Smartphone reviewGalaxy S25 Ultra review: The best Samsung can offer, but is it enough?
Smartphone review
Galaxy S25 Ultra review: The best Samsung can offer, but is it enough?
Strong specs, smart AI, and a design that feels a bit too familiar
Top Line
Let’s start with the bottom line: Samsung’s new Galaxy S25 Ultra is both impressive and a bit underwhelming. As has been the trend in recent years with Samsung and its competitors, there are few external changes, with most of the innovations focused on software, particularly AI.
That said, Samsung’s Ultra models have always offered strong specifications and advanced capabilities, leaving little room for dramatic upgrades.
There’s good news even for those who don’t plan to upgrade: many of the new features will be available on older Samsung devices through future software updates.
Prices start at around $1,400 for the 256GB model and go up to $1,800 for the 1TB version.
The most notable innovations are AI-driven, many of which will soon reach older models. A key difference, however, is that the S25 Ultra can perform some AI tasks without a network connection—something previous models can’t do without reception. Still, the upcoming software update raises an important question: is it worth spending so much on a new device? AI can’t answer that—it depends on your budget.
Design and Build: A little thinner, a little lighter
The S25 Ultra closely resembles its predecessor. The screen has grown slightly from 6.8 to 6.9 inches, but the overall body size remains nearly the same—just a bit longer and narrower (by less than a millimeter). It’s thinner and about 14 grams lighter but still large and hefty at around 220 grams. While it doesn’t feel overly heavy, it’s bulky in a pocket.
A subtle design change is the frame: previously sharp corners are now rounded, aligning with Samsung’s design language. It’s subjective, but the rounded look feels more refined.
The device features Gorilla Glass Armor 2 on both sides, described as ceramic glass that resists scratches and reduces reflections. While scratch resistance wasn’t tested, reflections are noticeably reduced—though not entirely eliminated.
Like its predecessors, the S25 Ultra is IP68-rated for water (up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes) and dust resistance, with a titanium frame. Despite being slightly slimmer, there’s still space to house the S Pen.
Hardware: The processor is the only major change
The S25 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite, also used in devices like the OnePlus 13.
Aside from the new processor, hardware changes are minimal. It comes with 12GB of RAM and storage options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. While some devices now offer 16GB of RAM, Samsung’s specs are more than sufficient for most users. The S25 Ultra handles everything with ease, from productivity tasks to gaming.
The display remains excellent with vibrant colors, reduced glare thanks to the new glass, and strong brightness for outdoor use. The speakers deliver impressive sound quality.
Samsung seems cautious with battery design—likely due to the Note 7 incident. The S25 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, easily lasting a full day or more. Charging speeds remain modest at 45W, with a fast charger taking the battery from 15% to 50% in about 20 minutes, and a full charge in an hour.
Software and Interface: Changes that impact older devices too
The S25 Ultra runs Android 15 with Samsung’s One UI 7. The good news? Many new features will roll out to older models via software updates.
While the interface isn’t radically different, there are notable changes:
- Notification and settings split: Instead of swiping twice to access quick settings, swiping from the right now shows notifications, while swiping from the left reveals settings—similar to iOS and Xiaomi’s UI.
- New app view: Open apps are displayed in a carousel with depth instead of a flat layout.
- Now Bar (lock screen): Updates dynamically with relevant content like sports scores, reminders, and app shortcuts.
- Now Brief (home screen): A smart briefing feature that adapts to your daily routine, showing weather, music recommendations, scheduled meetings, and daily summaries.
- Custom emojis: Create personalized emojis directly from the Samsung keyboard using AI prompts.
- Photo and video editing upgrades: Motion Photos can now be converted into boomerangs or slow-motion clips, and you can adjust facial expressions in photos. Video editing allows for separate audio channel adjustments—useful for balancing background noise, music, and speech.
- Samsung’s Bixby assistant has been sidelined in favor of deeper integration with Google’s AI tool, Gemini.
Camera: The long zoom returns
While the camera design looks the same, there are upgrades under the hood:
- Main camera: 200MP sensor
- Telephoto lens: 10MP
- Periscope telephoto: 50MP (upgraded from 12MP in the previous model)
- Ultra-wide lens: 50MP
The results are outstanding in both daylight and low-light conditions. The return of 10x optical zoom—missing in the S24 Ultra, which capped at 5x—is a welcome comeback.
However, the camera app’s redesign isn’t entirely positive. Previously, changing aspect ratios (like 3:4, 9:16, or 1:1) was quick and accessible. Now, this option is buried in a submenu, replaced by a quick toggle for switching between 12, 50, or 200MP modes. While it’s easy to adapt, the change feels unnecessary.
