Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review: The Ultimate Android Flagship for 2025?

Milesh Kumar

Publish on: 18 August, 2025

Is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra the ultimate Android phone for 2025? Launched January 22, 2025, it’s a refined beast at ~$999 (256GB, down from $1,299) or ~$1,119 for 512GB during Black Friday 2025, outshining the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (now ~$699). With a titanium frame, 200MP camera, Snapdragon 8 Elite, and S Pen, it’s a productivity and photography champ. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra unlocked supports MetroPCS, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 5G, and Galaxy AI (cross-app actions and Gemini integration) takes it to new heights. Compared to the S24 Ultra, it’s lighter and more ergonomic, but is it worth the upgrade? Let’s break it down.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Design & Build

Materials: Grade 5 titanium frame, Gorilla Armor 2 (front) for 29% better fracture resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (back).
Dimensions & Weight: 6.41 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches, 218 g—lighter and thinner than the S24 Ultra (6.40 x 3.11 x 0.34 inches, 232 g), not as slim as the S25 (7.2 mm).
Durability: IP68 water-resistant (1.5 m fresh water, 30 min), matching the S24 Ultra, and is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra waterproof? queries. Avoid saltwater.
Colors: Titanium Black, Gray, Silverblue, Whitesilver; exclusives (Jade Green, Jet Black, Pink Gold) at Samsung.com.
S Pen: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra pen (non-Bluetooth, no Air Actions unlike the S24 Ultra pen), slots in bottom, great for notes/sketches.
US Availability: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra unlocked (~$999 for 256GB, ~$1,119 for 512GB) at Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Best Buy, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Amazon, and MetroPCS.

Display & Audio

Screen: 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120×1440, 1-120Hz LTPO, 2600 nits—slightly larger than the S24 Ultra (6.8-inch), beats the iPhone 16 Pro Max (2000 nits).
Display Features: Gorilla Armor 2 (anti-reflective), 15% slimmer bezels, HDR10+, ideal for S Pen.
Audio: Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos—crisp but less bass than the Honor Magic 7 Pro. No 3.5mm jack; Bluetooth 5.4 shines.
Performance: Vivid colors, outdoor visibility is ace, but PWM sensitivity is unaddressed, per X posts.

Performance & Software

Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm), ~40% NPU boost, ~1.9M AnTuTu, 3001/9381 Geekbench 6 (single/multi-core)—outpaces S24 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Performance: Crushes gaming, multitasking with 12GB LPDDR5X RAM. Slightly ahead of OnePlus 13.
Storage: 256GB, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 512GB, 1TB (UFS 4.0), no microSD.
Software: One UI 7 (Android 15), 7 years of updates (to Android 22).
Galaxy AI: Cross-app actions (e.g., “add Oscars to calendar, text it”), Gemini integration, Circle to Search—more cohesive than S24 Ultra’s AI. X users love AI but note Now Brief needs polish.
US Connectivity: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra MetroPCS and carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 5G sub-6GHz/mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, NFC, Dual-SIM.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Camera

Main Camera: 200MP (f/1.7, OIS), detailed shots, matches S24 Ultra.
Telephoto 1: 50MP 5x (f/3.4, OIS), sharper than the S24 Ultra’s 5x.
Telephoto 2: 10MP 3x (f/2.4), solid portraits, same as S24 Ultra.
Ultrawide: 50MP (f/1.9, autofocus), an upgrade from the S24 Ultra’s 12MP, excels in low light.
Selfie: 12MP (f/2.2), natural selfies, same as S24 Ultra.
Features: ProVisual Engine, Nightography AI, Generative Edit, 8K 30 fps/4K 120 fps video, Galaxy Log, HDR10+.
Performance: Vibrant daylight shots, improved 5x zoom, 30x digital zoom decent but soft past 10x. Loses to Vivo X200 Pro’s zoom, per reviews. X users note main camera haziness vs. the S24 Ultra.

Battery & Charging

Capacity: 5000 mAh, 6-7 h screen-on-time (gaming, 5G), 1-1.5 days moderate use, similar to S24 Ultra.
Charging: 45W wired (65% in ~30 min), 15W wireless (Samsung Galaxy S25 wireless charging via Qi2 with magnetic case, unlike S24 Ultra’s Qi), 4.5W reverse wireless.
US Note: No Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra charger included; budget $25 for a 45W USB-C charger at Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Amazon.
Performance: Reliable but outdone by Honor Magic 7 Pro (5800 mAh). X posts praise battery but notes Qi2 case dependency.

