Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review

Samsung's new flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra , while offering smaller and more limited hardware updates compared to its predecessors, houses a whole new world of technology. Its large and immersive screen, more rounded corners than previous models, and slim design elevate the user experience. At its heart is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, delivering ultra-smooth performance and making a difference with its advanced AI-powered software features. Furthermore, much of this AI capability operates locally, providing a faster and more secure experience.

While the starting price tag of $1,299.99 might not make the S25 Ultra accessible to everyone, its high-end hardware, advanced AI software, and S Pen support give it a significant advantage over its competitors. Compared to the Galaxy S25 and S25+ models, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra stands out as one of the best Android phones of 2025. With powerful performance, AI-powered features, and an enhanced display experience, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is ushering in a new era in mobile technology.

Galaxy S25 Ultra Design

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra stands out as the largest and most premium model in the Galaxy S25 series. This year, its design philosophy, which has replaced the sharp, square lines with more rounded corners, takes the device to a different level from previous models. This change elevates the S25 Ultra beyond being merely a successor to the Galaxy Note, making it more aligned with the overall design language of the Galaxy S series. As the only model in the series to offer S Pen support, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is an ideal option, especially for artists, content creators, and users who enjoy taking notes. Thanks to its large screen and precise stylus, it provides a unique experience for digital drawing, note-taking, and productivity-focused tasks. With its innovative design, powerful hardware, and integrated S Pen stylus, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is poised to be one of the most advanced Android phones of 2025.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, with dimensions of 6.41 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches (HWD) and a weight of 7.69 ounces (218 grams), is lighter and thinner than its predecessor, the Galaxy S24 Ultra (6.40 x 3.11 x 0.34 inches, 8.22 ounces). These small differences make the device more ergonomic and comfortable for everyday use. If the large screen and body of the S25 Ultra are too much for you, the Galaxy S25+ might be an ideal alternative. With dimensions of 6.24 x 2.98 x 0.29 inches and a weight of 6.70 ounces (190 grams), it offers the same powerful features while promising a more compact experience.

Compared to competing models like the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, the S25 Ultra's dimensions don't show significant differences. It has similar physical measurements to the iPhone 16 Pro Max (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches, 7.99 ounces) and Pixel 9 Pro XL (6.40 x 3.00 x 0.30 inches, 7.80 ounces). While the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has similar dimensions to its competitors, it stands out with its thinner and lighter design. It remains a premium option for those seeking a large-screen experience.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra stands out as the only model in the series with a titanium frame. Furthermore, it uses next-generation Corning Gorilla Armor 2 glass for its screen. According to Samsung, this glass provides 29% better impact resistance compared to the first-generation Gorilla Armor in the Galaxy S24 Ultra, thus offering stronger protection against drops and cracks. The front glass minimizes glare with its anti-reflective properties, while the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 rear panel enhances durability. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ models come with aluminum frames and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 glass panels, giving the Ultra model a more premium and durable build. With its titanium frame and Gorilla Armor 2 protection, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra offers users superior durability as the most robust Galaxy S series model.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra, like all models in the S25 and S24 series, has an IP68 certification. This certification indicates that the device is resistant to dust and water. According to Samsung, the S25 Ultra can continue to function for 30 minutes in water approximately 1.5 meters (5 feet) deep. IP68 certification is a standard feature for flagship phones in the premium segment, and competing models such as the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL also offer the same level of water and dust resistance. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra provides strong protection against external elements such as liquid spills, rain, or dust in daily use, and can be used safely even in challenging conditions.

The S25 Ultra retains the rear camera design, offering four rounded lenses and a laser focus module. Volume and power buttons are located on the right edge, two microphone holes on the top edge, and the S Pen, speaker, USB-C (v3.2) port, and SIM card slot on the bottom edge. The device lacks a microSD card slot and a headphone jack.

Galaxy S25 Ultra Color Options

The S25 Ultra is offered in four main color options: Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silverblue, and Titanium Whitesilver. Titanium Jadegreen, Titanium Jetblack, and Titanium Pinkgold are available exclusively on Samsung's website. These colors are only visible on the rear glass panel, while the frame is finished in chrome. Only the Titanium Jetblack model has a black frame. The S Pen is designed to match the rear glass color of the device. The lack of options like Titanium Orange and Titanium Violet for those expecting bolder tones might be a drawback.

Galaxy S25 Ultra Security

The S25 Ultra offers the most secure biometric authentication method with its ultrasonic fingerprint sensor integrated under the screen. This sensor, which works quickly and consistently, ensures secure access. The device also has facial recognition unlock, but it's not secure enough for sensitive applications like banking. Considering that Apple and Google have been offering secure facial recognition technologies for years, Samsung is expected to take a step in this direction as well.

