Updated 12 Nov 2026
Is the Samsung Galaxy S25 worth it?
Yes: at today's prices it's a better buy than the S26.
It has the same three cameras as the S26, a 6.2-inch 120Hz screen, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite in every country and updates until 2032. At 162 g it's one of the lightest flagships, and it's IP68 water resistant. Charging is the same slow 25W, and the cheapest model has 128 GB of storage, which fills up quickly with video. Battery life gets most people through a day, but heavy users will want a charger nearby. Since the S26 came out it has sold for far less.
94%of 616 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- The S26's cameras for far less
- Very light, at 162 g
- Android updates until 2032
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What owners say
Owners like the camera, the small size and how easy it is to set up. Complaints are about battery life and it feeling little better than older or cheaper phones.
Good to know
- Charging tops out at 25W, and there's no charger in the box.
- 128 GB fills quickly with photos and 4K video.
- The ultrawide camera has no autofocus, so no close-ups with it.
- A small battery: heavy users can run low by evening.
From 616 buyer ratings at Currys, every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Good cameraMentioned a lot
- Compact and lightMentioned often
- Easy to set up and useMentioned often
- FastMentioned often
- Battery lasts wellMentioned often
What they complain about
- Little better than an older or cheaper phoneVery rare
- Battery runs down too fastVery rare
- Faulty or brokeVery rare
Get it if…
- You want a small Samsung for far less.
- You don't mind last year's model.
- You want a Snapdragon chip in the UK too.
Skip it if…
- You shoot lots of video: get 256 GB or more.
- You want a bigger battery and faster charging: the S26+ has both.
More on the Galaxy S25
How we reached this verdict
TechRadar called it the best Galaxy S Samsung had made at launch, ahead of the iPhone 16 on speed and battery life. GSMArena finds it a light, comfortable all-rounder with dependable battery life, but criticises the 25W charging, the 128 GB starting storage and the unchanged camera hardware. Tom's Guide's test against the S26 found daylight photos near identical and the S25 lasting slightly longer on a charge, while the S26 is faster; Expert Reviews found the S26 lasting about an hour longer in its own test. Of the 616 verified owners we read, 38 gave 3 stars or less, mostly over battery life or seeing little gain over an older phone. Specs from Samsung UK.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, GSMArena, Tom's Guide: S26 vs S25, Samsung, TechRadar, Expert Reviews, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 12 Nov 2026How we decide