A big-screen flagship
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is a bigger-screened version of the standard Galaxy S25. It sports a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset and DSLR-style camera bumps. More importantly, it’s faster than the older Galaxy S23 Plus, and supports more AI features.
For
- Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is blazing fast and supports Samsung’s newest AI features
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support
- Ships with One UI 7 based on Android 15
Against
- Limited improvements compared to older Galaxy phones
- Rear camera system is unchanged from Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S23 Plus
- No Qi2 support
Still a solid phone
It’s true that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus is a two-year-old smartphone, but it’s also true that it’s still capable in 2025. It’s powerful, and supports just enough AI. The Galaxy S23 Plus got nearly all of the Galaxy S24 Plus’ AI features last year, so there’s hope it could steal a few of the Galaxy S25 Plus features too.
For
- Support for Circle to Search and plenty of Galaxy AI features
- Upgradeable to One UI 7 based on Android 15, when available
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is still capable
- Same camera system as newer Galaxy S25 Plus
Against
- Limited new availability
- Older chipset means less support for on-device AI processing
- Smaller 4,700mAh battery capacity
It’s that time of year again, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus has been officially revealed. The latest plus-sized Galaxy S25 model shares a lot of similarities with older Galaxy phones, like the two-year-old Galaxy S23 Plus. However, the new Galaxy S25 Plus is not without improvements, like a snappy Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor and brand-new Galaxy AI features.
What does that mean for current Galaxy S23 Plus owners? The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 smartphone is still capable in 2025, and will soon get the boost to One UI 7. While there are a handful of reasons Galaxy S23 Plus users might want to upgrade to the Galaxy S25 Plus, there may be just as many reasons for sticking with the older model for another year or two.
If you’re on the fence, we have the full breakdown of how the new Galaxy S25 Plus compares to the old Galaxy S23 Plus.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus: Pricing and availability
Why you can trust Android Central
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus starts at $999.99 and comes with 256GB of storage. There’s also a 512GB model available for an additional fee. You can choose from Icyblue, Navy, Mint, and Silver Shadow colorways. There are plenty of Galaxy S25 Plus deals available to help you save, too.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S23 Plus is mostly unavailable in new condition, but you can find it on used and refurbished sites. The phone originally retailed for $999.99 when it debuted in 2023.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus: Design and display
For all intents and purposes, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Plus look the same from the outside. There are some small tweaks, like the Galaxy S25 Plus’ DSLR-style camera covers, boxy shape, and slightly-larger screen. In terms of dimensions, the two phones are nearly identical. The newer Galaxy S25 Plus measures 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm, while the older Galaxy S23 Plus measures 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm.
It’s nice that, despite featuring a larger screen and battery, the Galaxy S25 Plus is both thinner and lighter than the Galaxy S23 Plus. The newer model is 0.3mm thinner and six grams lighter, which probably doesn’t sound like much but could make the Galaxy S25 Plus feel better in the hand.
The two phones’ use the same display technology, but the Galaxy S25 Plus has a 6.7-inch screen while the Galaxy S23 Plus has a 6.6-inch screen. They’re both AMOLED 2x panels with 120Hz variable refresh rate capabilities. The Galaxy S25 Plus will be slightly taller and have slimmer bezels, for what that’s worth.
Aside from these minuscule differences, the two phones are built very similarly. They both have Gorilla Glass Victus 2 coverings for the display and back glass, as well as an aluminum chassis. In terms of dust and water-resistance, there is an IP68 certification for both phones. All told, if you’re not a smartphone enthusiast, you may not notice much of a difference between these two devices.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus: Hardware and specs
The differences on the inside matter much more than the ones on the outside. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus has a system-on-a-chip (SoC) that’s two generations newer than the one inside the Galaxy S23 Plus, as expected. That doesn’t tell the whole story, though, because the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip powering the new model is a huge advancement. This particular variant was co-designed by Samsung and Qualcomm and uses the Oryon cores from Qualcomm’s successful Snapdragon X lineup of laptop processors.
