Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review: This time, artificial intelligence (AI) is the main focus of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra launch. But is there enough of a difference between this phone and its predecessor to warrant an upgrade? Or is it really an additional minor change?

The design is far lighter.

The phone is now more pleasant to use in the hand for extended periods of time thanks to Samsung’s 15-gram losing weight. Its new flat edge design resembles that of Samsung’s foldable phones and gives it a more modern look. Although the phone feels more expensive thanks to its titanium back, it is still incredibly slippery. Without a cover, it can slide on any surface. The S Pen has also had a redesign; it is considerably thinner than it was previously, although it lacks Bluetooth. As a result, features like air motions are no longer available. But it does not really matter because most people did not use these gestures very often. It is still excellent for sketching and taking notes, though.

The 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which has a max brightness of 2600 nits and Quad HD+ resolution, is still excellent. Because Samsung employed Gorilla Glass Armor 2 this time, it is more robust. Magnetic wireless charging is still unavailable, though. Qi2 charging is supported by Samsung, although a specific case is needed. It is a little sad that features like Apple’s MagSafe are not available.

slight camera improvement

The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera setup is essentially unchanged from the previous year. Only a new 50MP ultrawide sensor, which captures more data with greater sharpness than the previous 12MP sensor, has been introduced this time. This development is particularly apparent in photography of architecture and landscapes. As before, the 200MP camera functions well in low light and with good detail. 50MP 5x zoom and 10MP 3x zoom are included in the telephoto camera arrangement. Samsung says its zoom algorithms are stronger, but in practice, 10x zoom images do not look much that different from the S24 Ultra. Samsung’s camera technology continues to produce better contrast and richer colors.

Compared to the lesser variants, this phone can record videos at up to 4K with 120 frames per second. 8K recording is also available; but it is only 30 frames per second. Professional-quality video editing is now more flexible thanks to the new Log Video Mode. Video background noise can be eliminated with Samsung’s latest AI tool, Audio Eraser. It performs better in quieter settings, but in louder settings, Google’s Magic Audio Eraser beats it.

Performance: Totally AI-focused

The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, which powers the Galaxy S25 Ultra, delivers outstanding performance. This phone’s 12GB of RAM allows it to multitask well and run even the most demanding programs without any problems.

This time, Samsung has made AI a major focus.

  • Your daily schedule and notifications are summarized by the Personal Data Engine, which also learns your usage patterns. However, as most people already handle their own job, this function does not seem to be very helpful.
  • AI Select is a function similar to Google’s Circle to Search that allows you to highlight text or photos and perform instantaneous tasks like purchasing or translating. However, Google already has this game-changing feature, therefore, it is not a new one.

How is the battery doing?

The battery continues to operate well. This phone’s 5000mAh battery easily lasts for an entire day. Battery life has not much improved despite the upgraded processor’s minor increase in efficiency. Similar to last year, you get roughly 24 hours of backup on a full charge.

Is it time to upgrade?

There is not much need to upgrade this time if you already own a Galaxy S24 Ultra or S23 Ultra. The new phone has a somewhat smaller weight, a slightly better camera, and AI functions, but its real performance has not changed all that much. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is still among the most potent Android flagship phones, whether you are moving from an earlier Samsung model or another brand. But this change might not seem like a huge deal to you if you only plan on upgrading for AI features.

Price

The price of the Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB/12GB) is ₹1,29,999. It might be an excellent deal if you receive a good discount or exchange offer. But Samsung may release something more significant and inventive if you can wait till next year.