Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review: The Tables Have Turned!

 

When it comes to flagship smartphones, every year we eagerly anticipate groundbreaking innovations and bold design changes. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, priced at $1,299, has arrived with much fanfare, but does it truly live up to the expectations set by its predecessor and the fierce competition in the smartphone world? I’ve spent considerable time with this device, and after a detailed review, I’m here to share my honest thoughts on what this phone brings to the table—and what it doesn’t.

This article dives into the core of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, analyzing its design, internal hardware, software enhancements, AI features, and overall value proposition. If you’re considering upgrading or just curious about what Samsung’s latest flagship offers, read on to get the full picture.

 

📱 Design: Subtle Changes with a Familiar Feel

Humans are naturally wired to notice visual differences, and it’s easy to look at the Galaxy S25 Ultra and immediately think, “It looks a lot like last year’s S24 Ultra.” At a glance, the design tweaks are indeed subtle. The edges have been made a bit boxier, which some might appreciate for the sharper feel in hand. Interestingly, while the phone appears slightly thicker, it’s actually physically thinner, a neat feat of engineering.

The bezels around the display have been trimmed down, allowing the screen size to inch up from 6.8 inches to a slightly larger 6.9 inches. This gives you a tad more real estate for your apps, media, and gaming without making the phone feel noticeably bigger.

Samsung has also upgraded the front glass to a more durable Gorilla Glass variant, though it’s still glass and should be handled with care. The camera rings on the back are more pronounced than before, giving the device a subtle flair that sets it apart from last year’s model, though this change is more aesthetic than functional.

Overall, these design changes are nice but won’t dramatically alter your daily experience. The phone retains the premium feel and look that Samsung fans have come to expect from the Ultra lineup, but it’s clear Samsung opted for evolutionary rather than revolutionary design this time around.

⚙️ Inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra: The Heart of the Matter

To truly appreciate the Galaxy S25 Ultra, you need to look under the hood. Unlike some recent flagships that have introduced multiple new technologies, Samsung’s latest Ultra model focuses primarily on one major upgrade: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Elite chip.

This chip is a beast. If you watched my review of the OnePlus 13, you’ll recall I highlighted three pillars expected in flagship phones this year: the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, super bright new displays, and silicon carbide batteries. The S25 Ultra only features one of these—the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It lacks IP69 water and dust resistance, doesn’t include the new G2 magnets, and disappointingly, it even downgrades the S Pen functionality, which I’ll discuss later.

Samsung seems to have played it incredibly safe with this phone, essentially taking last year’s award-winning flagship and giving it a spec bump. This cautious approach aligns with Samsung’s position in the US market, where it’s the dominant safe option for many buyers. Unlike brands like Vivo, Xiaomi, and Oppo, which haven’t gained significant traction in the US, Samsung doesn’t face intense pressure to innovate aggressively here.

For many US consumers, especially those purchasing phones through carriers, this status quo means Samsung can continue to deliver incremental updates without risking their market share. It’s a strategy that parallels Apple’s approach in the US market as well.

📱 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – Full Specifications Table

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💡 Alternatives: What Else Is Out There?

If you’re looking for a phone with a brighter display, IP69 certification, better battery life, faster charging, and a significantly lower price, the OnePlus 13 is an excellent alternative. Though it’s not widely available in carrier stores and has some carrier compatibility limitations (for example, it doesn’t work on Verizon and has Wi-Fi calling restrictions on AT&T), it’s a solid choice for those willing to navigate these hurdles.

For camera enthusiasts, the Vivo X200 Pro stands out with its superior camera system. It requires importing and some technical know-how, but it’s a compelling option for those prioritizing photography.

In other words, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra remains a strong contender, the competitive landscape has caught up, and you have more choices than ever before.

🚀 Performance: Speed and Efficiency at the Forefront

Let’s talk performance because this is where the Galaxy S25 Ultra really shines. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Elite chip, the phone is incredibly fast and smooth. Benchmarks show it rivaling Apple’s A18 Pro chip, with slightly lower single-core performance but higher multi-core scores. In everyday use, this translates to fluid navigation, rapid app launches, and seamless multitasking.

Samsung has also paired this chip with a 40% larger vapor chamber for cooling, which effectively keeps the phone from heating up under typical usage. I’ve never experienced the phone getting uncomfortably warm, even during extended sessions.

