The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has arrived, and at first glance, it might seem like a minor update to the S24 Ultra. However, after spending time with the device, it’s clear that this flagship offers a significantly refined experience. While the S25 Plus felt underwhelming, the S25 Ultra impressed, exceeding my expectations. Its appeal extends beyond the impressive 200MP main sensor, 50MP ultrawide lens, and dual telephoto lenses. This review explores why the Galaxy S25 Ultra is such a compelling smartphone.
Refined Design and Ergonomics
Samsung has been steadily refining the Ultra’s design, making it slimmer and lighter with each iteration. The S25 Ultra is just 0.4mm thinner and 16 grams lighter than its predecessor, but these subtle changes have a significant impact. Previous Ultra models felt somewhat bulky, especially with a case. The S25 Ultra, however, feels noticeably more comfortable and manageable for everyday use, even with a case like the official Kindsuit vegan leather option. While I still prefer the smaller form factor of the S25 Plus, the S25 Ultra offers impressive ergonomics for its size.
Performance and Battery Life: A Winning Combination
Key considerations for any smartphone purchase are battery life, performance, display, and camera. The Galaxy S25 Ultra excels in three of these areas. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, combined with One UI 7 software optimizations, delivers blazing-fast performance. One UI 7 is Samsung’s most polished and responsive software yet, contributing significantly to the smooth user experience.
These optimizations also translate to exceptional battery life. In my testing, the S25 Ultra consistently lasted two days on a single charge with moderate usage. Even with heavy use, including seven or more hours of screen-on time, it comfortably made it through a full day. The S25 Ultra boasts the best battery life of any Samsung phone, easily satisfying even power users. Charging is also rapid, reaching full capacity in about 60-70 minutes. While Qi2 wireless charging is supported, it’s disappointing that a magnetic charging case is required separately, and faster wireless charging speeds would be appreciated.
Camera: Versatile but Facing Stiff Competition
While the S25 Ultra boasts a fantastic display and performance, its camera falls slightly short of the competition, particularly the OnePlus 13 and Oppo Find X8 Pro, especially at higher zoom levels. However, the updated 50MP ultrawide camera offers significantly improved detail compared to the previous 12MP sensor, and the overall quad-camera system is versatile and capable of capturing excellent images in various conditions. The 3x and 5x telephoto lenses perform admirably.
The S25 Ultra’s camera software further enhances its versatility. Samsung’s portrait mode remains the best in the industry, offering a wide array of effects and customization options. The Color Point effect, which highlights the subject in color while rendering the background in grayscale, is a personal favorite. Importantly, these effects can be adjusted even after the photo is taken.
S Pen and Other Drawbacks
While the S Pen remains a powerful tool, the removal of Bluetooth functionality is a significant drawback. Features like Air Actions and remote camera control are now absent. While Samsung claims these features were underutilized, their removal diminishes the S Pen’s overall utility.
Conclusion: A Polished but Predictable Flagship
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a highly refined smartphone, demonstrating the cumulative effect of years of iterative improvements. However, it also highlights a need for more substantial innovation. While it competes with the best phones currently available, future iterations will require more significant advancements to maintain this position. The S25 Ultra is a worthwhile purchase for those seeking a polished and powerful smartphone, but it doesn’t represent a revolutionary leap forward.
