Samsung Galaxy S25 Vs S23: Here’s Why I Wouldn’t Upgrade Yet

There’s no denying that the Galaxy S23 was one of the best Android phones when it debuted. Not only was it the first Galaxy in years to offer Snapdragon chips globally, but it also finally addressed many of the battery life issues that had historically plagued the base Galaxy models.

While the Galaxy S25 is an impressive device, is it really worth upgrading if you’re still using the two-year-old flagship series? In my opinion, no.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s new with the Galaxy S25 and why most of you are likely better off sticking with your current phone a bit longer. Keep in mind that while I own the Galaxy S24 and am very familiar with the brand, I haven’t personally used the Galaxy S25 yet.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus

Snapdragon 8 Elite power
12GB RAM
7 years software support

The Galaxy S25 is a nice upgrade, but not necessarily a must-have

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

Let’s start with the aesthetics. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus were available in Green, Phantom Black, Cream, and Lavender. In contrast, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus come in Icy Blue, Navy, Mint, and Silver Shadow as well as a few Samsung exclusive colors shown above. Color choices are a personal decision, and while I like the new options, I do miss Green and Lavender.

The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus also feature a few subtle design changes compared to the Galaxy S23, including a border around the rear camera lenses. Additionally, the Galaxy S25 boasts a slightly larger 6.2-inch AMOLED display compared to the 6.1-inch screen on the S23. Similarly, the Galaxy S25 Plus is slightly larger than the S23 Plus, measuring 6.7 inches versus 6.6 inches.

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Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority

On the performance front, while the Galaxy S24 returned to Exynos chips for select regions, the good news is that the Galaxy S25 continues the S23’s trend of offering Snapdragon chips exclusively. Specifically, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, a significant upgrade over the aging Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

The CPU and GPU improvements are dramatically better on paper, but in practice, most games and apps still run smoothly on the older Snapdragon chip. One caveat with the new chip is its tendency to get warm, though the S25 compensates with a larger vapor chamber to help with heat management.

The Galaxy S25 series also brings consistency across the lineup by offering 12GB of RAM globally. For storage, there’s now a base Galaxy S25 model with 512GB of storage, although this option is limited to select markets outside the US.

Other specs see minor upgrades, such as Wi-Fi 7 replacing Wi-Fi 6E. Battery capacities are slightly larger, with the Galaxy S25 featuring a 3,900mAh battery (100mAh more than the S23) and the S25 Plus sporting a 4,900mAh battery (200mAh more than the S23 Plus). Unfortunately, charging speeds remain unchanged.

The camera system also hasn’t seen much evolution. The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus maintain the same resolutions and focal lenses as previous models, though there are some improvements in image processing and shutter speed. The Galaxy S23’s camera remains an excellent performer, so this isn’t a knock against the S25, but it would be nice to see more meaningful upgrades by the time the Galaxy S26 arrives. After all, the core camera hardware has remained largely the same for over three years, with only minor refinements under the hood.

The new OS guarantee and other software improvements are nice, but there’s not enough to justify the cost

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

Aside from the hardware improvements mentioned above, there are also a few notable software enhancements since the Galaxy S23 series debuted. The Galaxy S25 ships with Android 15 and One UI 7. While the Galaxy S23 series currently runs Android 14, it’s expected to receive the Android 15 update later this year.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 introduced a solid software support policy, promising Android 17 as its final OS update. However, the Galaxy S25 raises the bar with a full seven years of OS and software updates, ensuring longer-term support.

The Galaxy S23 already launched in the early days of the AI era, but if you’re looking for the most advanced AI features, the Galaxy S25 series is the better choice. That said, the S23 series also supports Galaxy AI through updates and can perform many of the same tasks. However, some features on the S23 may require cloud processing rather than the on-device functionality available with certain Galaxy S25 features.

Despite the improvements, it’s difficult to recommend the Galaxy S25 at its high price point, especially when the Galaxy S23 family still offers plenty of life and value. Beyond the slightly larger display and upgraded processor, there’s not much else to distinguish the S25 from its predecessor. Many aspects remain unchanged, such as the slow 25W charging speeds for the base Galaxy S25 and the Galaxy S25 Plus sticking to the same 45W charging as before.

Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S23: Should you upgrade or not?

Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority

Just like the Galaxy S23 series before it, the Galaxy S25 starts at $799.99. The Galaxy S25 Plus comes in slightly higher, starting at $999.99. While these prices are relatively standard for flagship phones today, they’re still significant investments, especially if the upgrades don’t offer substantial value to you.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus

Snapdragon 8 Elite power
12GB RAM
7 years software support