Upgrading a Samsung phone used to be simple for me—new model comes out, I buy it. But this year was different. I’ve owned the S23 Ultra, tested the S24 Ultra for content creation, and when the Galaxy S25 Ultra came out, I honestly expected a massive leap.
It wasn’t.
And that’s exactly what led me into a month-long “is it worth it?” experiment.
Why I Even Started Testing the S25 Ultra
Three months ago, my S23 Ultra battery started dying faster. I spent most days switching between mobile data, hotspot, and heavy camera use, so replacing the phone seemed logical.
But after watching all the hype around S25 Ultra, I decided to test it myself instead of relying on YouTube reviews.
I used two tools:
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Samsung Switch → to clone my apps
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AccuBattery Pro → to measure battery health
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3DMark Wild Life Stress Test → to test performance throttling
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Open Camera App → to compare sharpness and dynamic range fairly
These screenshots made it easy to see what reviewers rarely say:
the S25 Ultra is good, but the improvements are not dramatic.
What I LOVED About the Galaxy S25 Ultra
1. The New Anti-Reflection Display Is a Life Saver
I work outdoors a lot, and the S25 Ultra display with anti-reflection coating shocked me. Under direct Kampala sunlight, texts looked clearer than my S23 Ultra.
Screenshot 4: Photo of both screens outdoors. S25 Ultra is visibly less reflective.
2. Ultrawide 50MP Upgrade Is Actually Useful
Unlike other “marketing upgrades,” the new ultrawide lens improved indoor shots. When I took photos inside cafés or office spaces, details were noticeably sharper.
3. Performance Is Extremely Smooth
The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip didn’t heat up in normal use. Apps opened instantly and multitasking felt natural even with 15+ apps open.
4. Gorilla Glass Armor Feels Tough
No micro scratches after three weeks—even without a screen protector.
Where the S25 Ultra FAILED Me (And Why I Considered Returning It)
1. The 3× Telephoto Lens Is Shockingly Weak
I do a lot of smartphone photography, especially portraits. The 3× lens on the S25 Ultra felt like a downgrade:
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Soft images
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Loss of detail
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Struggles at night
The S23 Ultra actually produced better overall zoom consistency.
Screenshot 5: S23 Ultra 3× vs S25 Ultra 3× — S23 looks sharper.
2. Battery Life Is Not the “2-Day Battery” Samsung Advertised
Using AccuBattery Pro:
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My S23 Ultra had 7–8 hours SOT
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S25 Ultra gave me 6–7 hours SOT
Not terrible… but also not an upgrade.
3. Charging Feels Outdated in 2025
45W is simply not enough anymore.
My friend’s Xiaomi 14 Ultra charges in 22 minutes.
My S25 Ultra: 55–63 minutes.
4. AI Features Look Fancy… But I Rarely Use Them
Circle to search? Already had it.
Generative editing? Works, but slow.
Call translation? Funny, but not practical for daily life.
The Moment I Considered Waiting for the S26 Ultra
After reading multiple leak reports and analyzing them against my tests, here’s what convinced me S26 Ultra might finally be a TRUE leap:
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Bigger 5400mAh battery
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Improved 3× telephoto sensor (the real weakness of S25U)
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More efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
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Thinner, lighter frame
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Design changes for better grip
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Possible return of more S Pen features
My biggest pain points — battery and camera zoom — are exactly the areas S26 Ultra is rumored to fix.
My Final Recommendation After Real Testing
After 3+ weeks of hands-on use, side-by-side comparisons, battery logs, stress tests, and camera samples…
Buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra ONLY if:
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Your current phone is S21, S22, or older
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Your battery health is below 80%
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You want the new anti-reflection display
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You found a GOOD discount or trade-in deal
WAIT for the S26 Ultra if:
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You own an S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra
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You care about long-zoom photography
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You want better battery life
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You want real performance gains, not incremental ones
My honest verdict:
The S25 Ultra is excellent — but not exceptional.
The S26 Ultra will likely be the true upgrade.
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