Larger and Brighter Screen Design

The S25 Ultra boasts the largest Galaxy S display to date, with a 6.9-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X show. It delivers sharp, fluid, and bright images with a 3,120 x 1,440 pixel resolution, 120Hz variable refresh rate, and a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits. The screen, 0.1 inches larger than its predecessor, has been bezel-less by 15%, meaning the front of the phone is almost entirely screen. While pixel density is slightly lower, overall image quality and fluidity remain the same.

Galaxy S25 Series and its Competitors: Screen Comparison

• Galaxy S25 Ultra: 6.9-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3,120 x 1,440 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, 2,600 nits brightness.
• Galaxy S25+: 6.7-inch screen, same resolution and features as the S25 Ultra.
• Galaxy S25: 6.2-inch screen, 2,340 x 1,080 pixel resolution.
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display, 2,868 x 1,320 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, 2,000 nits brightness.
• Pixel 9 Pro XL: 6.8-inch display, 2,992 x 1,334 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, 3,000 nits brightness.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra offers a strong contender against its rivals with its large screen, high resolution, and 2,600 nits of brightness, but the Pixel 9 Pro XL's 3,000 nits of brightness may be superior in terms of screen visibility.

The S25 Ultra's display delivers a visually stunning experience with sharp details and smooth performance. Ideal for outdoor use, its anti-reflective coating and high brightness ensure a clear image even in sunlight. It effectively blocks ambient light, providing a comfortable viewing experience in all conditions.

S Pen Experience and Compatibility

The S25 Ultra's S Pen offers the same feel and functionality as the previous model, supporting up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The new S Pen is priced at $49.99, but the previous generation Bluetooth-enabled S Pen is not compatible with this model. Therefore, it's not possible to use wireless features like Air Actions with the old pen.

Galaxy S25 Ultra: RAM and Storage Options

All Galaxy S25 models come with 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM, but this doesn't offer a significant increase over the previous generation. Competing models like the Asus ROG Phone 9 (16GB) and RedMagic 10 Pro (24GB) offer higher RAM capacities. In terms of storage, the S25 Ultra offers 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options with fast UFS 4.0 technology. While there's a wide range of storage options for users seeking high storage capacity, the RAM amount is more limited compared to some competitors.

Galaxy S25 Ultra: Battery and Charging Performance

The S25 Ultra features the same 5,000mAh battery as its predecessor and offers 45W wired and 15W wireless charging support. 4.5W reverse wireless charging is also available, but it's quite slow. A charging adapter is not included in the box, so users will need to provide their own.

Battery Performance in Real Use:
According to Samsung: 31 hours of battery life (720p video playback, LTE connection)
In independent tests: YouTube HD video playback time over Wi-Fi at full brightness: 14 hours 15 minutes

• Galaxy S24 Ultra: 14 hours 10 minutes
• Pixel 9 Pro XL : 12 hours 25 minutes
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: 22 hours 5 minutes (Longest battery life)
  
  

The Galaxy S25 Ultra's battery performance is almost identical to its predecessor and lags behind competitors, particularly the iPhone 16 Pro Max. However, Samsung's optimized software and robust battery management deliver a satisfying experience for everyday use.

Superior Performance and Powerful AI Processing

All Galaxy S25 models are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor. While previous "for Galaxy" chips were only overclocked versions, this year Samsung has added a dedicated application processor, enabling the device to perform more AI tasks directly on the phone.

According to Samsung, the new chip:
- 40% more powerful NPU (Neuroprocessing Unit)
- 37% higher CPU performance
- 30% better GPU performance

With a 40% larger vapor chamber compared to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , the S25 Ultra improves heat management, providing sustained performance enhancement. Offering high speed and stability even in the most demanding tasks, the S25 Ultra is poised to be one of the most powerful Android phones of 2025.

Galaxy S25 Ultra: Faster Charging and Qi2 Support

Samsung continues to lag behind its competitors in charging technology. While the S25 Ultra still offers 45W wired charging support, rival brands have moved on to much faster charging solutions such as 80W and 100W. Although the S25 Ultra fully charges 15 minutes faster than its predecessor, it is still slow compared to its competitors. The fact that Samsung hasn't made a significant change in battery capacity further strengthens the expectation that charging speeds will increase.

In terms of wireless charging, the S25 Ultra supports the Qi2 standard, but it doesn't offer a fully integrated system. While Qi2 is a wireless charging standard that provides magnetic alignment similar to Apple's MagSafe technology, Samsung hasn't included magnetic components in the device. Therefore, to get full performance from Qi2-enabled chargers, a magnetic case is required, which means an additional cost.

