I tested the two best Android flagship phones of 2025 – and the winner is not so obvious

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OnePlus is ending 2025 with a bang. The OnePlus 15 has arrived early, and it takes on the heavyweights like Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely with out costing a thousand {dollars} (until you configure it with extra storage and RAM). It presents an enormous and shiny show, the most recent Qualcomm flagship processor, an enormous battery, and far more. 

So, ought to anybody purchase the Galaxy S25 Extremely in right this moment’s market? It seems, there are nonetheless a number of causes to spring for Samsung’s flagship, even when OnePlus is the brand new hotness.

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In case you are undecided between the 2 telephones or simply need to examine the most recent OnePlus 15 to the Galaxy S25 Extremely, you are in the precise place. I in contrast the 2 flagships beneath, and this is the one which’ll higher fit your wants.

You should purchase the OnePlus 15 if…

1. You need a extra sturdy telephone

The OnePlus 15 is IP68 and IP69 rated for mud and water resistance, whereas the Galaxy S25 Extremely presents an IP68 score. For the unaware, IP68 is for submersion, whereas the latter is for water jets at temperatures as much as 80°C, making certain the system can face up to much more excessive circumstances. These are extra essential in day-to-day use, due to a display that may face up to water droplets.

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You possibly can’t use a Samsung or Apple telephone’s display in a drizzle or across the pool as a result of the water droplets register faux touches. I could possibly be replying to a textual content message and must wipe off the display constantly to get my message proper. Against this, the OnePlus 15’s show means that you can work together with the display even when it is lined in water droplets. This implies I can change songs within the bathe and textual content a buddy close to a pool with out worrying about water getting contained in the telephone or interfering with my display.

For those who go for the Sand Storm variant, you get a extra sturdy body. Based on OnePlus, this “MAO-treated center body” presents higher sturdiness than different variants — making the OnePlus 15 extra sturdy for every day use than the Galaxy S25 Extremely.

2. You want your telephone to final greater than a day

The OnePlus 15 contains a 7,300mAh battery capability, which reportedly incorporates 15% silicon content material within the anode for enhanced vitality density (in comparison with the trade customary of 10% silicon content material at present in use). By comparability, the Galaxy S25 Extremely sports activities an ageing 5,000mAh battery capability. In my utilization, each these telephones lasted longer than I anticipated, however that is as a result of I saved my expectations low when utilizing the Samsung flagship.

Additionally: Overlook Samsung S25 Extremely: This OnePlus flagship beats the Android big in significant methods

I have been utilizing the OnePlus 15 for per week now. Yesterday, I started my day at 8 a.m. to go to a convention. I used social media apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, captured plenty of photographs utilizing the default Digital camera app, navigated utilizing Maps, and listened to music on Spotify. By supper time, I had 40% battery left on my telephone.

The Galaxy S25 Extremely would not final me by way of the night on days like these with heavy utilization. On the OnePlus 15, I’ve constantly clocked 9 hours of display time and nonetheless had loads of battery left for doomscrolling earlier than mattress. If you need your telephone to simply final you a day and go as much as two days on reasonable utilization, the OnePlus 15 is your greatest wager. And if you end up low on battery, it’s going to additionally cost sooner at 80W, as in comparison with Samsung’s 45W quick charging.

3. $200 in financial savings sounds good to you

The OnePlus 15 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, as in comparison with final yr’s Snapdragon 8 Elite on the Galaxy S25 Extremely. OnePlus has paired it with a 1.5K decision and 165Hz refresh rate-supported show alongside a big vapor cooling system. It’s arguably extra highly effective than the Samsung flagship with out breaking the financial institution.

In case you are keen on cell video games however do not need to spend greater than $1,000 to get essentially the most highly effective flagship telephone available on the market, the OnePlus 15 would serve you properly. It’s priced at $899 for the bottom variant, as in comparison with the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s launch worth of $1,300.

You should purchase the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely if…

1. You need the perfect show on a telephone

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely builds upon the already class-leading Galaxy S24 Extremely show. It added a greater anti-reflective coating to supply a extra color-accurate show. This improves display legibility in each indoor lighting and direct daylight. It is a pleasing display for consuming content material, studying, and searching the online. In truth, the Galaxy S25 Extremely has my favourite show on any smartphone I’ve used to date.

Additionally: Why the Samsung S25 Extremely continues to be my favourite Android telephone this yr – particularly at this worth

Compared, the OnePlus 15 contains a lower-resolution show and lacks an anti-reflective coating. It’s nonetheless large and shiny with narrower bezels, but it surely does not have the identical pleasing-to-look-at expertise. I would love for Samsung to borrow OnePlus’ AquaTouch expertise for higher usability in sure environments. That mentioned, I would choose the Galaxy S25 Extremely over OnePlus’ new flagship telephone for content material consumption any day.

2. An S Pen stylus intrigues you

Samsung has repositioned the S Pen over time — transferring it from the Word lineup to the Galaxy S sequence. It eliminated sure Bluetooth capabilities from the Galaxy S25 this yr. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless wonderful for jotting down fast concepts and notes in your telephone.

For those who desire writing in your telephone’s display, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is the one high-end telephone to supply this function. Bear in mind, you not get options like a distant digicam shutter button, but it surely nonetheless turns out to be useful at conferences. In distinction, the OnePlus 15 lacks this functionality.

3. You need longer software program help

OnePlus is providing 4 years of OS help and 5 years of safety updates with the brand new OnePlus 15. It runs Android 16 out of the field. Compared, the Galaxy S25 Extremely was launched with Android 15-based One UI 7 and acquired its first OS improve a few months in the past.

Additionally: One of the best Samsung telephones of 2025

Regardless of that, it would final you longer than the OnePlus 15 — Samsung presents seven years of OS and safety updates. For those who purchase the Galaxy S25 Extremely proper now, it would final you one yr longer than the OnePlus 15, supplied you are tremendous with the extra time degradation in battery life.

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