Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review: More Power & More AI!

Here’s another flagship everyone keeps talking about, and it’s not just any phone, it’s the Galaxy S25 Ultra. To give you back story, Samsung just dropped their new flagships on January 22, 2025, and yes, you guessed it, the S-series lineup is back in full force. As always, the one that’s stealing all the spotlight is the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Yep, “Ultra” is right there in the name, meaning you can expect some seriously impressive features, a solid build, and upgraded specs in a few areas.

At first glance, though, you might not notice a huge change. The S25 Ultra honestly looks pretty similar to the S24 Ultra. The biggest difference? The sharper corners and flatter display, seems promising, right?. And, if you’re into the curved screens, this might be a bit of a bummer for you.

But hey, there’s still plenty to get excited about – think upgraded Qualcomm chipset, new Galaxy AI features, and a beefed-up camera qualities with AI. And, if you are someone looking to get the best deal like the new Galaxy S25 Ultra, do check out Apple Gadget. So, let’s dive into the review and see what’s really good with the Galaxy S25 Ultra!. Get, set GO!

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: New Key Features

While before diving into the detailed Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review. Here are the short key features of the device:

Features

Upgraded titanium frame provides greater durability

Higher megapixel ultrawide lens camera for crispier photography

More Gemini AI features ensure improved productivity

Newer One UI 7 based on Android 15

Powerful Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite SOC

7 years of software & security updates

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Pros & Cons

Before jumping into the overall Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review, here’s a quick heads up about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s good and bad sites:

Pros:	Cons:
Amazing gaming performance	Same battery power last year, although delivers more than a day’s power.
Gorgeous crispness from display	No headphone jack revival, still the stereo speakers offer great sound.
Useful functions from S-Pen
Reliable battery life for two days in minimum usage.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design & Build

Design & Build

• Flatter design • Greater Titanium Build • Rear camera design changes

New Design

To give you a fresh start, let’s talk about the overall design changes Samsung did this year with the latest Galaxy S25 Ultra. Now it has a boxier shape, with flat edges all around the display, which makes it feel less curved compared to last year’s S24 Ultra. The rear camera looks similar like before, but now you get extra black circles to protect the rear camera lens a bit further.

And just like before, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack again (not surprising at this point). The S Pen is still at the bottom, and you can pop it out with a button press and push it back in easily. Other than that, all the corners is squarish instead of bit curvy like seen before.

Fancy Colors
Now, for the colors – you’ve got some new options this time around. Samsung’s using an upgraded titanium grade material, but Samsung didn’t officially said which titanium grade they are providing . You get “Titanium Silver Blue” and a few new colors in the house. Although other colors like Titanium black, white silver, gray remained the same.

Improved Build
As for the build, the big news here is the new titanium material with grade 5, compared to last year’s model which had 2, which is supposed to give the S25 Ultra better durability and a more premium feel. The titanium doesn’t actually make the phone lighter – it’s still around 232 grams, just 1 gram lighter than the S24 Ultra. 

You also get the same IP68 water resistance as last year, so it’s still good for up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. Plus, the front’s got that upgraded Gorilla Glass Armor to keep the display safe. So yeah, it’s definitely built to last!

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Display

Display

• 6.8’’ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X • 120Hz Refresh Rate • 2600 Peak Brightness • Gorilla Glass Armor • 89% Screen to Body

There’s no significant difference from last year’s model in the display section from Samsung with the new model. While you do get an increased screen to body ratio for around 1.47% increased display size compared to last year’s 88.5% seen on Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Making sure you get greater viewing, you get Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X in that finest 6.8 display. Due to the higher screen to body ratio the cinematic content viewing experience looks really great.

With the Galaxy S25 Ultra, you get more flatter design for the display, and the curved design has already been removed from Galaxy S23, so if you are not following the trend, then now you know. Edge to edge screen gives you that awesome immersive feeling of movie experience. And due to the same old 120Hz refresh you get a smoother interface and gaming power.

Thanks to Samsung’s ultrasonic fingerprint screen you get the fastest biometric log-in for your phone and other applications. For those who are worried about dropping phones, no worries you get a Gorilla Armor glass from Corning, keeping your display safe. Although don’t go hammering on it, scratches and slight drops will save you a bit. 

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Camera

Camera

• Quad-Camera Lenses (200MP+50MP+10MP+12MP) • 8K @30fps Recording | 4K Front • 12MP Front Camera

Here’s the factors every photo lovers have been waiting for, the cameras. To give you an honest response, there’s no major changes, except the ultrawide lens. While you do get better AI photo capture power as well, as Samsung explained in their presentation.

Main Camera
It’s the same old 200MP camera that still rocks that f/1.7 aperture with Quad Pixel PDAF, so the autofocus is even better now. You get faster photo processing, and the results are more reliable and accurate in both day and night shots. Colors are vibrant, and there’s no noise in those bright daylight photos, which is always nice.