Galaxy S25 Ultra: Connectivity Technologies and 5G Performance

The S25 Ultra offers the latest technologies in connectivity, providing a fast and seamless experience. The device supports all 5G frequency bands and offers a stronger and more stable internet connection with Wi-Fi 7. Bluetooth 5.3 enhances connection stability with lower energy consumption. It also supports eSIM, allowing the use of a single physical SIM card.

In real-world use, the device's 5G performance is quite good. Tests conducted on T-Mobile's 5G UC network in New York achieved download speeds of 533 Mbps and upload speeds of 59.3 Mbps. In the same test, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, while offering higher download speeds, lagged significantly behind in upload speeds. Similar performance is expected with other major carriers like AT&T and Verizon. In Wi-Fi connectivity tests, the S25 Ultra, while offering higher speeds, lagged behind the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Pixel showed superior performance, especially in download speeds. However, the difference is not significant enough to be noticeable in daily use.

Voice and Call Quality

Samsung continues to improve sound quality on the S25 Ultra. The device's dual speaker system reaches a maximum level of 96.3dB, providing sufficient sound output to comfortably play music in a small room. While the speakers are quite loud, there's an expected limitation in terms of deep bass for phone speakers. For a richer music experience, using a high-quality Bluetooth headset might be a better option.

In terms of call quality, the S25 Ultra performs quite well. During phone calls, the voice is transmitted clearly and intelligibly. Using advanced algorithms to filter background noise, it provides a clear call experience even in crowded environments. Especially in urban use, it effectively suppresses external noise.

Galaxy S25 Ultra: Camera Performance

The S25 Ultra retains the successful camera system of its predecessor, but makes a significant upgrade, especially in the ultra-wide-angle camera. The ultra-wide-angle camera, with its resolution increased from 12MP to 50MP, offers more detail, resulting in a noticeable improvement in both landscape and macro photography. Thanks to the new macro mode, it's possible to better capture surface textures and small details.

The main camera offers high levels of detail with its 200MP resolution and f/1.7 aperture, while the telephoto cameras stand out with their powerful optical zoom capabilities. 3x and 5x optical zoom shots produce sharp and detailed results. However, extreme zoom modes like 100x Space Zoom often appear soft and artificial due to a combination of optical and digital cropping. Portrait mode delivers successful background separation. Portraits taken with the rear camera offer a natural depth effect, while the front camera sometimes over-softens fine details, resulting in inaccurate blurring. However, the algorithm generally performs well in challenging areas such as transparent objects and eyeglass lenses.

Overall, the S25 Ultra offers a top-tier camera experience. Samsung's image processing algorithms are quite successful in terms of color accuracy and dynamic range. However, features like the extremely high resolution and 100x zoom can be considered excessive for everyday use.

Galaxy S25 Ultra: New Smart Features with One UI 7 and Galaxy AI

Samsung is offering the S25 Ultra with Android 15 and the new One UI 7 interface. The company is pursuing an update policy unmatched by any manufacturer other than Google's Pixel series, promising to provide operating system and security updates for the device for seven years. This long-term support is a significant advantage, ensuring the device remains up-to-date for a longer period.

On the AI side, Samsung is adding numerous new features with Galaxy AI. Thanks to Google Gemini integration, it's possible to make smart navigations between different applications. For example, you can find pet-friendly restaurants in a specific city and send them as a message to a friend with just one command. The new Now Brief and Now Bar features make the user experience smarter by displaying weather, calendar events, and news on a single screen. Circle to Search technology allows you to instantly search by selecting any text or image on the screen. A new search feature that analyzes the audio in videos to recognize songs or speech has also been added.

The Gallery app also features AI-powered editing tools. Audio Eraser removes unwanted audio from videos, while Best Face can alter facial expressions in moving photos. Generative Edit can now delete objects and create backgrounds without needing an internet connection. Samsung also offers call summarization on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Conversations recorded during phone calls are analyzed and summarized by AI, highlighting keywords. This feature could be particularly useful for business meetings.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, at the Pinnacle of Android!

The S25 Ultra represents the pinnacle of the Android ecosystem with its powerful hardware, advanced camera systems, and intelligent software features. Samsung's 7-year update support makes the device attractive for long-term use. However, the still slower charging speed and lack of fully integrated Qi2 support might be a drawback for some users. Alternatively, models like the Galaxy S25+ or Pixel 9 Pro XL offer more affordable options. With S Pen support, a large screen, and advanced AI integration, the S25 Ultra remains the best choice for those seeking a premium experience.