Samsung's S25 Ultra Is $400 Off - The Android Phone I Recommend Most For Black Friday

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Galaxy S25 Ultra is simply a premium flagship meant for users who want nan astir retired of their phone, connected waste now for $899.
• Key improvements see caller Galaxy AI features, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and a 50MP ultrawide lens.
• No awesome shifts to camera hardware, artillery size, and charging speeds time off a batch to beryllium desired.

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Samsung's Big Bad Galaxy telephone is here, and it whitethorn beryllium nan slightest astonishing instrumentality I've tested truthful far. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, which starts astatine nan aforesaid bold value arsenic past year, $1,299, remains nan company's do-everything handset. This premium Android phone is now Samsung's champion telephone overall, pinch a much durable display, an upgraded camera lens pinch immoderate useful editing tricks, and nan latest Qualcomm processor keeping things running. Oh, and yes, AI is everything, everywhere, each astatine once.

Also: I changed 10 Samsung telephone settings to springiness it a important capacity boost

While past year's Galaxy S24 bid ushered successful Samsung's Galaxy AI era, this twelvemonth feels much for illustration nan institution cementing itself arsenic nan leader successful nan smartphone space, besting Apple and even Google (for now) connected features and capabilities. How ornamental that grant is yet depends connected really invested you are successful utilizing AI.

I've spent a period testing nan S25 Ultra and wasn't excessively amazed to find myself some fascinated and bored. After all, this is now Samsung's 5th loop of nan S-series Ultra model, and nan changes year-over-year person been modest, to beryllium generous. But if you're presently utilizing a three- to four-year-old handset and considering an upgrade, return this first-hand testimonial to heart. (And if you're an enthusiast, it'll matter conscionable arsenic overmuch to you.)

The Galaxy S Ultra has ever been a big-phone, two-handed affair, and that holds this year. When I first unboxed nan S25 Ultra, it felt for illustration nan fanciest calculator ever (and I mean that successful a bully way), pinch its information edges and gangly stature. Coming from nan OnePlus 13 I reviewed backmost successful January -- which, connected paper, is comparatively akin successful size -- nan S25 Ultra had a bolder and much striking presence.

From near to right: iPhone 16 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Fortunately, nan instrumentality is not arsenic top-heavy arsenic I retrieve erstwhile models being, moreover though Samsung encased nan 4 rear cameras pinch thicker rings this clip around. In fact, nan S25 Ultra is lighter than its predecessor by 16 grams, earning it nan title of nan thinnest Galaxy S Ultra ever. You should still opt for nan slimmer S25 and S25 Plus if that's nan shape facet you're after, and you'll apt perceive much astir nan "thinnification" of phones later this year. Furthermore, if mini phones are your style, mention to our roundup of nan best mini phones of 2025.

Also: This midrange Galaxy telephone tin make you hide ever wanting a flagship - and it's connected sale

The different notable creation upgrade pinch nan S25 Ultra is nan Corning Gorilla Armor 2 layered complete nan beforehand display. It doesn't return distant from nan anti-reflection aboveground curen that made headlines connected past year's S24 Ultra, yet promises improved driblet protection and scratch resistance. I judge it. My S24 Ultra past twelvemonth had galore micro scratches aft conscionable days of testing, while my S25 Ultra reappraisal portion has remained pristine truthful acold -- moreover aft I removed nan privateness surface protector I initially installed connected it.

Now, if only Samsung could bring backmost nan glory days of psychedelic Aura Glow finishes because these S25 Ultra colors are uninspiring. Perhaps it's nan quality of titanium finishes aliases nan harsh reality that consumers are much apt to opt for safer colors pinch black, white, and metallic hues than poppy and bright. Regardless, you'll want to slap connected a case to springiness your S25 Ultra moreover a touch of personality.

Under nan hood is simply a caller Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite spot for Galaxy, which is an overclocked version of nan processor powering competing Android phones successful 2025 for illustration nan OnePlus 13 and Honor Magic 7 Pro. The astir notable use of nan chipset comes successful nan shape of AI experiences -- specifically, a 40% summation successful NPU capacity compared to past year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared nan champion Android phones, and it was very close

In layman's terms, on-device AI features should return up little bandwidth and powerfulness to run while besides functioning quickly. I saw nan results successful person, placebo effect aliases not, arsenic my S25 Ultra tin swiftly region subjects (along pinch their shadows) from nan inheritance of photos via Generative Edit and propulsion up Gemini hunt results successful a matter of seconds. I ran a mates of consequence tests pinch nan iPhone 16 Pro (running Siri and ChatGPT) and Google Pixel 9 Pro (running Gemini), and nan Galaxy S25 Ultra was nan clear front-runner.

You tin besides in installments nan capacity to nan enhanced Gemini app, which tin now beryllium fired up pinch a agelong property of nan powerfulness button. Previously, Samsung phones were constricted to Bixby -- aliases Google Assistant, if you made immoderate sketchy backend modifications -- truthful this alteration is simply a activity of caller air. It makes transitioning from immoderate different Android telephone pinch Gemini arsenic nan default adjunct overmuch much burdenless.

