iPhone 16 vs Samsung Galaxy S25

Camera quality is the most heavily weighted criterion because the camera is the feature most people use every day on their smartphone. This comparison considers photo quality, video recording, low-light performance and zoom versatility.

Both phones score 9/10. The iPhone 16's 48MP main sensor captures excellent detail with natural colour reproduction, and the new Camera Control button provides a physical interface for adjusting camera settings without touching the screen. Where the iPhone truly separates itself is video recording. Cinematic Mode creates professional-looking depth-of-field effects in real time, Action Mode provides gimbal-level stabilisation and the overall video pipeline produces the smoothest, most colour-accurate footage of any smartphone at this price.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 matches the iPhone with its 50MP main sensor that captures slightly more detail in well-lit still photos. The dedicated 10MP 3x telephoto lens is a meaningful advantage, producing sharper zoom shots than the iPhone 16's digital zoom. Samsung's AI-powered photo editing tools, including improved Generative Edit and Object Eraser, add excellent post-capture versatility. Video recording is very good but does not quite match Apple's consistency in colour science and stabilisation.

Performance is rated critical because processing power directly affects how responsive the phone feels during daily use and how long it remains capable as apps become more demanding.

Both phones score 9/10. The iPhone 16's A18 chip and the Galaxy S25's Snapdragon 8 Elite are both exceptional processors representing the current pinnacle of mobile computing. In single-core tasks, which affect everyday app responsiveness, the A18 holds a slight edge. In multi-core and GPU-intensive workloads, such as gaming and video rendering, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is marginally faster. In practical daily use, neither phone feels slow or struggles with any current app or game.

The iPhone 16 maintains a slight advantage in thermal management during prolonged intensive tasks. During extended gaming sessions or video recording, the A18 chip sustains its peak performance more consistently. The Snapdragon 8 Elite has improved significantly over its predecessor but occasionally throttles under sustained heavy load. For most users this difference is imperceptible.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 scores 9/10 for AI features, ahead of the iPhone 16's 8/10. Samsung's enhanced Galaxy AI on the S25 builds on a full year of refinement and user feedback. Real-time call translation supports more languages and works more reliably. Circle to Search has become faster and more accurate. Generative photo editing and smart summarisation tools are deeply integrated throughout the interface.

Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16 is capable and improving rapidly, with writing tools, notification summaries and a more conversational Siri. However, Apple Intelligence remains unavailable in several key markets including the EU at the time of writing. Samsung's Galaxy AI is available globally and offers a broader set of daily-use tools. If on-device AI is important to how you use your phone, the Galaxy S25 currently provides the more complete experience.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 scores 8/10 for battery life, ahead of the iPhone 16's 7/10. The Galaxy S25 has a larger 4,000 mAh battery compared to the iPhone's 3,561 mAh cell, and its adaptive 120Hz LTPO display can drop to lower refresh rates when static content is displayed, conserving energy.

In real-world use, the Galaxy S25 typically delivers 12 to 14 hours of screen-on time, while the iPhone 16 manages 10 to 12 hours. Both phones last a full day for most users, but the Samsung provides a more comfortable margin for heavy users. Charging speeds are similar, with the Galaxy S25 supporting 25W wired charging and the iPhone 16 supporting 20W wired charging. Both support wireless charging via Qi2 and MagSafe respectively.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 scores 9/10 for display quality, leading the iPhone 16's 7/10 in this category. Samsung's 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel runs at 120Hz with adaptive refresh rate, producing noticeably smoother scrolling, animations and gaming. Peak brightness reaches approximately 2,600 nits, making the screen clearly legible in direct sunlight.

The iPhone 16's 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display is sharp and colour-accurate but is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. Apple reserves 120Hz ProMotion for its Pro models, and this omission is increasingly difficult to justify at £799. Once you have used a 120Hz display, the difference is immediately apparent when scrolling web pages or social media feeds. This is the single largest area where the Galaxy S25 clearly surpasses the iPhone 16.

Both phones score 8/10 for value at identical launch prices of £799. The Samsung Galaxy S25 arguably offers more hardware for the money: a 120Hz display, dedicated telephoto lens and 12 GB of RAM compared to the iPhone 16's 60Hz display, no telephoto and 8 GB of RAM. Samsung also includes Galaxy AI features that Apple only matches at the Pro tier.

The iPhone 16 counters with stronger resale value. After two years, iPhones typically retain 50 to 60% of their original value, while Samsung devices retain 35 to 45%. If you plan to keep your phone for its full lifespan rather than selling it, the Samsung offers better raw specifications per pound. If you trade in regularly, the iPhone has a lower total cost of ownership.