the existence of
a super-slim S25 Edge mannequin at this identical keynote, but it surely’s clear that the S25 Extremely is supposed to be probably the most large-and-in-charge of the brand new product household.

Sadly, post-launch, I used to be left feeling somewhat underwhelmed by the S25 Extremely — as a {hardware} refresh, the handset

leaves one thing to be desired
. Listed here are the the explanation why I really feel that, general, the S25 Extremely is not a worthwhile improve over final yr’s

S24 Extremely
.

Associated

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Early South Korean gross sales figures level to an enormous choice for Samsung’s highest-end Galaxy S25 Extremely mannequin.

1

The Galaxy S25 Extremely lacks ambition within the specs division

Samsung hasn’t endowed its newest flagship with leading edge parts

In some regards, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is a tech powerhouse. The telephone is without doubt one of the first to ship with the

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
processor, and it one-ups the competitors with its bespoke ‘for Galaxy’ version chip tuning. The S25 Extremely additionally comes with Corning Gorilla Armor 2, which affords anti-reflective properties not discovered on another mainstream handset available on the market.

Nonetheless, for a commanding worth of $1,300, I anticipate extra from Samsung. In no explicit order, listed here are a few of the most obvious Galaxy S25 Extremely {hardware} omissions:

• No silicon carbon battery tech for elevated energy pack density
• No tremendous speedy wired or wi-fi top-up speeds
• No Qi2 Magnetic Energy Profile (MPP) help for MagSafe compatibility
• No IP69 ingress safety certification for assurance towards excessive water situations
• No developments in anti-flicker or pulse width modulation (PWM) show tech for eye consolation functions

If the S25 Extremely had been lacking one or two of those options present in different high-end smartphones, it would not be the largest deal on the planet. Nonetheless, Samsung seems to be stagnating on a number of fronts, which is disappointing for an organization so dominant throughout the business.

2:27

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2

Samsung has walked again the Extremely’s distinctive {hardware} identification

The S25 Extremely’s chassis is a primary instance of smartphone homogenization

With the Galaxy S25 Extremely, Samsung has dialed again the distinctive design language of its flagship telephone mannequin. Whereas the S24 Extremely was engineered with sharp, domineering corners, the S25 Extremely opts for a softer and extra muted footprint.

The S25 Extremely’s much less angular proportions are arguably extra appropriate for in-hand use. That being stated, I can not assist however really feel disillusioned in Samsung’s choice to stroll away from the design issues that made its earlier handsets so distinctive from a bodily standpoint.

Worse nonetheless is the rear digicam module state of affairs — in an effort to distinguish the S25 Extremely from its predecessor, Samsung has stapled cheesy rings onto every particular person sensor, which is an aesthetic downgrade for my part.

The truth that these digicam rings might be indifferent from the S25 Extremely’s chassis does not trouble me fairly a lot, but it surely actually is amusing. This is hoping that Samsung sticks solely

to wearable rings
sooner or later, somewhat than gluing them onto its handsets.

Associated

The Galaxy S25 Extremely’s S Pen options an sudden downgrade

Samsung has eliminated Bluetooth from the Galaxy S25’s stylus, which implies it not helps Air Actions.

3

The Extremely’s iconic S Pen stylus has been neutered

The dearth of Bluetooth on this yr’s S Pen is a demonstrable year-on-year downgrade

Consider it or not, Samsung

has really eliminated a characteristic
with this yr’s S25 Extremely: the included S Pen stylus not comes with built-in Bluetooth help.

The S Pen, which harkens again to the times of the Galaxy Be aware line, has included Bluetooth because the launch of the

Be aware 9 in 2018
. The addition of this tech permits the stylus for use as a distant management shutter button, in addition to a makeshift wand for varied Air Actions.

It may be argued that the addition of Bluetooth throughout the S Pen expertise is a superfluous one, with considerably doubtful utility. However, it is by no means an incredible signal when an organization cuts prices by eradicating beforehand obtainable {hardware} options.

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The Galaxy S25 collection continues to be lacking this one charging characteristic

The Galaxy S25 collection technically helps Qi2 charging — however there’s a catch.

4

The Galaxy S25 Extremely does not dwell in a vacuum

The OnePlus 13, the Pixel 9 Professional, and lots of others are all vying for flagship Android supremacy

Even with all these complaints in thoughts, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely is a superb and well-refined smartphone. Its titanium body is high-end, its chipset is best-in-class, and its show is amazingly anti-reflective.

Nonetheless, Samsung is not delivery its newest Extremely handset in a vacuum. On the planet of flagship Android smartphones, survival of the fittest is the secret. The just lately launched

OnePlus 13
affords a whole {hardware} package deal, whereas undercutting the Extremely by a whopping $400. Google, in the meantime,

continues to climb the {hardware} ranks
, with its

Pixel 9
collection rising in recognition.

Early gross sales figures for the Galaxy S25 Extremely

level to a profitable launch
, however the firm should do extra subsequent yr if it desires to proceed to justify its yearly Extremely hype cycle.

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