[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Let's get straight to it ... This is the best S series Ultra phone that Samsung has ever made, that just misses elite status.
The display, albeit an 8 bit panel, is stunning. Color reproduction, saturation and sharpness are all in fine form here. It's just such a joy to look at as you consume media or perform your daily tasks. Add in the customization you can apply to it, this is a winner.
With the Snapdragon 8 Elite running the show, performance on this device is, shall I say it, elite. It chews through anything you throw at it with ease. From social media scrolling to intense gaming, you won't find a hiccup in sight.
One UI 7 on top of Android 15 is a pleasure to use. The fresh coat of paint on the stock app icons are refreshing and add some visual flare. But what stands out are definitely the improved animations. Little details like the wallpaper zooming really add to the experience.
The Ai additions are useful and well done. Calling up Gemini by holding the power button and it working with other apps is superb. The Now Brief is a very promising feature that still needs some work.
Battery life has been super solid so far. You can easily get through a full day, even with heavy usage.
Just like the S24 Ultra before it, the camera system is very versatile and produces great results.
What keeps this phone from elite status? The removal of the Bluetooth functionality in the S Pen is trivial, and the battery capacity could have been larger.
Overall, a winner!
Value
4
Response from Samsung USBy R&R Team, February 19, 2025
Hey WizeGuyDezignz, thank you for your feedback on your Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. We are thrilled to hear how pleased you are with the usage and quality of your new device. We love that you are enjoying the exploration of Galaxy AI and all of the enhanced features of your new phone. We have provided a link to an article to help you use the redesigned S Pen. We have also provided a link to the full device manual to help you with hand gestures and voice commands you can use as a replacement for some previous features. We have also shared a link to a video to help you with the customization of Now Brief for enhanced usage. Lastly, we have provided a link to the Samsung Support Team if you have any questions about your phone or any of your Samsung products. Thank you for being a Samsung customer. -Elizabeth Use the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s S Pen https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10004602/ Create a personalized content snapshot with Now Brief on Samsung Galaxy S25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQwYmDTxaFo Product Manuals https://www.samsung.com/us/support/downloads/ Samsung Support smsng.us/Samsung-Support Samsung Community smsng.us/Samsung-Community Facebook smsng.us/Facebook-Messenger X https://smsng.us/X-Messages
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Still learn using new features than my last S24 Ultra. Not much significant improvements than S24 Ultra, but longer battery life. Should consider if you want to upgrade from S24 Ultra. Or wait for S26 next year.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Before this I had s23 ultra and just the feel of the phone it self is alot nicer they go back to a thick edge without that slight curve that the s23 had so to me it's a lot more usable im not struggling to touch something on the edge of the screen as far as the display goes I also feel like everything seems another brighter and more vivid when watching videos overall I'd highly recommend the 25 series samsung made yet another amazing phone they set the standard for high-end smartphones
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I am a galaxy user since galaxy s 7 edge, but the 25th is the best, best looking, works fast, battery is finaly better, its nevwr hot, like it so far.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I upgraded from the S22 ultra and I finally feel like my phone is "working" for me and not the other way around. I'm a very organized individual but also perpetually sidetracked, and the s25 keeps me focused on the task at hand. I love using the modes and routines, writing my notes and letting the "AI" organize it better than myself. The processor speeds and graphics as well as the battery life are massive upgrades even compared to the S24 ultra. Ilove that I can put this in kids mode, and know that kids will have a safe viewing experience as well as the phone being physically safe due to its tough Gorilla glass and outer shell. Even the built in security is a massive upgrade. Lastly the seamless actions across apps make quick tasks fun ands intuitive for the user. So far no complaints.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I upgraded from S24 ultra to 25 ultra, I understand there are good changes under the hood but Samsung needs to up their game. downgrading does not help, my disappointments over the years are removal of micro sd, now the blutooth capability of s pen.. if this is the route samsung takes, I will probably switch to competitors like oneplus in future.