Although Samsung has just released the Galaxy S24 Ultra (review), rumors about the S25 Ultra have already started pouring in, implying that the Korean giant has already started working on its next flagship. Since S25 Ultra will come out after Apple releases the iPhone 16 Pro (roundup) and iPhone 16 Pro Max, it will be a crucial smartphone for the company. That said, let’s discuss everything we have on the S25 Ultra, including rumors about the phone’s design, display, processor, cameras, and what we expect from the battery and software aspects.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Latest News
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Series To Come With Fastest Storage Speeds, Larger Display & Exynos 2500 SoCs – March 21, 2024.
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Could Get All Exynos SoCs – March 2, 2024.
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, S25 Ultra, & S26 Ultra To Get Massive Camera Upgrades – December 19, 2023.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design
According to a recent rumor (via tipster PandaFlash), Samsung is testing four prototypes of the S25 Ultra. Each prototype has a slightly different design. The first one has a similar frame as the Galaxy S24 Ultra but with slimmer bezels. The second one is the most impressive, as it contains extra-thin bezels on all sides and a flat frame. While the third prototype image contains thinner bezels on the left/right side, the fourth one showcases a thinner frame with rounded edges.
Although these images have surfaced almost a year before Samsung will release the Galaxy S25 Ultra, we believe they give a good idea of what to expect from the upcoming flagship. Our greedy, enthusiastic side is rooting for the second prototype image, as it showcases the phone with skinny bezels on all four sides, something we haven’t seen on any smartphone yet. Nonetheless, this remains a rumor, and Samsung hasn’t confirmed any of these details.
Apart from the bezels and the frame, we expect Samsung to retain the overall form factor and design of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is itself based on the Galaxy S23 Ultra (review) launched in 2023. So, expect the Galaxy S25 Ultra in a Titanium frame, possibly in a few new colors (as Samsung likes to release some online exclusive variants). Moreover, the phone could be boxy, with a vertical camera setup on the rear and a housing on the S-Pen at the bottom left. As they say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Screen
According to the tipster Benit Bruhner Pro, the Galaxy S25 Ultra display will be larger than before. The Galaxy S24 Ultra currently features a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED screen that supports 120Hz refresh rate and can achieve up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness. However, the tipster mentions that Samsung could increase the display’s size, approaching about 6.9 inches. The tipster also claims the purported phone has thinner bezels, which aligns with our recent rumor.
There’s a good chance the company will also increase the maximum brightness on its flagship. Recently, we’ve seen a couple of smartphones that can reach a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, like the OnePlus 12, Oppo Find X7 Ultra, and the Realme GT 5 Pro. Higher peak brightness isn’t just a good feature; it also acts as great promotional material. Hence, we would not be surprised if Samsung comes out and says that the S25 Ultra supports 4,500 nits of peak brightness.
Samsung is known for manufacturing the best smartphone screens; hence, we expect nothing less from the upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra. Perhaps the company can further improve the Corning Gorilla Armor glass it released with the S24 Ultra. For those catching up, Gorilla Armor is a new type of screen covering that improves visibility by reducing reflections by a significant margin. We’ve covered Gorilla Armor in depth in a separate post. Feel free to have a look if you have any questions about the new display solution.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Processor
This year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, the fastest Android phone chipset. The processor offers top-notch performance while retaining efficiency, allowing the smartphone to run several apps simultaneously while lasting an entire day (or possibly even more) on a single charge. Considering the 8 Gen 3’s success, it only makes sense for the company to rely on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC for its 2025 flagship. And do we know something about the processor? Fortunately, yes.
First, Qualcomm has already confirmed that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC will come out in October 2024, right in time for Samsung’s early January 2025 release. Regarding the processor’s performance, we saw some early benchmark scores back in January. Per the screenshots shared by @negativeonehero on X (formerly known as Twitter), the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 can score over 3.1 million points in the Antutu benchmark.
Further, the chipset gets 2,845 points in the single-core and 10,628 points in the multi-core Geekbench 6 performance test. Surprisingly, the latter is even better than an iPhone 15 Pro Max’s multi-core score, which features Apple’s A17 Pro chipset. What’s more interesting is that the chipset’s multi-core score is similar to Apple’s M3. To balance the jump in power, Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will be built on TSMC’s 3nm fabrication technology. We covered more details about the upcoming chipset in our roundup.
Some rumors also suggest that the smartphone could run on Samsung’s Exynos 2500 SoC, but that doesn’t seem likely.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Cameras
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has one of the most capable camera systems on a smartphone. It includes a 200MP (f/1.7) primary sensor, a 50MP (f/3.4) telephoto sensor for 5x optical zoom, a 10MP (f/2.4) telephoto sensor for 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide sensor. These sensors can click excellent portraits, landscapes, and highly zoomed-in images without a hitch. Switching between the sensors could use some refinement, but all in all, the S24 Ultra is an excellent smartphone for clicking pictures and recording videos.
Although no concrete information is available about the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera setup, we expect Samsung to retain a four-camera array, headlined by a 200MP camera. One leakster, however, claims that the S25 Ultra’s ultrawide sensor will be a 50MP shooter instead of the 12MP one on the current model. This will add more details to ultrawide shots and allow users to crop into images without compromising clarity. The telephoto sensor could also improve, perhaps by making it zoom more smoothly. However, we would like to wait for more information to surface online.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Battery
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 5,000 mAh battery easily lasts a moderate to heavy day of usage, and we expect the same from the S25 Ultra. Given that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (3nm) would be more energy efficient, we might see a slight improvement in the overall battery life. Another way to increase the usage time would be to enhance the cell’s capacity, but given that the S25 Ultra has to make some room for the S-Pen, it is unlikely that Samsung will be able to pack a larger battery.
While Samsung’s 2025 flagship might not have a bigger battery, it should, however, feature faster charging. Most Android flagships from OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, and iQoo support faster wireless and wired charging, and the S24 Ultra costs more than most. Hence, it might be difficult for the company to sell a flagship that supports 45W wired and 15W wireless charging. Further, the S25 Ultra should also come with Qi2 wireless charging standard.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Software
Like the S24 Ultra, the S25 Ultra should receive seven years of Android and security upgrades. Out of the box, the phone could run on a One UI version based on Android 15. Regarding AI-based features, the flagship will borrow all the nifty abilities from its predecessor and add a couple of exclusive features. However, there’s no rumor or tip to support this speculation.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Release Date
Readers should note that the information provided in this article is based on early leaks, rumors, or tips from reliable sources. Since the phone’s anticipated launch, which could take place in January 2025, is almost a year away, Samsung might change its plans or come up with something new/better for its 2025 flagship.
FAQs
When will Samsung release the Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Although the company hasn’t confirmed a date yet, we expect the S25 Ultra to be released in January 2025.
Will Galaxy S25 Ultra be more or less expensive than the Galaxy S24 Ultra?
The Galaxy S25 Ultra might cost the same or more than its predecessor.
