Brief Summary
This video compares the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the newer S25, focusing on design, display, cameras, software, battery life, and specifications to help viewers decide whether to upgrade or choose between the two. The S25 offers improvements in display brightness, adaptive color tone, a faster chipset, and extended software support, but the camera system remains the same.
- The S25 has a brighter display with adaptive color tone and a wider LTPO frequency range.
- The camera system is identical between the S23 and S25.
- The S25 offers 7 years of guaranteed updates, compared to the S23's 5 years.
- The S25 has a faster Snapdragon Elite 8 chipset, providing better performance.
Intro
The video introduces a comparison between the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the newly released S25. It aims to help viewers decide if upgrading from the S23 is worthwhile or if choosing the S23 is a good way to save money. The presenter has used the S23 for two years and has spent two weeks with the S25, noting that while the phones are similar, the S25 has key upgrades.
Design & Displays
The Samsung Galaxy S23 and S25 are nearly identical in size and weight, with the S25 being slightly lighter. The S25 has a 6.2-inch display due to smaller bezels, achieving a 91% screen-to-body ratio, while the S23 has a 6.1-inch display. Both have a 2340x1080 resolution, giving the S23 a slightly better pixel density, though the difference is not noticeable. Both phones use Dynamic AMOLED 2x screens with HDR support, but the S25 has a significantly brighter display, reaching a peak brightness of 2500 nits compared to the S23's 1750 nits. The S25's LTPO display supports refresh rates as low as 1 Hz, potentially improving battery life, unlike the S23 which goes down to 48 Hz. A key upgrade is the S25's adaptive color tone feature, which adjusts the white balance in real-time to match ambient lighting, a feature previously introduced in the S24 but not available on the S23. The S25 has matte sides and back, which the presenter prefers over the polished rails of the S23.
Cameras
The camera system on the S25 is the same as the S24 and S23. The upgraded chipset in the S25 makes the camera app snappier, with quicker autofocus and photo processing. The S25 has AI tools like audio erase, which isolates voice from background noise in video recordings, but these features may eventually come to the S23 through software updates. The presenter shares photo and video samples from both phones, noting that performance is nearly identical, and any differences are likely due to slight variations in focus.
Software
The S25 ships with Samsung's One UI 7, based on Android 15, while the S23 is running One UI 6.1 on Android 14, with an expected update to One UI 7 in the coming months. One UI 7 includes a natural language search for settings. The new swipe-down quick panel design, where quick settings and notifications are accessed from different corners, is similar to iOS. Samsung is trying to make Android feel more like iOS to attract iPhone users. The S25 has a key software benefit: it will receive 7 years of guaranteed updates, ensuring it stays updated through 2032, while the S23 is promised 5 years of security updates and four years of Android version upgrades, with support up to Android 17 in 2027 and security updates through 2028.
Battery life
The S25 has a 4,000 mAh battery, a slight upgrade from the S23's 3,900 mAh battery. The S23's battery life has diminished over time, requiring occasional top-ups. The S25's battery life feels worse initially compared to the S23 when it was new, though software tweaks may improve it. Both phones have identical charging speeds, with a limit of 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. The S25 lacks built-in CH2 magnets for a MagSafe-like experience, requiring a special case for 15W charging.
Specifications
The S25 features the new Snapdragon Elite 8 chipset with 12 GB of RAM, making it very fast. The S23 has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8 GB of RAM. Geekbench 6 benchmark tests show the S25 is 30% faster in single-core performance and 85% faster in multi-core performance. The S25 performs quicker in subtle areas like navigating menus and scanning QR codes. The improved power may contribute to the S25's unoptimized battery life compared to the S23.
Conclusion & recommendation
If choosing between the two, the S25 is recommended due to its future longevity with extended software upgrades, faster Snapdragon Elite 8 chipset, and improved display with adaptive color tone. However, if you already own the S23, upgrading is not essential, as the improvements are not significant enough to justify the cost. Unless there's an exceptional trade-in value or carrier deal, it's advisable to wait and see what the S26 offers.
