The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra marks a significant shift in Samsung's smartphone evolution. While it introduces substantial design, performance, camera, and AI enhancements, it also controversially removes a beloved S-Pen feature: Bluetooth connectivity. This means no more remote camera shutter or air gestures, a decision that is bound to stir mixed reactions. However, beyond this loss, the S25 Ultra shines with its premium build, powerful chipset, and refined design. Let's take a deep dive into what makes the Galaxy S25 Ultra the flagship to beat—or not.
Samsung has struck gold with the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s new design. The phone features a flat frame with rounded corners, an improvement that enhances both aesthetics and handling comfort. Gone is the sharp-edged titanium frame of the S24 Ultra, replaced with a more refined and comfortable grip.
The S25 Ultra is thinner, narrower, and lighter than its predecessor, despite packing a larger 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with 1440p resolution. This was made possible by Samsung shrinking the bezels, offering users more display without increasing the device’s footprint. The phone’s front and back panels are now protected by Gorilla Glass Armor 2, a second-generation material that boasts improved drop resistance and better anti-reflective properties. The titanium frame is also upgraded to grade 5 titanium, making it even more durable while maintaining a sleek, polished look.
Another improvement is the IP68 water and dust resistance, which remains a standard feature. While it offers adequate protection, it still lags behind Apple's deeper waterproofing or OnePlus' IP69 rating that withstands high-temperature water jets.
One of the biggest changes in the Galaxy S25 Ultra is its 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen, up from 6.8 inches in the S24 Ultra. The display boasts a QHD+ resolution (1440 x 3120 pixels), a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and a pixel density of 498 PPI. The bezels are thinner than ever, maximizing screen real estate while maintaining a sleek profile.
Brightness performance is solid but not groundbreaking. The adaptive brightness mode peaks at around 1400 nits, while manual mode maxes out at approximately 800 nits. While not the brightest display on the market, the anti-reflective coating compensates by reducing glare and improving visibility under direct sunlight. The display supports HDR10+ but lacks Dolby Vision, a trade-off Samsung continues to make in favor of its own HDR standard.
Samsung is powering the S25 Ultra with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is a special "for Galaxy" version featuring a boosted CPU. This ensures the most powerful Android chip to date, delivering improvements in multitasking, gaming, and AI-driven tasks. The phone runs on Samsung's One UI 6.1, bringing more refined AI-driven features and an even smoother user experience.
The new chipset also enhances camera processing, promising better image and video quality without major hardware changes. Paired with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and storage options ranging from 256GB to 1TB, the S25 Ultra offers a seamless and high-performance experience.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra retains most of its predecessor’s camera hardware, except for the ultrawide sensor, which has been upgraded to 50MP with an f/1.9 aperture and autofocus. Other cameras remain the same:
While the hardware is largely unchanged, the new Snapdragon 8 Elite’s ISP (Image Signal Processor) significantly improves image quality, enhancing HDR performance, noise reduction, and computational photography.
One of the most unexpected changes in the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the removal of Bluetooth functionality from the S-Pen. This means no more air gestures or remote camera shutter control. Samsung’s decision to remove this feature is likely a cost-cutting measure, though it is bound to disappoint long-time users who valued this functionality.
The S-Pen itself retains its thin, lightweight design with a single button and clicker and is still housed in the bottom left corner. However, without Bluetooth, it feels like a step back rather than forward.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is powered by a 5,000mAh battery, just like the S24 Ultra. It supports 45W fast wired charging, but to achieve the full speed, you’ll need a 5A-rated cable or Samsung’s official 45W charger (EP-T4511).
The good news is that Qi2 wireless charging is now supported, which improves efficiency and offers better heat management compared to traditional wireless charging methods.
Rather than major hardware overhauls, Samsung is betting on AI features to differentiate the S25 Ultra. While details are still emerging, expect enhanced AI-driven photo and video processing, real-time translation, and improved voice assistance. One UI 6.1 also introduces new AI-powered multitasking tools, making Samsung’s software experience even more intuitive.
Samsung continues its eco-friendly packaging approach. Inside the box, you’ll find:
Galaxy S25 Ultra, USB-C cable (3A, 1m length), SIM ejector tool
No charger is included, so you'll need to purchase one separately if you don't already own a USB-PD 45W adapter.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is available in four widely sold colors:
Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium White Silver, Titanium Silver Blue, Titanium Jet Black, Titanium Jade Green, Titanium Pink Gold
The Galaxy S25 Ultra refines what was already a great phone, but it doesn’t revolutionize the series. It excels in design, performance, and AI improvements, but the lack of major hardware camera upgrades and the controversial removal of Bluetooth from the S-Pen may disappoint some users.
✔️ Refined, more ergonomic design with a flat frame and thinner body ✔️ More durable build with Gorilla Armor 2 and grade 5 titanium ✔️ 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with ultra-thin bezels ✔️ Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers top-tier performance ✔️ Improved ultrawide camera (50MP, f/1.9, AF) ✔️ Qi2 wireless charging support ✔️ AI-driven software improvements
❌ S-Pen loses Bluetooth, no remote shutter or air actions ❌ Minimal camera hardware upgrades beyond ultrawide lens ❌ No major display brightness improvements ❌ Charger not included
Overall, if you own an S23 Ultra or older, the S25 Ultra is a worthy upgrade. However, if you already have an S24 Ultra, the changes are incremental at best, and you might not feel compelled to switch—especially if you heavily relied on the Bluetooth S-Pen. Samsung’s move toward AI and software-driven improvements is evident, but whether this strategy pays off remains to be seen.