Another positive is that all international versions of the S25 series now come equipped with this Snapdragon chip, eliminating the Exynos variants that were common in certain regions before. This means consistent performance worldwide, which is a welcome change.

However, it’s important to note that other Android flagships launching over the next 10-11 months will also feature this chip, so performance alone won’t be a unique selling point for the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

🖥️ Software and AI: One UI 7 and Beyond

Samsung’s software experience continues to evolve, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra ships with One UI 7 on top of Android 15. The longer I use it, the more I appreciate the polish and thoughtful touches Samsung has added.

Many of the new features draw inspiration from iOS, but Samsung has adapted them in their own style rather than copying outright. For example, instead of a direct Dynamic Island clone like OnePlus, Samsung introduces a “Now Bar” located near the bottom of the screen. This bar shows ongoing activities such as timers, navigation instructions, or media playback controls. Tapping it expands the bar for more information, making it a convenient and reachable hub for live updates.

The notification shade has been revamped as well. Swiping down from the right brings quick controls, while swiping from the left shows notifications. You can swipe between these two views and even customize which side shows what, offering more flexibility than before.

The lock screen customization has seen a boost too. Holding down on the lock screen lets you play with clock placement, styling, and font weights, with many more styles and options than previous versions. It’s a small but welcome touch for those who like personalizing their phone’s look.

🤖 AI Features: The Good, The Bad, and The Unknown

Samsung has made AI a big part of the Galaxy S25 Ultra experience, but it’s a mixed bag. Some AI features are genuinely impressive. For instance, the object eraser in the Photos app uses AI generative fill to remove unwanted background objects seamlessly. It’s one of the best implementations I’ve seen and works well in everyday scenarios.

The natural language search within settings and the gallery is also a standout. Being able to find buried settings by simply typing or speaking a phrase is a huge time saver. Similarly, finding old photos by describing them works surprisingly well, showcasing the potential of AI-powered search.

Another feature, AI Select, allows quick summarization of text or creating GIFs from videos. While functional, I found it less responsive than I hoped, often lacking context awareness. Personally, I still prefer manual search methods for more precision.

On the downside, the “Daily Briefs” feature feels underwhelming. It shows calendar events, weather, a random news story, and a Spotify playlist, but it’s not truly personalized or AI-driven. I’ve disabled it because it didn’t add meaningful value.

Perhaps the most concerning aspect is the unknown future cost of Samsung’s AI features. Currently, they’re free until the end of 2025, but Samsung hasn’t clarified what happens after that. Will there be a subscription? Pay-per-use? This uncertainty makes it hard to fully commit to relying on these features long-term.

Moreover, while Samsung’s AI assistant, Gemini, can perform complex tasks like adding events to your calendar or fetching sports schedules, it’s not infallible. Occasional errors break the illusion of seamless automation, reminding us that AI still has a way to go before fully earning our trust for bigger responsibilities.

✍️ The S Pen: A Step Backwards?

The S Pen has been a defining feature of Samsung’s Ultra lineup, especially for users who love a precise stylus that fits neatly into the phone. However, this year, Samsung removed Bluetooth functionality from the S Pen. This means you can no longer use it as a remote shutter for the camera or control media playback remotely.

To make things more complicated, the older S Pen with Bluetooth features doesn’t fit in the new phone. Samsung justified this by citing data showing less than 1% of users activated the remote control features. While this rationale makes sense statistically, it feels like a missed opportunity to delight the small group of enthusiasts who do use these features regularly.

If the logic is to remove features rarely used, why keep the stylus at all? The answer lies in the “Ultra” branding: this phone is designed to cram in premium, unique features for power users and creators. Removing the Bluetooth remote diminishes the Ultra experience slightly, signaling that Samsung is prioritizing cost savings and mass appeal over enthusiast features.

📸 Camera Upgrades: Subtle but Worthwhile

The camera setup largely remains unchanged from last year, except for one notable upgrade: the new 50-megapixel ultrawide sensor. This sensor bins down to 12 megapixels but offers sharper corner-to-corner images and better low-light performance thanks to increased light gathering ability.

