Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Long-Term Review: A Deep Dive After A Month of Use

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has been creating quite a buzz in the tech world, and it's easy to see why. With its top-of-the-line specs and innovative features, it's definitely a contender for the best Android phone of 2025. But does it live up to the hype in everyday use? After a month of using this powerful device, here's my take on it.

PROS

• Impressive Camera System
• Smooth Performance
• Gorgeous Display
• Long-Lasting Battery
• Premium Build Quality & Design

CONS

• High price
• Too big for small hands
• Occasional software bugs

Price and Availability in India

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is available in India in three storage variants and four colors: Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Gray, Titanium Whitesilver, and Titanium Black:

• 12GB + 256GB: Rs 1,29,999
• 12GB + 512GB: Rs 1,41,999
• 12GB + 1TB: Rs 1,65,999

You can find it at major online retailers like Flipkart and Amazon, as well as Samsung's official website and offline stores.

Design and Build: Sleek, sturdy, and surprisingly comfortable

The first thing you'll notice about the S25 Ultra is its refined design. Samsung has finally moved away from the sharp, boxy edges of its earlier models and embraced a subtly rounded aesthetic. This not only gives it a fresh and modern look but also feels better to hold, especially for long periods. This design change reflects a growing trend in the smartphone industry to achieve the right balance of ergonomics and user comfort, making the S25 Ultra a pleasure to use but the sheer size of the display will not be very suitable for single handed usage, especially for those with smaller hands.

The glass and metal slab design might fool you to believe it's a fragile smartphone and one drop can shatter the front, but this phone is built to withstand the test of time. The titanium frame and Gorilla Glass Armor 2 protection make it incredibly durable and resistant to scratches and drops. In fact, during Corning lab tests, the Gorilla Armor 2-protected phone has been claimed to have survived drops of up to 2.2 meters onto a surface that mimics concrete, while other glass-ceramic materials failed when dropped from just one meter. Some reviewers have even reported that the S25 Ultra survived drops onto concrete from as high as 2 meters.

What really makes me favor this phone over any other Android flagship in the market is its front and back. I say so because no matter which flagship phone you see - Vivo X200 Pro, OnePlus 13, Oppo Find X8 Pro and so on - all of them look the same from the front. It's only the back that distinguishes itself from others. Whereas the S25 Ultra has a look of its own and anyone who knows will be able to tell it's an S-series Ultra smartphone from Samsung. So, if you prefer an uncommon design that sets apart from the crows, this is the one to go for.

It feels very solid in hand and looks like a premium phone from all angles. The button and port placements remain the same as its predecessor and are quite tactile to use. The material used on the phone is among the best we've seen on recent Android phones.

Display and Audio: Best in class

The S25 Ultra boasts a massive 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, the largest ever on a Samsung phone. Thanks to the slim bezels, Samsung managed to increase the screen size without making the phone itself any bigger. The display is bright, sharp, and vibrant, making it a joy to watch videos, play games, or simply browse the web. Whether you're streaming movies, editing photos, or working on presentations, the S25 Ultra's display promises an immersive, enjoyable and wholesome viewing experience. It is my favourite display on any smartphone available on the market.

One unique feature is ProScaler technology, which upscales lower-resolution content to make it look sharper on the Quad HD+ screen. This is particularly useful for older games or videos that might not look their best on such a high-resolution display.

And it's not just about the visuals; the S25 Ultra also delivers impressive audio. The stereo speakers are louder and offer a richer sound than its predecessor, the S24 Ultra. While they might not replace your dedicated Bluetooth speaker, they provide a surprisingly enjoyable audio experience for watching videos or listening to music on the go.

Camera: Impressive, not a huge leap

The S25 Ultra comes with five cameras in total - four on the back and one for selfies.

Here's a breakdown of the camera specifications:

• Main camera: 200MP
• 5x telephoto: 50MP
• 3x optical: 10MP
• Ultra-wide: 50MP
• Front-facing camera: 12MP

While that might sound like overkill, each camera has its purpose. The main camera packs a whopping 200MP sensor (though you'll rarely use all those megapixels), and you get two zoom cameras for those far-away shots, plus an ultrawide for fitting more into your frame.

When you're out and about during the day, this phone shines. Your photos will look bright and colorful - maybe even a bit too colorful sometimes, as Samsung likes to make things pop. If you're the kind of person who shares photos straight to social media without editing, you'll probably love how these photos look right out of the camera.

