Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – its best glass slab yet (smartphone review)

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is its best Android smartphone yet, as we say about all the previous S-series Ultras. In almost every area, it offers top-drawer specs and performance.

Samsung can’t put a foot wrong with the Ultra series. Add Qualcomm’s top processor tweaked for Galaxy, a 6.9” AMOLED screen, masses of RAM and storage, Wi-Fi 7, a big battery, and good battery life…

Add Samsung’s build quality and Android expertise with 7+7 OS updates and security patches, and you get a phone from $2149-2749.

Oh, throw in the Samsung/Google AI collaboration, and yes, the phone is great.

CyberShack’s deep-dive reviews offer information not often found elsewhere. This review is over 7000 words, derived from more than 100 tests, and identifies over 300 pieces of data. There is no room for ‘emotion’ – “Just the facts, ma’am”.

Upfront, let’s address the positives

• The latest Qualcomm SD8 Elite for Galaxy potentially offers the best raw processing power, graphics and AI.
• The flat screen has increased slightly to 6.9” without increasing body size, with narrower bezels, and is protected by the latest Corning Armor Glass 2.
• The camera may not win best in class, but it is very good with loads of pro adjustments.
• Phone reception is strong for city, suburbs, regional and rural use.
• Gen 2 AI for those that can use it.
• 2+7+7 warranty/OS upgrades/security patches
• Superb build quality with a square edge grade 5 titanium frame (like iPhone 16)
• Samsung is the world’s largest Android smartphone maker
• Retains more trade-in and second-hand value.

‘Speeds and Feeds’ Negatives

We found a few foibles that may not make it perfect for everyone. Most are whether that feature impacts you.

• It is an incremental upgrade from the S22/S23/S24, meaning, apart from Gen 2 AI, there are few compelling hardware reasons to upgrade the hardware.
• The SD8 Elite SoC throttles and gets hot. Gamers can only access 50% of its power.
• 12GB RAM is tight for AI. Google has declared that 16GB is the base (Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 12GB base plus 4GB dedicated to AI).
• Samsung still does not allow external SSDs as mountable storage – scratch videographers and Vloggers.
• Removed DeX for PC (but you can use a Microsoft Phone Link app).
• The camera sensor upgrade (50MP/12MP binned Ultrawide) is welcome, but it is more about what the Qualcomm SoC and its ISP can do. The S24 Ultra DXOMARK was 144 versus the Pixel 9 Pro XL at 158. Our tests show that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is not much better than the S24U – still very good but we expect more of premium 2025 phones.
• Samsung persists with an 8-bit/126.7m colour screen, whereas the competition has 10-bit/1.07 or 12-bit/68 billion colour screens. Photo and video image previews are not accurate for prosumer video and still photographers.
• PWM is high-risk for sufferers with a 100% modulation depth at full brightness and 250/490Hz flicker. Read PWM—PWM – Is your phone making you sick?

Continued

• The S-Pen loses Bluetooth and is now just a stylus. No more air gestures, hover commands, remote camera shutter, and PowerPoint clicker.
• Traditional bland glass slab. Rounded corners and Applesque straight sides are a minor improvement over the S24 Ultra. The external camera blisters are functional but are just stuck on, lack any aesthetic design treatment, and are prone to scratches.
• Battery life is good, but a 45W Samsung-specific charger is required for fast charging.
• It supports Qi2 25W wireless charging but does not have the integrated magnets needed, so it ends up at 10W. Buy a MagSafe case.
• Gen 2 AI is mostly on the S24 Ultra and still lacks any killer apps. There is a lot of nice stuff, but will it be used? As this is a hardware review, after a few weeks of use, we will update What is Samsung Galaxy S25 AI all about?
• Samsung requires you to use your Samsung account to access certain features. Some Samsung apps substitute for Google, making Google’s backup and restore or moving to another brand more difficult (that sounds like an Apple trick).

Little of that matters to those who can afford it. It is Samsung’s Android alternative to the iOS iPhone 16 Pro Max and mostly comes within a cooee of its performance. So, while other phones from OPPO or Motorola may best it in some areas, it remains the best premium Android flagship phone you can buy – whether you want AI or not!

If you wish to read the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – the ultimate Android smartphone (review), it shows what I mean.

Overall, it is a faster Galaxy S24 Ultra with rounded corners

Australian Review: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, 12/256GB, Dual SIM, SM-S938B/DS

The best way to read this review is to read the comments at the beginning of each table and explore the data points if you are interested.

Brand	Samsung
Model	Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Model Number	SM-S938B/DS
RAM/Storage Base	16/256
Price base	$2149
Price 2	16/512GB $2349
Price 3	16GB/1TB $2749
Warranty months	24
Tier	Upper Premium
Website	Product Page
From	Samsung Online and approved retailers *
Country of Origin	Korea
Company	Samsung is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. Samsung Electronics is the world’s largest information technology company, consumer electronics maker and chipmaker.
More	CyberShack Smartphone news and reviews
Test date	9-18 January
Ambient temp	22-30°
Release	February 2025
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)	Do not buy models with S938 ending with U, U1, W, N, 0, or E DS means Dual SIM, but regardless, it has one SIM and one eSIM.

