Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra — First Impressions After Two Weeks
Two weeks of daily-driving Samsung's 2025 flagship. The S Pen is still its biggest differentiator — but the camera changes are the real story.
Samsung's 2025 flagship is the most refined Ultra to date. Same boxy aesthetic, same titanium frame, same 6.9-inch QHD+ panel — but the changes underneath matter more than the spec sheet lets on.
What's actually new
Where it still falls short
Battery life is identical to last year — same 5,000 mAh cell, same 45W charging. In 2025, that's no longer competitive: OnePlus and Xiaomi both ship 100W+ at a lower price. If you switch from an S24 Ultra, you'll notice no improvement.
Samsung's One UI 7 is also slower to roll out than promised. As of writing, the base S25 family still ships with an older build than the leaked dev preview.
Should you upgrade?
From an S23 Ultra or older — yes, the chip jump and refined cameras make it worthwhile. From an S24 Ultra — no, the year-on-year delta is the smallest in the Ultra line's history.
