iPhone 17 VS Galaxy S25 Ultra: Base Performance VS Flagship Power
Apple introduced four iPhones this year and everyone cannot take their eyes off them. While instead of going for the Pro models, people are actually talking more about the base model this year. Yes, the iPhone 17, how good it is and can compete against its Android competitors.
And among all the competitors Apple has, Samsung’s Galaxy series is the one to fight with Apple head to head. That’s why in today’s blog I will be discussing the iPhone 17 against the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Without waiting any longer, let’s jump right in:
iPhone 17 vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Key Differences
Before jumping into detailed discussions, let’s take a look at a few basic differences that make both of the devices apart.
| iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| 149.6mm Height (Compact) | 162.8mm Height (Larger) |
| 177 grams Weight | 218 grams (Heavier) |
| 6.3 inches Display | 6.9 inches Display (More Screen) |
| 3692mAh Battery | 5000 mAh Battery (Bigger Battery) |
iPhone 17 Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design & Build
| Design & Build | |
| iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| Ceramic Shield 2 | Corning Glass Armor 2 |
| IP68 dust and water resistance | IP68 dust and water resistance |
| Aluminum frame, glass back | Titanium frame, glass back |
A device’s build quality matters a lot as you will hold the device for a long time throughout the day. In terms of Apple’s iPhone 17, you get a compact design with almost 150-ish millimeter height, giving you slightly better to hold in hand. The device is lightweight too, thanks to the aluminum frame. Built quality is as good as it gets, you get a ceramic shield 2 for protecting the front glass and IP68 water resistance to keep it safe from water splashes.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a big device at first glance, why you might ask? Well it’s the largest device in Samsung’s Galaxy S-series lineup, with a height as high as 162.8 millimeters, it’s gigantic. Not an appropriate device for users with smaller hands, because you will feel it uncomfortable to hold for longer hours. While the build quality is solid, there’s titanium frame, making it greater in durability but loses the lightweight battle against iPhone 17 with around 218 grams of weight.
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iPhone 17 Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Display
| Display Differences | |
| iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| 6.3-inch | 6.9-inch |
| LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X |
| 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Up to 3000 peak brightness | Up to 2600 nits peak brightness |
Moving on to the display section, it’s the screen which you will interact with all day. And Apple did improve its base variant this year.
First of all, you get the ProMotion feature for all iPhone 17 series, including the base variant. Meaning no one can call you only 60Hz anymore, why? Because you are getting the fancy 120Hz refresh rate just like the flagship Pro series. There’s also a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display instead of just OLED seen on last year’s iPhone 16. The display is bright too, giving you up to 3000 nits of peak brightness.
In comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has the best display features you can imagine in an android phone. Has a large 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display, which is around .6-inch larger than iPhone 17’s display, giving you better viewing. While the high refresh is just like 120Hz. And in terms of brighter viewing, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is bright enough, giving you around 2600 nits of peak brightness, it’s still not close to iPhone 17’s amazing 3000 nits peak brightness.
iPhone 17 Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Camera
| Camera Comparison | |
| iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| Dual Main Camera (48MP+48MP) | Quad Camera (200MP+50MP+50MP+10MP) |
| 4K Rear Recording | 8K Rear Recording |
| 18MP Front, 4K Recording | 12MP Front, 4K Recording |
Camera portion is where users get most excited about. As it lets you create memories and moments to remember once again.
In terms of the new iPhone 17, you get a dual rear camera lens with 4K capabilities, which is just like last year’s iPhone 16, although Apple did upgrade the ultrawide lens from 12MP to 48MP for this year. There’s also a newly added “Center Stage” feature from Apple, which keeps you in the center during any selfie videos or photos, and whenever someone adds in your camera lens, the camera automatically adjusts the zoom and rotation for better covering.
Front camera has higher megapixels compared to the S25 Ultra, with 18MP ultrawide lens along with 4K recording, just like before for both front and rear cameras.
In comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra literally wins this round with multiple cameras and higher video recording capabilities. There’s four lenses for the rear, with a 200MP wide, a 10MP telephoto, 50MP periscope telephoto and a 50MP ultrawide lens. You also get up to 8K shooting for video, surpassing iPhone 17’s 4K recording. And for the front, there’s a 12MP wide lens with up to 4K recording capability, which is a little less in megapixels but still delivers quality selfies.
iPhone 17 Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Performance
| Performance | |
| iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| Apple A19, Hexa-core | Snapdragon 8 Elite, Octa-core |
| Up to 512GB + 8GB RAM | Up to 1TB + 16GB RAM |
| Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v6.0 | NFC | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4 | NFC |
Let’s talk about performance now about both of these phones. When we take a look at iPhone 17, Apple upgraded the chip from last year’s A18 to this year’s A19. It performs really well against the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Qualcomm processor, giving you as much as 4.26Ghz processing power. There’s also up to 8GB of RAM and up to 516GB of storage to run apps and games smoothly. In the memory section the iPhone 17 is struggling against the Galaxy.
On the other hand, Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with the best chipset of the year, which is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, giving you around 4.47Ghz processing power. There’s also double the RAM and storage compared to iPhone 17, 16GB of RAM and 1TB for Storage. Which is a very good choice for users seeking greater storing and better multitasking.