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

* Don’t buy grey market – no Australian warranty and Wi-Fi 7 and 5G may not work here

Regrettably, the Ultra is one of the world’s most counterfeited phones. Read The Fake S24 Ultra – Spot The Difference. Over the years, dozens of readers have fallen prey to bargain-priced Ultras on marketplaces including Facebook, AliExpress, Kogan/Dick Smith/Matt Blatt/MightyApe and many more.  

We strongly advise you to buy a genuine model with Australian firmware. Check at Settings, About Phone, Regulatory Labels and Australian RCM C-tick mark. Insist on a screen grab if you buy anywhere else.

Australian certified phones use unique Australian 5G sub-6Ghz and 5G low-band frequencies, requiring local activation first. They also don’t use parts of the Wi-Fi 5 and 7GHz bands not permitted here. Read Don’t buy a grey market smartphone.

First Impression – The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is an imposing phone

As someone who has used a Galaxy S series phone since the S5 and later Note and Ultra, you need to know this is a large phone at 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm x 218g. Plus, to protect your investment, add a cover, and it can weigh up to 300g or 11 ounces for the ‘oldies’. Perhaps that is why Samsung is rumoured to be releasing a thinner version soon. The Catch22 is that the thinner it gets, the smaller the camera sensors and batteries get, etc.

So perhaps my best advice is that if you don’t need the neutered S Pen, look at the 6.2” S24 (146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2mm x 162g) or 6.7” S4+ (158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm x 190g) as they all use the same processors – the tri-camera is not as highly speced but is pretty good.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Screen – Pass

Reviewers comment about the bright and colourful screen – and it is. Typical users will love it.

But there are better screens out there that use 10-bit/1.07 billion colour, are brighter and support Dolby Vision, which no Samsung device, including TVs, supports.

PWM (pulse width modulation) dimming is a massive issue with Samsung AMOLED. Essentially, it is low-frequency dimming that severely affects about 10% of the world, causing headaches, eyestrain and more. Up to 60% of users suffer from some minor symptoms. Read PWM – Is your phone making you sick?

The other issue is still and video image preview. There is quite a difference between the screen capture and AI-processed image. That probably won’t bother typical users, but it is a key issue for prosumers.

It defaults to 2340 x 1080 to help extend battery life but can be 3120 x 1440.

Things to note for prosumers

• Gamma is 1.0, and most smartphones are 2.2. It makes the screen appear brighter, whiter and oversaturated.
• Delta E colour accuracy is 2.8. While anything below 4 is imperceptible to the eye, we expect flagships to be <1.
• Wide colour gamut (DCI-P3) is based on 16.7M colours – not 1.07 billion colours. The result is that you can get gradient banding instead of smooth colour gradients.
• Samsung quotes 2500nits peak brightness, but that is when playing HDR10+ 8-bit content in a 2% screen window. For daily use, it sits at about 300-400 on Adaptive brightness.
• Netflix will stream Widevine L1 1080p, HDR.
• Gorilla Glass Armour 2 has been found to scratch more easily than standard Armor but survives a 2.2m drop-test (see video later).

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Screen Specs

Size	6.9″
Type	LPTO AMOLED 2X
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D	Flat
Resolution	3120 x 1440. Defaults to 2340 x 1080.
PPI	501/376
Ratio	19.5:9
Screen to Body %	92.5%
Colours bits	8-bit/16.7m
Refresh Hz, adaptive	1-120MHz screen and 240MHz touch in game mode only. Supports 10, 24, 30, 48, 60, 80, and 120Hz.
Response 120Hz	Not stated, approx. 2ms GTG
Nits typical, test	Not stated Test Manual/AdaptiveMode 765/1301 nits Sits at 300-400 nits on Adaptive. Considerably lower than the Pixel 9 Pro XL and iPhone 16 Pro Max
Nits max, test	Claimed 2500 Peak. Test 2379. This is for HDR10+ content in 2% of the screen and is not a practical measurement.
Contrast	Infinite
sRGB	Natural mode 115% Vivid Mode 128%
DCI-P3	Natural mode 90% of 16.7m colours Vivid mode 95%
Rec.2020 or other	Can calibrate RGB and colour temperature. Only a fraction of the Rec.2020 gamut.
Delta E (<4 is excellent)	2.8 is high for a flagship. Gamma is 1.0 and should be 2.2.
HDR Level	It plays up to HDR10+, 1080p@120Hz. Samsung does not support Dolby Vision on any of its devices.
SDR Upscale	No
Blue Light Control	Yes
PWM if known	Yes, 250/492Hz can cause headaches and eyestrain for PWM-sensitive people.
Daylight readable	Yes
Always on Display	Yes
Edge display	Yes
Accessibility	Full suite of Android enhancements
DRM	Widevine L1 1080p HDR. Minor banding in gradient colours.
Gaming	Game mode – Read more here. Note throttling results later.
Screen protection	Gorilla Armor 2 scratch-resistant, anti-reflective glass ceramic cover. 2.2m drop test. Mohs 6 (lower than S24 U)
Comment	It is disappointing that it does not have 10-bit/1.07B colours, but it is fine as it does not need to support Dolby Vision. This adaptive screen ranges from 1 to 120Hz to help conserve battery. Samsung AMOLED is not for PWM suffers.

