Smartphones
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G: test / review
Published on: 24-04-2024 / Modified: 24-04-2024
I haven't tested an entry-level Samsung since the A21, which was 4 years ago, and 4 years in the world of smartphones is an eternity. I hadn't tested any other entry-level Samsung for lack of time, and I haven't even taken the time to write an article on the Samsung Galaxy S23, which I've been using on a daily basis for a year now. What led me to test this Samsung Galaxy A25 was pure chance. I saw an ad on Facebook for a Galaxy A25 for sale just a few kilometers from my home, and the price was right, so I went and picked it up the very next day. Beyond the opportunity, the timing was quite interesting, as I recently tested two Redmi brand smartphones and I think the comparison is going to be interesting. I did the same thing 4 years ago, and Samsung didn't come out on top... is that still the case today? Let's find out with my test of the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G.
Manufacturer web site:
https://www.samsung.com
Structure of my tests
I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.Price Samsung Galaxy A25
The list below shows the prices for the Samsung Galaxy A25 from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.The above links are affiliate links from companies such as Amazon, Gearbest, Aliexpress,... If you appreciate my work, I would be grateful if you could purchase these products through these links. It costs you absolutely nothing but I get a small commission that allows me to buy the material I test. Thank you very much!
Timeline
April 23, 2024: purchase of the Samsung Galaxy A25 second-hand on Facebook, the test can begin and will probably take 2-3 weeks to complete.Why this phone?
I'm quite fond of testing phones (and other products) in all price ranges. It gives me perspective to analyze products by price. As I wrote in the introduction, I hadn't tested an entry-level Samsung for four years due to lack of time, but I still vividly remember being very disappointed by Samsung. Xiaomi was starting to impose itself on the market with much more interesting phones at a lower price, it was the beginning of the Chinese invasion and 4 years later Xiaomi has become a key player.Samsung has woken up and Xiaomi has gone soft, so we find ourselves at a crossroads between the "old" Korean manufacturer and the Chinese challenger who has decided to take a short break from its infernal conquest. This new Samsung Galaxy A25 is fairly close to the Redmi Note 13 in terms of performance and price, so the comparison is likely to be interesting.
Unpacking
Samsung has made a rather radical choice in terms of their packaging: they no longer supply chargers with their phones, so the box has been reduced to the bare essentials. The box contains the phone, a manual and a needle to open the sim drawer. Xiaomi has not yet made this choice, and at more or less the same price, Xiaomi is clearly more generous than Samsung
I'm not one to advocate keeping chargers in the boxes of all phones, but if it doesn't influence the price, I think it's a bit of a shame.
First configuration
The Samsung's configuration follows the main principles of Android phone configuration, and it is marketed with Android 14 with a Samsung overlay. Nothing new to report here.Finish
The Samsung Galaxy A25 broadly follows the visual identity of other models, with a uniform back and vertical alignment of three photo sensors. The back of this phone is made entirely of plastic with a shiny metallic effect; fingerprints are visible, but not as much as on a reflective surface. Here, Samsung has succeeded in creating a visual identity that makes a Samsung phone immediately recognizable. This is much less the case with Redmi, where the visual style still changes quite often from one model to the next. In the end, it's a matter of taste, but I think Samsung fares a little better than its Chinese rival
The 6.5-inch screen occupies 84% of the phone's front surface, the edges are quite visible, but what struck me most was the presence of a huge teardrop-shaped selfie sensor. This kind of configuration reminds me of phones from 3 or 4 years ago. This obviously doesn't affect the use of the phone, but when I switch from a Redmi Note 13 to a Samsung Galaxy A25, the difference is obvious. The Redmi's screen is bigger and the edges are thinner
In this photo with the screen on, the edges are clearly visible and as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, this screen format reminds me of the phones I was testing 3 or 4 years ago, so Samsung hasn't evolved much in this area
On the bottom edge we find the usual USB type C port, a sound output, a sound sensor and a jack-type audio output. There's no sound output on the top edge, which means either that this phone doesn't play stereo sound or that the headset speaker is used as a secondary speaker. I'll come back to this point in the audio section of this review.
The level of finish on this phone is quite decent, but in this price range, other brands do better.
Specifications
The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone.Not yet available / tested
CPU / GPU Performance
Not yet available / tested
Benchmark Antutu/3DMark
Not yet available / testedGaming
To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone.Not yet available / tested
Network performance
Not yet available / testedSignal 4G (from December 2020)
I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.
To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,...). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them.
Overview of the phones tested with this methodology
Not yet available / tested
Download/Upload speed
To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.
Wifi performance
To test a phone's ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.Wifi signal
Not yet available / tested
Download/Upload speed
To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.
GPS performance
To test the accuracy of the GPS signal, I use two positioning applications to evaluate the difference between the actual position and the position indicated by the phone. This test is done outdoors with nothing to obstruct the signal. An accuracy level of up to 3 meters can easily be corrected by an application (e.g. Google Maps).
Not yet available / tested
Battery range
To test battery life I developed an application that measures the battery level minute by minute until the battery is empty. This application consumes about ten percent of the phone's resources and I do a test with 100 brightness. This test aims to reproduce a contemplative use of a phone (e.g. surfing the internet, reading articles, spending time on social networks). These results are not valid for intensive gaming/streaming use. Not yet available / testedPhoto camera test
To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,...) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.Hardware
Not yet available / testedPhoto quality
Photo quality (indoor/studio)
The studio test is carried out under the same conditions so that the results can be compared on an equal basis. I calibrate my lighting for each test to obtain the same brightness and colour temperature. This test is a preliminary analysis of the technical qualities of a camera. Most phones fail this test, so you should also read the results of the other tests in the following paragraphs.
Not yet available / tested
Photo: technical test
I was inspired by industrial technical tests to create my own technical test to evaluate the technical quality of a camera. This test is an objective assessment of a camera's ability to render a scene correctly.
I test the following elements:
- centre sharpness, peripheral sharpness
- colour fidelity based on 24 reference colours
- level of chromatic aberration
- dynamic range (ability to capture dark and light areas without loss)
- distortion
The technical evaluation may differ from the subjective evaluation as the feeling of a photo will be influenced by the processing provided by each manufacturer.
Not yet available / tested
Outdoor photo quality
Not yet available / tested
Test photo / night
Not yet available / tested
Video quality
Stabilisation
Not yet available / tested
Video normale conditions
Not yet available / tested
Video low light
Not yet available / tested
External audio quality
This test is intended to give you an overview of the volume and sound quality during calls and when listening to music through the external speakers.
Not yet available / tested
Audio quality (headphones)
To test the quality of the phone's audio output, I connect the device's audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone's ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.Not yet available / tested
Screen quality
To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.Colorimetry
Not yet available / tested
Brightness / Contrast
Not yet available / tested
Biometry
Not yet available / testedOperating system
Not yet available / tested
Encoutered bugs
Not yet available / testedAccessories Samsung Galaxy A25
Compare Samsung Galaxy A25 with the others
Test / Review conclusion
Not yet available / tested
Strengths
Not yet available / tested
Weaknesses
Not yet available / tested
Alternatives to this product
Not yet available / tested
Questions/Comments