The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is particularly uninspiring. When I got my hands-on time with the phone, I struggled to find reasons to get excited about upgrading. The design changes feel like a downgrade, and telling one Galaxy generation or model apart from the rest is challenging. However, there are still plenty of reasons to like and buy Samsung phones. One UI 7 is shaping up to be an excellent software upgrade, and the company still offers premium hardware. If you aren’t energized by Samsung’s latest releases, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the phone you should buy in 2025.
No Thanks, Keep Reading
Fantastic phone at a deep discount
It’s not that much different
I prefer the feel of the Galaxy S24 Ultra in my hand to that of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung misunderstood the assignment by making the S25 Ultra’s frame flat. Sure, the S24 Ultra’s sharp corners are gone, but a case alleviated that issue. In addition, the rounded frame offsets the phone’s thickness — the S24 Ultra just feels better. The older model also has more character than the S25 Ultra. Samsung lost something with the design refresh.
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The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is still the best, unless you take photos
Samsung’s latest phablet feels like a do-over
The Galaxy S24 Ultra already has many display features that are advertised for the S25 Ultra. My S24 Ultra has an anti-glare display layer, which makes outdoor viewing easier. Although last year’s model is slightly smaller, at 6.8 inches, it has a gorgeous QHD+ LTPO AMOLED panel. Once Samsung added a software setting to improve control over display saturation, I had no issues with the panel on my S24 Ultra. I don’t notice a considerable jump in display quality enough to justify picking the S25 Ultra over its predecessor.
Chipset improvements don’t leave me behind, either. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performs wonderfully, and I can play all of today’s AAA mobile games at high graphics settings with smooth frame rates. Raytracing is available on the SD8G3, but it doesn’t matter since so few developers currently use it. I’m confident Samsung will squeeze more battery life out of the same 5,000mAh cell thanks to Snapdragon 8 Elite efficiencies, but I’m happy with the 8 hours of screen on time I get with the S24 Ultra. More is always better, but it’s not worth the price difference.
Speaking of price, time is on your side. The further away from the launch of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the cheaper it gets if you buy an S24 Ultra. Amazon prices are hovering just under $1,000 for a new phone, while a renewed S24 Ultra will set you back $840 — a significant discount from MSRP.
Another reason for not feeling left behind by purchasing an older S24 Ultra is the many years of software support left.
Buying last year’s Samsung flagship has other advantages. The S24 Ultra has a Bluetooth S pen, which was removed from the S25 Ultra. This means you can still take photos remotely and use Air Commands with your S pen on the older generation. It’s also worth considering saving money on a Galaxy, since Samsung’s main marketing points surrounding the Galaxy S25 Ultra are new software features.
Still plenty of software support left
One UI 7 should bring the same new functions
Samsung highlighted several new AI-powered features during its Galaxy Unpacked event. I got to play around with Now Brief, and I like the idea of a curated feed of information that changes throughout my day. I also love the work Samsung has done to bring AI out of the abstract. It is no longer about goofy cat photos but about real-world applications. I like the new natural language voice assistant, which simultaneously pulls information between several Google and Samsung apps.
Routines are vastly improved for 2025, with AI learning your habits and even responding to your schedule. If you have an earlier-than-usual meeting, your S25 Ultra will suggest an earlier wake-up alarm. It’ll work with other devices in your smart home to determine the best conditions for sleep, pulling in information from your Galaxy Watch.
One UI 7 is also fantastic. iOS aesthetics aside, I’ve enjoyed using Samsung’s new software on my Galaxy S24 Ultra. One UI has been some of the best and most reliable Android software for years, and the trend seems to continue with One UI 7. While I’m sure some features will be held back as Galaxy S25 Ultra exclusives, I’d be shocked if we didn’t see the lion’s share of new Galaxy AI features trickle down to only year-old hardware like the S24 Ultra.
Another reason for not feeling left behind by purchasing an older S24 Ultra is the many years of software support left. Even after a year, the phone will receive 6 major upgrades of One UI and 6 years of security updates — an impressive amount of support.
I do not see the added value
I’m not saying the Galaxy S25 Ultra isn’t worth considering, and if you’re coming from a Galaxy S22 Ultra or older, you’ll notice significant upgrades. However, not enough about the Galaxy S25 Ultra moves the needle for me, especially when I can pick up an S24 Ultra with premium hardware and most software features for a fraction of the price. If you’re a Samsung fan who cares about your wallet, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the phone you should pick up in 2025.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
/
10
$100
It’s not an overhaul by any means, but even small changes like (finally) swapping back to a flat touchscreen and seven years of system updates help the Galaxy S24 Ultra stand apart from its predecessors. Galaxy AI’s suite of features are front and center, as well as Google’s latest utilities like Circle to Search, and this AI craze even brings its magic to the Ultra’s cameras for after-the-fact super slo-mo.