Processor – Exceed except FAIL for throttling

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite powers all S25 models, which is the most welcome generational upgrade this year. If you don’t need the now neutered S Pen, the S25 and S25+ represent better value. Read Which Samsung Galaxy S25-series is for you?

Interestingly, the synthetic tests show that the SD8 Elite (SM-8750-AC for every other maker) outperforms the SD8 Elite for Galaxy (SM-857500AB). We can only suggest that Samsung has backed off some of the power to help control throttling. Read Qualcomm SD8 Elite for Galaxy versus SD 8 Elite for others, which we will update as new test results come through.

The GPU has the most significant power increase and would be excellent for games if it did not throttle.

Samsung is relying on the power of the new Snapdragon chipset’s ISP to improve the photo and video quality across the board.

Processor Specs

Brand, Model	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy SM8750-AB See Qualcomm SD8 Elite for Galaxy versus SD 8 Elite SM8750 AC for others
nm	3nm TSMC N3E fab
Cores	Qualcomm Oryon 2 x 4.47GHz & 6 x 3.53Ghz. Claimed 45% single and multi-core performance increase
Modem	X80 5G and Fast Connect 7900 6nm chip – DSDA
AI TOPS On battery	Geekbench AI (S24U December Update in brackets) CPU 2717/2759/4571 (3008) GPU 1081/1882/1749 (1362) NNAPI666/656/1459 ((1010) QNN 595/27137/61049 AiTuTu: 66,443 (1,481,101 – not possible) AI 6 Benchmark 6: 10536 (8355) GFLOPS: 22.57 (18.43) GINOPS:35.99 (28.18)
AnTuTu	2143922
Geekbench 6 Single-core	3155 (2813)
Geekbench 6 multi-core	9777 (8854)
Like	Definite AI increases, but not in the Geekbench GPU area, where results lower than S24U. Without mountable storage, which is seen as internal storage, videographers and vloggers will soon run out of space.
GPU	Adreno 830 three-core 1.1GHz 12MB RAM Nanite virtualised geometry system and Unreal Engine 5.3 HDR 10-but gaming Playback codecs: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision Claimed 40% faster, 40% more energy efficient and 35% more ray tracing performance
GPU Test
Open CL	18729 (20170)
Like	Fastest available.
Vulcan	24183 (24883)
RAM, type	12GB LPDDR5X
Storage, free, type	256GB UFS 4.0 (199GB free) 512GB and 1TB option.
micro-SD	No
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps sustained/peak	3260Mbps Maximum peak 3940Mbps
CPDT internal seq. write MBps sustained/peak	943.76Mbps Maximum peak 1360Mbps
CPDT microSD read, write MBps	N/A
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps	Won’t test – seen as external storage but can’t mount as internal storage
Comment	While there are definite AI increases, we are not seeing that in the Geekbench GPU area where results are lower than the S24U. Samsung should release firmware updates that may assist. Without mountable storage, seen as internal storage, videographers and vloggers will soon run out of space.

Throttle Test – FAIL

Undoubtedly, this is the best, fastest Android SoC (System on a Chip) with the best modem, GPU, NPU, etc. But it throttles terribly, losing over 50% of its power during heavy use like gamers or videographers. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 40% increase in vapour chamber cooling over S24U. Both are below for comparison. The S24U beats the S25U by 30-100%.

	Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra		S24 Ultra
Throttle test		Test 25° Ambient, 22° after cold boot and 5° (in fridge)	Test 22°, Test 25°, Test 22° cold boot.
Max GIPS		306,384 320,370 326,117	399,003 370,204 404,359
Average GIPS		172,187 215,288 234,152	305,091 273,210 279,816
Minimum GIPS		123,166 155,059 159,757	249,983 227,305 219,971
% Throttle		51/41/42%	25/39/44%
CPU Temp		99°	90°
Comment		Massive throttling. Power users and gamers lose 50% of their power within seconds of use, and the SoC reaches 99°. The external temperature is between 38-41°, so the vapour cooling chamber helps. The stress Test saw GFLOPS drop from 22.57 to 8.88 and GINOPS 35.99 to 14.47, with CPU temperature from rising to 98.10°	Interestingly, the GIPS (giga instructions per second) are far higher on the S24U, admittedly after 10 months of firmware updates. Let’s hope the S25U can gain similar control.

