Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review: So close to perfection

The day everyone has been waiting for has arrived: The Galaxy S25 Ultra is here. Unlike its foldable counterparts, this isn't just another attempt at re-wrapping the present just to gift it again for another year.

No, we have slimmer bezels, a redesigned chassis, an improved camera, and all of the AI you could want!

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra looks to revolutionize the way we use our smartphones, in more ways than one. Can it live up to those plans? Or is there something lurking in the shadows that keeps this phone from being the best? Let's find out in our Galaxy S25 Ultra review!

Andrew Myrick

In between figuring out ways to put retro emulators on everything, Andrew thoroughly enjoys exploring what's possible with the world of Android. He's been using Samsung phones on and off since the TouchWiz days, and most of the time, you'll find him using the latest Galaxy flagship phone.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Pricing and availability

Samsung surprised many when it revealed that the price of its flagship smartphone would not increase. The S25 Ultra is available with three different storage configurations, with the 256GB model starting at $1,299. Plus, you won't have to fork up for more RAM, as we have 12GB of memory across the board.

If you opt for picking one of these up from your local carrier or big box store, you'll have four colors to choose from: Titanium Black, Gray, Silverblue, or Whitesilver. And there are three more colors available only through Samsung's online storefront: Titanium Jadegreen, Jetblack, and Pinkgold.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Specs

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design and display

• Samsung sure knows how to nail it when it comes to offering a premium design.
• The display is fantastic too, complete with the anti-glare coating from the S24 Ultra.
• Sadly, Samsung has yet to do anything for those who suffer from PWM.

First things first, I appreciate Samsung updating the design so that it matches up with the other two Galaxy S25 models. Previously, the Ultra model was kind of the odd one of the group, but that's no longer the case across the lineup.

This also means that Samsung continues to face a problem that others face in that there's nothing really special about the design. Sure, it was probably time for the curved edges to go, but all we did is end up back with a rectangular slab of aluminum and glass.

Even still, the S25 Ultra feels great to use, but it's just too slippery to use without a case or skin. The biggest culprit is the matte finish on the frame, offering very little in the way of grip. This isn't a big deal for many, as you probably already have a case picked out, but just keep it in mind if you want to go case-less.

Unfortunately, the magnetic alignment protocol of Qi2 charging isn't built into the phone itself. This means that I can't just use a MagSafe PopSocket to keep my phone in my hand. So instead, you're left relying on either Samsung's own magnetic case or a third-party case.

The redesigned chassis let Samsung make the display 0.1-inches larger than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. So we have a 6.9-inch slab of AMOLED glass staring us in the face all day and night.

The screen looks absolutely stunning, and surprisingly, I didn't immediately switch the color profile to the "natural" tone, as I've enjoyed the pop and punch offered by the S25 Ultra's display. However, there's an asterisk attached to this and virtually any device that uses a Samsung OLED panel.

If you suffer from Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), stay away. While the likes of Honor and OnePlus are implementing features to help combat PWM, Samsung has done nothing of the sort.

Perhaps I wouldn't feel as strongly as I do if I didn't happen to work with someone who has to worry about PWM on phones. But I'm actually thankful for Nick, because, without him, I wouldn't have any idea that PWM is a "thing," let alone being taught about how it affects people.

It would be one thing if Samsung would provide an actual reason as to why it's not working to remedy these issues. That's not the case, and instead, it continues to cut out a portion of its potential client base for reasons we can't explain.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Performance

• The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is more "elite" than the competition.
• With this chip, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is able to offer more AI features that are "on-device."

Unlike previous iterations, the Galaxy S25 Ultra's processor isn't just a rebadge of Qualcomm's latest chip. This time, the two companies worked together in order to develop a custom version worthy of the "For Galaxy" moniker.

Not only will you find improved performance, but there are also AI benefits. Samsung wants to lessen the reliance on cloud AI processing while also provides peace of mind in a time where our data constantly being used to train LLMs.

The majority of people upgrading from the S24 Ultra likely won't notice any difference. But if you're upgrading from anything lesser or older, then it will feel like you have a fresh Windows install on an aging desktop rig.

So what does the "most powerful" Android phone to date feel like in day-to-day usage? Just like every other flagship Galaxy phone. That's not a tongue-in-cheek comment, nor is it meant to be taken as a negative.

Even still, i ran the S25 Ultra through a gauntlet of benchmarks in order to provide some sort of reference point. Here, I noticed a few unexpected oddities.