Read More: How to Identify a Fake iPhone
iPhone 17 Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Software & OS
| UI & OS | |
| iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| iOS 26 | Android 15 | One UI 7 |
| 5-6 Years | 7 Major Android Updates |
| Apple Intelligence | Galaxy AI |
In terms of Software and OS experience, both the devices have their own unique traits. When you look at the iPhone 17, you will be amazed with the new iOS 26 experience. Giving you all new “Liquid Glass”, which provides transparent, glass like elements with dynamic reflections around all over the UI. As for the updates, Apple usually provides five to six years of software updates, hopefully iPhone 17 users will get at least five years of upcoming features.
In comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with the latest One UI 7 and new Galaxy AI features. Gives you instant replies, thanks to Google’s Gemini and intuitive interface all around. One good thing is that Samsung confidently says in their events of giving you at least 7 years of Android updates, which is a relief for users seeking better security and updated features.
iPhone 17 Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra : Battery
| Battery | |
| iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| 3692mAh | 5000mAh |
| Wired, PD3.2, AVS | Supports 45W Fast Charging |
| 25W MagSafe/Qi2 | 15W Qi2 |
| 4.5W reverse wireless | 4.5W reverse wireless |
Lastly, we have battery life to discuss. And in terms of the newly released iPhone 17, you get a 3692mAh capacity in that body, enough power to deliver you all day power. There’s also PD3.2 fast charging support along with 25W MagSafe wireless charging, meaning no more carrying around that power brick for always.
On the other hand, Galaxy S25 Ultra has a larger battery, compared to iPhone 17, just about 1308mAh more. Which is a serious deal for users seeking better battery life. You also have 45W fast charging support, which gives you up to 60% of battery boost in just 30 minutes of time, thank you SAMSUNG!
Overall Specs
Here is both device’s technical information for a better overview of the iPhone 17 specification against the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s specs:
| Specs | iPhone 17 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| Display | 6.3’’ | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | 120Hz | 3000 nits | 6.9’’ | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X | 120Hz | 2600 nits |
| Body | Dimensions: 149.6 x 71.5 x 8 mm, Weight: 177 grams | Dimensions: 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm, Weight: 218 grams |
| Main Camera | 48MP (wide) | 48MP (Ultrawide) | Video: 4K | 200MP (Wide) | 10MP (Telephoto) | 50MP (Periscope Telephoto) | 50MP (Ultrawide) | Video: 8K |
| Front Camera | 18MP (Ultrawide) | Video: 4K | 12MP (Wide) | Video: 4K |
| Processor | Apple A19 (3nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) |
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core |
| Memory | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Audio | Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speaker |
| Battery | 3,692mAh | PD3.2 Wired | 25W MagSafe/Qi2 Wireless | 4.5W reverse wireless | 5,000mAh | 45W Wired | 15W Qi2 | 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 | Bluetooth v6.0 | NFC: Yes | Wi-Fi 7 | Bluetooth v5.4 | NFC: Yes |
| Features | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support (gen2 chip)Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support)Ultra Wideband (UWB) supportCircle to Search |
| Colors | Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender | Titanium Silver Blue, Titanium Black, Titanium White Silver, Titanium Gray, Titanium Jade Green, Titanium Jet Black, Titanium Pink Gold |
Verdict
So that’s about it all guys, now you have a better idea which device to pick, whether it’s the iPhone 17 or Galaxy S25 Ultra. Each of the devices has its own perks, and they will obviously amaze you with their unique features.
If you are already in the Apple ecosystem and require a genuine upgrade from last year without spending like Pro models, then the iPhone 17 is a pretty good deal for this year. On the other hand, if you want a beastly performance and appreciate the Samsung’s very own One UI experience, then the Galaxy S25 Ultra is worth spending your money.
As always, stay tuned to Apple Gadgets blog page to remain updated about latest smartphone and gadgets reviews.
Get the iPhone 17, if:
- You need a best budget offering from iPhone;
- You require an upgrade from last iPhone’s base model;
- You want the smoothness of the newly added ProMotion.
iPhone 17
- Display: Stunning 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED with peak 3000 nits brightness
- Chipset: Apple A19 for smooth multitasking and lightning-fast performance
- Cameras: Dual 48MP wide + ultrawide for sharp photos and cinematic videos
- Selfie: Advanced 18MP with OIS & Dolby Vision HDR recording
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, precise GPS tracking
- Security & Safety: Face ID, UWB gen2, emergency satellite communication
Get the Galaxy S25 Ultra, if:
- You need the bigger battery from a Galaxy device;
- You want the big & gorgeous AMOLED 2X display;
- You require an Android eco system with Samsung’s best UI..
Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G
- Design: Flat design on both sides with a sleek titanium frame
- Display: Large AMOLED with high refresh rate for smooth viewing
- Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite for lightning-fast speed
- AI Features: Personalized AI-driven insights for productivity
- Cameras: Quad camera setup with powerful lenses
- Battery: Large capacity with flash charging for all-day power
Rabbi Rahman enjoys talking about tech, gadgets and especially smartphones. He’s been writing about them for four years . His favorite topic is discussing innovations in devices, engaging in conversations with others who share his passion for technology.
