I won’t buy another Samsung phone until it gets these 3 features

For a few years now, I’ve felt that Samsung has been frustratingly conservative with its high-end telephones — and I’m not alone. This complacency reached a brand new low, nevertheless, with the Galaxy S25 collection. Sure, there’s the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip throughout the board and a brand new ultrawide digicam on the Extremely, however these are in any other case the identical telephones as final 12 months. And people telephones didn’t supply a lot over the Galaxy S23 collection.

You solely have to take a look at rival telephones to see that Samsung is lagging behind the pack. This obtained me pondering, and I noticed I wouldn’t even think about one other Samsung flagship telephone till it will get these options which have grow to be commonplace in lots of different Android flagships.

Battery life is without doubt one of the key promoting factors for many smartphone consumers, and it’s one among my prime three priorities as properly. Sadly, Samsung hasn’t modified the battery capability of the Galaxy S25 collection in comparison with the S24 household. Actually, the S25 Extremely hasn’t had any capability modifications since 2020’s S20 Extremely, whereas the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus have solely seen delicate upgrades at finest because the Galaxy S22 vary. I discover this lack of a capability increase particularly disappointing for the usual S25, which gives a 4,000mAh battery. That sounds fantastic for now, however battery degradation means you might quickly be reaching for the charger properly earlier than the top of the day… on a telephone that’s supposed to stick with you for a few years.

Against this, the OnePlus 13 gives a 6,000mAh battery, the realme GT7 Professional has a 6,500mAh battery, and the HONOR Magic 7 Professional has a 5,850mAh battery. These manufacturers are all utilizing silicon-carbon batteries, which allow extra capability for a similar bodily measurement or enable telephones to pack a bodily smaller battery with out shedding capability. Sadly (and frustratingly), Samsung hasn’t adopted this expertise but — not even in its tremendous skinny upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge. So I actually hope the corporate will get on this bandwagon in 2026, and early leaks recommend that subsequent 12 months’s telephones may certainly supply this tech.

You solely want to take a look at the Xiaomi 15 (5,400mAh) and the vivo X200 Professional Mini (5,700mAh) for proof of what’s really potential. These are telephones with 6.3-inch shows, but they provide batteries which are bigger than the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s 5,000mAh cell.

One in every of my greatest points with the Galaxy S25 collection is that the bottom and Plus variants nonetheless supply digicam {hardware} that’s mainly similar to 2022’s Galaxy S22 collection. Meaning we haven’t seen upgrades for 4 years in a row. That 50MP 1/1.56-inch primary digicam is kind of outdated and has been obtainable on mid-range telephones for a few generations now. All three telephones even have a measly 10MP 3x telephoto digicam, which is especially embarrassing for the S25 Extremely in gentle of its $1,300 price ticket (even when it gives a further, higher 5x zoom lens).

Against this, rival manufacturers are providing 50MP and even 200MP periscope cameras on their flagships. These identical flagships additionally supply a lot bigger primary cameras, enabling higher low-light picture high quality, extra pure bokeh results, and extra enhancements. As we speak, you possibly can even discover some mid-range telephones with 50MP 2x or 3x cameras, permitting them to duke it out with the S25 and S25 Plus.

I believe it’s time for Samsung to confess that there’s actually no toothpaste left in that 10MP tube. So I hope all three Galaxy S26 fashions get a 50MP 3x digicam on the very least, but it surely’s excessive time for the bottom and Plus variants to obtain a primary digicam improve, too.

The Galaxy S25 Plus and Extremely already supply respectable 45W wired charging speeds, however I’d love quicker charging occasions from subsequent 12 months’s fashions, be it through increased peak wattages or the power to maintain 45W speeds for longer. On prime of that, I’ve a significant downside with the bottom Galaxy S25.

Merely put, the usual S25 has measly 25W wired charging speeds. The smaller battery means you may get away with decrease wattages to some extent, however third-party testing exhibits that the telephone nonetheless takes roughly 75 minutes to hit a full cost. For a telephone with a 4,000mAh battery! I’m not asking for blazing quick and ridiculous 20-minute charging occasions, however is it actually an excessive amount of to ask for a small telephone that hits 100% in beneath an hour? This case may show to be very awkward later this 12 months as some Galaxy A56 leaks level to Samsung’s prime mid-ranger providing 45W charging speeds — higher than its base flagship by a protracted mile!

Now, I’m not saying that Galaxy telephones don’t have their strengths. These telephones supply incredible replace insurance policies, an unparalleled degree of customization because of Good Lock, and a great deal of useful options. However as somebody who extremely values battery life, charging pace, and the digicam expertise, I need Samsung to step up on this regard so I can think about it for my very own use or suggest it to individuals.