Night photography is a bit of a mixed bag. While Samsung says they've improved low-light photos, the results aren't always consistent. The good news is that the ultrawide camera (the one you use to fit more into your shot) works much better in dark conditions than previous Samsung phones. However, if you're taking photos in very dark places, you might notice some graininess, especially if you're using the main camera's high-resolution mode.

Let's Break Down Each Camera:

• The main camera takes fantastic detailed shots, though it might struggle a bit if you're trying to capture moving objects in low light (think kids or pets running around indoors).
• The ultrawide camera is notably better than last year's model - great for landscapes or large group shots.
• The zoom cameras are good for getting closer to far-away subjects, but as you'd expect, the quality gets worse the more you zoom in.
• The front camera takes good selfies, especially in daylight. In darker conditions, it uses your screen as a flash, which works okay but might make your skin look a bit unnatural.

Video Recording: You can shoot some seriously high-quality video with this phone, including 8K if you want (though most people won't need this). The video stabilization is better than before, but you'll still notice some shakiness if you're walking while filming. For most casual videos - like capturing family moments or events - it works great.

New Features:

• There's a new "Samsung Log" feature for people who like to edit their videos extensively
• You can adjust the background blur in photos after taking them
• The phone uses AI to help you take better pictures, like suggesting the best shot in a series or removing unwanted background sounds in videos

The S25 Ultra's camera system is really good, especially if you're coming from an older phone. It excels at regular daytime photos and gives you lots of creative options with its different lenses. While it's not perfect - particularly in very dark settings or when trying to film while walking - it's still one of the most capable camera phones you can buy.

A quick tip: For most everyday photos, just use the default camera mode. You don't need to mess with the 200MP mode or fancy settings to get great shots. The phone's automatic mode is smart enough to handle most situations really well.

AI Features: Promising but imperfect

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra comes packed with AI features that actually make your phone smarter and more helpful. Let me break down what I found after using it for a while.

My favorite feature is Circle to Search - it's super simple to use. Just circle anything on your screen (like a product or text), and the phone instantly searches for it. I've been using it to find things like "what's that song playing?" or "where can I buy those shoes?" and it works really well.

The phone also has this new feature called Now Brief that's supposed to be like your personal assistant. It shows you things like your daily schedule and how active you've been, which is nice, but it could be better. Sometimes it shows me stuff I don't care about or keeps repeating the same information.

There's also Gemini Live Assistant, which is like having a smart helper in your phone. You can ask questions or get help with brainstorming ideas. It's pretty good for simple things, but it sometimes gets confused when you ask it to do more complicated stuff, like creating plans and saving them to your notes.

One feature that really impressed me is Cross App Action. Imagine being able to say something like "find a good Italian restaurant and send the details to Mom" - and the phone just does it all at once. Saves a lot of time that we usually spend switching between apps.

The phone has a few other AI tricks up its sleeve, like automatically selecting the best parts of your photos (AI Select), summarizing long texts (AI Summarize), and translating conversations in real-time (Live Translate). These mostly work well, but they can be hit-or-miss sometimes.

Overall, I think Samsung has done a good job with these AI features - they're actually useful and not just gimmicks. Sure, some things could work better (like making Now Brief more personalized or having Gemini work better with other apps), but it's definitely a step up from previous phones. If you're thinking about getting the S25 Ultra, these AI features are a nice bonus that can make your daily phone use easier and more efficient.

Performance: An absolute powerhouse

Let me tell you about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's performance in simple terms. If you're wondering whether this phone is fast enough for your daily needs, the short answer is: yes, it's blazingly fast.

Samsung has put the best available chipset on the market in this phone - the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. But what does that mean for you? Well, everything you do on the phone feels incredibly smooth. When you tap an app, it opens instantly. When you're switching between Instagram, WhatsApp, and your email, everything just flows. There's none of that annoying lag or stuttering I've seen in one month of usage.

For all you mobile gamers out there, this phone is a beast. Whether you're playing Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, or any other demanding title, everything runs smoothly. The graphics look amazing, and the games don't get choppy even after playing for hours.

Now, here's something you should know - the phone can get a bit warm, especially when you're gaming for a long time or using the camera a lot. It's not burning hot, but it's noticeable. Samsung has tried to address this with a better cooling system, but some users (including me) have still noticed the warmth. They might fix this with future updates, but it's worth mentioning.

