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Our takeEditorialThe S25 Ultra carries the most complete camera system and built-in stylus in Samsung's lineup - justified at its price for serious shooters.
Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver, Titanium Gray
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
9.0/10 UpPhone score
Samsung's most capable camera system on a phone, anchored by a 200 MP sensor and a 5x periscope telephoto.
Screen
6.9"
Chip
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy SM8750-AB (3 nm)
Camera
200 MP
The verdict, & two little voices
Should you actually get the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
The editor weighs in — flanked by the optimist on her shoulder and the cynic on the other.
“200 MP main, 5x periscope, S Pen, and 5000 mAh - the full package Samsung builds to top the chart.”
“Galaxy AI needs a Samsung account sign-in and a data-sharing agreement, so your notes are already training the next model.”
Our take
Samsung's most capable camera system on a phone, anchored by a 200 MP sensor and a 5x periscope telephoto.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is Samsung's top-tier phone of 2025 - the fullest expression of what the company can fit into a flat-sided titanium chassis. The 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display at 3120 x 1440 px and 2600 nits peak brightness is the largest and brightest in the S25 family. The quad-camera system pairs a 200 MP main sensor with a 50 MP ultrawide, a 5x periscope telephoto, and a 12 MP front camera. The S Pen stylus lives in a side silo and works without Bluetooth pairing. Wired charging hits 45W, wireless charges at 15W, and there is 4W reverse wireless charging for accessories.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is a binned, higher-performance variant of the 8 Elite. Combined with 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, it handles everything from 4K video editing to on-device Galaxy AI inference without slowdown. Samsung promises seven years of OS and security updates. Sub6 and mmWave 5G are both present. The Ultra starts at $1,199.99, which positions it against the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The case for the Ultra is the breadth and depth of its camera system and the convenience of the built-in stylus.
What we love
- 200 MP main sensor plus 50 MP ultrawide and 5x periscope telephoto - widest zoom range in the S25 line
- Built-in S Pen stylus with no pairing required
- 6.9-inch 3120 x 1440 AMOLED at 2600 nits is class-leading display
- Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is among the fastest chips in any Android phone
- 5000 mAh battery with 45W wired charging
- Seven-year OS update commitment
- Sub6 + mmWave 5G with dual-SIM and eSIM
What we don't
- 218g is the heaviest S25 model - noticeable after extended one-handed use
- 25W wireless charging ceiling is slower than some comparably priced competitors
- $1,199.99 entry price puts it at the top of the Android market
- Galaxy AI features require Samsung account and data sharing consent
- No microSD expansion slot
Full specifications
Display
Size6.9"
TypeDynamic AMOLED
Resolution3120 x 1440 px
PPI498
Performance
ChipSnapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy SM8750-AB (3 nm)
RAM12 GB
Storage256 GB
OSAndroid 15
Camera
Rear camera200 MP
Rear camera 250 MP
Front camera12 MP
VideoYes
Battery
Wireless charging15W wireless (Qi2)
Design
Dimensions162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm
Weight218
ColorsTitanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver, Titanium Gray
Form factorSlate
Connectivity
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7
BluetoothBluetooth 5.4
NFCYes
USBUSB Type-C, USB 3.2
SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra on individual carriers
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Frequently asked questions about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
What kind of display does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra have?
The 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED at 3120 x 1440 px resolves to roughly 501 ppi, which is sharp at any normal viewing distance. The 120 Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate drops to 1 Hz on static content to preserve battery life and scales to 120 Hz during scrolling or animation. Peak brightness at 2600 nits handles direct sunlight. The flat display avoids distortion at the edges. Samsung's display calibration offers Natural and Vivid presets with full color profile controls. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covers the face. This is a reference-class Android display.
What kind of camera does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra have?
The S25 Ultra runs four rear cameras: a 200 MP f/1.7 primary, 50 MP ultrawide, 5x periscope telephoto (approx 115 mm equiv), and a 10 MP 3x telephoto. The 200 MP main provides enormous crop flexibility and outstanding detail in daylight. Samsung's ProVisual Engine and multi-frame processing push low-light performance well above the megapixel count would suggest. The 5x periscope telephoto covers subjects from medium-distance to telephoto compression at 10x and beyond with digital enhancement. The 50 MP ultrawide is among the sharpest in the Android space. Night mode works across all lenses. The S Pen enables stabilized long-exposure shots and macro work with a steady reference point. Video tops at 8K on the main sensor and 4K across others.
What is the battery life of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
5000 mAh is the largest battery in the S25 lineup. Combined with the efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, real-world screen-on time of 7-9 hours is realistic for moderate use. Wired charging at 45W means a full charge in approximately 70 minutes. Wireless charging tops at 15W. Reverse wireless charging at 4W can top up Galaxy Buds or a Galaxy Watch. For a phone this large and this display-intensive, the battery holds up well across a full day.
What processor does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra use?
The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy SM8750-AB is a custom-binned version of Qualcomm's top chip, running at slightly higher clock speeds than the standard variant. It is among the fastest processors in any Android phone as of mid-2026. The Adreno GPU handles any current game title at maximum settings. On-device AI inference - photo processing, live translation, text summarization - runs quickly. Thermal management in the thicker S25 Ultra chassis means it sustains performance better than thinner flagships during extended workloads.
How much storage does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra have?
256 GB UFS 3.1 internal storage is the base configuration. Higher storage tiers are available at additional cost. No microSD slot is present, consistent with Samsung's recent flagship approach. 256 GB covers most needs for a primary device.
What kind of speakers does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra have?
The stereo speaker system - earpiece tweeter and bottom-firing woofer - is tuned with Dolby Atmos spatial audio. Volume and clarity are among the best on any current Android phone. The Ultra's larger chassis gives the speaker system a bit more room to breathe than the S25 Edge's thin frame allows. Media playback, gaming audio, and hands-free calls all sound well above average.
Does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra support fingerprint or face unlock?
An ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor provides fast and reliable biometric authentication, working well with wet or slightly dirty fingers. Face unlock via the 12 MP front camera is available as a complement. Samsung Pay integration means both biometric methods authenticate mobile payments. The ultrasonic sensor is Qualcomm's 3D Sonic Max variant, which covers a larger surface area than previous generations and improves unlock reliability.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra water-resistant?
IP68 covers submersion up to 1.5 m in fresh water for 30 minutes. Splashes, rain, brief submersion - all within the protection envelope. The rating does not extend to pool chemicals, salt water, or high-pressure water jets. Physical seals degrade with use and time. The IP68 rating matches all other S25 variants.
