Baofeng UV-25 vs Baofeng UV-82

The Baofeng UV-25 is the clear winner here. It outperforms the UV-82 across multiple meaningful dimensions while costing less, making this an unusually straightforward choice.

The single most important differentiator is the UV-25's superior transmit power of 10W versus 8W on the UV-82, combined with integrated GPS capability that the UV-82 lacks entirely. The UV-25's higher overall score of 76 versus 67 reflects these genuine advantages. Both radios support CHIRP programming, so that's a wash.

The UV-82's only tangible advantage is a known weight specification of 260 grams, while the UV-25's weight is listed as unknown. This is minor given that both are handheld units in the same general class.

Buy the UV-25 if you want better value, more power output, and location tracking capability. Buy the UV-82 only if you specifically need the documented weight specification for some reason, which is unlikely.

For most users, the UV-25 is the straightforward recommendation. It's cheaper, more powerful, includes GPS, and scores higher overall. Unless you have specific requirements that the UV-82 uniquely meets, go with the UV-25.