Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with significant updates in design, performance, camera, and AI features. However, one of the fan-favorite features, S Pen with Bluetooth connectivity, has unfortunately been removed.

Samsung seems to have finally achieved the golden ratio in the design of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The device now features flat frames with rounded corners. This design change not only improves its appearance but also enhances the grip experience. The durability of the Galaxy S25 Ultra has also been increased. It is now protected by second-generation Gorilla Glass Armor and a Grade 5 titanium frame.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is thinner, narrower, and lighter compared to the S24 Ultra. Thanks to the reduced bezels, it offers a larger 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Like all Galaxy S25 models, the Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which is currently the most powerful processor in the smartphone world.

Although there aren’t major changes in the camera hardware, the ultra-wide camera now offers a 50 MP resolution with an f/1.9 aperture. While the other cameras remain the same as the previous model, improved image signal processing (ISP) capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Elite enhance the photo and video quality.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a 5,000 mAh battery capacity and supports 45W fast charging. It also supports the Qi2 wireless charging standard. Although the S Pen remains part of the device, it no longer offers Bluetooth support, which means features like a remote camera shutter are no longer available.

Design and Display

Samsung has completely revamped the design of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The phone features front and rear panels covered with Gorilla Glass Armor 2 and a Grade 5 titanium frame. This not only makes the device more durable but also gives it a lightweight and stylish appearance.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra sports a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 1440p resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 2,600 nits of brightness. The reduced bezels significantly improve the screen-to-body ratio.

The device is available in four main colors: Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Blue. Additionally, Samsung offers exclusive colors on its website, including Titanium Midnight Black, Titanium Green, and Titanium Pink.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Display Features

The Galaxy S25 Ultra display supports HDR10+ but lacks Dolby Vision support. It has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, offering a broad and immersive viewing experience. Samsung’s second-generation anti-reflection coating improves screen readability in bright light.

The device offers two refresh rate modes: Adaptive and Standard. Adaptive mode adjusts the refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz based on the content, while Standard mode is limited to 60Hz.

Performance and Hardware

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor. Built on a 3nm architecture, this chipset features 2 high-performance cores and 6 efficiency cores. The Adreno 830 GPU delivers top-notch gaming performance and excels in graphics-intensive applications.

Storage and RAM Options

The phone is available with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. It uses UFS 4.0 storage for faster data transfer speeds. In terms of RAM, there are 12GB and 16GB LPDDR5X options, but only the 12GB variant is available in certain regions.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs Android 15-based One UI 7 out of the box. Samsung promises seven years of major Android updates and security patches for this device.

Battery Life and Charging Features

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery and supports 45W wired fast charging, reaching 65% charge in just 30 minutes. For wireless charging, it supports 25W Qi2 standard charging. Reverse wireless charging is available at 4.5W.

Samsung has expanded the charging options for this model. With a 3A cable, you can now achieve a 39W charging power. The charging menu also includes various battery protection modes, allowing you to stop charging at different levels like 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% to extend battery lifespan.

Camera Features

The Galaxy S25 Ultra offers minor improvements in camera hardware. The main camera retains a 200 MP resolution, while the ultra-wide camera now features a 50 MP resolution:

  • 200 MP Main Camera (f/1.7, OIS supported)
  • 10 MP Telephoto Camera (3x optical zoom, OIS supported)
  • 50 MP Telephoto Camera (5x optical zoom, OIS supported)
  • 50 MP Ultra-Wide Camera (f/1.9, autofocus)
  • 12 MP Front Camera (Dual Pixel PDAF)

Daytime Photo Quality

The main camera captures detailed photos with a wide dynamic range and vibrant colors. Portrait mode provides a great depth-of-field effect. The ultra-wide camera now offers more details and improved autofocus.

Night Photo Quality

Night mode reduces noise and improves detail in low-light conditions. However, telephoto cameras may struggle in darker environments. Night mode generally delivers better results in low-light scenarios.

Video Recording Features

The Galaxy S25 Ultra supports 4K 60fps video recording on all cameras, with the main camera offering 8K 30fps recording. Video stabilization is excellent across all modes.

Samsung has also introduced the AI Audio Eraser feature, which helps reduce background noise such as wind, music, or crowd noise in video recordings.

S Pen and Software

The S Pen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra no longer supports Bluetooth, which means features like remote camera control are gone. However, it still functions for note-taking, drawing, and writing on the screen.

The phone runs on Android 15-based One UI 7. Samsung has made significant visual changes in this version. The notification and quick settings menus are now split into two sections, similar to the iPhone layout.

AI Features

The Galaxy S25 Ultra stands out with its powerful AI features. AI Summarize analyzes the content on the screen and provides brief summaries. The Cross-App Action feature allows you to continue tasks started in one app on another app seamlessly.

The Gallery Generative Edit feature lets you remove unwanted objects or add new ones to photos. Personal assistant features like Now Bar and Now Brief help manage your daily plans.

Competitor Comparison

The Galaxy S25 Ultra faces tough competition. The iPhone 16 Pro Max stands out in single-core performance, while Xiaomi and Oppo’s Ultra models excel in low-light photography. However, the S25 Ultra leads in selfie quality and software features.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Stylish and premium design with improved grip
  • S Pen offers productivity advantages
  • Great battery life for its screen size and capacity
  • One UI 7 provides a smooth and enjoyable experience
  • Excellent overall camera performance, especially for selfies
  • Flexible charging options

Cons:

  • No IP69 certification; rivals offer better water resistance
  • Loss of S Pen connectivity features like the remote shutter
  • No Dolby Vision support
  • Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy may show slight performance degradation under extended loads
  • Low-light performance could be better
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