I have to admit, when I first skimmed over the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s specs, I was pretty underwhelmed.
The upgrades appeared to be… incremental, to say the least. The only thing of note to me was the ultra-wide camera going from 12MP to 50MP. As my team’s resident ultra-wide lens selfie taker (IYKYK), I was excited to have higher quality 0.5x (or 0.6x) photographs.
Aside from that and a brand new chipset, the hardware seemed virtually the same. That said, the software saw some upgrades, with new Galaxy AI features added.
But you know what they say about assumptions making an ass out of “u” and “me.” How did the S25 Ultra actually perform?
First impressions
Finally holding the phone in my hands, the first thing I noticed was that the edges were sharper than ever, and that the phone feels insanely light.
The S24 Ultra had been 233 grams, but its successor clocks in at just 218 grams. The difference might sound little, but the S25 Ultra is actually so light that it almost feels wrong.
The Corning Gorilla Armor 2 for the front display does promise more durability and scratch-resistance. While not the most sexy facelift, it is something that a clumsy person like myself would always appreciate.
One thing that people have been talking about the new S25 Ultra is the fact that the S Pen has been, essentially, nerfed. Sadly, you can no longer use the pen as a trigger button for picture-taking purposes.
Outside of that, it doesn’t actually affect the functionality of the phone too much. When’s the last time you used a gesture?
Aside from these factors, though, there isn’t anything that’s too apparently different with the S25 Ultra—a fact that might be good, or boring.
Photography and post-processing
It’s time to address the elephant in the room—yes, I’m talking about the enormously thick rings of cameras on the phone.
Well, to be honest, it’s not that big of a deal for me. If you’re worried that it might make the phone feel too top-heavy and unbalanced, it doesn’t really affect the handling of the phone. The only thing is that the thick rims do seem to be dust magnets. Might a suitable case fix those woes?
A higher-quality ultra-wide lens is nothing to scoff at, though. I personally love to reach for a 0.6x image, but oftentimes am discouraged due to the grain and noise in the resulting image.
Now, I get to enjoy beautiful, crisp ultra-wide images.
Aside from that, the cameras work as well as ever. There’s nothing to complain about. In fact, I’m still as in awe as ever with the resulting products.
Outside of these tech reviews, I’m actually a diehard Apple user, for no good reason aside from the fact that I’ve been kind of indoctrinated.
Using the S25 Ultra reminded me just how incredible Samsung’s picture quality and image processing is. Backlit images are still a bit of a challenge, but it’s still pretty darn good.
Beyond the hardware upgrades, though, it’s the editing features that I particularly enjoy. With almost everyone being a micro-influencer of some sort these days and producing their own content every day, these features are pretty nifty.
The AI-powered generative fill is more robust than before, allowing me to play around with silly little edits.
There are also helpful video editing features such as the new Audio Eraser feature that lets you adjust the volumes of various frequencies (classified as audio subjects like voices, wind, and noises).
New AI capabilities
Outside of photography, there are also a lot of new AI-powered features to the S25 Ultra.
For one, there’s the enhanced Gemini app that can be easily booted up with a long press of the power button. Sorry, Bixby, you’re getting replaced. Or rather, merged?
The phone now uses a new Gemini-Bixby hybrid “AI agent” which supposedly allows for more natural-sounding, conversational chains of actions. It helps with some basic tasks, but it’s certainly no JARVIS yet.
Still, if nothing else, the AI features are fun.
Enabling all the new AI features is the new chipset under the hood. The S25 Ultra is fitted with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip for Galaxy, which genuinely seem to make the AI features feel more efficient than before.
Gaming has always been fun with the phone. It perfectly allowed me to sink into the world of Infinity Nikki, completing the experience with its vibrant visuals and high refresh rate. With me upping the graphics, it did get considerably warm, but nothing too concerning.
With how powerful the phone is, though, it feels like the battery can’t really keep up. I find myself getting worried about its battery life before the sun begins to set—something that is a little concerning for a brand spanking new phone.
Don’t get me wrong, 5,000mAh is neat, but for a high-performance phone, I do kind of wish for more.
The verdict: Worth the upgrade?
To be totally candid, I have to say that the S25 Ultra left me a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it worked perfectly—but maybe that’s because Samsung isn’t really pushing the envelope with this release.
Having gotten the privilege to try a variety of tech over the years, “perfect” has gotten a bit boring. This is just me, but I’d rather something a bit more exciting that might have a couple kinks around the edges.
One big plus, though, is the fact that the pricing has remained pretty much the same as the S24 series when it first launched. Hurray!
But of course, that price is still considerably steep for many—RM5,599.
If you’re in the market for a reliable daily driver, the S25 Ultra won’t fail you. But if you already have a capable and updated phone, the S25 Ultra might not be the upgrade you’re seeking.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Super duper light at 218 grams, but still durable thanks to the Corning Gorilla Armor 2 | The S Pen has lost its Bluetooth-enabled functions |
| New AI features supported by the powerful new processor | Battery life isn’t the most long-lasting |
| Pricing has remained the same as the S24 Ultra |
VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.