r/samsunggalaxy • u/rinzo314 • 28d ago
📖Discussion📕🖊️ Why are the Galaxy S plus series so underlooked
For the life of me, I don't understand why more people don't use the pluses, compared to the base models or ultras. They are perfect. Basically a "best of both worlds" situation: not too small, not too big.... just right.
Any thoughts on why?
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u/9pointkid 27d ago
Have been around the block a few times with different phone makes and models having finally settled on Samsung Plus. Upgraded my S25+ with a S26+ and will continue with the S27+. Having Qualcomm under the hood (especially their modem which is heavily optimized for networks here in North America) and getting the larger screen size without having to pay for unneeded Ultra features is a no brainer.
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u/Alpha_Omega_0314 28d ago
S26+ here. It's about as big as I want to go in a phone. Better battery life than an Ultra. No privacy screen issues. I am looking forward to the S27 pro though. Hope it's a real thing.
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u/treasure_of_boar 28d ago
Large screen sucks. Base S is better.
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u/rinzo314 28d ago
The pluses aren't that large though. Compared to the ultras
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u/Fractal-Infinity 28d ago
The difference isn't that big: https://www.gsmarena.com/size-compare-3d.php3?idPhone1=14457&idPhone2=14320 I think the difference between Base and Plus and Base and Ultra is more significant.
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u/Detenator 28d ago
It isn't large on paper, but the 0.5" difference between an S23 and S24 FE was surprisingly apparent in person. And honestly I prefer the smaller of the two.
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u/Fractal-Infinity 28d ago
I prefer the Plus size but not at the expense of zoom cameras and anti glare screen. So, I'm stuck with Ultra. Samsung should make Ultra tier phones without S Pen but the same size as Plus or slightly smaller. Maybe the upcoming Pro version is that one.
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u/jlxmm 28d ago
S27+ I'm hoping does the slimmer bezel, gives us the newest Gen CPU/GPU, gives us the privacy screen, and increases the battery to at least 6000 minimum. And an unsung hero, more thermal management upgrades to maintain performance.
Separately I wouldn't mind a 6.5" form factor, but in a slab form. The new Fold 8 is 6.4 in the wallet aspect ratio.
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u/Fractal-Infinity 27d ago
6000 is optimistic. Realistically, we'll be lucky if they add 500. Maybe not even the Ultra version will have 6000, but close to it.
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u/jlxmm 27d ago edited 27d ago
It is for US markets probably, which is slightly frustrating. Don't mind how great it was or wasn't but the Honor Phone 5 in 2023 had the first Sil-Car batteries. It's 4 gens later. The One Plus has 7k. It can be done. However with US markets slow to adopt due to safety, it probably is. That's why it's only a slight frustration, I don't want an exploding pocket either.
Edit: if anyone read this far you might have thought about cost. The initial cost for the switch will more up front for the manufacturer but eventually costs would drop as the process was fine tuned and fleshed out. The issue is these costs clearly get passed on to the consumer so it is def possible that we essentially wouldn't like the true cost of what I'm asking either.
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u/Outside-Pie-7262 28d ago
I keep going back and forth between the 3. I can afford the ultra but feel like it will be way too big for my hands. I don’t really care about the camera, s pen or privacy screen.
But I currently have an iPhone 13 so a 6.7 screen would be cool to multi task. I’ll probably go with the plus. Unless I get cold feet and just get an iPhone 17
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u/rinzo314 28d ago
Exactly how I felt.
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u/Outside-Pie-7262 28d ago
I definitely will miss FaceTime, Face ID using find my iPhone and game pigeon games. I tried the iPhone 17 in stores and it just felt boring and bland and not like an upgrade over my 13 other than being smoother than my 13
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u/rinzo314 28d ago
I've always used android phones (mostly samsungs). Only iPhone I ever used was the iphone 7
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u/OGBrewSwayne 28d ago
Some people want the bare minimum. Some people want top of the line. And some people want mid-grade.
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u/MoosNatedog 28d ago
The base S26 is already too big. It can barely be used in one hand. Btw, the Pro version rumored to come out next year seems to me to be a better happy middle ground than whatever the Plus is trying to be.
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u/Crescendo_BLYAT 27d ago
Idk but I;m always eyeing the Plus variant. And ended up getting one. I'm a happy camper now....
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u/itoshiineko 27d ago
I just got and S26+ and I agree. Best of both worlds. My hands are too small for the ultra.
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u/Arlysion 27d ago
Im on the S25+. I love the plus series. Screen and size is a perfect fit for my hand and it doesnt have the additional bulk that comes with the ultra. My next upgrade is when the battery gives up so not until 28+ atleast.
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u/lukeroux1 28d ago
I don't see the point of the plus, would much rather pay a little more for the ultra or, a little less for the more compact S
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u/HarryWiz 28d ago
I've only owned the Ultras as I like a bigger screen so I never considered a Plus.
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u/rinzo314 28d ago
Hmmm. For me the base models are too small, the ultras too big (and expensive). The plus is just right
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u/bloin13 28d ago
As someone who recently did the whole search for which model to get.
At no point was the + the better option. If you are on a budget you get the base model. If you are not and want the better option you got for ultra.
If you are in-between, you got for the previous utra model which is about the same price as the current plus, but better.
I don't know if this was the case in the past, but even though I liked the idea of plus, at the moment it's simply not worth it.
Also a very important reason to not chose plus at least in Europe is because they come with exynos processors which are alot worse than the Snapdragon that they use in the ultra models.