Comms – Pass+

This is a straight Qualcomm set – can’t go wrong. But Samsung’s refusal to enable USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps to mount an external SSD means heavy users like videographers, Vloggers, etc, run out of space and must use slow, manual OTG cut and paste.

Wi-Fi Type, model	Wi-Fi 7 2.4/5/6GHz 320Mhz Samsung does not reveal connection speeds, which makes it hard for a user to decide whether to use 5GHz, 6GHz or MLO on later routers.
6GHz Test 2m -dBm, Rx/Tx Mbps	-37/5200/4800
Test 5m	-51/4482/3843
Test 10m	-56/3715/3747
BT Type	5.4
GPS single, dual	3m accuracy Concurrent GPS, Glonass, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC Triple frequency GNSS (L1/L2C/L5) Certified for freeway lane-level vehicle navigation and Urban pedestrian navigation with sidewalk accuracy
USB type	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 5Mbps
ALT DP, DeX, Ready For	Supports Alt DP 1.2 over USB for DeX by cable. No longer supports DeX to PC – use Microsoft Link to Windows.
NFC	Yes
Ultra-wideband	Yes
Sensors
Accelerometer	Yes
Gyro	Yes
e-Compass	Yes
Barometer	Yes
Gravity
Pedometer
Ambient light	Yes
Hall sensor	Yes
Proximity	Yes
Other	Fingerprint sensor
Comment	Samsung has refused over many years to allow mountable external storage when other brands have no issues.

4/5G – Exceed

Again, the full Qualcomm treatment with its latest X80 modem. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is perfect for city, suburb, regional and rural use, provided you at least have some 4G Band 28 700MHz coverage.

With the recent Optus/Vodafone collaboration, Vodafone expands Australian coverage – thanks to Optus, regional and rural users will be better served and can consider leaving Telstra. Check tower coverage first at RFNSA.

Satellite calls and SMS will not be enabled in Australia until the major telcos implement them.

SIM	It can be Single SIM and eSIM (Telstra) or Dual SIM and eSIM (retailers)
Active	DSDA – dual SIM dual active data, meaning one for 4G calls and one for 4/5G data
Ring tone single, dual	Single SIM
VoLTE	Carrier dependent
Wi-Fi calling	Carrier dependent
4G Bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66
Comment	All Australian and most world bands
5G sub-6Ghz	N1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78
Comment	All sub-6Ghz and 5G low bands
mmWave	No
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
DL/UL, ms	4G 39.4/25.5/36ms (average) 5G 109.6/9.6/22ms (average)
Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW	4G -77 to -83/20 to 5pW – good 5G no usable signal
Tower 2	4G -88 1.6pW – good 5G no usable signal
Tower 3	4G -90 1pW – good 5G no usable signal
Tower 4	4G -92 631fW – average
Comment	As expected, the Qualcomm modem found all four towers at excellent 4G strengths. We advise disabling 5G to save battery and ensuring it picks the strongest 4G channel.

Battery – Pass+ for battery and FAIL for no charger inbox

A typical user should get 24 hours, and a heavy user 7-8 hours.

The Qualcomm SD8 Elite is a 3nm SoC and more power efficient than the 4nm in the S24 Ultra. We noticed a drop from 1750mA (SD8 Gen 3) to 1300mA under load and 350 to 300mA when idle.

However, the real-world tests show significantly less battery life (tests were rerun on the S24U to ensure fairness and are in brackets).

And our usual gripe – The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (and S24U) requires a Samsung-specific charger to deliver the fastest charge. It must precisely deliver PD 3.0 10V/4.5A/45W or 15V/3A/45W. PPS chargers don’t appear to be able to lock those voltages/amperages. Samsung’s website says “Not for Sale”.

Our second gripe is that it advertises Qi2 25W wireless charge but does not have magnets inside to enable this. At best, you will get 10-15W charging. You can get a Samsung Qi2 magnet case for $55, but users report that the magnets are not strong enough for a dash-mounted car charger and only get a 15W charge.

A better quality case from Spigen costs $75 to $90, and forget any notion of ‘bling’ for MagSafe cases.