Periscope telephoto
Moving on, now’s the time for the periscope telephoto lens, which is the 50MP camera with 5x zoom. Giving you exceptional power compared to most other smartphones in the market right now. As you are getting a better chipset inside with the new S25 Ultra, the details are sharper. With f/3.4 aperture, the results show really good crispness in terms of colors and depth.

Telephoto lens
It is pretty much the same as last year though, still 10MP with an f/2.4 aperture and 3x optical zoom. The colors look great for 3x zoom shots, but once you push it to 10x, the sharpness does start to drop.

Ultrawide lens
Well, the megapixel remained the same with 12MP with the same, so nothing major here either. But the good news is you do have a smaller f/1.9 aperture here, compared to last year’s f/2.2 aperture. For capturing the daylight shots and handles nighttime photos really well, maintaining color accuracy and good lighting in darker environments. Oh, and the ultrawide lens’ aperture has improved a bit too, so you should see even better shots overall.

Recording
For video, you can still shoot in 8K at 24 or 30fps, just like last year. Recording now has better stabilization, so even when you’re zooming in, your footage stays nice and steady. The colors are accurate, and you get sharp shots even when zoomed up to 5x. It’s pretty solid, honestly.

Front camera
When it comes to selfie shooter, again, same thing as before, with 12MP with an f/2.2 aperture, so no changes here either. But with the improved processing power, photos will be faster and more accurate. Plus, you get that cool dual video calling feature, so you can record both the front and back cameras at the same time.

So, yeah, not much has changed in terms of the wide lens, periscope telephoto, or video recording, but the upgrades to the ultrawide lens and faster processing definitely improve the overall experience. And the new AI features for photo editing are a nice touch too!

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Performance

Performance

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) • Up To 16GB RAM • Up To 1TB Storage

Moving on, here’s the major portion Samsung brought development where you can see, because this thing is faster than ever! S25 Ultra comes with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite, and while it’s still built on that 3nm processor, the CPU frequency has been bumped up to 4.47 GHz,  an increased performance for up to 31.85% compared to last year’s chip. And it’s quite a leap, so you’ll definitely notice a smoother experience overall. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite in here, performance is on a whole new level compared to last year’s 8 Gen 3.

Gaming Power
You can become a pro gamer with this new S25 Ultra, I mean literally this phone is a beast. The new Adreno 830 GPU inside is a huge upgrade over last year’s Adreno 750, so you’re looking at some serious gaming power. I tested a few top games, and the results are awesome – PUBG Mobile hits up to 90fps, Call of Duty Mobile runs at around 60fps, and Genshin Impact stays at a solid fps, and it feels realistic to play. Definitely a huge jump for anyone who’s into mobile gaming.

Multimedia
As for multimedia, everything’s pretty much the same as last year. You still get HDR10+ and the amazing AKG audio system for super immersive sound and a great viewing experience with high-res content. It’s awesome for movies and shows, but nothing major has changed here.

Connectivity
When it comes to connectivity, no significant changes, though due to newer chip, you do get faster processing for app browsing, there’s Wi-Fi 7, so you’ll notice faster download and upload speeds, making streaming on Netflix or any other platform smoother than ever. Perfect for those who stream a lot of content.

S-Pen (Stylus)
And of course, the S Pen is still here, even though the Note series is gone. Now, with the flatter display, the precision is even better for taking notes, creating artwork, or controlling your business presentation slides. It’s basically everything you loved about the Note, now in the Ultra lineup.

So yeah, Samsung didn’t mess with the multimedia or connectivity much, but they definitely stepped up the gaming performance and speed with that Snapdragon 8 Elite

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Software & UI

Software & UI

• Android 15 | One UI 7 • Galaxy AI

Even though Android 15 brings its own set of fresh features, like custom app actions and more detailed preview results for users, the real excitement comes from Samsung’s own software updates. With One UI 7, Samsung is introducing some game-changing “Galaxy AI” features, kicking off a whole new era of mobile AI capabilities and actions.

Galaxy AI
 Alright, so this year, Samsung is seriously leveling up with their new “Galaxy AI” features across all their devices. It’s kind of like giving your phone a brain boost, making everything from creativity to productivity way easier. It’s not just about fancy tech, though – it actually helps you get stuff done in smarter ways, making your phone more than just a device, but a true tool for innovation.

One feature that’s pretty cool is “Circle to Search”. It’s like magic – just circle something you see, and boom, all the info you need pops up instantly. It’s honestly so much easier than typing stuff out or searching for it manually.

Then there’s “Live Translate“. If you’re traveling or working across different languages, this makes the device really helpful. It gives you real-time translations, so no more awkward language barrier moments when you’re in another country or doing business internationally.

For staying on top of things, “Note Assist” is here to help you get organized like a pro. Whether you’re quickly jotting down ideas or planning something big, it keeps everything neat and ready for action.

With just a press away, you get the “press to talk” feature. You can launch Google’s new advanced Gemini app and search restaurants, ask about the video summary you are watching instantly, even schedule multiple dates at once, and find the music you are listening to.