In other words, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy represents much more than an incremental update. The 3nm chip is a huge deal for Android phones, and it’ll crush the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (4nm) in the Galaxy S23 Plus in a few ways. Namely, the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform excels in on-device AI processing and gaming performance. That’ll be crucial if you care about having the latest and greatest Galaxy AI features.
On top of that, the Galaxy S25 Plus has more RAM (12GB) and battery capacity (4,700mAh) than the Galaxy S23 Plus. It also supports newer connectivity protocols, like Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and UWB.
| Category | Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Display | 6.7-inch AMOLED 2X, 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate | 6.6-inch AMOLED 2x, 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate |
| Memory | 12GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery | 4,900mAh | 4,700mAh |
| Charging | Super Fast Charging 2.0 (45W), Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W), Wireless PowerShare (4.5W) | Super Fast Charging 2.0 (45W), Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W), Wireless PowerShare (4.5W) |
| Operating System | One UI 7 (Android 15) | Android 13 (upgradeable) |
| Rear cameras | 50MP, f/1.8 main camera; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide camera; 10MP, f/2.4 telephoto camera (3x optical zoom) | 50MP, f/1.8 main camera; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide camera; 10MP, f/2.4 telephoto camera (3x optical zoom) |
| Front camera | 12MP, f/2.2 wide hole-punch camera | 12MP, f/2.2 wide hole-punch camera |
| Connectivity | 5G (sub6, mmW), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, Bluetooth 5.4 | 5G (sub6, mmW), Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm |
| Weight | 190g | 196g |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Colors | Icyblue, Navy, Mint, Silver Shadow | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
In terms of camera hardware, you may be disappointed (or relieved) to learn that the Galaxy S25 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Plus have the same exact lenses. The main camera is a 50MP, f/1.8 lens, and that’s paired with a 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide camera and a 10MP, f/2.4 telephoto camera capable of 3x optical zoom.
It’s possible that you may see better results with the Galaxy S25 Plus thanks to AI magic, computational photography, and better image-signal processing. However, it’s clear that camera quality is once again not a good reason to upgrade from the Galaxy S23 Plus to a newer model.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus: Software
One UI 7, based on Android 15, ships with the Galaxy S25 Plus and will come to older models later. That means the Galaxy S23 Plus still has a few OS upgrades left, but it’s clear that the Galaxy S25 Plus will have the edge in longevity. The flagship will get seven years of software support, including full OS upgrades and security patches. In theory, the phone you buy today could serve you well into the next decade.
The argument for sticking with the Galaxy S23 Plus is that it’ll also get One UI 7, which is heralded as the biggest Samsung update in years. In fact, Samsung tells us that this version of One UI 7 has been in the works for three years. As such, updating to One UI 7 could make the Galaxy S23 Plus feel new and fresh, even if it’s a few years old.
However, some features will be exclusive to the Galaxy S25 Plus due to its NPU and additional processing power. That includes enhanced Circle to Search functionality, AI agents, and cross-app actions. These features could make their way to other Galaxy phones in the future, but for now, they’re exclusive to the newest models.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus: Is it really time to upgrade?
While the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a groundbreaking chip, and the Galaxy S25 Plus’ new AI features are cool, I’m not sure that’s enough to convince Galaxy S23 Plus owners to upgrade. The overall design of the Galaxy S25 Plus is the same, and the camera hardware is completely unchanged.
If you’re eager to have the newest and best AI features — and value longevity — upgrading might not be such a bad thing. However, I’d consider rocking the Galaxy S23 Plus for another year to see if the next Galaxy phone is a more compelling upgrade.
A big-screen flagship
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is a bigger-screened version of the standard Galaxy S25. It sports a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset and DSLR-style camera bumps. More importantly, it’s faster than the older Galaxy S23 Plus, and supports more AI features.
Still a solid phone
It’s true that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus is a two-year-old smartphone, but it’s also true that it’s still capable in 2025. It’s powerful, and supports just enough AI. The Galaxy S23 Plus got nearly all of the Galaxy S24 Plus’ AI features last year, so there’s hope it could steal a few of the Galaxy S25 Plus features too.