I've been using this phone for a while now, and it handles everything like a champ. Whether I'm editing photos, jumping between multiple apps, or playing graphics-heavy games, it doesn't break a sweat (though it might get a little warm, as I mentioned). When compared to other phones on the market, including its predecessor, the S25 Ultra is definitely among the fastest Android phones that money can buy right now.

If you want a phone that can handle anything and everything you throw at it without slowing down, the S25 Ultra delivers. Just keep in mind it might get a bit warm during heavy use. For everyday tasks like social media, messaging, and casual gaming, this phone is more than powerful enough and should stay snappy for years to come.

Battery Life: Charges slow but lasts a day

The phone comes with a big 5,000mAh battery - the same size as last year's model - but thanks to a more efficient processor, it handles power better.

For most people who use their phone normally throughout the day (checking social media, taking some photos, watching videos, and making calls), the S25 Ultra will easily last from morning to night. If you're a light user who mainly just checks messages and makes calls, you might even stretch it to two days. But if you're big on gaming or recording lots of videos, expect to get about 7-8 hours of actual screen time before needing a charge.

For charging, the phone supports 45W fast charging with a wire, which takes about an hour to go from empty to full. You can also charge it wirelessly at 15W, and it even lets you charge your earbuds or another phone by placing them on its back - though this reverse charging is pretty slow.

The S25 Ultra will comfortably get you through a full day of regular use, but heavy users might want to keep a charger handy. It's not breaking any records for battery life or charging speed, but it's dependable enough for most people's needs. While the battery life is good and reliable for everyday use, it's worth noting that most other flagship phones do offer faster charging speeds. And it's time Samsung should do something about it.

S Pen: Not the same but noteworthy

The S Pen has always been a defining feature of the Ultra lineup, and the S25 Ultra is no exception. It's as responsive and precise as ever, making it perfect for note-taking, drawing, and even controlling the phone. I find the S Pen particularly useful for quickly jotting down notes during meetings or sketching out ideas on the go.

However, there's one major change: the S Pen no longer has Bluetooth functionality. This means you lose the ability to use Air Actions, which allows you to control various apps remotely with the S Pen. I don't really know anyone personally who would find this a dealbreaker, however, the core functionality of the S Pen remains intact.

Software: One UI 7 with a sprinkle of AI

Think of One UI 7 as a fresh coat of paint for your Samsung phone, but with some cool new tricks up its sleeve.

First off, everything looks cleaner and more modern. The corners are rounded, the colors are fresher, and everything moves more smoothly when you tap and swipe. One big change you'll notice is how notifications work - now you swipe down once for notifications and again for quick settings (kind of like an iPhone).

A lot of people have been asking for this, and Samsung finally delivered: you can now scroll through your apps vertically instead of horizontally. It's a small change, but it makes finding apps much easier.

There's this neat new feature called the Now Bar that shows you important info right on your lock screen. It is like a smart ticker that keeps you updated without having to unlock your phone. The camera app is also easier to use now - they've cleaned up all the buttons and controls so you're not overwhelmed with options.

From my time using it, One UI 7 feels like a solid upgrade. Most things work better and feel more polished. That said, it's not perfect - some people have reported their battery draining a bit faster, and occasionally things might get a bit laggy.

Conclusion: Is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Worth It?

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra being Samsung's latest high-end phone, is packed with all the fancy features you'd expect from a phone that costs Rs 1,29,999. The screen is beautiful and bright, perfect for watching videos or playing games. Everything feels super fast and smooth, whether you're switching between apps or taking photos.

The special S Pen stylus that comes with the phone is great for taking quick notes or drawing, though some might be disappointed that it doesn't have Bluetooth like earlier models. The cameras are really good, but if you're upgrading from last year's S24 Ultra, you might not notice huge differences in photo quality.

Should you buy it? Well, if you love having the latest tech, use your phone for work (especially with the S Pen), and don't mind spending big money on a phone, the S25 Ultra is very likeable. It works really well with other Samsung devices too, like their tablets and earbuds. But if you don't care about the S Pen or just want a good phone without all the extra bells and whistles, you might want to look at other options that cost less. The regular S25 or even last year's models could save you a lot of money while still giving you a great experience.