Battery Specs

mAh	5000mAh 3.88V/5A/19.4Wh (same) Actually 3.88V/4885mAh/18.85Wh 500 full recharge cycle battery.
Charger, type, supplied	No charger supplied (same). Super-Fast Charging 2.0 must be enabled (off by default). It must use its 45W charger and a 5W cable.
PD, QC level	45W PD 3.0 capable. Tested with Anker Anker 737 GaNPrime 120W charger – fast and faster and 5W cable and got 40-42W charging
Qi, wattage Belkin 15W	25W wireless (Qi2) or 15W (Qi1) but no MagCharge so it ends up being 10W. Needs a third-party MagSafe case.
Reverse Qi or cable	4.5W
Test (60Hz or adaptive screen)	Adaptive, Vivid and 2340x 1080
Charge % 30mins	70%
Charge 0-100%	1 hour 8 minutes with Anker GaN (1 hour 31 minutes Belkin GaN).
Charge Qi, W	8-10 hours using a Belkin 15W BoostCharge. We can only assume that Samsung only accepts 9V/2.77A/25W from its charge pad (Same).
Charge 5V, 2A	8 hours
Video loop 50%, aeroplane mode	Claim 30 hours 20 hours 24 minutes (23 hours 23 minutes)
PC Mark 3 battery	19 hours and 12 minutes (17 hours 10 minutes)
GFX Bench Manhattan battery	Error
GFX Bench T-Rex	505.7 minutes (8.42 hours) 6728 frames (546 minutes)
Drain 100-0% full load screen on	5 hours 53 minutes (7 hours 4 minutes)
mA Full load screen on	1250-1300mA (1500-1750)
mA Watt idle Screen on	250-300mA (285-350)
Estimate loss at max refresh	There should not be a significant difference to fixed 60Hz.
Estimate typical use	Video Loop and PC Mark 3 are both around 20 hours of screen-on, so a typical user should get at least 24 hours between charges. Power users will get 7-8 hours of screen-on.
Comment	Note: Battery protection enables Basic: Battery charge to 100% Adaptive: Charge to 80% overnight Maximum: 80% max. Must enable fast cable and wireless charge.

Sound Hardware – Pass

For reasons unknown, Samsung does not use the excellent 7.3W Class-D Qualcomm Aqstic stereo and spatial sound amps built into the SD8-series SoC. Instead, it usually uses 2 x mono amps from Cirrus Logic or, in this case, Texas Instruments (TAS25XX). I suspect that it allows Samsung’s AKG to tune the speakers.

For reasons unknown, it does not support the full Qualcomm Bluetooth aptX codec family, preferring to use the free basic aptX, SBS, AAC, LDAC and SBC (Samsung scalable codec). Why? No royalties are paid to Qualcomm, just like Dolby Vision.

So, if you want the best quality BT music, you need to use LDAC-compatible earphones or Samsung’s SBC buds.

It does not have a built-in USB-C DAC (digital to analogue converter); several other brands allow direct plug-in of USB-C cabled or 3.5mm buds. Instead, you must buy a USB-C with a 3.5 DAC, which is listed on Samsung’s Australian website as ‘Not for sale’. In any case, it is a very low-end DAC, and if you like cabled music, Creative Sound Blaster has the G3 DAC (<$90) and Astel & Kern has better DACS from $300-400. The difference in sound quality over BT is profound.

We also noticed it has less volume at 75dB than the S24 Ultra (80dB). Hands-free is good, but you may need to hold it closer.

Sound hardware specs

Speakers	Stereo – top earpiece and bottom down-firing.
Tuning	Not specified – probably AKG
AMP	2 x TAS25XX D-Class mono Amps 2W each
Dolby Atmos decode	Yes, downmix to two speakers
Hi-Res	Only via DAC or BT LDAC and SSC
3.5mm	No and no USB-C Port DAC
BT Codecs	SBC, AAC, free aptX, LDAC and SSC (Samsung scalable Codec). 16-bit/44100MHz
Multipoint	Can connect to two devices
Dolby Atmos (DA)	Yes – auto, movie, music, voice and games mode
EQ	Balanced, Smooth, Clear, Bass Boost, Dynamic, Treble Boost, Custom. Also, Dialogue Boost (1-4kHz) and UHQ upscale.
Mics	3 – with background noise suppression and stereo zoom-in sound
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off
Volume max	75
Media (music)	75
Ring	70
Alarm	70
Notifications	70
Earpiece	55
Hands-free	Good hands-free with noise cancellation.
BT headphones	Excellent left-right separation and DA makes quite a difference with DA content. Maximum volume is lower than S24U.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – How does it sound? Passable

Let me start by saying that few smartphone speakers earn even a Pass mark simply because the micro-speakers are too small. It has almost the same frequency response and sound signature as the S24U – it uses the same speakers and a different amp.

There is no low or mid-bass. High bass (100-200Hz) is weak and builds slowly to 1kHz, where it flattens (good) to 6kHz (good for clear voice), then recesses treble that sucks the life out of music.

The sound signature is Mid (bass recessed, mid boosted, treble recessed) – for a clear voice.

The speakers only really become active from 1 to 6kHz – forget the lazy bass and recessed treble.

