Every time there’s a new smartphone launch, it becomes a tad bit overwhelming to keep up with all the new devices and what they have to offer. If the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has caught your eye, then we have the top 5 highlights of the device listed out, which might be of interest to you.
Samsung recently launched its Samsung Galaxy S25 series of devices during the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event on January 22, 2025. The event was a resounding success and we saw the launch of three new smartphones—the Samsung Galaxy S25, Samsung Galaxy S25+, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. All three smartphones have their own capabilities and advantages, but the Samsung S25 Ultra is obviously the show stealer of the lot.
By design, the pricey phone packs the biggest and has the most to offer in exchange for its premium price, but is it really as grand as Samsung has made it out to be? Let’s look at the specifications of the Samsung S25 Ultra and see how it holds up.
Image: The Samsung S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Highlights—Top 5 Features of the New Device
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the flagship model with Samsung’s release this year, and there are four color variants on offer—silver blue, black, white silver, and gray—as well as three special colors that are only available directly via Samsung’s website and Samsung BKC—jet black, jade green, and pink gold.
Featuring the Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the smartphone boasts industry-leading hardware customized to suit its needs. The operating system is built on Android 15 and the S25 series is currently the only one to feature the updated One UI 7. Although the OS update is expected to arrive on more devices by the end of Q1, it’s still fascinating to see how it performs on the new model.
The base 256GB Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra model is priced at $1,299.99, but it only comes with 12GB RAM, which is very unfortunate. You can also upgrade to 512GB of storage for $1,419.99 or 1TB of storage at $1,659.99. For comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1,099. Considering the difference in amount, our first look at the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra makes us uncertain if the price tag is all that reasonable.
Let’s Begin with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Design
To start things off, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is thinner and lighter than the S24 Ultra. The S24 Ultra weighed in at 232g while the newer model weighs 218g. The difference in weight and thickness is minimal, but for a smartphone that you might hold for extended hours as you game or stream a show, it does make a slight difference.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has a rectangular, boxy design, but Samsung made the smart move to round off the corners a little more with the new device, making it easier to hold. Built with a titanium frame to promote its sturdiness, the smartphone’s display also features Galaxy’s “toughest glass ever.” The Corning Gorilla Armor 2 is expected to be durable and guarantees a longer life for your phone.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra also comes with an IP68 rating, so if you’re prone to water spills or spend a lot of your time outdoors, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about your smartphone.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip Gets a Special Mention
Samsung claims that with the new chipset, you get 40% better NPU performance, a 37% faster CPU, and 30% improved graphics performance compared to the S24 Ultra. With the improved real-time ray tracing and Vulkan optimizations thrown in, the smartphone guarantees a good gaming experience for those who need their top-end high phone to match their lifestyle.
Additionally, Samsung also states that “with a larger Vapor Chamber and new thermal interface material (TIM), you’ll get a smoother and cooler experience so you can fully immerse yourself into the game for longer.” If gaming is a priority for you but you don’t want to invest in a gamer phone, then this is an expensive alternative to consider.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Shows Its Best Side with Its AI Integration
Artificial intelligence and its integration in the S25 series is the primary selling point of Samsung’s latest devices. Google Gemini is integrated into multiple layers of the device’s operation, and the easiest way to access the AI is by pressing and holding the side button to bring up the assistant, without ever having to leave the app.
Using Gemini Live to its full potential, you can have human-like conversations with AI while understanding concepts or brainstorming ideas, making it so that you never feel tempted to open up the ChatGPT app like you might be used to doing right now. Google’s Circle to Search capabilities also feature on the device, and it also showcases a Personal Data Engine that processes your data on-device and provides you with daily briefs and suggestions.
If the future of AI is something that interests you, then Samsung’s S25 series is your best bet for exploring the application of artificial intelligence on a smartphone.
Click, Capture, and Create—Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Camera Updates
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra camera specs include a 200 MP ISOCELL main camera, a 50 MP telephoto lens, a 50 MP ultra-wide lens, and a 10 MP 3x zoom lens. The 12 MP front camera is a little embarrassing, but if you don’t care too much about high-definition selfies, then the back cameras should keep you happy for a long time to come. The 50 MP ultra-wide lens is an upgrade from the S24 Ultra, but the rest of the setup is similar to the older model.
The new Snapdragon processor that features in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra specifications allows the smartphone to have the “most advanced AI ProVisual Engine,” which means that the processing capabilities are boosted internally, even if the camera hardware feels almost the same as its predecessor.
Allowing 10-bit HDR video recording by default and using the Spatio Temporal Filter, the smartphone is able to record stable, blur-free videos and support all your videography needs. The phone can record 8K 30fps videos not just with the main lens, but with the ultra-wide and telephoto lens as well. For pro videographers, all Samsung Galaxy S25 phones can capture videos in Galaxy Log so if you have a preference for such stable footage, you can have that guarantee as well.
The zoom capabilities of recent Samsung devices have far exceeded what other smartphone makers are able to offer, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is no different. There are also multiple different AI tools to help enhance the recording and photo editing experience, so you may be able to get a lot of your editing done on your smartphone.
The S25 Ultra’s S-Pen Integration Comes with Some Losses
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a built-in S Pen, and while this is typically a feature that sets it apart from the competition, Samsung may have gotten too comfortable with the idea of being one of the few to sell this idea. The S Pen is still a versatile tool but as much as we want to support it with our full hearts in our list of Galaxy S25 Ultra highlights, there is a disappointing update here.
The S pen no longer supports Bluetooth connectivity, which means no more access to Air Action features like using it as a camera remote. Samsung explained that it got rid of the Bluetooth feature because customers weren’t using it too frequently, but an intentional downgrading of a perfectly functional tool, while the price continues to go up, isn’t ideal.
Still, if you’ve never used the S Pen before, you won’t really know what you’re missing out on so the integration of the tool is still a win.
Final Thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Specs
Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra details include 12GB RAM and a 5,000 mAh battery, both of which aren’t as impressive as what other brands offer. Qi 2.0 charging is available only if you purchase a case that supports it, so there are some areas where the smartphone falls short.
The One UI 7 upgrades are also a key part of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra highlights, but if you have one of the more recent Samsung smartphone models, you should be able to enjoy the updates without investing in a new smartphone.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra specs should make it clear that the new device is definitely a star if you’re invested in photography and AI, but in terms of the upgrades it offers over its predecessor S24 Ultra, there isn’t as much to celebrate as we’d like.