Choosing between Apple’s iPhone 16 and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 in 2025 is tough. Both bring flagship features, but they target slightly different audiences. This comparison breaks down their design, display, performance, cameras, battery life, software, and price to help you decide.
1. Design & Build
The iPhone 16 measures 146.9 × 70.5 × 7.8 mm and weighs 162 g. It has a glass front and back with an aluminum frame, protected by Ceramic Shield glass for extra drop resistance. The Galaxy S25 is a bit taller at 147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm but slightly heavier at 170 g, using Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an aluminum frame for a premium feel. Both phones are IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.
2. Display Quality
The iPhone 16 sports a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 1 179 × 2 556 px (461 ppi) and a 60 Hz refresh rate. It peaks at 2 000 nits brightness and supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision. In contrast, the Galaxy S25 offers a slightly larger 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED display at 1 080 × 2 340 px (416 ppi), but boosts the refresh rate to 120 Hz and peaks at 2 600 nits, making scrolling and gaming feel smoother and outdoor visibility even better.
3. Performance & Hardware
Under the hood, the iPhone 16 runs on Apple’s A18 Bionic chip built on a 3 nm process. It pairs with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and NVMe storage options up to 512 GB. Samsung equips the S25 with the Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm), backed by 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage up to 512 GB. Benchmarks show the S25’s CPU cores clock higher at 4.47 GHz, but the A18’s tight hardware-software integration delivers consistently strong performance in real-world use.
4. Camera Systems
Apple retained a dual-camera setup on the iPhone 16: a 48 MP main sensor with sensor-shift OIS plus a 12 MP ultra-wide lens. It excels in video, offering cinematic mode at 4K/30 fps and superior color accuracy under mixed lighting. Samsung’s triple-camera array includes a 50 MP main shooter, 12 MP ultra-wide, and a 10 MP telephoto with 3× optical zoom. The S25 captures more detail in daylight and offers more versatility for distant subjects.
5. Battery & Charging
The iPhone 16 houses a 3 561 mAh battery, delivering up to 16 hours of video playback. It supports 20 W wired charging, MagSafe wireless at 15 W, and Qi2 at 7.5 W. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 steps up with a 4 000 mAh cell, lasting around 18 hours of mixed use, and charges faster at 25 W wired and 15 W wireless. Both devices offer reverse wireless charging, but the S25 refuels accessories slightly quicker.
6. Software & Updates
iPhone 16 runs iOS 18, boasting seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem, five years of OS updates, and regular security patches. The Galaxy S25 ships with Android 15 and Samsung’s One UI 6, promising three major Android upgrades and four years of security updates. If longevity matters, iPhone holds a slight edge, but Samsung’s update promise covers most typical upgrade cycles.
7. Price & Value
At launch, the iPhone 16 (128 GB) starts around $765, while the Galaxy S25 (128 GB) is slightly cheaper at $679. The S25 often sees promotional discounts from carriers, making it a better value if you prioritize display smoothness and camera versatility. The iPhone 16, however, maintains higher resale value and tighter integration with Apple services.
Conclusion
If you want top-tier video performance, longer software support, and seamless access to Apple’s ecosystem, the iPhone 16 shines. If you prefer a smoother display, more RAM, versatile zoom cameras, and faster charging at a lower price, the Galaxy S25 is the smarter pick. Both are excellent choices; your decision hinges on which features matter most in your daily life.