We analyzed 744 verified reviews from actual owners of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. To understand their experience, we focused on the core aspects that matter most to users. These include the Camera, Screen, Performance, Battery, Design, Software, and overall Value for Money.
Our process involves identifying every time a user mentions one of these topics. We then classify their sentiment as positive, negative, or neutral. By tallying these comments, we generate the percentage scores you see in the charts below, offering a clear, data-driven view of the phone’s performance in the real world.
💰 Value for Money: New Phone, Old Problem
When evaluating the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Value for Money, a complex picture emerges, one where the phone’s worth is deeply tied to the buyer’s history. For those new to the ecosystem or upgrading from much older devices, the phone feels like a definitive premium experience.
This is reflected in a strong 86% positive sentiment score for overall satisfaction relative to its cost, slightly edging out the category average of 84%. Users in this camp feel they’ve received a powerhouse, with one declaring it,
“quite simply the best phone I’ve ever owned and used.”
This feeling of value is often justified over the long term, as another user rationalized,
“if it lasts as long as my previous Samsung did and bearing in mind, I am a heavy user, the amortised cost per year is reasonable.”
Unexpected Costs & Missing Items
However, this high-level satisfaction is frequently soured by frustrations with what’s perceived as nickel-and-diming. The most significant pain point revolves around unexpected costs and missing items. While the S25 Ultra’s 32% positive score in this area is technically better than the bleak category average of 21%, it still means a majority of users feel let down.
The frustrations are tangible and immediate, with one buyer pointing out,
“It would be nice to have an actual plug to go with this so I can charge it instead of having to buy one separately considering the cost of the phone.”
Even more concerning for users is the looming threat of future costs, particularly for the heavily marketed AI features. One person expressed a common fear, stating they are
“concerned that the phone will do little more than a basic A series phone once the subscription I’m unlikely to take up begins.”
Upgrade Justification
This leads to the central tension in the S25 Ultra’s value story: for whom is this phone truly intended? Data on Upgrade Justification reveals a crucial divide. The S25 Ultra’s 64% positive score for being a worthwhile upgrade falls short of the 68% achieved by its own predecessor, the S23 Ultra.
This 4-point drop gives a voice to loyal users who feel the latest model isn’t a significant enough leap forward. As one S23 Ultra upgrader bluntly stated,
“had the deal not been so extraordinary, I would likely feel like I’d wasted money in upgrading from what was already a fantastic phone.”
Another user warned their peers directly:
“If you have a working S24 ultra. Skip the ‘upgrade’.”
Conversely, for those looking to switch brands, the S25 Ultra presents a far more compelling case, especially against its primary rival, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, which earns a far weaker 43% positive score for upgrade justification.
Trade-Off: For newcomers, the S25 Ultra delivers a premium experience that largely justifies its price, but for existing users of recent models, its value is a contentious trade-off between top-tier performance and the feeling of paying for an incremental, rather than revolutionary, step forward.
📸 Camera: Zooming Out on Quality
For the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the camera’s story is one of giving with one hand while taking away with the other. The experience is defined by a significant push into software-driven creativity, a move that delights many users.
This is most evident in its camera features and modes, which earn an 81% positive score, soaring a full 20 points above the category average. This isn’t just a number; it translates into a powerful creative toolkit that gives users a sense of professional control.
Creative Toolkit and AI Features
One user celebrated this, noting:
the camera is beyond my expectations in customizations (the pro setting for video and photos is amazing).
Another was impressed by the practical magic of the software, stating:
The AI photo editor has to be one of the most impressive new features, removing unwanted elements from your picture with astonishing results most of the time.
A Significant Downgrade in Zoom
However, this focus on new features comes at a cost to a core capability that many loyal users cherished: zoom. This is the camera’s single biggest point of friction, with its positive score for zoom capabilities collapsing to 66%—a staggering 24-point drop from the S23 Ultra‘s 90% score.
For returning fans, this feels less like an upgrade and more like a betrayal of a key selling point. The frustration is palpable in user reviews. One owner lamented:
I feel that certainly as apposed to the s23 ultra the zoom lense of the cameras has seen a significant downgrade which seems like a strange decision.
Another pinpointed the exact loss, expressing:
The 10x optical zoom was brilliant, and it’s a shame the S25 Ultra only has 5x.
This backward step leaves many simply wishing “the zoom capabilities of the older phones had been retained.”
