We use cookies for ads and analytics to support our work. You can accept or reject these non-essential cookies. Cookie policy.
Our full Galaxy S25 Ultra review covers the titanium design, S Pen, Snapdragon 8 Elite speed, 200MP cameras, battery life and Galaxy AI.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is Samsung's most polished big-screen flagship yet, but it is an iterative update rather than a reinvention. After weeks of daily use, here is where it earns its premium price and where it asks you to pay for refinement rather than revolution.
Samsung rounded the corners and slimmed the titanium frame, so the S25 Ultra feels more comfortable in hand than the sharp-edged S24 Ultra despite its larger 6.9-inch panel. At roughly 218g and 8.2mm thick, it stays manageable for a phone this size, and the flat Gorilla Armor 2 glass resists scratches and cuts glare well.
The 6.9-inch QHD+ LTPO AMOLED is the highlight. It hits very high peak brightness for easy outdoor reading, ramps from 1Hz to 120Hz to save power, and the anti-reflective coating makes a real difference in sunlight. Colours are accurate in the natural profile, and HDR content looks superb.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite "for Galaxy" is mildly overclocked and handles everything without hesitation. Heavy games, multi-window multitasking and on-device AI all run smoothly, and thermals are well controlled thanks to a larger vapor chamber. With 12GB of RAM as standard and 256GB of base storage, you will not run short of headroom.
Day to day it is essentially as fast as anything else on Android, and Samsung's seven years of OS and security updates mean it should stay relevant well into the 2030s.
The big change is the new 50MP ultra-wide with autofocus, which finally makes macro shots and wide scenes genuinely sharp. The rest of the system is familiar but excellent.
| Lens | Resolution | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
| Main | 200MP | 1x |
| Ultra-wide | 50MP | 0.6x |
| Telephoto | 10MP | 3x |
| Periscope | 50MP | 5x |
Daylight detail is outstanding, the 5x periscope is a standout for distant subjects, and night shots are clean. Samsung's processing still leans a touch saturated and aggressive on sharpening, but it is among the most versatile camera kits you can buy.
The 5,000mAh battery comfortably lasts a full day and stretches to a day and a half with lighter use. The sticking point is charging: 45W wired is fine but no faster than rivals, and there is still no charger in the box. Wireless charging works as expected but is unremarkable.
One UI is mature, deeply customisable and packed with Galaxy AI features such as live translation, generative photo editing, writing assists and cross-app actions. Some are genuinely useful; many are gimmicks you will try once. None of it is a reason to upgrade on its own, and some advanced AI features depend on cloud processing.
At its launch price the S25 Ultra is a serious investment, and last year's S24 Ultra or a discounted Pixel 9 Pro XL offer most of the experience for less.
The S25 Ultra does not move the needle dramatically, but it remains the most complete Android flagship: a phone that does nearly everything well and a few things better than anyone else.
For most S24 Ultra owners, no. The improvements are incremental, focused on a slimmer titanium design, a new 50MP ultra-wide camera and faster chip, so the gains rarely justify the cost.
Yes, the S Pen still slots into the body and writes smoothly. However, Samsung removed its Bluetooth air-gesture features, so remote shutter and gesture controls are gone.
It is among the most versatile camera systems on any phone, with a 200MP main sensor, a sharp new 50MP ultra-wide and a standout 5x periscope zoom. Processing leans slightly saturated but detail is excellent.
It uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite "for Galaxy," a mildly overclocked version of Qualcomm's flagship chip. It handles gaming, multitasking and on-device AI without any slowdown.
The 5,000mAh battery comfortably lasts a full day of heavy use and up to a day and a half with lighter use. Charging tops out at 45W wired, which is good but not class-leading.
Samsung promises seven years of OS and security updates, meaning the phone should stay current and secure well into the 2030s.
Share quick feedback - it's anonymous and separate from comments.
Comments
No comments yet - be the first to share your thoughts.
Leave a comment