Speaking of which, nan caller Gemini-Bixby hybrid AI agent, arsenic Samsung confusingly presents it, tin grip natural-sounding, conversational chains of actions, specified arsenic looking up nan upcoming schedule of your favourite sports squad and adding nan date(s) to your calendar. While nan agent-like capacity chiefly useful crossed Google and Samsung apps, immoderate third-party services for illustration Spotify are supported, too.

Also: Samsung is giving these Galaxy phones a large One UI upgrade - here's which models qualify

The important point is knowing really to building your commands. For example, erstwhile I asked nan AI supplier to create a Spotify playlist for roadworthy trips and nonstop it to my wife, it responded that it was incapable to do so. When, instead, I asked it to find songs that were bully for roadworthy trips, it curated nan database and drafted a modifiable matter message. My AI advice: if a punctual doesn't work, effort and effort again.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Considering nan Galaxy S24 bid introduced Google's Circle to Search feature, and nan S25 bid is doing nan aforesaid for nan enhanced Gemini-Bixby experience, it wouldn't beryllium farfetched to opportunity that Samsung, not Google, makes nan champion AI telephone connected nan marketplace correct now. 

Some different caller Galaxy AI tools, for illustration AI Select and Now Brief, only reenforce that statement. The erstwhile is an adaptive, context-aware surface action tool, and nan second gives regular summaries of nan weather, almanac events, and news. 

Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hands-on: This ultra-thin telephone made my iPhone consciousness outdated

I conscionable wish Now Brief showed maine much than conscionable governmental news; moreover aft 2 weeks since mounting my taxable preferences wrong my Samsung News app to exertion and sports, nan app still treats my mornings pinch nan generic "Uplifting Morning Prep" Spotify playlist and latest scoop connected nan US president signing executive orders.

The caller 50MP ultrawide lens pulls successful 4 times much item than nan erstwhile generation's 12MP sensor, according to Samsung.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

One of nan cardinal reasons to bargain a Galaxy Ultra telephone continues to beryllium nan camera, though Samsung hasn't improved nan specifications overmuch this twelvemonth -- astatine slightest connected paper. The only hardware alteration is nan 50-megapixel ultrawide lens (up from 12MP), which, from my 2 weeks' worthy of shots, yields greater item and vividness, particularly erstwhile capturing macro photos. 

The remainder of nan lenses, specified arsenic nan 200MP wide, 50MP 5x telephoto, and 10MP 3x telephoto, are identical to past year's S24 Ultra, but respective soul contributors for illustration nan improved ISP of nan Qualcomm spot person made nan S25 Ultra's output much existent to existent life, particularly erstwhile it comes to look tones and specifications successful debased light.

Also: The champion Samsung phones to bargain successful 2025

There's a bigger attraction connected nan package broadside of things, pinch Samsung introducing adjuvant photograph and video features for illustration 10-bit HDR video signaling by default to seizure a wider move range, a caller Audio Eraser characteristic that lets you set nan volumes of various frequencies (classified arsenic audio subjects for illustration voices, wind, and noises), and nan expertise to grounds successful Galaxy Log mode. 

The second characteristic allows you to spot overexposed areas amended and set nan move scope while signaling videos. It besides allows you to use LUTs successful station for amended colour and ray control.

ZDNET's buying advice

My period of testing the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra confirms respective things for me. While astir aspects of nan phone, specified arsenic nan vibrant, glare-free show and versatility crossed nan cameras and AI features, are easy to appreciate, nan upgrades this twelvemonth consciousness iterative and safe. 

In ways, Samsung has moreover taken a fewer steps back, pinch nan S Pen stylus nary longer supporting Bluetooth controls and gestures, and nan institution opting for Qi2-ready cases alternatively of embedding nan existent exertion wrong its phones. Samsung whitethorn logic nan absence of magnets pinch added weight and bulk, but it's inexcusable erstwhile Apple continues to make nan iPhone slimmer while offering akin functionality.

Also: I've tested each Samsung Galaxy S25 exemplary - and my favourite isn't nan Ultra

It's understandable that early adopters and tech enthusiasts mightiness consciousness underwhelmed by nan S25 Ultra; erstwhile you marque your telephone arsenic "Ultra," it should, theoretically, lead nan marketplace successful aggregate aspects. In today's landscape, however, Samsung needs to springiness america a spot much than conscionable a caller spot and immoderate package features. Otherwise, it's becoming harder and harder for maine to warrant spending $1,300 connected a phone.

But for consumers who are coming from an S21 series, Pixel 6 aliases 7, aliases moreover an older iPhone, Samsung's caller flagship handset checks almost each box. Just make judge to study your section bearer aliases retailer for a generous trade-in deal earlier you make nan investment.

Looking for nan adjacent champion product? Get master reviews and editor favorites pinch ZDNET Recommends.