Galaxy S25+ vs iPhone SE (2022)

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, released in early 2025, represents a modern Android flagship, offering advanced features and a contemporary design. In contrast, the iPhone SE 2022, launched in March 2022, provides a compact iOS experience with a classic design. The primary differentiators between these two smartphones lie in their display technology, camera systems, and overall form factor, catering to distinct user preferences.

When considering the longevity of a smartphone, both software support and physical durability play crucial roles. These two devices offer different timelines and build philosophies.

• Release Timeline: The Galaxy S25 Plus was released in February 2025, making it a very recent device. The iPhone SE 2022, launched in March 2022, is a few years older and was discontinued in February 2025. This age difference impacts their remaining support cycles.
• Software Longevity: Samsung has committed to an extensive seven years of operating system and security updates for the Galaxy S25 Plus, meaning it is expected to receive updates until approximately 2032. The iPhone SE 2022, while known for Apple's long-term support, is anticipated to receive iOS updates for about five to seven years from its release, likely extending until 2028-2030.
• Physical Durability: The Galaxy S25 Plus features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both its front and back, coupled with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, indicating a robust build. The iPhone SE 2022 also offers durable glass on the front and back with an aluminum frame and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.

Performance is a key aspect for any smartphone, influencing how smoothly applications run and how efficiently daily tasks are handled. Both devices are equipped with powerful internal components for their respective ecosystems.

• Processing Power: The Galaxy S25 Plus incorporates a current-generation processor designed to deliver a significant leap in performance, resulting in smoother animations and enhanced artificial intelligence capabilities. It handles demanding applications and multitasking with notable fluidity. The iPhone SE 2022 is powered by a high-performance chip, providing flagship-level responsiveness within its operating system. Users report it is incredibly fast and capable of handling intensive tasks like 4K video editing and gaming without lag.
• Multitasking and Storage: With 12 GB of RAM, the Galaxy S25 Plus offers substantial capacity for seamless multitasking and managing numerous applications simultaneously. It comes with storage options of 256 GB or 512 GB. The iPhone SE 2022 features 4 GB of RAM, which is optimized for iOS to provide a responsive user experience, and is available with 64 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB of internal storage.
• Battery Behavior: The Galaxy S25 Plus is equipped with a 4900 mAh battery, which users have found to deliver excellent battery life, often lasting through a full day of heavy use. The iPhone SE 2022 has a 2018 mAh battery, which provides decent endurance for moderate use, though heavy users may find themselves needing to recharge before the end of the day.

The display is the primary interface for smartphone interaction, and these two models present significantly different visual experiences.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The Galaxy S25 Plus features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with a sharp 1440x3120 pixel resolution, offering deep blacks and vibrant colors. The iPhone SE 2022 has a smaller 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD with a 1334x750 pixel resolution, which provides clear visuals but is less vibrant compared to OLED technology.
• Brightness and Smoothness: The Galaxy S25 Plus boasts a high peak brightness of 2600 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in bright outdoor conditions, and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate for exceptionally smooth scrolling and animations. The iPhone SE 2022 offers a maximum brightness of 625 nits and a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which is suitable for everyday viewing but does not offer the same level of fluidity.
• Screen Size and Viewing Experience: The larger display of the Galaxy S25 Plus provides an expansive viewing area, enhancing media consumption and multitasking. The iPhone SE 2022's compact screen size and noticeable bezels contribute to a more traditional smartphone aesthetic, which some users find easier for one-handed operation but can feel cramped for content viewing.

Camera capabilities are a significant factor for many users, and these devices offer distinct approaches to mobile photography and videography.

• Rear Camera System: The Galaxy S25 Plus is equipped with a versatile triple camera system, including a 50 MP wide-angle primary camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. This setup allows for a wide range of photographic styles, from expansive landscapes to detailed zoomed-in shots. The iPhone SE 2022 features a single 12 MP wide camera with optical image stabilization.
• Photography Performance: The Galaxy S25 Plus benefits from improved computational software and enhanced photo processing, resulting in fantastic colors and improved image clarity, with crisp low-light photos from its main sensor. The iPhone SE 2022 produces very good images in decent light with good color balance and detail, but it lacks a dedicated Night mode, which can impact low-light performance.
• Video Recording and Audio: Both devices are capable of high-quality video recording. The Galaxy S25 Plus supports 8K video recording at 30 frames per second. The iPhone SE 2022 can record 4K video at up to 60 frames per second. Both phones offer stereo speakers for media consumption, with the iPhone SE 2022 noted for clear audio.