Samsung Galaxy s25 ultra vs s23 ultra

Feature	Galaxy S23 Ultra (2023)	Galaxy S25 Ultra (2025)
Display	6.8″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ (3088×1440) 120Hz, Gorilla Glass Victus 2	6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ (3088×1440) 120Hz, Gorilla Glass Armor 2, higher peak brightness, less glare
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm)	Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm, faster, AI features)
RAM	8GB (base), 12GB (higher)	12GB (all variants)
Storage	256GB/512GB/1TB	256GB/512GB/1TB
Rear Cameras	200MP (main), 12MP (ultra-wide), 10MP (10x periscope), 10MP (3x telephoto)	200MP (main), 50MP (ultra-wide), 50MP (5x telephoto), 10MP (3x telephoto)
Front Camera	12MP	12MP (improved video/detail)
Battery	5,000mAh	5,000mAh (more efficient chip, better battery life)
Charging	45W wired, 15W wireless (Qi)	45W wired, 25W wireless (Qi2)
Dimensions/Weight	163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm, 234g	162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm, 218g (thinner & lighter)
Build	Aluminum/Titanium, Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Titanium, Gorilla Glass Armor 2
Software	Android 13 (up to 4 years support)	Android 15 (7 years promised support)
WiFi/Bluetooth	WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Check Price	Amazon	Amazon

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Samsung galaxy s25 ultra versus s24 ultra

Feature	Galaxy S24 Ultra (2024)	Galaxy S25 Ultra (2025)
Display	6.8″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ 120Hz, 2,600 nits, Gorilla Glass Armor	6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ 120Hz, >2,800 nits, Gorilla Glass Armor 2, thinner bezels
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4nm)	Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm, faster, more AI)
RAM/Storage	12GB / 256GB, 512GB, 1TB	12GB / 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Rear Cameras	200MP (main), 12MP (ultra-wide), 10MP (3x), 50MP (5x)	200MP (improved), 50MP (ultra-wide upgrade), 10MP (3x), 50MP (5x)
Front Camera	12MP	12MP (improved, especially for video/AI)
Battery	5,000mAh, 45W wired, 15W wireless	5,000mAh, 45W wired, 25W wireless (Qi2 ready), lasts longer
Build/Weight	Titanium frame, Gorilla Glass Armor, 233g, 8.6mm	Titanium frame, Gorilla Glass Armor 2, 218g, 8.2mm, more rounded
S Pen	Yes, with Bluetooth remote	Yes, without Bluetooth remote
Software	Android 14, One UI 6.1, 7 yrs updates	Android 15, One UI 7.0, 7 yrs updates
Extras	WiFi 7, Ultrasonic fingerprint, robust AI features	WiFi 7, better on-device AI, Qi2 wireless, slimmer/lighter
Price (Aug 2025)	~$705 (often discounted) Amazon	~$870+ (new launch; premium price) Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Pros & Cons

Pros:

Stunning 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED with slim bezels.
200MP camera with upgraded 50MP ultrawide.
7 years of updates (to Android 22).
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra pen for productivity.
IP68 titanium build, lighter than the S24 Ultra.

Cons:

• The S Pen loses Bluetooth (no remote shutter vs. the S24 Ultra pen).
No Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra charger included.
Main camera haziness vs. S24 Ultra.
Qi2 requires a case, unlike native MagSafe rivals.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra FAQ

Q: Does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra support 5G on MetroPCS?

A: Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra MetroPCS supports sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G for fast speeds.

Q: Is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra waterproof?

A: It’s IP68 water-resistant (1.5 m fresh water, 30 min), matching the S24 Ultra. Avoid saltwater.

Q: What’s the Black Friday 2025 price for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra unlocked?

A: ~$999 (256GB), ~$1,119 (512GB) at Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Best Buy, Amazon, and MetroPCS.

Q: Does it include a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra charger?

A: No, buy a 45W USB-C charger (~$25) at Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Amazon.

Q: Does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra S Pen Bluetooth work?

A: No Bluetooth support; the S Pen is for notes/sketches, unlike the S24 Ultra pen with remote shutter. A separate Bluetooth S Pen Pro may work, but pairing issues have been reported.