5 unique and powerful features the make the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra stand apart from the competition

Samsung emphasized the S25 series’ AI features, which meant that other aspects of the S25 Ultra got lost in the Unpacked announcement. Features like Gorilla Armor 2 display, and the upgraded speakers are notable upgrades, but Samsung didn’t delve into just how impressive these features are. If you’re unsure about whether the Galaxy S25 Ultra is worth its high price, here are its best features that show it’s a unique phone despite its unimpressive design.

5

Phenomenal anti-reflective display

The display is a significant upgrade over the S24 Ultra’s screen

The rumors that the Galaxy S25 Ultra would feature Gorilla Armor 2 surfaced in December, but we didn’t realize how significant this upgrade was until we got the phone in our hands. We were already impressed by the anti-reflective and scratch-resistant properties of the Gorilla Armor 1 featured on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s display is on a whole new level. Take a look at this comparison photo shared by @theonecid on X to see the difference.

As you can see, the difference is night and day. Videos of the S25 Ultra also show that the display looks impossibly vibrant in bright light. It’s bizarre that Samsung didn’t show off this feature more, as it’s something you will appreciate every time you use the phone, and sets it leagues apart from the competition.

On top of the S25 Ultra’s anti-reflective properties, the display can survive drops up to 2.2. meters. While we would still recommend using a case, you can be more confident that the S25 Ultra will survive a drop than any other OEM’s flagship Android phone. Gorilla Armor 2 is also exclusive to Galaxy S25 phones.

4

Speakers produce fuller and brighter sound

Expect impressive audio quality without needing an external speaker or headphones

Another feature that Samsung ought to have advertised more was the Galaxy S25’s speakers. It’s hard to spot at a glance, but it’s the S25 Ultra’s speaker grille is larger than the S24 Ultra’s.

Samsung hasn’t explained why the S25 Ultra’s speaker grille is bigger, or provided details on how it’s improved the sound quality. Nevertheless, multiple outlets have reported that the S25 Ultra delivers better audio than the S24 Ultra.

Samsung improves its phones’ speakers every year, so the upgrade isn’t unexpected. However, it seems to be a bigger jump in quality than usual. Whether it’s a hardware or software upgrade, Samsung has done a fantastic job.

3

Satellite messaging connectivity

However, the rollout is limited

The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip in the Galaxy S25 Ultra is capable of satellite connectivity. The S25 phones are the first Android devices to support Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite connectivity feature, but there’s a catch. While the S25 Ultra is capable of sending messages via satellite, only Verizon users will be able to make use of this feature.

This is because Samsung, unlike Apple and Google, did not sign an agreement with satellite network provider Skylo. Instead, it handed the responsibility to carriers. This is a frustrating limitation, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Despite the limited rollout, the S25 Ultra can send messages over satellite. While we’ll have to wait for this feature to become available in more carriers and countries, until then, Verizon users can feel smug.

2

Capable of handling tough AI tasks

From Gemini to Bixby AI, the Galaxy S25 Ultra can handle it all

Software is where the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra shines, and nowhere is this renewed effort more clear than the S25 Ultra’s powerful AI features. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has access to all the AI features of One UI 7, plus support for Google’s latest Gemini Nano model.

Gemini Nano is Google’s large language model (LLM) designed to run directly on phones. The original version only worked with text, but Gemini Nano 2.0 can also handle images, voice, and audio inputs. It’s currently only available on Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25 phones.

Gemini Nano is optimized to run on phones, but it’s still resource and power-hungry. This is where the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor comes into play, as its improved efficiency and performance let you run AI tasks without draining the S25 Ultra’s battery.

1

Seamless updates make for easier software upgrades

Gone are the days of lengthy restarts

Until the Galaxy A55 launched in 2024, you had to restart every Samsung Galaxy phone to apply updates. This feature was disruptive, and it meant people put off applying updates to avoid long and inconvenient update times.

Seamless updates apply software upgrades in the background, you only need to reboot your phone at the end to apply the update. Not only is it less disruptive, but there’s less chance of failure as seamless updates create fallback partitions during the process. If there’s a problem, your phone can switch back to the old partitions.

All the Galaxy S25 phones offer seamless updates. We expect to see this feature on all future Galaxy phones, but in the meantime, you’ll want a Galaxy S25 for the smoothest updates. With seven years of OS updates, you’ll be able to appreciate this feature for a long time.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra has plenty of great features

Samsung would likely have made a bigger splash with the Galaxy S25 Ultra if it had announced that some of the best One UI 7 features were exclusive to the S25 series. Nevertheless, once you look past the dull exterior, the S25 Ultra has plenty of features that show it’s a phone worth buying.