Competitive Landscape
This internal conflict extends to the broader competitive landscape. While the S25 Ultra’s 81% positive rating for camera features easily outpaces the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 69%, providing a clear advantage in creative versatility.
It falls alarmingly short, however, in fundamental low-light performance. Here, the S25 Ultra’s 71% score is completely overshadowed by the perfect 100% ratings achieved by both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Sony Xperia 1 V.
This creates a stark choice for potential buyers: opt for Samsung’s sophisticated toolkit with its “fantastic array of cameras,” or choose a competitor that offers more reliable core performance when the lights go down.
Trade-Off: While the S25 Ultra offers a best-in-class suite of creative AI and camera features, buyers must accept a significant downgrade in the zoom capabilities that defined its predecessors.
📲 Screen: Brilliance Meets Division
The screen on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is, by almost every measure, a triumph of mobile display technology. Owners are captivated by its fundamental visual quality, which scores an exceptional 95% in positive sentiment for its vibrancy and clarity—far surpassing the category average of 83%.
This isn’t just a technical achievement; it’s a deeply emotional one. Users describe how this quality transforms their daily interactions, with one calling it:
the best screen I’ve ever viewed, making viewing photos and videos an absolute joy.
For many, the experience is so striking that it feels like a “visual masterpiece, showcasing vibrant colors and incredible clarity” that makes everything from gaming to scrolling “ridiculously good.”
The Flat Screen Divide
This glowing praise is complicated by a significant design change that splits user opinion down the middle. At 52%, sentiment around the new physical design features—specifically the move to a flatter screen—is the most contentious point. This score, while above the category average of 42%, reveals a fundamental divide.
For some, the change is a long-awaited practical improvement. One user celebrated that the flat screen is “also more screen protector friendly,” while another stated:
I love the new shape, the edge screen was always a no-no for me.
Yet, for others, this move is a step back, with one owner lamenting:
I miss the curved screen of Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
This tension is a core part of the S25 Ultra’s screen story, with some users even feeling the colors are “washed out” compared to previous models.
Dominance in Anti-Glare
Where the S25 Ultra silences all debate and establishes undeniable dominance is in its handling of real-world conditions. Its anti-reflection and glare performance earns an 85% positive score, more than doubling the category average of 38%.
This feature single-handedly elevates the user experience in a way competitors can’t match. The iPhone 16 Pro Max lags with a 50% score, while the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Sony Xperia 1 V fail to register any positive sentiment at all in this area.
This massive lead isn’t just a number; it’s the practical difference between a usable screen and a frustrating mirror. As one user put it, the anti-glare is a true game-changer:
antiglare in an office with overhead lighting or outside on a bright sunny day
Another confirmed this, saying:
the anti glare glass works really well compared to previous years.
For those who use their phone on the go, this is a powerful and persuasive reason to choose Samsung.
Clear Win: The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s display is a commanding victory in performance, delivering best-in-class vibrancy and anti-glare technology that overshadows polarizing design debates.
✨ Design: Comfort Wins, Camera Frustrates
Evaluating the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Design is a story of touch and feel, where a series of intentional refinements have profoundly reshaped the user experience. The most significant triumph lies not in a radical reinvention, but in how the phone feels in the hand. The S25 Ultra earns an impressive 82% positive score for its size_and_handling, soaring 11 points above the category average.
This isn’t just a number; it represents a tangible improvement in daily comfort. Users celebrated this, with one explaining:
The rounder edges feel more pleasant to the hands.
Another noted:
the weight reduction makes you want to hold the phone for longer.
For many, these changes transformed the device into “an absolute pleasure to hold and look at.”
The Camera Conundrum
However, this thoughtful design is not without its specific annoyances. While positive overall, the factor covering new design features and changes reveals a concentrated point of user frustration around the camera housing. Users frequently complain that the new rings finish allows for unnecessary dust collection.
This is more than a cosmetic issue; it’s a practical flaw with real consequences. One frustrated owner shared a stark warning because the “camera lenses stick out far,” which can lead to damage:
if you drop the phone, even with an otterbox on it, you will absolutely crack a lens.
This demonstrates how a seemingly minor design choice can lead to significant real-world damage and repair costs.
Winning Against the Competition
The true value of these design shifts becomes clear when looking at the competition and the phone it replaces. The S25 Ultra’s positive sentiment score for design_features_and_changes sits at 58%, a massive 21-point leap from the 37% score of its predecessor, the S23 Ultra. This numeric jump explains why so many upgraders feel a dramatic improvement, with one user stating:
The shape is far superior to the sharp corners of the previous ultra.