Deep Bass 20-40Hz	No
Middle Bass 40-100Hz	No
High Bass 100-200Hz	Building
Low Mid 200-400Hz	Still building
Mid 400-1000Hz	Still building
High-Mid 1-2kHz	Flat
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Flat
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	Flat
High Treble 6-10kHz	Steep decline to 12kHz
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	Flat but choppy
Sound Signature type	It has a Mid sound signature (bass recessed, mid boosted, treble recessed) – for clear voice but not for music as it has no bass and music feels flat – no air or vitality to it.
Soundstage	2D is about as wide as the phone, with no obvious bias to one speaker. DA gives it a slightly wider 10cm soundstage and a little 3D height.
Comment	It lacks musically meaningful low-mid-bass, and high bass is late. Mid and low-mid treble are fine for music genres that don’t need much bass.

Build – Exceed

If there is one thing that Samsung excels in, it is build quality. This is superb, and the Teardown videos confirm that it is a very repairable phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra joins the S24/+/Ultra and S25/+, which uses a new repair technique allowing authorised technicians to repair the LCD screen (front screen) rather than replace the entire LCD. The cost is $375.

Size (H X W x D)	162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm
Weight grams	218
Front glass	Gorilla Glass Armor 2 – anti-reflective glass ceramic. 2.2m drop rating. Mohs hardness 6 (S24U was 7).
Rear material	Gorilla Glass Armor 2
Frame	Grade 5 Titanium
IP rating	IP68 1.5m for 30 minutes
Colours	Retail (all Titanium) Silverblue Black Grey Samsung Only WhiteSilver Jetblack Jadegreen Pinkgold
Pen, Stylus support	Yes, but it no longer has Bluetooth, so it lacks air commands.
Teardown	Yes – see below
In the box
Charger	No
USB cable	Very short USB-C to USB-C 3W (25W maximum)
Buds	No
Bumper cover	No
Comment	Stylus included. Gorilla Glass Armor 2 and the Titanium frame make it a keeper but use a bumper case to protect the lens turret from scratches.

PBKreviews drop test

Operating System – Pass

There are two components – Android 15 and its seven years of OS upgrades and security patches. And Samsung One UI 7.0, which will be updated at least annually.

Samsung will roll out UI 7.0 to:

S24 Ultra	S24+	S24	S24 FE	S23 FE	S23 Ultra
S23+	S23	S22Ultra	S22+5G	S225G	S21FE
S21Ultra	S21+5G	S21+	S215G	S21	ZFold6
ZFlip6	ZFold5	ZFlip5	ZFold4	ZFlip4	ZFold3
ZFlip3	A73	A72	A55	A54	A535G
A35	A34	A335G	A25	A24	A23
A165G	A16	A155G	A15	A145G	A14
A06	A05s	A05	M55	M54	M53
M35	M34	M33	M15	M05M145G	M14
F55	F54	F34	F23	F15	F145G

Gen 2 AI capabilities are subject to hardware, and I understand that S24 and S23 Qualcomm SoC (not Samsung Exynos) versions are supported.

As a long-term Samsung user since the Galaxy S5 (I abandoned Apple with its uber-buggy iPhone 6), I have seen the company’s philosophy change and become more Applesque. Sure, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

But ever so slowly, since the S20 (2020), I have seen Samsung’s relatively straightforward privacy policies and terms of use balloon into over 40,000 words and 8-10 interlocking nested policies that only a lawyer would understand, let alone NOT sign. PS—Google/OPPO/Motorola, do it in a few thousand words!

I am not inferring that Samsung is doing anything wrong, especially when Apple has been getting away with this for far longer. Samsung needs to return to its roots as the premium Android smartphone maker and make its policies privacy-friendly. Privacy is the greatest threat to humanity – not dear Donald.

Excellent OS and security patch policy

We all applaud Samsung for matching Google Pixel with seven years of OS updates and seven years of security updates. While it won’t extend this policy to lower-cost A-series, these get three or four years of OS and up to five years of security patches. Moving forward, Samsung looks to lengthen this even further.

This does a few things:

• Helps retain second-hand and trade-in value for longer
• Stops the proliferation of Android versions on its phones.
• Make sure the latest security patches are applied
• Makes it easier to sell.

Android Specs

Our only comment here is that Samsung apps often duplicate Google Apps, such as calendar, contacts, browser, files, mail, pay, etc. That is fine if you stay in Samsung’s walled garden and upgrade to new Samsung devices, which also require a Samsung Account.

As a phone reviewer, I need to use them for a few weeks, and my advice is to use Google Android apps and Google Backup to make changes easy.

Android	15
Security patch date	1/12/24
UI	One UI 7.0
OS upgrade policy	7 to 2032
Security patch policy	7 to 2032
Bloatware	Facebook
Other	Selection of Apps. Including Gallery, My Files, Internet, Health, Calculator, Calendar, Wallet, the powerful Notes app, and Bixby assistant. Consumer Advice: If you intend to use other Android brands in the future, use the Google Apps rather than lock into the Samsung ecosystem.
Comment	Excellent upgrade policy and One UI is easy to use. Google Gemini AI features.
Security
Fingerprint sensor location, type	Ultrasonic Under glass (9/10)
Face ID	2D
Other	Knox and Secure folder
Comment	One of the more secure Android devices

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rear camera

It is almost the same as the S24 Ultra, with the Ultra-wide angle upgraded from 12MP to 50MP, which bins to 12MP anyway. Samsung relies on the upgraded Qualcomm Image Signal Processor for better AI computational photography.

