Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S24: AI powerhouse or unbeatable value?

You're looking at two of Samsung's best smartphones and trying to work out which one makes sense. The Galaxy S25 brings a faster chip and more advanced Galaxy AI. The Galaxy S24 delivers the same sharp screen, versatile triple camera and smooth performance at a lower refurbished price. Both are strong options. We'll walk you through the key differences so you can pick the one that fits your life.

Both the Galaxy S25 and S24 are Samsung Galaxy AI compatible, so neither phone leaves you without smart features. But the S25 goes further.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip inside the S25 has a more powerful neural processing unit. That means more AI tasks run directly on the phone rather than relying on the cloud. In practice, this makes features like Live Translate, Circle to Search and AI photo summarisation faster and more responsive.

The S24 handles most Galaxy AI features comfortably for everyday use. The difference shows up most when running multiple AI tasks at once or processing larger files. If Galaxy AI is central to how you use your phone, the S25 has a clear edge.

The biggest difference between the two phones is the processor. The S25 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (up to 4.47 GHz), while the S24 uses Samsung's Exynos 2400 (up to 3.20 GHz). Both chips handle day-to-day tasks without issue. The Snapdragon 8 Elite pulls ahead in demanding workloads like gaming, video editing and sustained performance over time.

The S25 also supports WiFi 7 (802.11be), which offers faster wireless speeds if you have a compatible router. The S24 uses WiFi 6E, still quick for most homes.

The S25 is slightly lighter at 162 g compared to 167 g for the S24, and thinner at 7.2 mm vs 7.6 mm. It ships with Android 15 and is set to receive software updates for longer.

If your S24 still feels fast, there is no urgent reason to upgrade. But if you are choosing a phone to last the next four or five years, the S25 is the stronger long-term pick.

Is the Galaxy S24 still worth buying refurbished?

Yes. The S24 has the same 6.2-inch AMOLED display, the same 50 MP triple camera and the same 4000 mAh battery as the S25. It supports Samsung Galaxy AI and handles everyday tasks smoothly. Refurbished, it offers excellent value for money.

What is the biggest difference between the Galaxy S25 and S24?

The processor. The S25 uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is faster and has a stronger AI processing unit. The S24 uses Samsung's Exynos 2400, which is capable but shows behind in demanding workloads and heavy Galaxy AI use.

Does the Galaxy S24 support Samsung Galaxy AI?

Yes. The Galaxy S24 is Samsung Galaxy AI compatible and supports features like Circle to Search, Live Translate and AI photo editing. The S25 processes more AI tasks on-device, but for most everyday Galaxy AI features the S24 performs well.

Which has the better camera, the S25 or S24?

Both phones share the same camera hardware: a 50 MP main lens, 12 MP ultrawide and 10 MP tele lens. The main difference is software processing. The S25 benefits from the Snapdragon 8 Elite's image signal processor, which can produce slightly better results in complex lighting. For most everyday photography, you will not notice the difference.