This ergonomic advantage extends to its primary competitor. The S25 Ultra’s 82% positive score in size_and_handling comfortably outpaces the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 57%, a 25-point difference that suggests a decisive win in in-hand comfort for Samsung.
Trade-Off: Users gain a device that is dramatically more comfortable to hold than its predecessor and key rivals, but they must accept the frustratingly practical flaw of its dust-collecting, protruding camera lenses.
🚀 Performance: Powerhouse With A Catch
Regarding the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s performance, users are overwhelmingly impressed by its raw power, driven by exceptional multitasking and processing capabilities that score a staggering 96% and 95% positive sentiment, respectively. This isn’t just about numbers on a spec sheet; it translates into a tangible, fluid experience that users feel in every interaction.
The phone is described as “blazing fast,” with one owner noting,
It feels so snappy & zippy. The touch response is fast.
For power users, this speed is a game-changer for productivity, as another explains,
The performance boost alone is nice, especially when you use it for work and a ton of multitasking. It never slows down.
The result is a device that feels effortless, handling demanding workflows and complex operations without a hint of hesitation.
Thermal Management
However, there is a notable asterisk in this otherwise impeccable performance report: thermal management. While its 71% positive score trounces the dismal 33% category average, it remains the device’s weakest link and a source of frustration for a significant minority of users.
For them, the phone’s immense power generates noticeable heat under load, creating an uncomfortable and sometimes worrying experience. One user bluntly states it
heats up a lot when you are gaming,
while another provides a more detailed account of its unpredictability:
Occasionally it will start to get incredibly hot, the screen can become piping hot randomly but it doesn’t do it every time, only sometimes when using the camera and a restart sorts it.
This issue represents the primary friction point for users, a physical reminder of the immense processing happening under the hood.
Competitive Performance
Putting these feelings into perspective, the S25 Ultra’s performance, even its thermal weak point, solidifies its dominance over the competition. That 71% score for thermal management, while a concern for some, is more than double the positive sentiment for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (31%) and significantly higher than the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (41%), highlighting a key engineering advantage.
Furthermore, the S25 Ultra’s gaming performance is in a class of its own, earning an 89% positive score that utterly eclipses the iPhone’s 67% and the Pixel’s abysmal 16%. This massive gap isn’t just a number; it’s the difference between a frustrating experience and the “smooth and fluid action” with “NO lag” that S25 Ultra owners celebrate, making it the clear choice for serious mobile gamers.
Clear Win: The Galaxy S25 Ultra delivers a masterclass in raw power and gaming capability that leaves competitors in the dust, establishing its performance as an undeniable benchmark in the flagship market.
🤖 Software & OS: Smooth UI, Unfulfilled AI
Regarding the Software and Operating System of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, user feedback reveals a story of brilliant execution clashing with unfulfilled promises. The core experience is driven by the exceptional fluidity of Samsung’s refined One UI 7, which earns a 76% positive sentiment score for its smoothness and user experience—a full two percentage points above the category average.
This isn’t just a number; it translates into a tangible feeling of premium performance that users deeply appreciate. They praise how the phone is simply “fast, smooth and just great,” while another highlights the integration:
The new software and AI work seamlessly, giving a well integrated and slick experience.
For many, this translates into effortless daily use, where they can “handle important appointments and agendas down to a simple phone call with the ease of an expert.”
Unfulfilled AI Promises
However, this slick performance is undercut by significant disappointment with the phone’s heavily marketed AI features. While these features score a respectable 74% positive rating, the qualitative feedback reveals a deep well of frustration. Users expecting a revolution found a work-in-progress, with one lamenting:
My interactions with the AI often end in frustration after receiving a message that it is only a language model and can’t do what I’m asking yet.
Others dismiss the new capabilities as “mostly gimmicks” or “constantly pushed to the point they’re obstructive.” This frustration is compounded by the looming threat of a paywall, with one user concerned that “it is Samsung’s plan to only offer the AI features free until the end of 2025,” which makes them question the long-term value of the device’s key selling point.
Competitive Context
This mixed experience is thrown into sharp relief when placed in a competitive context. The S25 Ultra’s exceptional UI smoothness (76% positive) gives it a clear practical edge over direct rivals like the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (55%) and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (68%). This is a difference that users who have switched brands immediately notice, stating:
I can feel the difference and refinement in this phone.
