Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S24 Ultra — Is It the Right Time to Upgrade?

Samsung is just weeks away from unveiling the Galaxy S25 Ultra, its latest flagship smartphone. It brings several notable upgrades over the Galaxy S24 Ultra, though a lot of things remain completely unchanged. As such, the big question remains: is it worth upgrading? Let’s break down the key differences to see how the two phones stack up against each other and help you decide.

Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Design and Build

The Galaxy S25 Ultra retains the familiar premium design of the S24 Ultra but with a tweak. Instead of a boxy build with sharp corners, Samsung now offers a rounded finish on corners. The new model might upgrade to grade 5 titanium from grade 2, alongside a switch to Gorilla Armor 2 protection on the front and back. Do not expect any changes in durability ratings.

The upcoming Samsung flagship is also lighter, slimmer, and narrower than its predecessor. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has dimensions of 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm and weighs 219 grams, while the S24 Ultra has dimensions of 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm and weighs 232 grams. Despite this, you get a bigger 6.9-inch display instead of a 6.8-inch panel. Samsung managed to do this by trimming the bezels. Based on leaks, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a screen-to-body ratio of 91.4% instead of 88.5%.

Verdict: Notable improvements in design; might be a compelling reason to upgrade if aesthetics and in-hand feel are your primary concern.

Display technology

The Galaxy S25 Ultra may feature a slightly larger display but it’s an unchanged panel from the S24 Ultra. You get the same Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X screen with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, QHD+ (1440 x 3120 pixels) resolution, HDR10+ support, and 2,600 nits of peak brightness. Nothing changes, and that’s because Samsung is using the same M13 OLED technology. The new flagship doesn’t get its M14 panels.

That said, the company has allegedly addressed some concerns with display graininess on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Additionally, the Gorilla Armor 2 glass protection is said to offer enhanced anti-reflective properties for clearer visuals outdoors. Meanwhile, the S Pen might lose Bluetooth connectivity, cutting off the super convenient Air Actions or air gestures. It’s unclear if Samsung will offer new S Pen features.

Verdict: No major changes in display quality or technology; should be the least of your reasons to upgrade.

Processor and Performance

The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It’s miles ahead of the S24 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in almost every area. Be it the CPU performance, GPU performance, AI capabilities, or power efficiency, the new model excels in everything. Not that the S24 Ultra is a slouch, but its successor clearly wins the performance battle.

Additionally, Samsung is expected to offer 16GB of RAM on select storage options (probably 512GB and 1TB), so that’s an added benefit. The Galaxy S24 Ultra tops out at 12GB of RAM. The new LPDDR5X RAM chips are manufactured on a 12nm process, offering enhanced performance and power efficiency. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also benefits from Snapdragon 8 Elite’s upgraded TSMC 3nm process and enhanced cooling features.

Verdict: Power users and gamers will benefit from the performance upgrades, making the Galaxy S25 Ultra a strong choice for heavy tasks.

Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Camera System

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to introduce a new ultrawide camera, a 50MP lens replacing the aging 12MP one. However, all other cameras are likely to remain unchanged from the S24 Ultra. You’ll get a 200MP primary shooter, a 50MP 5x zoom camera, a 10MP 3x zoom camera, and a 12MP selfie camera. Samsung may have improved some sensors but the core hardware remains the same.

While enhanced AI features and software processing should allow for improved image quality, most of those software enhancements should roll out to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The new model could still bring camera improvements courtesy of its Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, but we do not expect massive changes. It remains to be seen how good the new ultrawide camera is.

Verdict: Galaxy S25 Ultra doesn’t have enough camera hardware upgrades; doesn’t make a strong case for switching from Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Battery and Charging

For the past several years, Samsung’s Ultra flagships have packed a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging support. This remains unchanged for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. While we are okay with the battery capacity — Samsung has made the phone slimmer, narrower, and lighter — 45W charging feels a bit slow. We aren’t looking for crazy speeds of over 120W, but an upgrade to 60-65W would have been nice.

People who often use wireless charging would appreciate Qi2 support, though. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is likely to offer 25W Qi2 wireless charging and compatibility with magnetic accessories via a case. You can attach magnetic wallets and other accessories to the back of your phone. The Snapdragon 8 Elite’s enhanced efficiency should enable a longer battery life too.

Verdict: Appealing perks like Qi2 wireless charging and magnetic accessory support; but not a major reason to upgrade.

Software and Features

The Galaxy S25 Ultra will run Android 15-based One UI 7 out of the box. This update brings a UI overhaul, new AI tools, camera enhancements, and tons of other changes across the system. The vast majority of those changes will roll out to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The 2024 model already has access to One UI 7 in select regions thanks to Samsung’s beta programs.

That said, some camera features and improvements enabled by the processor will not be available on the S24 Ultra. Samsung may also limit some AI tools to the S25 Ultra due to compatibility issues. There are also rumors of Samsung potentially offering a year-long free trial for Google’s Gemini Advanced on the new model, roughly a $240 value. The list of incompatible features will still be far shorter than the list of features Samsung will roll out to the older model.

Verdict: Software experience should never be your reason to upgrade from the Galaxy S24 Ultra to S25 Ultra.

Price and Availability

Now comes the main part: price. Samsung is likely to increase the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s price in most markets around the world. While the base variant is still expected to come with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, it might cost more than the S24 Ultra, which started at $1,299.99. Pre-order offers will be similar, so no additional benefits of paying extra.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra should be available globally by February — pre-orders will begin in most regions after the launch on January 22. The handset may come in Titanium SilverBlue, Titanium WhiteSilver, Titanium Black, and Titanium Gray colors as the standard options. Its Samsung-exclusive colors may include Titanium JetBlack, Titanium JadeGreen, and Titanium PinkGold.

Verdict: The Galaxy S25 Ultra brings incremental upgrades but comes with a higher price tag, making the value less compelling.

Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Should you upgrade?

The Galaxy S25 Ultra offers meaningful upgrades in design, performance, camera capabilities, and wireless charging speed. But when it comes to the main question, the answer depends on several factors. In our opinion, you should upgrade from a Galaxy S24 Ultra if you are a power user and want the latest and best of the smartphone world. Photography enthusiasts and gamers might also find the new model worth the extra money.

However, if you are satisfied with your Galaxy S24 Ultra’s performance, there’s no reason to spend on the S25 Ultra. The 2024 model is still a very capable handset and will get regular updates for years to come. Most average users may not feel the incremental improvements justify the expense. The decision ultimately boils down to your priorities and how much you’re willing to spend for the latest tech.

Speaking of which, Samsung offers savings of up to $1,250 when you pre-order the new model. This includes a combined total of trade-in credits, storage upgrades, and other promotions. If you get a good value for your Galaxy S24 Ultra, spending a few hundred dollars to upgrade to the S25 Ultra might not be a bad idea after all. You can pre-reserve the device here.