From
camera improvements to
RAM upgrades,
color options,
difficult processor choices,
possible launch dates, and of course,
design revisions, there sure have been lots of things rumored about the upcoming
Galaxy S25 family.
But one key detail has largely been avoided by the most prolific leakers and experienced industry pundits out there… until today. This could well make or break
Samsung‘s next big thing(s), especially if the S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra don’t end up looking very different to or bringing many major internal changes over the S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra to the table.
How costly is too costly?
Before sinking my teeth into the latest Korean media report (
translated here), I believe some of you may need a refresher on the
Galaxy S24 series pricing structure back at launch:
- 6.2-inch Galaxy S24 – $799.99 with 128GB storage, $859.99 in 256GB variant;
- 6.7-inch Galaxy S24 Plus – $999.99 in 256GB configuration, $1,119.99 with 512GB storage;
- 6.8-inch Galaxy S24 Ultra – $1,299.99 with 256GB storage, $1,419.99 in 512GB variant.
If that all felt a little steep for you, get ready to pay even more for the
Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra in just a month or two. That’s at least according to unnamed “industry” sources
quoted by Yonhap News over in Samsung’s homeland, who are blaming this expected “slight” price increase on two big things.
The S25 Ultra is likely to be priced a little higher than the S24 Ultra. | Image Credit — Technizo Concept
The first one is the rapidly rising Korean won/US dollar exchange rate, which sounds like it should have no impact on the phones’ prices stateside, while the second one is unfortunately all but guaranteed to affect the entire world. Yes, Samsung is widely expected to use a
Snapdragon 8 Elite processor on all S25 models around the globe, and that next-gen Qualcomm beast is likely to cost significantly more than the
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Exynos 2400 chips inside the S24 family.
Of course, component production costs don’t always have to reflect in a handset’s retail price, but that seems to happen more often than not, and the
Galaxy S25 series is unlikely to prove an exception to the rule. What’s unclear is just how “slight” of a price hike we’re dealing with here, but if you’re interested in my own personal guesstimates (based on history and common sense), here they are:
- 6.2-inch Galaxy S25 – $849.99 with 128GB storage; $899.99 in 256GB variant;
- 6.7-inch Galaxy S25 Plus – $1,049.99 in 256GB variant; $1,159.99 with 512GB storage;
- 6.8-inch Galaxy S25 Ultra – $1,349.99 with 256GB storage; $1,499.99 in 512GB variant.
I know, those price points seem really hard to swallow (especially as far as the S25 Ultra is concerned), but you have to keep in mind that Samsung is expected to upgrade these bad boys’ memory counts pretty much across the board as well. The 512GB Galaxy S25 Ultra, for instance, could pack a whopping 16 gigs of the good stuff, so you should probably not write off Samsung’s chances of turning its next-gen flagships into huge box-office hits just yet.
What about the Galaxy S25 Slim?
Probably the most highly anticipated member of the
S25 family right now is not mentioned in any way in this new Korean media report for a presumably very simple reason. According to multiple different sources, the
Galaxy S25 Slim, which is almost certainly real and yet unlikely to go official under that name, will come out several months after the “normal” S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra.
The S25 Slim is expected to reduce the thickness of the S24 Ultra, lose the stylus, and cost a small fortune. | Image Credit — PhoneArena
When it does, its price tag is already expected to be set at a sky-high level due to its
top-of-the-line camera specifications, so today’s news makes me even more pessimistic about the mainstream potential of this razor-thin and ultra-lightweight monster.
For what it’s worth, ditching the S25 Ultra’s S Pen should help the S25 Slim keep its costs down a little, but if you’re hoping this thing will start below the $1,200 mark, you’re probably in for a rude awakening come March or April 2025.