Yet, the most damning comparison is with its own predecessor. The S23 Ultra achieved an 87% positive rating for its AI features, a full 13 points higher than the new model. This numeric drop confirms the sentiment of upgraders who feel the S25 Ultra “isn’t as much of a large leap forward as it is a couple of steps in the direction of the future,” suggesting that those seeking the most mature AI experience from Samsung were actually better served by the older model.
Trade-Off: Buyers are choosing a device with a remarkably fluid and customizable interface but must accept that its headline AI features feel more like a public beta than a finished revolution.
🔋 Battery: Long Life, Slow Charge
For the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the story of its battery is a tale of two very different experiences. While users celebrate its impressive stamina, they are simultaneously left wanting more when it comes to plugging in. The powerhouse of the device’s battery performance is undoubtedly its sheer longevity, with its core battery life factor earning an 80% positive sentiment, a solid six points above the category average. This translates into genuine peace of mind for users, who feel liberated from the constant search for an outlet.
As one owner put it:
The battery life is phenomenal even with all the performance enhancements and visual enhancements enabled.
For some, the endurance is almost unbelievable, with one heavy user reporting:
My old phone’s battery barely lasted my 12-hour work shift, but the S25 Ultra if I choose not to charge it, it could last 3 full work days.
This feeling of marathon endurance is bolstered by a significant, but less obvious, positive: the phone’s stable battery drain patterns. Scoring 53% positive—a massive 38 points above the category’s dismal 15% average—this indicates that the phone sips power predictably, without the sudden, anxiety-inducing drops that plague other devices. Users attribute this consistency to smart software, noting how the new processor “has also done wonders to the battery life” and that AI “ensures smooth performance a better battery power usage.” This reliability is key to user confidence, making the long battery life feel dependable, not just a best-case scenario.
Charging Woes and Missed Opportunities
However, the moment that long-lasting battery needs a refill, the user experience sours dramatically. The phone’s charging speed is a major point of contention, with a positive score of just 52%, a staggering 17 points below the category average of 69%. This isn’t just a number; it’s a source of palpable frustration for users who expect cutting-edge technology.
This sentiment is painfully clear in reviews, with one user exclaiming:
Samsung, wake up! We have 2025 not 2022! Charging speeds should be at least doubled by now.
Another user bluntly stated the phone “takes FOREVER to charge.”
This feeling is compounded by a lack of innovation in battery health features, which at 38% positive, sits 6 points below the average and has users questioning Samsung’s strategy, with one commenting:
Many manufacturers are cramming 6000mWh batteries with 90+watt charging into phones with comparable or better specs than this.
A Step Back from the Predecessor
This weakness becomes even more stark when compared to its own lineage. In a striking regression, the S25 Ultra’s charging speed score of 52% is a pale shadow of the near-perfect 97% positive rating its predecessor, the S23 Ultra, enjoyed. For loyal customers who upgraded, this feels like a significant step backward.
Meanwhile, although the S25 Ultra’s day-to-day battery life is praised, its raw score of 80% is actually two points lower than the S23 Ultra’s 82%. This suggests that the perceived improvement comes from better optimization rather than a more powerful battery, a detail that may disappoint spec-focused buyers.
Trade-Off: Users gain freedom from the wall socket throughout the day, only to feel tethered to it for far too long when it’s time to recharge.
Bottom Line
- ✅ The screen is a masterpiece, earning 95% for clarity and a class-leading 85% for anti-glare performance—more than double the category average.
- ⚠️ The camera is the biggest letdown for loyalists, with optical zoom satisfaction collapsing by a staggering 24 points compared to the S23 Ultra.
- 📉 It feels like a bad deal for upgraders, with overall upgrade justification (64%) scoring 4 points lower than its predecessor and users citing missing items and future AI costs.
- 🔻 It’s a significant regression in other areas: charging speed satisfaction dropped a massive 45 points and AI features scored 13 points lower than on the S23 Ultra.
- 🏁 While it dominates rivals in gaming (89% positive) and screen tech, its camera is completely outmatched in low light, scoring just 71% against the iPhone’s perfect 100%.
- 💡 A fantastic phone for anyone new to Samsung, but S23/S24 Ultra owners should skip this “upgrade” to avoid paying more for key downgrades.