Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: A flagship face-off

As the newest standard-bearer of Samsung's slab-style flagship family, the Galaxy S25 Ultra packs a number of noticeable design improvements over the previous-gen model. And, of course, you can expect the latest and greatest in terms of hardware, cameras, and software as well — highlighted by a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip.

But just how significant are all these Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra upgrades? Are they really worth upgrading to if you have a Galaxy S24 Ultra? Or, if you're on the fence, should you simply go ahead and get the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is still one of the most feature-packed Android smartphones out there?

Now that we've reviewed the Galaxy S25 Ultra, let's find out.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Design and display

Over the last few years, the design language of all three members of the Galaxy S series has remained quite consistent. Furthermore, the 'Ultra' model has always been easily distinguishable from its two younger siblings, primarily because of those right-angled corners and a slightly curved frame. However, finally changed in 2025 with the Galaxy S25 series.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with more rounded corners, matching the corners of the Galaxy S25 and the Galaxy S25 Plus. Add a fully flat frame to the mix, and the Galaxy S25 trio finally has a unified design language across the board. There are also changes to the rear camera array, with the individual lenses now being surrounded by thicker, ribbed rings similar to the ones on the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Samsung's Ultra phones have always been big (at least when compared to the other two members of the line-up), and the Galaxy S25 Ultra is no different. Despite having a bigger 6.9-inch display panel, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is thinner and lighter than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, weighing just 218 grams.

The display remains unchanged, aside from the new the 6.9-inch size of the LTPO Dynamic AMOLED screen. Considering the Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the most gorgeous-looking panels on any smartphone in the market, that's not a bad thing. All other goodies such as Corning's Gorilla Armor protection and an anti-reflective coating are carried forward as well, albeit with minor improvements.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Hardware and cameras

A smartphone this 'Ultra' needs equally 'Elite' innards, which is why the Galaxy S25 Ultra is driven by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Qualcomm's newest top-of-the-line chipset. More specifically, it's using a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy variant that was co-designed by Samsung and Qualcomm.

In terms of RAM and storage, the offerings are completely unchanged from the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Both phones ship with 12GB of RAM, start with 256GB of storage, and can be configured with up to 1TB of storage.

While all that's great, it's worth mentioning that Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is — and will remain for quite some time — a powerhouse capable of handling everything you throw at it without breaking a sweat.

The performance gains from the new hardware will primarily come in handy for things like faster on-device processing of AI-based tasks. We put the Galaxy S25 Ultra through its paces with benchmarks, and yes, it'll crush Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It's not going to destroy other Snapdragon 8 Elite flagships, however.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra's quad-lens rear camera system makes it one of the best Android camera phones you can buy right now. You get a 200MP wide-angle sensor with OIS, a 10MP telephoto module with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP periscope telephoto unit with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. Of course, there's also a diverse range of shooting modes, Galaxy AI-powered editing capabilities, and whatnot thrown into the mix.

In his dedicated Galaxy S24 Ultra camera review of the device, Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich called the setup even better than what you get with a Google Pixel, which is arguably the highest praise any Android smartphone's camera(s) can get.

And you know what's the best part? The Galaxy S25 Ultra's primary camera system is largely the same, complete with Samsung's very own ISOCELL sensors. There is a new 50MP ultrawide on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Software and battery life

Introducing a redesigned quick settings panel, updated icons, better animations, and even more Galaxy AI-powered features with integrated parental controls, One UI 7 goes a long way in making the Galaxy S25 Ultra a productivity powerhouse. And thanks to Samsung's excellent support policy, both phones will likely be getting seven years of OS and security updates, so longevity is guaranteed.

However, it's mostly pointless to get the new phone just for its software, as the Galaxy S24 Ultra will eventually get a similar experience via a future update. You probably won't get everything, and not immediately, though — One UI 7 is delayed at the tome of writing, and certain AI features might never come to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Coming to endurance, the Galaxy S25 Ultra features a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W wired, as well as 15W wireless charging. If these numbers look familiar, it's because they're exactly the same specifications that the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra features Qi2 certification, but since it doesn't have internal magnets — you'll need a case to complete the Qi2 experience — it's unlikely to be that big of an upgrade over the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and its identical charging speeds.

Considering that you can get similar (or better) charging speeds even on Android phones costing hundreds of dollars less, that's underwhelming. The good news is that Samsung claims the Galaxy S25 Ultra is 40% more efficient, and that's excellent for battery life. Our reviewer consistently got a full day of high usage out of his Galaxy S25 Ultra review unit, sometimes even getting more than that. His "best day" of battery life consisted of about six hours of screen-on time, starting at 6 a.m. until the battery died at 8 a.m. the next day.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which is best?

It's true that the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a solid upgrade over the device it replaces. With a refreshed and slightly more compact chassis, top-of-the-line hardware, feature-laden software, and much more, it'll undeniably end up at the top of the mountain as far as the best Android phones are concerned, just like its predecessor.

But here's the thing! You might see a reduction in the Galaxy S24 Ultra's price now that the newer model is launched. The Galaxy S24 Ultra still has a Bluetooth-equipped S Pen with Air Actions support.

So, if you're in the market for a premium Android smartphone and want to save a few bucks, we suggest getting the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It's a high-end device that'll continue to serve you well for years to come, even if it's no longer the newest thing in town. Just be willing to miss out on a few AI features over the years that are exclusive to the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Conversely, if you must have the freshest Android flagship and money is no object, grabbing the Galaxy S25 Ultra can absolutely be worth it.