Photography lovers will appreciate the “Photo Assist” feature. It makes editing your pictures in just a click– from adjusting stuff in the shot to fine-tuning those details for perfect pics. It’s like giving your photos a makeover without the hassle.

Software Updates

On top of all that, Samsung’s got your back with extended software updates. You’ll get extra 7 years of OS and security updates, keeping you secured and updated in terms of customization and protection against digital scammers. That means your Galaxy S25 Ultra will stay reliable and fresh for a long time, and uses will love this added security for greater usage.

Security Features

If you are wondering if there is any newer security, well Samsung has been providing strong and flagship level security with their Samsung’s Knox. Which is still keeping things locked down tight. Whether you’ve got a flagship or mid-range device, it’s got you covered for privacy and security. So, yeah, your data’s safe with Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Battery Life

Battery & Charging

• 5000mAh Battery • 45W Wired • 15W Wireless Charging

Alright, let’s talk about the battery in this superior phone. So, it still packs the same 5000mAh battery as the previous models. To be frank, after all these years, I really thought that Samsung would have found a way to squeeze in a little more juice, especially since they got rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack. I mean, if they had space for that, why not add a bigger battery, right?

Sure, Samsung promises great battery life due to its improved chipset inside, but in real-world use, it’s the same as before. During battery tests, the phone can get a bit warm, but it still holds up pretty well – like, after few of the newly released series “Squid Game 2”, it still has around 73% charge left, which is good enough for someone like me who watches movies & tv shows most of the time on their devices.

As for charging, you get 45W wired charging with a Type-C cable, but here’s the catch – the cable & charger are still not included in the box anymore. Remember when it used to come with one, those were the days, right? Samsung says you’ll get 55% charge in 30 minutes, but in real experience, most people see about 70% in just under 45 minutes. Wireless charging is the portion where Samsung improved literally, now improved with 15W Qi2.1 instead of last year’s basic 15W Qi. Now, I know this is not a major upgrade, but still thanks to Samsung for making it. , but you’ll need a Qi-certified charger. Plus, there’s 4.5W reverse wireless charging in case you need to lend a little battery to your friends or help out in an emergency.

My question to Samsung, why not give us a better battery when you’ve already removed the headphone jack? The wireless charging is cool, but no major changes otherwise.

Overall Specs

While still understanding all the major details inside the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review, here are the more technical specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra down below:

Galaxy S25 Ultra Specifications	Attributes
Display	6.9‑inch, 1440 x 3120 pixels, 498 PPI, Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits, Always-On Display
Protection & Weight	Corning Gorilla Glass Armor | Titanium Frame (Grade 5) | IP68 Dust Or Water Resistant (Up To 1.5 Meters For 30 Minutes)
Camera (Rear & Front)	Main:  200MP (Wide) | 50MP (Periscope Telephoto) 5x Zoom | 10 MP (Telephoto) 3x Zoom | 50MP (Ultrawide) | Super Steady Video Features: Night mode, Auto-HDR, Panorama, Photo Assist by Galaxy AI Rear Video: 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps Features: Dual Video Calling, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ Front Camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide) Front Video: 4K @30fps/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Platform	OS: Android 15, One UI 7 CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (Up to 4.47GHz) GPU: Adreno 830
RAM & ROM	256GB ROM+12GB RAM, 512GB ROM +12GB RAM, 1TB ROM+12GB RAM, 1TB ROM+16GB RAM | UFS 4.0
Audio & Video	Stereo Speaker | Tuned by AKG | HDR10+ Video Supports
Battery	5000mAh, 45W Wired, 15W Wireless (Qi2.1), 4.5W Reverse Wireless
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Tri-Band, 5G, LTE, Bluetooth 5.3
Features	Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support)Ultra Wideband (UWB) support, Nano-SIM and eSIM/ Dual eSIM or Dual SIM
Colors	Titanium Silver Blue, Titanium Black, Titanium White Silver, Titanium Gray, Titanium Jade Green, Titanium Jet Black, Titanium Pink Gold

Verdict

To give you a long story short, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the hot deal now in the market, and there’s no doubt about that. I mean really, it’s got some solid upgrades, like a new chipset, better aperture ultrawide camera, and 7 years of OS and security updates. 

Plus, the outstanding new Galaxy AI features are super cool for stuff like photo editing and language translation. The Titanium frame and flatter display give it a nice premium feel. But, and here’s the thing—if you’re expecting big changes, not much has shifted from last year’s model. The battery’s still the same, no headphone jack or memory card slot, and there’s no adapter in the box. Oh, and the price is up too.

So, a request to Samsung: maybe focus on more upgrades in the greater battery and the high refresh rate for gamers would be a good place to see some upgrades from Samsung. 

Get the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, if

• You require the best processing power in the latest Samsung device;
• You want a flagship level gaming performance with awesome viewing;
• You need to be productive in note taking with the S-Pen.