Motorola Signature vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: When flagships collide

Even though Motorola has been making flagship smartphones (primarily under the Razr series) for a while now, the company's efforts have largely been focused on the extremely competitive affordable and mid-range segments. However, it seems like things are finally about to change. In addition to showcasing the Razr Fold, the brand also unveiled the Signature at CES 2026. With these two devices, Motorola seems to have its sights set on market leader Samsung. While the Razr Fold is a book-type foldable targeted at devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Signature is a premium slab-style smartphone that appears to be a worthy competitor to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

As such, comparing the Motorola Signature vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra makes perfect sense, especially if you're planning to buy a flagship Android smartphone that you can use for years to come. So, does Motorola's latest have what it takes to go up against Samsung's greatest? Let's see how these two high-end devices stack up against each other.

Motorola Signature vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Pricing and availability

Having been launched in select regions across Europe at a starting price of €999 (approximately $1,193), the Motorola Signature will also be introduced in Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and a few other key markets across the globe. On the other hand, the base variant of the Galaxy S25 Ultra will cost you around $1,050 (current discounted pricing) if you buy it unlocked through Samsung's online store in the United States.

However, the real issue here is availability. As confirmed to Android Central during the CES 2026 briefing, Motorola has no plans to bring the Signature to the United States. That might change in the future, but as of now, if you're interested in buying the device, you'll have to get it imported.

Motorola Signature vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design, display, and hardware

Great design has always been one of Motorola's key strengths, so it should come as no surprise that the Signature is a real looker. The phone sports an aircraft-grade aluminum frame and measures just 6.9mm in thickness. The back panel gets a fabric-like (twill or linen) finish that not only looks incredible but also makes holding (and using) the device a comfortable experience. The rear camera system is placed inside a rectangular housing that comes with a brushed metal finish, further improving the phone's style quotient.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a bit thicker at 8.2mm and features a titanium frame. Its rear is an all-glass affair (covered with Gorilla Glass Victus 2), which gives the phone a more industrial appearance, while still looking and feeling as premium as you'd expect. The primary camera setup consists of individual lenses arranged vertically, which is in line with Samsung's current design language.

Although the physical footprint of both smartphones is nearly identical, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (218g) is significantly heavier than the Motorola Signature (186g). You also get an IP68 rating with both smartphones, but the Signature takes it a step further with an added IP69 certification (for protection against high-temperature water jets), as well as compliance with military-grade standards of toughness.

Up front, both smartphones have expansive LTPO AMOLED panels that are quite similar yet a bit different. The Signature features a 6.8-inch display that flows ever so slightly into the frame on all four sides. It also features a 165Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of around 6,200 nits.

Conversely, the Galaxy S25 Ultra packs in a flat 6.9-inch screen that comes with an anti-glare coating. You also get a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. Sure, these numbers are lower than those of the Motorola Signature, but the fact that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with the S-Pen stylus more than makes up for it.

While the Signature's screen is secured with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the Galaxy S25 Ultra's display is protected by Gorilla Armor 2.

While the Galaxy S25 Ultra uses the last-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, the Signature packs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset under the hood, which is one of Qualcomm's latest flagship chips, although sitting just below the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Performance between the two phones should be comparable, despite Samsung technically featuring a previous-gen chip.

However, both smartphones come with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of super-fast internal storage. As such, both the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Motorola Signature have it all to hold their own (mostly) against some of the best Android phones available out there.

The two smartphones are also evenly matched in terms of connectivity and I/O features, having everything from Wi-Fi 7 and multi-band 5G support to NFC and USB-C 3.2 (with DisplayPort functionality) thrown into the mix.

Motorola Signature vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Cameras, software, and battery

While the primary camera system of the Galaxy S25 Ultra hasn't changed all too much over the last few generations, it remains a versatile array that can capture incredible photos and videos in almost all kinds of lighting conditions, as noted by Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich in his review.

The Signature features a new rear camera setup with Sony sensors, which should help in overall photo and video quality. Of course, we can't say anything for certain until we put the phone through its paces, but we won't be surprised if the Motorola Signature manages to rank up there against some of the best Android camera phones (a list that already includes the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra) in the market.

Coming to the software experience, this is where things get a bit interesting. The Galaxy S25 Ultra benefits from Samsung's excellent update commitment and will get up to seven years of OS and security updates. Software support has always been Motorola's Achilles' heel, but it seems the brand is finally looking to make improvements in that department, as the Signature is the company's first phone to come with a promise of seven years of OS and security updates.

While that's indeed great, it remains to be seen how the update situation will turn out in reality. As you'd expect in 2026, the software experience on both phones is helped by a laundry list of AI-based features as well.

Although the 5,000mAh battery of the Galaxy S25 Ultra can last through a full day of regular use, the charging speeds (45W wired and 15W wireless) continue to be disappointing. And while the Galaxy S26 series may see Samsung finally getting on board with Silicon-Carbon batteries, Motorola has already done so with the Signature, which has a larger 5,200mAh battery despite its slimmer profile. The charging speeds (90W wired and 50W wireless) are also much faster, even if we can't comment on the real-world battery endurance just yet.

Motorola Signature vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which should you buy?

The Signature is easily Motorola's finest top-tier smartphone to date. Featuring a gorgeous design and top-tier build quality, it looks and feels every bit as superb as a device of its caliber should. The hardware is quite capable of making quick work of whatever you throw at it, and you get everything from speedy charging to years of software support.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a top-of-the-line smartphone that offers almost everything you could possibly want and is going to be relevant for years, even though it's about to get a successor soon. So, the question is, which of these two devices is a better option for you?

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The answer is largely dependent on two factors: pricing and availability. In some markets (e.g., India) where it's been launched, the Motorola Signature is available at a far more affordable price (around $760) as compared to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (about $1,410). If you live in one of those regions and just want a flagship smartphone that doesn't cost a fortune, going for the Signature over the Galaxy S25 Ultra makes all the sense in the world.

Conversely, if you live in the United States, the only way you can get the Signature is by importing it. And even if you do so, you'll have to confirm whether it has the necessary bands to support major wireless operators (both mainstream service providers and MVNO carriers), and you still might end up paying extra. There's a chance that the phone might get launched in the country, but there's no telling when/if that'll happen.

So, unless you really need that super-thin design and are willing to deal with the hassles of importing the phone, we suggest getting the Galaxy S25 Ultra instead. Even if you have to shell out some extra cash, you'll be getting a powerhouse that offers better hardware, full carrier compatibility, stylus support, and much more.