Of the five Snapdragon 8 Elite phones included above, the S25 Ultra came in first in just one test. In every other benchmarking test, Samsung's latest and greatest is easily outperformed by one, or most, of the competition.

It's unlikely that you would notice much of a difference between the S25 Ultra and the RedMagic 10 Pro, but I can't help but wonder why the results played out this way. Perhaps there was some type of artificial bottleneck, but I've had almost no complaints otherwise.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Battery life and charging

• Battery life is just as good as you'd expect, as the S25 Ultra easily lasts for at least an entire day.
• But we're still stuck with disappointing charging speeds while others are much faster.

One area of improvement has come in the form of battery life. No, Samsung isn't using a bigger battery, and we're still stuck in 2019 with 45W wired charging speeds. But in my time with the S25 Ultra, I've realized that I don't have any battery anxiety, even at the end of the day.

Mind you, I don't keep the most regular hours, waking up between 7 AM and 9 AM, and not going to bed until after 2 AM. Not once did I find myself needing to pop the phone on the charger just to give me a few extra minutes of doom-scrolling social media.

This is what I would expect from a flagship phone, especially if it's said to be 40% more power efficient. However, that's the same song and dance we hear yearly, so it's refreshing to see claims turned into reality.

To put this in perspective, the day I finished writing this review, my day started around 9:30 AM. After going out to take more pictures, along with using the phone as normal, the S25 Ultra still had 26% left at around 11:30 PM. That includes leaving the phone unlocked with the camera app open as I took pictures and recorded videos.

However, if there's one major disappointment, it's that Samsung did nothing to improve charging. Well, technically you can "unlock" the Qi 2.1 protocol, but the only difference is being able to use MagSafe-like accessories.

Which, by the way, I can already do with plenty of third-party cases. And, I'm not limited to just a clear case design either. Worst case scenario, I snag a dbrand skin and a MagSafe ring adapter, and call it a day.

Perhaps things would be different if phones like the OnePlus 13 didn't offer 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. But making the S25 Ultra Q2.1 compliant, while limiting charging speeds, and requiring the use of a first-party case, just feels like a slap in the face.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Cameras

• Samsung introduced just one change to the camera hardware with the S25 Ultra; a 48MP ultrawide lens.
• Shutter lag has also been reduced, resulting in fewer pictures with blurry subjects.
• Despite two of the three sensors being the same, this is still one of the best camera systems on a phone.

The only camera upgrade that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S25 Ultra over its predecessor is a new 50MP ultrawide lens. Last year's model offered a 12MP sensor, which performed well enough but definitely fell flat in certain situations.

As is the case with the 200MP main lens and the 50MP telephoto sensor, you're not actually taking a 50MP ultrawide photograph. Instead, we end up right back at the 12MP "sweet spot" thanks to pixel binning. This allows for more light and detail to be captured, especially handy considering the ultrawide camera doubles as your macro lens.

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That being said, I've never really had a problem with the pictures that I've taken from the best Samsung phones over the years. My problems have stemmed from the slight delay between tapping the "Capture" button and the picture actually being taken.

However, I think Samsung might have solved the problem once and for all. Maybe. There are two pictures that have me feeling conflicted, as the pictures just don't represent a $1,300 phone.

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Other than those two anomalies, I'm almost tempted to leave my trusty Canon 70D behind and just start using the S25 Ultra for all of my photography needs. There's plenty of versatility just in the sheer number of cameras, plus, things like Expert RAW and Camera Assistant give me even more flexibility when snapping shots.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Software and Galaxy AI

• Samsung shipped the Galaxy S25 series with One UI 7, and the One UI 8 beta has already arrived.
• Quite a few design changes were made with One UI 7, but everything still feels familiar.
• Galaxy AI gets supercharged with Google Gemini, offering an even better experience than we could have hoped for.

Even with a few dramatic changes, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and One UI 7 will leave many feeling right at home. The addition of Now Brief along with the redesigned Notification Shade might be jarring. But it's only temporary and not earth-shattering.

UI changes aside, mostly everything about Samsung's software on the Galaxy S25 Ultra works the same. There is one curious exception, as Samsung made the odd decision to basically hide lock screen notifications.

If it weren't for others, I don't know how long it would've taken me to find the fix. But I really wish Samsung would stop making changes to basic features for seemingly no reason. Or at the very least, add a screen during the setup process that you decide.