There are far better sites to judge camera ability as we only test as Joe and Jane Average would – point and shoot. After all, if you pay this much, you want to do just that.

For a specialist camera review, we point you to Digital Camera World. After the test images, we have a 29-minute video from PetaPIxel titled The Samsung S25 Ultra Review For Photographers. It is worthwhile viewing for prosumer photographers and videographers.

Quick observations

• It is the S24U with a little more AI processing. For the most part, the point-and-shoot photos are similar.
• The AI tools, many of which are on-device, won’t be used by typical users.
• The device had several camera failure error messages when taking long videos and using 50X+ zoom. I suspect it is a heat issue. Samsung is aware of the issue, but none of the suggested fixes, like reboot or factory reset, worked. It was always about letting it cool down.
• Image preview is not colour-accurate
• The default mode for all camera sensors is binned to 12MP to allow for AI processing. If you shoot at 200 or 50MP, there is limited AI processing.
• Videos are generally excellent, but the 8K@30fps is for bragging rights only. But video frame rates are not rock solid and cause issues with editing.
• You will be happy with this as a point-and-shoot snapper, but it barely scratches what it can do.

Test Images

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Camera Specs

Rear Primary	Wide
MP	200MP bins to 50 and 12.5MP default
Sensor	Samsung S5KHP2
Focus	multi-directional PDAF and Laser AF
f-stop	1.7
um	.6 bins to 1.2 and 2.4
FOV° (stated, actual)	75.7 to 88.3
Stabilisation	OIS and EIS
Zoom	Digital
Rear 2	Ultra-wide
MP	50MP bins to 12MP
Sensor	Samsung S5KJN3
Focus	Dual Pixel PDAF
f-stop	1.9
um	1.4
FOV (stated, actual)	104.8 to 116.7
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	No
Rear 3	Telephoto 1
MP	10MP (12MP SONY SENSOR)
Sensor	Sony IMX754
Focus	PDAF
f-stop	2.4
um	1.12
FOV (stated, actual)	31.7 to 39
Stabilisation	OIS
Zoom	3X optical
Rear 4	Telephoto Periscope
MP	50MP bins to 12MP
Sensor	Sony IMX854
Focus	PDAF
f-stop	3.4
um	.7 bins to 1.4
FOV (stated, actual)	??
Stabilisation	OIS
Zoom	5X Optical
Special
Video max	8K@30fps
Flash	1
Auto-HDR	HDR 10-bit
QR code reader	Yes
Night mode	Nightography Astrography
DXO Mark	No DXOMARK results as of 11/2/25, but they are coming.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Front Camera

We don’t publish selfie test photos to reduce ID theft. However, we were not satisfied that the results were as good as the S24U, which uses the same sensor.

The internet has several “Why is my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra front camera so bad? To be fair, most comments relate to coming from higher-megapixel selfie cameras. Complaints were about lack of colour accuracy in low light, washed out and grey tone images. We concur, but this is firmware fixable.

When you fire it up, it asks you to select Natural or Warm colour temperature (until you reset the camera). I suspect most select Natural when we found Warm was more ‘natural’.

Samsung is aware of the issue and will likely fix whatever is wrong in a future firmware update.

Front	Selfie
MP	12MP but produces 8.6MP in wide-angle
Sensor	Samsung S5K3LU
Focus	Dual Pixel PDAF
f-stop	2.2
um	1.12
FOV (stated, actual)	59.9 to 71.5 68.3 to 80.6
Stabilisation	No
Flash	Screen fill
Zoom	No
Video max	4K@60
Features
Comment	Not as good as S24U

CyberShack’s View: Samsung S25 Ultra has peaked – fans want much more from the S26 Ultra.

Once we complete a review, we can read other reviews to see if we are in accord and retest if required. Apart from GSM Arena (one of the few you should read if you are serious about this phone), most are very lightweight regurgitations of press releases or reviewer’s guides. Most have more than an element of drinking the KoolAid so that they will be invited back for the next release. Don’t get me started on bloggers and TikTokers who salivate over new gear and then move on to the next big thing.

You may recall that about 7000 words ago, I stated, “There is no room for emotion—just the facts, ma’am.” Well, CyberShack’s View allows emotions and feelings to emerge.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is an incremental update to the S22/23/24 Ultra, with Gen 2 AI from Google (which will be on all hardware-compatible Android flagship phones) and some Samsung exclusives with Samsung apps (which seem to duplicate Google Apps).