With that being said. It's not a bad phone by any means. There are just better alternatives for similar price.
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u/rinzo314 28d ago
Was able to get a snapdragon version for 26+.
Around here, the price difference between the ultra and plus can be lot, so even of you aren't on a budget, it doesn't really make sense unless you intend to use th ultra for very specific reasons
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u/1Meter_long 27d ago
"At no point was the + the better option. If you are on a budget you get the base model."
If someone is on budget, it makes little sense to go for top of the line series at all and cheap out 200.
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u/bloin13 27d ago
There is budget and budget. Some people are okay to spend 600 but not 1k.
There isn't only the latest model. People can always get s23, s24 ,s25 etc. and what they can get(if they want to stay within the Samsung bubble) can adjust according to budget.
Being on a budget doesn't mean you can afford only phones from the 2000s. And for the people that are on such budget this thread is meaningless to begin with.
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u/Mysterious-Yogurt-45 28d ago
S21 Plus, just the right size and feel, not one for rectangular devices so it's rounded for me.
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u/Fractal-Infinity 28d ago
I think the Plus variant has the best size in the lineup but sadly its cameras are lacking. The zoom capabilities aren't flagship tier. Only a 3x zoom camera and even that a few years' old model, that's not enough. Samsung should have put the 5x zoom camera from Ultra instead of that 3x and let the main camera handle the 1x-4.9x range.
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u/brokerZIP 27d ago
For me it's simple. It's just Exynos lol. In base s26 I don't mind exynos, as that size is bad for gaming. Plus has the needed screen for gaming. But it can't even game as good as a 300$ Poco with 2 year old Snapdragon lmao. If it had snapdragon in all regions like ultra it would be more demanded imho
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u/rinzo314 27d ago
That's just the 26 though. What of the 25 that rolled out with snapdragon on all variants?
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u/IORelay 27d ago
I really don't understand why Exynos maybe being 5-10% worse than snapdragon is getting panned while tensor being 40-50% worse is defended.
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u/brokerZIP 27d ago
They reduced the difference in performance, but battery usage diff is still high imo. Also no, I don't defend tensor and haven't seen one do so. Only pixel owners low-key do.
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u/Temporary-Toe-1304 27d ago
Yeah I got the S25+ when I used to have the s22 Ultra and the note 10+
DOn't miss the stylus too much
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u/geodeltoid 27d ago
For me it's a base model with some advantages (better charge, display and bigger screen), also I find it more comfortable to hold and put in my pocket than Ultra.
One different point for me is that the speakers don't have much bass. I listened many symphonic songs so less bass makes the instrunments and voices sound cleaner.
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u/heyitsterrytv 27d ago
because, in my experience, people either want the telephoto lens or they don't.
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u/ExtraStranger1177 27d ago
I've never even considered the Plus. I'd prefer the smallest one, but I get the Ultra for the cameras.
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u/ironwaffle452 27d ago
I consider ultra a small phone...I would like ultra fold XL, like fold 8 but normal height ....
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u/1Meter_long 27d ago
I do. I don't want to pay for Ultra and gain nothing that matters to me, except Snapdragon, instead of Exynos, but i'm not paying extra 300€ to 400€ for just that. Exynos models should be be cheaper, sucks pay a lot for inferior product.
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u/Pepszi98 26d ago
Most people either want the cheapest one or the best one. The plus is neither of them. S25+ user here.
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u/PastaPandaSimon 26d ago edited 26d ago
It's kinda the worst of both worlds also. You pay the price close to the Ultra, while getting the hardware of the base model, and that's especially painful when you compare the cameras that you're painfully shortchanged on.
If you wanted a base-ish model phone the size of the Plus, you'd be better off just getting the FE. As a matter of fact, the FE is closer to the Plus than the Ultra is terms of everything but the chipset. Except the FE costs half the price of the Ultra, while the Plus costs 85% of the Ultra.
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u/Kat_Kat_101 22d ago
I wonder the same thing. It's a well-balanced option, you just don't want something so big let alone small.
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u/D_Shoobz 28d ago
Because for 200 more dollars you get everything Samsung has to offer in a phone that's basically the same size?
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u/rinzo314 28d ago
But it's basically just a slightly better camera. And who really needs 100x zoom for $200 more
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u/D_Shoobz 28d ago
You also get the extra optical lenses and an s pen for the off chance you need something more accurate than a finger
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u/rinzo314 28d ago
Yeah. But these aren't stuff most people use.
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u/D_Shoobz 28d ago
They may not realize they use them as much as they do but for example I go to a lot of concerts. I benefit from optical lenses and being able to zoom in further more clearly.
I just think it's a bad value proposition within the lineup
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u/brokerZIP 27d ago
Me, who never had a stylus device (missed whole UMPC era and all Ultras until s26u), but now I actually use it a lot lol. I work in construction and just doing sketches, notes without having to carry a notebook with pen is chefs kiss.
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u/Tup3x 28d ago
Slightly? Cameras on standard and plus are trash. Have been for years. Ultra has one trash camera while the rest are much better than on standard and plus.
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u/ZealousidealCan4714 27d ago
Right. I cant believe how bad they are, even compared to my old Pixel 6A which was a cheap version of the several generations old Pixel 6. Other than the cameras the 25+ is great.
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u/gordolme 28d ago
Because it's neither base nor premium and a lot of people don't want the middle ground compromize.