Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, S25+, and S25 Hands-On: The Best Refinement I’ve Seen in Years

2025 is starting strong with Samsung unveiling the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the company’s flagship phone designed to compete with the best on the market. The South Korean maker also revealed two other models: the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Samsung Galaxy S25+. The differences between the S25 and S25 Plus mostly lie in their size and battery capacity.

I’ve had the opportunity to get an early look at Samsung’s new lineup. Here are my first impressions of all three models.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Specs

A New Design with a Lot to Say

The three models of the Galaxy S25 series have undergone a significant redesign. One of the most striking features is the camera module on the back, which has rings around the lenses that resemble those of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Personally, I find this design appealing, and it offers an advantage over much of its competition. Samsung’s high-end devices benefit from robust camera systems, but they avoid oversized modules.

Beyond their aesthetics, large camera modules often create ergonomic problems and can feel unbalanced when used without a case. Samsung continues to follow its design philosophy while maintaining a distinctive edge over its rivals.

One notable advantage of the new devices is their lightweight and thin design. I’ve particularly observed this in the Samsung Galaxy S25, which weighs just 162 grams and feels almost weightless. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has also become significantly lighter.

In the past, using a high-end device often meant dealing with added weight. However, Samsung has successfully created smartphones that are luxurious in design and much more comfortable to hold.

The corners are now significantly more rounded, making them more comfortable to hold.

Additionally, Samsung has refined the corners of the Ultra model. Last year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra had sharp corners that could make it uncomfortable to hold if used without a case. The manufacturer has taken note of this feedback and has made the edges of the Galaxy S25 Ultra much more rounded while retaining the essence of the overall design.

On the front, Samsung has slightly minimized the bezels. It can be difficult to notice differences without having the previous models side by side. However, it’s always good news that bezels are becoming narrower, allowing for a more immersive screen experience.

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Continuity... for the Better

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+

The new series retains nearly identical specs to last year’s models. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ feature similar screen sizes of 6.2 and 6.7 inches, respectively. The resolution, technology, and overall design remain the same, making any noticeable differences difficult to identify.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 Ultra features a slightly larger 6.9-inch display, an increase of just 0.1 inches over last year’s model. This change doesn’t affect the phone’s hand feel because it’s lighter. Moreover, the reduction in bezels has allowed for a more compact body.

All new Galaxy S25 models are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite. The entry-level model now has 12 GB of RAM, replacing the previous baseline of 8 GB.

The battery capacities remain unchanged. Other manufacturers offer 6,000 and 7,000 mAh batteries, but Samsung is confident in the energy efficiency of the new processor. In addition, since the feedback on the S24 Ultra’s battery was overwhelmingly positive, the focus this year has shifted to achieving a thinner and lighter design rather than simply increasing battery life.

The camera hardware has only seen minor adjustments, like the S25 Ultra’s ultra-wide lens now being 50 MP. However, there are other significant enhancements. These include LOG recording, the Zebra Pattern feature for overexposure levels, and all the professional tools that were missing from the S24 Ultra.

Personally, I would’ve liked to see a display with a higher maximum peak brightness and improved battery life. However, last year’s models excelled in these areas, which led to high buyer satisfaction and minimized the need for major changes.

One UI 7: That’s the Way to Go, Samsung

From my limited experience testing the One UI 7 software, I can confidently say that it’s the best software version Samsung has ever created. The manufacturer has redesigned the status bar icons, and the new interface is visually stunning in person. The company has also refined the phones’ AI features, and Gemini is now the default assistant. While Android Stock still appeals to me the most, One UI 7 is truly a joy to use.

I’ve noticed significant optimizations in both animations and overall speed. I believe users who have grown accustomed to this skin will warmly welcome the new version, which is based on Android 15.

The most noteworthy advancements this year relate to improvements in AI. New features that have impressed me include:

• The new phones can now record calls and transcribe them once the conversation ends.
• Samsung has substantially improved AI-generated images.
• Using Samsung’s Smart Select option, you can choose any part of the display to analyze its content. For instance, you can launch YouTube, select a portion of a video, and create a GIF.
• The phones’ AI model can analyze video audio, effectively removing background noise or wind sounds.

Last year’s AI features were interesting but didn’t encourage me to use them regularly. However, this year, everything feels much more practical and relevant. This is thanks to features including call recording, an impressive text-to-image generation engine that rivals the best in the field, and Gemini collaborating with Bixby for more accurate searches.

I Want a Galaxy S25 Ultra, And I Want It Now

Once again, the Ultra model has captured my interest the most this year: It’s the most ambitious offering. Despite this, the smaller models are just as powerful, boasting impressive AI features, software, and a refined design.

2025 isn’t a year for major changes in Samsung’s high-end lineup. Instead, it focuses on refinement. Navigating the fine line between getting stagnant and improving what already works can be tricky, but I feel confident in this approach.

These will be three of the most well-rounded devices of 2025. Their photographic performance will determine whether they reign supreme as the kings of high-end Android, but the rest of the hardware leaves little room for improvement.

Image | Xataka

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