Galaxy S25 Ultra review

What’s New About the Galaxy S25 Ultra Design — Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra takes on a squarer, flatter shape than its predecessor, bringing it visually closer to the rest of the Galaxy S25 family. Samsung managed to slim down the phone and cut its weight to 218 grams, all while keeping the built-in S Pen—a noteworthy feat. That stylus no longer includes Bluetooth, but it remains useful for quick notes and screen annotations.

On the outside, the flat sides and sharp corners give the phone a modern look, but that same angular frame can feel uncomfortable to hold for long stretches without a case. The new silhouette also sheds the last traces of the old Galaxy Note design language, which some longtime fans may miss. Overall, the hardware feels premium and purposeful, even if you’ll likely want a case for everyday comfort. For a broader look at how this phone fits into the Android market, explore our full collection of phone reviews.

A Display That Fights Glare and Looks Gorgeous — Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED display on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of its strongest features. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling, and Samsung added an anti-reflective coating that makes the screen much easier to see outdoors or under bright lights. Colors remain rich and vivid, while blacks are deep—characteristics that make watching video or browsing photos a pleasure. The screen is also slightly larger than last year’s model, yet the phone itself did not grow noticeably in size thanks to slimmer bezels.

Whether you are tapping through apps or watching a movie in sunlight, this display delivers an excellent experience without forcing you to squint. If you are comparing this screen to other flagships, check our phone directory for detailed specs on competing models.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Power and All-Day Battery — Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Under the hood, the Galaxy S25 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip paired with 12GB of RAM. Performance is among the best you will find on any Android phone in 2025, handling demanding games, heavy multitasking, and AI-driven features without stutter. The real highlight is how deeply integrated Galaxy AI has become: the phone can carry out multi-step actions across different apps using a single voice command, like finding a meeting time and sending a message in one go.

While these AI abilities are impressive, they do not always work perfectly on the first try. The 5,000mAh battery delivers long life that easily lasts through a full day of mixed use. Charging is capped at 45W wired and 15W wireless, which match the previous generation. If you are coming from an older Ultra, you will notice speed gains in every task, but the basic charging speeds may feel a bit slow compared to the competition.

The phone also comes with a promise of seven generations of Android OS updates, so it will stay current for years to come.

Smart AI That Works Across Your Apps — Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra blends Galaxy AI, Bixby, and Google Gemini into one system that you can call up by holding the power button. When it works, you can ask it to do things across multiple apps at once, like finding a restaurant and adding it to your calendar, all with a single voice command. This cross-app action is a genuine step forward for phone AI, making it feel more like a helpful assistant than a gimmick.

However, the generative AI does not always deliver perfectly—sometimes the connections between Samsung and Google apps are not smooth, and the results can be hit or miss. Still, when everything clicks, it is smooth and genuinely useful, especially if you already use Samsung wearables like the Galaxy Ring, which can feed data into the AI’s understanding of your habits. For power users who want to get things done faster, this is a compelling feature that sets the S25 Ultra apart from most other phones.

Camera Versatility With Room to Improve — Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The camera system on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is as versatile as ever, with a 200MP main sensor, a new 50MP ultrawide, and dual telephoto lenses offering 3x and 5x optical zoom. The ultrawide in particular takes great photos, and the anti-reflective screen makes framing shots easy even in bright sunlight. Video recording is also strong, with support for 8K at 30fps and HDR10+ Log for more creative control.

However, Samsung still processes photos to look less natural than real life, and you may find yourself editing images to get the look you want. The built-in editing suite is excellent, but it is a shame the camera tuning is not quite right straight out of the box. If you enjoy tweaking your shots, this is not a dealbreaker, but if you want point-and-shoot perfection, it is a small frustration on an otherwise capable camera system.

Is the Galaxy S25 Ultra right for you? — Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Final Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: The Ultimate high-end Android phone?

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a top-tier phone that delivers on speed, screen quality, and AI smarts. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip handles anything you throw at it, the 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED display is bright and anti-reflective, and battery life is long enough to get through a full day of heavy use. The design is sleeker and lighter than before, though the flat edges can feel sharp in the hand—a case is almost a must.

The S Pen is still here, but it no longer has Bluetooth, which may disappoint note-taking fans who used it for remote camera control. At $1,299, it is expensive, but you get seven generations of Android updates and IP68 water resistance. If you want the most capable Android phone and do not mind a few rough edges, this is it. Use our phone finder to see how it stacks up against rivals, or check a side-by-side comparison with the Galaxy S25 Edge.