While many users might not notice this improvement day-to-day, for Ultra users who pay attention to camera details, it’s a valuable enhancement. The rest of the cameras deliver solid performance with fast autofocus and vibrant, sometimes slightly overprocessed images—classic Samsung style.

Overall, the camera system is excellent but not the absolute best in the market. Samsung’s image processing favors punchy colors and brightness, which may not appeal to everyone but remains very capable for most use cases.

🔋 Battery and Charging: Reliable but Not Revolutionary

Battery life on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is impressive. Thanks to the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Elite chip and a larger vapor chamber for cooling, the phone comfortably lasts through a full day with 30-40% battery remaining at the end.

Charging speeds have improved slightly compared to last year, though the difference isn’t dramatic. It’s a welcome upgrade but doesn’t set any new records.

🔧 Hardware and Build Quality: Thoughtful Yet Generic

While the overall hardware feels premium, there’s a subtle sense of genericness this year. However, Samsung did include some thoughtful touches, such as flipping the SIM card tray orientation to prevent accidental poking of the microphone when ejecting the SIM card—a small but appreciated detail.

Both the regular S25 and S25+ models share most of the software and AI features found on the Ultra and also sport the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Elite chip. Priced at $799 and $999 respectively, they may offer better value for most users who don’t need every Ultra-specific feature.

💰 Value Proposition: Who Should Buy the S25 Ultra?

At $1,299, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is undoubtedly a premium device. It’s fast, reliable, and packed with features, but it stops short of being the best in several key areas. The cautious approach Samsung has taken means the phone plays it safe and appeals to the mass market, but it misses the chance to truly push the envelope.

If you’re a power user who values the S Pen experience, the camera improvements, and Samsung’s polished software with AI enhancements, this phone will serve you well. However, if you’re looking for the absolute best display, battery tech, or innovative features, you might want to consider alternatives like the OnePlus 13 or Vivo X200 Pro.

Ultimately, the tables have turned. Where last year the S24 Ultra was the clear choice for a flagship, this year you have more compelling options across the board.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What’s new in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra compared to the S24 Ultra?

The S25 Ultra features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Elite chip, a slightly larger 6.9-inch display with thinner bezels, a more durable Gorilla Glass front, a more pronounced camera ring, and an upgraded 50MP ultrawide camera sensor. However, it lacks IP69 certification, G2 magnets, and has downgraded the S Pen by removing Bluetooth functionality.

Q2: How does the performance of the S25 Ultra compare to other flagship phones?

It’s one of the fastest phones available, with benchmark scores rivaling Apple’s A18 Pro chip. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Elite chip delivers smooth and efficient performance, keeping the phone cool thanks to a larger vapor chamber. However, many other Android flagships will have similar performance over the next year.

Q3: Are the AI features on the Galaxy S25 Ultra worth it?

Some AI features, like the object eraser and natural language search, are excellent and genuinely useful. Others, like the Daily Briefs, feel underwhelming. Additionally, there’s uncertainty about the future cost of AI services beyond 2025, which might affect long-term value.

Q4: Is the removal of Bluetooth from the S Pen a big deal?

For most users, probably not, as less than 1% used the Bluetooth remote features. However, for enthusiasts and creators who rely on the S Pen’s remote shutter and media controls, this is a disappointing downgrade.

Q5: Should I buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra or consider other phones?

If you want a solid, premium Samsung experience with a great display, camera, and software, the S25 Ultra is a strong choice. But if you want brighter displays, better battery tech, or a lower price, phones like the OnePlus 13 or Vivo X200 Pro might be better options.

🔚 Conclusion: A Good Phone, But The Competition Catches Up

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a well-rounded flagship that delivers excellent performance, a refined design, and a mature software experience with some cool AI features. However, it plays it very safe, making only incremental improvements over last year’s model. The removal of certain features, such as Bluetooth from the S Pen, signals a shift towards appealing to the broader market rather than enthusiasts.

At its price point, it’s fair to expect the best in every category, but this phone misses that mark in some areas. The competition has caught up quickly, offering compelling alternatives that might better suit your needs and budget.

For those who prioritize reliability, software polish, and the Samsung ecosystem, the Galaxy S25 Ultra remains an excellent choice. But if you’re looking for innovation and value, the smartphone landscape in 2024 offers plenty of exciting options.