Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra one year later: Samsung’s best flagship yet
As we get closer to the release of the Galaxy S26 series, it’s clear that there’s a lot to look forward to. Rumors of bigger batteries, faster charging, design changes, and even a new privacy display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra are very exciting, but last year’s phone is still a great choice and comes at a discounted price.
And let’s be real. The leaks so far about the Galaxy S26 Ultra are there not Earth shattering. Sure, Privacy Display looks like a cool new feature, but a $12 tempered glass screen protector will do 90% of the job. a lot small amount of money. Samsung is said to improve the charging speed, although the battery capacity, unfortunately, may remain the same. And the new, rounded corners on the S26 Ultra will likely have Galaxy S Ultra fans even more upset, too.
Samsung, the king of software
Listen, if you told me ten years ago that Samsung would be the king of smartphone software and updates, I would have laughed until I cried. But, over the years, Samsung took all the complaints and negative feedback about its bad software and finally did something about it.
Last year with the Galaxy S25 Ultra is proof that Samsung is the king of smartphone software, with faster, more stable updates than any other company, and regular updates that keep the phone feeling fresh and new. Ironically, while the S25 series launched with One UI 7, that extensive software release was one of the worst launches in Samsung’s recent history.
To do that, Samsung not only brought its Android 16 update, One UI 8, ahead of schedule, but also without the major problems that came with the release of One UI 7. To top it off, One UI 8.5 is already in beta and improves on what makes Samsung software so great: customization and unique features.
The irony here is that, unlike Apple and companies like OnePlus, Samsung’s updates and UI changes seem to be well received by its customers. While some of the changes are perhaps more iOS-inspired than I’d like, there’s no doubt that Samsung’s riffs on Apple design provide a better experience than the iPhone.
One of the things I love about the One UI – and, all power users – is the level of customization throughout the UI. If you don’t like the app drawer with ugly pages or the navigation buttons that Samsung insists on, you can just change them in the settings. Likewise, with multitasking UI or separate notification panes. Toss in Good Lock, which is the most unique feature available on any smartphone, and you’ll understand why Samsung’s software is so good.
Last, but not least, is the company’s commitment to privacy and security. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the only flagship smartphones allow you to turn off cloud-based AI processing. It’s a simple change to the security settings, and it means you can enjoy great AI-based features without worrying about it being uploaded to a cloud server in a far-flung location.
Pain points and design flaws
Overall, I think the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a great phone that will please almost anyone who buys it, but there are a few pain points and design flaws that have come to light over the past 12 months of use. I’ve never been a fan of the phone case design, and the longer I use it, the more I grow hatred those sharp edges around the display.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s display is still a real pain for anyone sensitive to PWM dimming, and Samsung hasn’t introduced a flicker reduction mode for users affected by it. It cannot be said that Samsung will address this in the S26 line, but the industry is moving forward with better eye protection while Samsung continues to sleep in this area.
The oleophobic coating of the display also seems weak compared to the competition, with few users noticing that the phone becomes a fingerprint magnet after a few months of use. This doesn’t happen with other Samsung phones, as far as we can tell, so it could be something with the anti-reflective layer on the S25 Ultra.
I also found the fingerprint reader to be a bit clunky compared to phones like the Google Pixel 10 Pro or the OnePlus 15. It’s so annoying to use that I disabled it completely, and I’m definitely not alone here. A quick Google search reveals it a lot of responses from people who don’t like Samsung’s ultrasonic sensors, and anything from dry skin to using a screen protector almost always makes things worse.
I’ve seen a few complaints about things like overheating, poor battery life, and camera processing issues, but these all continue to see regular posts on places like Reddit and Samsung’s official support forums. I don’t want to belittle these problems or complaints, but many of them are very dependent and depend on the use of the personal phone, while others are common or widespread.
Samsung’s best year yet
As we noted in our 2025 smartphone report card, 2025 was Samsung’s best year overall. That includes the Galaxy S25 Ultra with its well-rounded experience, fast and regular software updates, solid build quality, and plenty of options to choose from.
Even the camera is able to hold its own against the recently released phones, as it continues to provide excellent images, especially if you use the four rear lenses to zoom in or out. Samsung has even improved motion capture since the launch of the S25 Ultra, something we’ve been talking about Samsung in our camera reviews for years.
No phone is flawless, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra is still a champion after a year. Can Samsung improve things on the S26 Ultra? Sure, but for most people, I think most of any changes won’t be worth the upgrade. This is still a great buy, and that’s even after the launch of the S26 Ultra, as you’ll undoubtedly be able to get yourself one at a record low price.
