One of the most important changes includes Touch Mapping. With it, users will be able to map controller keys to on-screen controls. That means they get to play games like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile using an Xbox or PS5 controller on their Samsung phone or tablet. That's a huge win for gamers who want to play touch-only games with a gamepad.
Touch Mapping in action | Image credit — Samsung
Another major change replaces the existing Game Booster GPU settings. It allows mobile gaming enthusiasts to adjust the CPU and GPU parameters on a per-game basis. This ensures flawless performance optimization. Whether you're prioritizing stable frame rates for action-packed titles or battery life while solving a puzzle, this feature gives you a whole new level of control.
Recommended For You
A preview of the Game Booster+ settings | Image credit — Samsung
Possibly most exciting of all, Game Booster+ lets users fast-forward intro videos on titles. Once the feature is enabled, the introduction video plays more quickly, so gaming can begin faster.
This doesn't sound like a massive upgrade, but speaking from personal experience, sitting through long, repetitive intros has often left me not wanting to play at all. More importantly, the fast-forwarding of intro videos practically can't be found anywhere else, which makes it even more exciting.
Of course, intro videos sometimes act as a "mask" for actual loading time. It's likely that the feature won't get us in the action any faster on those occasions. In any case, it'll be interesting to see how the system handles those transitions.
When can you get it?
All of these exciting gaming-oriented extras have the potential to significantly improve users' mobile gaming experience. However, gamers may have to wait a while to access them, as they're currently exclusively available to One UI 8.5-supporting devices.
At the moment, the One UI 8.5 beta program is only open to the Galaxy S25 lineup in select markets. The software's stable version is expected to roll out alongside the Galaxy S26 announcement, which is getting increasingly likely to land on February 25. A wider One UI 8.5 release will likely come to older devices later this year.
Excited about Game Booster+?
I'll definitely try it as soon as possible.
0%
Maybe, if it becomes available on my Galaxy phone.
100%
I don't play mobile games.
0%
Currently, Galaxy S25 users can join the beta version of One UI 8.5 through the Samsung Members app.
Samsung listens
AI has been a major focus for Samsung over the past few years. But these Game Booster+ features don't feel AI-motivated at all. To me, they show the company is actually listening to its community.
The South Korean tech giant launches premium phones with high-end chipsets, so why not throw in these nice additions so the end user can easily unlock this potential whenever they need it?
Polina Kovalakova, a News and Affiliate Content Writer, has nurtured a passion for mobile technology since the era before smartphones. With a history of exploring a variety of devices, her insights into the mobile world are both broad and nuanced. Polina's non-partisan view extends to appreciating nearly every smartphone brand, a reflection of her open-minded approach to technology. Polina is equally passionate about uncovering the best online deals, tirelessly working to ensure her readers snag top-tier tech at unbeatable prices.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: