The Samsung Galaxy S25 is boring, but it's exactly what I...

The Samsung Galaxy S25 is boring, but it's exactly what I needed Four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones in different colors arranged diagonally on a minimalist background, with the word ‘BORING’ subtly displayed behind them

Four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones in different colors arranged diagonally on a minimalist background, with the word ‘BORING’ subtly displayed behind them

Credit: Lucas Gouveia / Android Police

By Rajesh Pandey Published 10 minutes ago Rajesh started following the latest happenings in the world of Android around the release of the Nexus One and Samsung Galaxy S. After flashing custom ROMs and kernels on his beloved Galaxy S, he started writing about Android for a living. He uses the latest Samsung or Pixel flagship as his daily driver. And yes, he carries an iPhone as a secondary device. Rajesh has been writing for Android Police since 2021, covering news, how-tos, and features. Based in India, he has previously written for Neowin, AndroidBeat, Times of India, iPhoneHacks, MySmartPrice, and MakeUseOf. When not working, you will find him mindlessly scrolling through X, playing with new AI models, or going on long road trips. You can reach out to him on Twitter or drop a mail at [email protected]. Sign in to your Android Police account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Sometimes, boring phones can be good. It took me a while to understand this, but after using the Samsung Galaxy S25 as a secondary (almost) primary phone for most of 2025, I realized it's exactly what I needed.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 with Google Gemini activated on a wooden table

Read our review The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a small phone without any big ideas

Still pretty nice, though

Posts 3 By Taylor Kerns Feb 14, 2025

Boring beats flashy

The real value is in what just works

I dismissed the Galaxy S25 outright when it debuted earlier this year. It lacked any breakthrough new features or technological improvements.

A couple of months later, I realized I needed a reliable secondary Android phone for important banking and sensitive apps. I switch my primary phone too often, and I can't keep logging in to my banking apps every single time.

After considering all the options, I picked up the Galaxy S25. I've used Samsung flagships extensively, so I knew the Galaxy would be a reliable workhorse.

I was a bit worried about the battery life, as the base Galaxy S25 only has a 4,000mAh cell. But, since I would be using the phone with my second SIM, I expected it to last a day.

After a few months of use, I couldn't have picked a better phone than the Galaxy S25 as my secondary device. Its reliability has made it my daily driver, while the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has been relegated to the secondary phone that I carry solely for its impressive cameras.

Unlike other Android phones, the Galaxy S25 nails the basics. There are no flashy features or experimental changes. It builds on its predecessor, featuring a brighter display, a faster CPU, and other minor changes. Boring? Yes. But it works, and that's what I needed.

A boring phone needs to be reliable

And, surprisingly, many phones fail at this

Google Pixel 8 Pro laying next to a fake plant and a plushie

Before the Galaxy S25, I used the Google Pixel 8 Pro as my secondary phone. Given that I only needed a backup phone for banking apps and navigation, I thought the Pixel 8 Pro would easily fill that role.

But I couldn't have been more wrong. Every once in a while, a new update from Google would either tank its already mediocre battery life or cause other unexpected issues. And this was despite the phone being on the stable Android channel.

The sub-par Exynos modem and the poor thermals of the Tensor G3 chip didn't help either.

I often found the phone struggling to latch onto a network or deliver decent 5G speeds in places where my Xiaomi 15 Ultra had full connectivity.

Using it for navigation under direct sunlight for more than a few minutes was a challenge in itself. The phone would overheat, forcing the chip to throttle and the display brightness to drop.

All of these issues eventually pushed me to look for an alternative secondary phone.

I initially planned to get the iPhone 16e since, being an iPhone, I knew it would deliver reliable performance and great battery life. It's a boring phone, which is exactly what I wanted.

However, I found a great deal on the Galaxy S25 and picked it up instead, as this would ensure compatibility and cross-device integration with my other Android devices, Bluetooth earbuds, and Wear OS watches.

Plus, the deep Gemini integration would have been a bonus, as I heavily rely on it in everyday use.

This turned out to be a great decision, with the Galaxy S25 surprising me with just how "boring" it is — in the best way possible. It has worked reliably, with no fuss or issues.

Why the Galaxy S25 is a great boring phone

It's all about nailing the basics

I wanted my secondary phone to have a bright display, a good and smooth software experience, decent battery life, and a reliable modem. Since I use it for navigation on long road trips and often under direct sunlight, it also needed decent thermal management.

The Galaxy S25 ticks all those boxes and more.

Samsung has been on top of its game with regular software updates, pushing One UI 8-based Android 16 to its compact 2025 flagship within months of the OS's stable release.

Unlike Pixels, these regular updates do not unexpectedly tank the phone's battery life or create other unwanted issues.

Similarly, I haven't yet faced a single instance of a buggy Google app or Play system update draining the phone's battery unexpectedly.

The improvements to Now Bar and Now Brief are genuinely useful, to the point where I prefer using the Galaxy S25 over my primary phone, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, for day-to-day tasks. And the Lock Screen customizations are fun to play with, making pictures of my son pop.

There are several other small touches that all add up to deliver a refined and boring experience, like the highly customizable Quick Settings panel and slicker animations.

The almost-perfect boring phone

So, if the Galaxy S25 is both boring and brilliant, why am I not using it as my daily driver? I'd switch in a heartbeat if it had better cameras. I also need longer battery life, though the Plus model would solve that problem.

As a new dad, I want to take the best photos of my son as possible, and it's hard to beat the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's camera setup for that.

But to the Galaxy S25's credit, it has replaced the Ultra as the primary phone in my pocket. And that's a commendable achievement to pull off for a boring phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 on a white background

Like Follow Followed Samsung Galaxy S25 SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy RAM 12GB Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB Battery 4,000mAh Ports USB-C Operating System Android 15 and One UI 7

Samsung's Galaxy S25 keeps things small without sacrificing power. With a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB of RAM, and all sorts of tools courtesy of Galaxy AI, this is everything you expect from a modern flagship squeezed into a relatively svelte chassis.

$800 at Samsung $800 at Best Buy $800 at Amazon Expand Collapse

Phones
Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung

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