I spent 24 hours with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra — here's what I like and what I don't
Update: Our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review is live. Check out our verdict.
Samsung introduced the world to the Galaxy S25 Ultra last week, meaning even those of us lucky enough to have tried the phone haven't spent much time with it yet. But even after just a single day of use, the phone's left an impression on me.
The Ultra version of each year's Galaxy S flagship is usually one of the best phones of the year, and with the number of new software and AI features Samsung's added this time around, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is likely to clear that bar, too. I have one main complaint about the phone which could impact the eventual verdict of our review, but everything else I've sampled so far is promising.
Here's my take based on my short time with the S25 Ultra so far. And for more see our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review.
A new but familiar look
The Titanium Silverblue color of my review unit looks excellent, but the Black, Grey and Whitesilver versions also look pretty slick as well. And the more lively Samsung Store-exclusive colors don't look bad either.
The new rounded corners on this year's edition give the Galaxy S25 Ultra a matching design with the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus, which makes sense even if I'm going to miss the Galaxy Note-style pointy corners for the unique look they provided. Black camera surrounds help the phone look like it means business, too even if only one of them (the 50MP ultrawide camera) is any different from the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
On the topic of cameras, I've yet to properly test the photographic potential of the S25 Ultra. But from the Galaxy S25 Ultra photo comparisons I and my colleagues have already taken, this is looking like one it'll be another entry on our best camera phones guide from Samsung.
Now Brief seems immediately useful
The one Galaxy AI tool that's already showing potential is the Now Brief, which draws info from various apps into one easily-accessible widget. By default, it lives on your home screen, but it can also be found in the Edge panel that appears when swiping in from the side of the screen, or on the lock screen when it's got an update for you.
I'm hoping to see Now Brief offer more as I keep using the phone. Even in its basic format, having a single screen containing the day's weather and events available at any time is useful, but I look forward to seeing it recommend automated routines and surface relevant tickets and coupons saved to Samsung Wallet.
Display looks better than ever
Samsung knows its screens, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra is another example of this. Early test results show the 6.9-inch panel is way brighter than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and is only beaten by the screen on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. Plus the increased size and slimmer bezels mean even more viewing space, with the ProScaler system helping lower-res content fit better on the QHD panel.
I don't plan on testing the Gorilla Armor 2 display's durability, but the anti-glare layer, combined with the screen's high overall brightness, is already making the screen easier to read outdoors or when a bright spotlight is overhead. Watching movie trailers (like Captain America: Brave New World) still look exciting and colorful even with the sun trying its best to outshine the display.
A bright screen with anti-glare tech is something I wish every phone had. But the only place you'll currently find it is on Samsung's Ultra flagships.
Galaxy AI and One UI 7 are already complete
Samsung has launched its latest OS and all of its new tools on the Galaxy S25 at the same time as the phone, something that Google didn't manage with its latest flagships. Apple's iPhone 16 lineup arrived with iOS 18 preinstalled, but Apple Intelligence started appearing later. Everything Samsung has to show off is ready to try, rather than waiting on a full or partial OS update.
One UI 7's new design steals a few cues from iOS, but still looks distinctly Samsung. It all works wonderfully smoothly from what I've seen so far. The only potential sticking point is the new default notification style, which puts all the app icons into the top right corner rather than having them in obvious view front and center. I'm sticking with the default for now, but I may switch it to the traditional "card' layout down the road if I find the lack of information irritating when I want a quick glance of incoming messages.
The S Pen remains a faithful companion
I'm happy Samsung's continuing to bundle a stylus with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and while it's never good to see features disappear, I'm not missing the Air Actions that the Galaxy S24 Ultra offered. Other than testing to see that they worked on previous models, I never used them. As long as the stylus stays included and stored within the body of future Galaxy S Ultras, it's cool.
The price still makes me wince
All of these useful or fun features aside, I still can't get over the fact that the Galaxy S25 Ultra costs $1,300 (£1,250 here in the U.K. or AU$2,149 in Australia). The iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, both amazing phones, sell for $100 or $200 less. Perhaps the S25 Ultra's features are worth the extra money, and my opinion on the price will soften as I get more use out of them. But as the most expensive phone in its class, the Galaxy S25 Ultra may be hard to justify buying this yourself.
We're still testing the whole Galaxy S25 series, including the Ultra though. So perhaps when our full reviews arrive, the phone will have justified its hefty price tag, and it'll be surprisingly simple to recommend upgrading to Samsung's latest premium device.
More from Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs OnePlus 13: Which flagship will win?
I saw the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge at Unpacked — and I'm super excited and super confused
The Samsung Galaxy S25 stole this genius idea from a dead phone and finally made it a reality
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