Award winner · Smartphones
Samsung Galaxy S25
The Samsung Galaxy S25 meets every expectation of its price class and adds documented durability, scoring 82 of 100 points.
- Award ID
- EPEI-BVA-2026-000019
- Reference price
- €635.05
- Price class
- Premium
- Assessment date
- 2026-07-25
Editorial award
Assessed on our own initiative
The manufacturer was not involved in this assessment, was not contacted about it, and paid nothing for it. The European Product Evaluation Institute selected this product itself and assessed it against the published category benchmark using publicly documented evidence only.
The verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S25 (SM-S931B) scored 82 out of 100 against the Smartphones benchmark for EU models with EU warranty, well clear of the 70-point award threshold. All three mandatory criteria were satisfied and all six expectations for its price class were met without deduction. Six bonus features were awarded. The assessment was carried out on 25 July 2026 against benchmark version [email protected].
The score derives transparently: a base of 70 points, no deduction for unmet expectations, 15 bonus points after the applicable cap (the awarded features total 18 points before capping), and a price-position adjustment of minus three points. Warranty terms could not be substantiated and therefore contributed nothing. The result of 82 points rests entirely on documented evidence; 83 percent of the benchmark's criteria could be assessed against sources.
The verified reference price of €635.05 sits just below the entry point of the premium band. The device was therefore additionally scored against the adjacent upper mid-range class, where it reaches 79 of 100; the award holds under either classification. Price verification rests on two independent sources: the manufacturer's own store at €635.05 and MediaMarkt at €639.00, both recorded on 25 July 2026.
Why it won
Update commitment to 2032
Samsung documents security updates for this model until 31 January 2032 — six years, the lower end of the six-to-seven-year expectation. That satisfies the mandatory requirement for a publicly documented update commitment, covers the class expectation, and earned four bonus points for a commitment above standard class practice.
Equipment above class expectation
The AMOLED panel, IP68 protection, optical image stabilisation and threefold optical zoom rank clearly above the standard positioning of this model, worth four bonus points. The camera is documented at 50, 10 and 12 megapixels; the SIM slot can be run as dual SIM, SIM plus eSIM or dual eSIM.
Documented battery endurance
The datasheet states a minimum of 2,000 charge cycles, well beyond the roughly 1,400 used as the bonus threshold, and the EU energy label records efficiency class B and drop resistance class A, verified at 270 falls. Those three documented durability points contributed eight of the awarded bonus points.
Flagship chipset and panel
The class expectation for a current flagship chipset is met by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, the display expectation by a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X running at 120 Hz with a documented peak brightness of 2,600 nits, above the roughly 2,000 nits the benchmark requires. Qi wireless charging at 15 watts is present.
Price and value
The verified reference price is €635.05, confirmed by the manufacturer's own store and by MediaMarkt at €639.00 on 25 July 2026. That places the device in the premium class, whose band runs from €650 to €900 and which expects a current flagship chipset, an LTPO panel above 2,000 nits, a telephoto camera, wireless charging, a glass and aluminium body with IP68, and six to seven years of updates. All six were met; the price-position component was applied as minus three points.
What the evidence shows
Above-class features
- Equipment clearly above class expectation (e.g. OLED/IP68/OIS in budget, telephoto or LTPO in mid-range)T2
- Update commitment clearly above class expectation (e.g. approx. 6+ years in budget, approx. 7+ years in mid-range)T2
- EU energy label with energy efficiency class A or B (battery runtime per charge), EPREL entry publicly accessibleT2
- Battery lifespan clearly above the EU minimum (approx. 1,400+ charge cycles per energy label/datasheet)T2
- Drop resistance class A on the EU energy label or MIL-STD ruggednessT3
- eSIM in addition to physical dual SIM in budget/mid-rangeT2
Class expectations met
- Current-generation flagship chipsetT2
- LTPO OLED with adaptive refresh rate (up to 120 Hz), peak brightness approx. 2,000 nits or moreT3
- Wireless charging (Qi)T3
- Triple camera with optical telephoto zoomT2
- Glass/aluminium build with IP68 or betterT2
- Update commitment of approx. 6–7 years of OS and security updatesT2
Measured against the published category benchmark: Smartphones (EU models with EU warranty) · 2026.07-5
What to consider
Warranty terms could not be verified from public sources and therefore earned no points; buyers should check the applicable statutory and manufacturer cover themselves. CE and RED conformity was assumed on the basis of documented EU distribution rather than an inspected declaration. 83 percent of the benchmark's criteria could be assessed against sources. The assessment covers documented properties only — not long-term durability, service quality, or subjective judgements of camera tuning and feel.