Taeki Chan The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra represents the pinnacle of Samsung’s smartphone innovation, blending cutting-edge hardware with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Building upon the strengths of its predecessors, the S25 Ultra introduces notable enhancements in design, performance, and intelligent features, aiming to deliver a comprehensive and intuitive user experience.
Design and Display
Samsung has refined the design of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, opting for a flat frame with rounded corners, which enhances both aesthetics and ergonomics. The device is constructed with a grade 5 titanium frame and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Armor 2 on both the front and back, offering increased durability against scratches and drops. Despite housing a larger 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 1440×3120 pixels, the S25 Ultra is thinner, narrower, and lighter than its predecessor, the S24 Ultra. The display supports a variable refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz, ensuring smooth visuals while conserving battery life. With a peak brightness of 2600 nits, the screen remains visible even under direct sunlight.
Performance in Daily Use
After using the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra extensively, we can confidently say that it delivers a flagship experience in every aspect of performance. Whether you’re a casual user browsing the web or a power user running demanding tasks, this phone handles everything effortlessly.
Smoothness & Responsiveness
The One UI 6.1 interface, combined with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, makes navigating the phone incredibly smooth. Swiping between apps, opening the camera, and switching between tasks feel instant, with zero lag or stutters. Animations are fluid, and the adaptive 120Hz refresh rate ensures a consistently smooth display experience.
Multitasking & Heavy Usage
The 12GB RAM (with up to 16GB in higher storage models) makes multitasking seamless. We kept multiple apps open, including Chrome with 10+ tabs, YouTube streaming in the background, and Google Maps for navigation, and we didn’t experience any slowdowns. The split-screen feature works well, allowing us to run two apps side by side without any performance dip.
Gaming Performance
For gaming, the Galaxy S25 Ultra excels. We tested Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, and Call of Duty: Mobile at max graphics settings, and the phone maintained consistently high frame rates. The new Vapor Chamber cooling system does a decent job of keeping the phone from overheating, though after about an hour of continuous play, we did notice some warmth near the camera module. However, it never got uncomfortably hot, and the performance remained stable.
AI-Optimized Performance
One of the standout features this year is Galaxy AI, which enhances overall performance in background app management, camera processing, and battery optimization. For example, AI-powered Adaptive Performance Mode adjusts power allocation dynamically, ensuring a balance between speed and efficiency. In real-world use, this means better app launch times and improved power efficiency without manual tweaking.
Camera System
The Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts a versatile quad-camera setup designed to cater to a wide range of photography scenarios:
Main Camera: A 200MP wide-angle lens with an f/1.7 aperture, featuring multi-directional phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and optical image stabilization (OIS), captures detailed and sharp images.
Ultra-Wide Camera: An upgraded 50MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and dual pixel PDAF enhances ultra-wide shots and macro photography, offering improved clarity and detail.
Telephoto Lenses: A 10MP lens with 3x optical zoom and a 50MP lens with 5x optical zoom, both equipped with PDAF and OIS, allow for high-quality zoomed-in shots without significant loss of detail.
Front Camera: A 12MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and dual pixel PDAF ensures clear and focused selfies.
The camera system supports 8K video recording at 24/30fps, 4K at up to 120fps, and includes features like 10-bit HDR and HDR10+ for enhanced dynamic range. Samsung’s AI-powered ProVisual Engine further refines image processing, reducing noise and improving clarity, especially in low-light conditions.
Galaxy AI Integration
Samsung has significantly enhanced the AI capabilities of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, introducing features designed to simplify daily tasks and provide personalized assistance:
Cross-App Actions: By long-pressing the side button, users can engage Google Gemini to perform tasks across multiple applications seamlessly. For instance, you can ask it to find the next game of your favorite sports team and add it to your calendar, streamlining the process through natural language commands.
Now Brief: This feature provides personalized briefings throughout the day, offering information such as weather updates, calendar events, and activity insights. It adapts to your routine, ensuring you receive relevant information when needed.
Circle to Search: An enhancement to the existing feature, it now allows users to search for information by circling any object on the screen with their finger or S Pen, providing immediate results. Additionally, it can recognize ambient music, enabling users to identify songs without switching apps.
Audio Eraser: This tool utilizes AI to filter out unwanted background noise from videos, such as wind or crowd noise, resulting in clearer audio playback. This is an awesome features that would brings video content creators works to the next level.
Battery Life and Charging
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, consistent with its predecessor. Thanks to the efficiency improvements of the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and optimized software, users can expect extended battery life, comfortably lasting through a full day of moderate to heavy use. The device supports 45W wired charging via USB Power Delivery 3.0, capable of charging the battery to 65% in approximately 30 minutes. Additionally, it offers 25W wireless charging (Qi2 compatible) and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, providing flexibility for various charging scenarios.
In our standardized battery endurance tests, the device achieved a commendable score, indicating robust battery performance. Specifically, the S25 Ultra demonstrated notable improvements in gaming and video playback endurance compared to the previous model, while web browsing and voice call durations remained consistent. These results suggest that users can expect reliable battery life across various usage scenarios.
S Pen Functionality
The S25 Ultra continues to support the S Pen, which is integrated into the device’s design. However, Samsung has removed Bluetooth functionality from the S Pen in this iteration, meaning features like air gestures and remote camera shutter control are no longer available. While this simplification may disappoint some users, the S Pen still offers precise input for note-taking, drawing, and navigation.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra stands as a testament to Samsung’s commitment to innovation, combining robust hardware with intelligent software enhancements. The device’s advanced camera system, powerful performance, and deeply integrated AI features make it a compelling choice for users seeking a premium smartphone experience.