There is no compelling hardware reason to upgrade from the S22/23/24 Ultra unless it is time to swap it out. Then, take advantage of Samsung’s or an approved retailer trade-in program.

AI is nice, but unless you need these shiny new gimmicks, there are better, lower-cost phones. Better in the sense that you don’t need the latest V8 turbo that runs very hot under the bonnet, and some have class-leading, non-PWM screens that support Dolby Vision or full implementations of USB-C for hundreds of dollars less.

So, what do I think of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?

Yes, it is the best overall Android flagship, and most buyers will be happy. However, it doesn’t pass the pub test in a few areas identified at the beginning of this review. Let’s hope the Samsung S26 Ultra addresses:

Hardware

• Bring back the Bluetooth S-pen functionality. 
• At least 16GB of base RAM and perhaps 4 to 8GB on top for AI and to accommodate the future. We will see 24GB phones this year.
• Get throttling under control (OPPO and Motorola have).
• 6,000mAh Silicone Carbon battery (ditto).
• 65W or faster charger and 5W cable inbox (ditto)
• A 10-bit/1.07 billion colour display with no PWM issues (ditto)
• Full USB-C 3.2 or 4.0 implementation for data, Alt DP audio, video, charging and mountable external SSD (ditto)
• Dolby Vision support (ditto, but pigs will fly first)
• Better speaker frequency response – at least make it listenable for music and video

AI

• A good start is allowing users to select if they want AI.
• AI should use vanilla Google offerings. There is no issue with Samsung offering alternatives for more functionality.
• Create a limited AI version with the hardware at a lower cost.

Camera

• Completely new camera sensors and lens hardware (no more regurgitation). I can’t remember when, if ever, Samsung was at the top of the DXOMARK ratings.
• Improved video and low-light performance
• Maybe a ‘dumb user’ option to take the best possible photograph or video 

Philosophy

• Samsung is chasing Apple and setting up its walled garden. Tear down the walls and win back former loyal users who don’t want to sign 40,000+ word nested privacy policies.
• Samsung UI 7.1 and later is no longer a light overlay on Android. While it adds value, it should offer Pure Android and Samsung modes (as others do).

The point is that others, like OPPO, Motorola, Google, Xiaomi, et al., are innovating and doing most of the above for way less money.

It is time Samsung, the world’s largest Android smartphone maker, did too, as it would make the S25 Ultra unbeatable – as it was in the past and as it should be in the future! Bring back aspiration.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Competition

Our 2024 Phone of the year was the $999 Motorola Edge 50 Pro – an excellent upper-mid-range smartphone (not even the top Ultra model), as it was the only one that passed all fifteen of our selection criteria.

The $1799 OPPO Find X8 Pro – at last, flagship competition (also not the top Ultra model) was superb, beating the S24 Ultra for performance, value and camera. Looking back at the review, its camera prowess is well ahead with 157 versus somewhere around 144 for the S24 Ultra; its one downside is using the extremely powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor, as its modem is more for city and suburbs use.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra ratings

We rate this against the S22U (2022 79/100), S23U (2023 79/100), and S24U (2024 81/100), considering the technology at the time. The scores are objective and based on the same criteria. From 2024 onwards, we have had to include AI.

A score of 81/100 reflects the incremental updates – regurgitation over innovation.

• Features: 80—The latest processor, Gorilla Armor 2, slightly improved camera setup but has lost the BT S Pen capability; otherwise, it is little different from the S24 Ultra. It loses points for not addressing full USB-C 3.2 standards, an 8-bit screen, and not having a charger inbox.
• Value: 80 – There is no real Qualcomm-based Android competition except the Samsung S24 Ultra, and I would be driving a hard bargain for that at present. If you want a better camera, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the best choice, and it has similar AI features.  OPPO’s Find X8 Ultra and Motorola’s Edge 60 Ultra will give the S25U a real run for its money (Stylus is the unique feature).
• Performance: 85 – While the SoC is capable of the best performance yet, throttling is so high that heavy users like gamers and videographers lose that advantage.
• Ease of Use: 80 – Most users will not use much AI, but it is there if they want it. Excellent 2+7+7 warranty/OS/patches. Samsung UI 7.1. is getting overly complex with multi-layers and being forced to use Samsung Apps to access some AI (instead of Google, which Android users are familiar with). The complex, onerous and extraordinarily lengthy privacy policy and terms are beyond all but the lawyers.
• Design: 80 – I like the flat screen and edges, but the design is four generations old. Apple gets pilloried for its tick (new), tock, tick, tock (minor changes) design and Samsung runs that same risk.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Reviewers final comment

It is a big, bold phone with the latest tech (apart from the 8-bit screen) that should be an aspirational purchase for all who can afford it. It has an incredible OS upgrade and security update policy.

Our take: 2025 – Quality without hardware innovation.

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