Now that I know what the problem was and have fixed it, my phone works just as I'd have expected it to out of the box. But here we are again, at another one of those "paper-cuts" that continue to add up and cause frustrations and irritations.

That being said, for as much as I prefer Google's aesthetics, One UI is just too good to pass up. There really aren't many compromises when it comes to what you can make the Galaxy S25 Ultra do.

Plus, Samsung continues to lead the charge when it comes to software updates. Since it's being released with One UI 7 based on Android 15, the S25 Ultra will be officially supported for seven years, until 2032.

The perfect AI for someone else

After praising Now Brief during my first impressions, the "shimmer" is starting to wear off, along with other features Samsung introduced. The problem is that I just don't think this was designed for people like me in mind, at least not yet.

Although my life is busy, it has very little to do with anything outside of the confines of my home. And none of the AI utilities can actually speed things up or take something off of my plate since I practically never leave the house.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that it's completely useless. I'm just saying that for someone like me, and where I'm at currently in life, there's just not much that AI can do to help.

What really drove this point home was Now Brief, with it showing the same few things every day: the weather, my sleep score, upcoming calendar events, and news from topics that I don't care about and can't change. Rinse and repeat for days and weeks, and I've learned that I'm either a background character in The Truman Show or Groundhog Day.

The biggest caveat (for me)

For as great as One UI 7 has been, there's one thing that stopped me from switching my main SIM to the S25 Ultra. It's that the entire experience falls flat as soon as I try to use more than one app at a time.

Although you can split-screen with the S25 Ultra, it's not really an ideal situation. Instead, I immediately want to go back to a foldable phone that doesn't have any of these problems.

The idea of shrinking the Galaxy S25 Ultra's display into two almost 3.5-inch screens just feels archaic. Not to mention that needing to type anything in one of those screens is simply laughable.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: The Competition

Samsung's biggest competition to the Galaxy S25 Ultra doesn't come from Cupertino, and instead hails from Shenzhen. The OnePlus 13 remains one of the staunchest opponents to Samsung's flagship dominance. As Nick says in our review: "The OnePlus 13 is the best Android phone ever made. It's the only phone I've ever given a perfect review score because there's no area where the phone falters or needs real improvement."

Another reason why the OnePlus 13 excels over the S25 Ultra is the price. Despite "only" having three rear cameras, the OnePlus 13 costs a measly $899, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. If you want more RAM or storage, it'll set you back another $100.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is probably the phone that you'll see most compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and for good reason. Both phones sport 6.9-inch displays, powerful camera systems, and steep price tags. However, I'd go so far as to say that the S25 Ultra is the better choice if you want the best AI experience, as Apple has a lot of work to do.

And if the OnePlus 13 or iPhone 16 Pro Max doesn't scratch the photography itch, there's always the Vivo X200 Pro. In his review, Harish Jonnalagadda, Senior Editor of Asia, says "... the X200 Pro has what is arguably one of the strongest camera packages, and the combination of the 50MP main lens and versatile zoom lens gives it a distinct advantage."

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if...

• You want one of the best Android phones of 2025.
• You're already entrenched in Samsung's ecosystem.
• You want to see what Galaxy AI and Gemini can do for you.
• You want an extremely versatile camera system.

You shouldn't buy this if...

• You're on a budget.
• You suffer from PWM.

After realizing my excitement about the Galaxy S25 Ultra, I fully expected to finally move my personal SIM card over. Yet here I stand, months later, and that hasn't happened.

On paper, the S25 Ultra is everything one could want. It has the latest Galaxy AI features that are supercharged by Google Gemini. Now Brief is the perfect idea if you don't have much time but want to quickly catch up on what's happening throughout the day. And I think my prayers about the camera's shutter lag have finally been answered.

If I lived in a vacuum or didn't care about foldable phones, there's a very good chance that the S25 Ultra would be my daily driver. Instead, it will be my main Android phone for the time being, at least until the next foldable phone gets announced, at which point I'll have another decision on my hands.

To answer the question posed, I probably wouldn't upgrade if I already had the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Sure, the improved ultrawide sensor is a nice touch, and the AI features could pay off, but there's just not enough yet that would sway me to do so.

Even still, if it's in your budget range and/or are using a phone from before 2024, then the S25 Ultra is absolutely worth it. Just make sure you do your due diligence and look around at the competition before making the final decision.