Samsung Galaxy S25 Challengers: OnePlus 13, iPhone 16, More

Samsung Galaxy S25 Alternatives: Vivo X200, Google Pixel 9, more smartphones to choose from.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Challengers: It might have been overshadowed by the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the surprise announcement of Galaxy Edge at Samsung's recent Galaxy Unpacked event, but the basic Galaxy S25 was no mean device in its own right. It brings some really impressive specs and features to the table, including a 6.2-inch full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display with 120 Hz refresh rate, and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite created for Galaxy,  with 12 GB RAM and up to 512 GB storage. 

In the camera department,  the suffix-less Galaxy S25 bears three cameras on the back -  a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. Another 12-megapixel sensor is present on the front for selfies and video calls. 

The phone comes with stereo speakers and features a 4,000 mAh battery that some might find a bit small in today’s day and age (but then this is a relatively compact phone) which comes with support for 25W charging, something again not up to the new age charging speed. 

There is no charger in the box (only a cable) but the phone runs on Android 15 out of the box based on OneUI7 and comes with seven years of updates as promised by Samsung, and truckloads of AI features, courtesy of the high-profile Galaxy AI. It might be the smallest of the S25 family, but the Galaxy S25 is a tough customer - the sleek device can survive dust and even a spell in the water, thanks to an IP68 rating, and comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on its display, as well as an aluminium frame, all in a quintessentially, understated Samsung design. 

All of this comes with a starting price of Rs 80,999 which opens the doors for some very stiff competition from premium flagships and flagship killers alike.  

Here are five phones that are likely to come in its way:

OnePlus 13: Premium Specs & Style

Price: Rs 69,999 onwards 

OnePlus has been a premium player for a while but even in this segment, it continues to come up with relatively low price tags paired with high-end specs that make its flagship phones a major headache for others. The OnePlus 13 is no different. The phone features a Qualcomm  8 Elite processor, the most powerful smartphone chipset from Qualcomm, and similar to the one on the Galaxy S25. 

This is paired with a huge 6.82-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD+ resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate, stereo speakers, large amounts of RAM and storage (there's even a 24 GB/ 1 TB variant), making the phone a powerhouse, no matter what task you throw its way. In the camera department, there are three 50-megapixel cameras on its back– a main sensor with OIS, a telephoto with 3x zoom and OIS, and an ultrawide sensor, all designed in partnership with Hasselblad, an iconic name in camera space, and equipped with special shooting modes. 

The phone has a huge 6,000 mAh battery which comes with support for whopping 100W fast charging and 50W wireless charging and there is a charger in the box– all of this is a huge spec-up over the Galaxy S25. The phone runs on Android 15 which is topped with the much improved OxygenOS 15. Factor in a much lower price tag, and the OnePlus 13 is the stuff flagship nightmares are made of, and the Galaxy S25 is no exception. 

Vivo X200: The Zeiss Camera Expert 

Price: Rs 65,999 onwards

Recent years have seen Vivo take up long-term membership in the premium segment and one of its latest entrants into this zone is the Vivo X200, which comes with some very impressive specs. It features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2800 x 1260 and 120 Hz refresh rate, and runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 flagship chip, with no shortage of storage and RAM, as well as a pair of very good stereo speakers. 

The real USPs of the phone however, are the three 50-megapixel cameras on its back - a main sensor with OIS, a telephoto with 3x optical zoom and OIS and an ultrawide - made in collaboration with the iconic Zeiss, which make it one of the best snappers in its zone. 

It has a big 5,800 mAh battery with speedy 90W charging support (and a charger). The phone runs on Android 15 out of the box with a layer of FunTouchOS on top and comes with IP68 protection. 

All of this is in an elegant design at a much lower price tag than the Galaxy S25.  

Tough competition, isn't it?

iPhone 16: It IS An iPhone, After All

Price: Rs 74,900 onwards

Tech tradition demands that the suffix-less Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone be pitted against the suffix-less iPhone. 

And this tradition continues, with the iPhone 16 being right in the path of the Galaxy S25. Like the Galaxy S25, the iPhone 16 is a compact phone too, with a 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR display with a Dynamic Island, although it still features a basic refresh rate of 60 Hz.  

It runs on Apple’s own A18 processor, which in a change from recent years, is very similar to the one on its Pro bros. The phone comes with a dual camera set up on the back with a 48 main sensor and 12-megapixel ultrawide with autofocus. 

On the front is a 12-megapixel sensor, which also brings autofocus to the photography table. And of course, it has even got the new Camera Control button and last year's Action button added to its anatomy. 

Wired and wireless charging remain on the slower side when compared to the competition and you still get no charger in the box, but you get the smoothness and assured updates of iOS (now with Apple Intelligence), stereo speakers and an IP68 rating, all in a design that is thankfully different from its predecessor. 

And surprise, surprise, it is priced lower! 

Google Pixel 9: AI Powerhouse

Price: Rs 74,999 

Another phone taking on the Galaxy S25 is the most compact Pixel of them all, the Google Pixel 9.  It comes with a 6.3-inch OLED display with 2424 x 1080 resolution and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and runs on Google’s in-house Tensor G4 chip. 

While the Tensor G4 may not be known for its gaming power, it is designed for Google's AI smarts, which makes it perhaps the biggest rival to the S25 in that department in this list. 

Of course, you also get some stunning photography, delivered by a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS and a 48-megapixel ultrawide in combination with Google’s magical computational photography. 

The phone's 4,700 mAh battery might seem relatively small, and its 27W wired and 15W wireless charging speeds are nothing sensation, and there's no charger in the box either, but this being a Google phone, you get clean Android and preferential access to new features as well as assured updates for an impressive seven-year period. 

All of this is in a very distinct design, thanks to totally changed sides and a redesigned camera bar.

iQoo 13: Flagship Killer Of The Year (Already)

Price: Rs 54,999 onwards

Another device that can be a serious pain in the Galaxy S25’s neck, and frankly, is likely to give painful necks to every flagship to be released this year is the iQoo 13. 

The phone not only looks stunning in a design that comes with an IP68 rating but also comes with an astonishing spec sheet for its price - a 6.82-inch AMOLED display with 3168 x 1440 resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of an impressive 4,500 nits, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, stereo speakers and sackfuls of RAM and storage. 

All of which makes this an absolute powerhouse in terms of gaming and multimedia. It also packs in very good cameras - you get a triple camera set up on the back of the device featuring three 50-megapixel sensors (one main, one telephoto with 2X optical zoom and one ultrawide), and a 32-megapixel selfie sensor in the front. The phone runs on Android 15 out of the box with FunTouchOS on top and has a big 6,000 mAh battery with support for a crazy 120W fast charging. All at a price that is easily the lowest on this list.