Samsung Galaxy S25+: The Better Ultra?

I tested the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the S25 and the S25+ one after the other and sometimes on top of each other. If I had to pick one device from the series for myself, I’d clearly go for the Galaxy S25+. It’s the mix of the Ultra’s display and processor and the handiness of the small S25.

Handy despite the big display

Apart from size, the S25 and the S25+ share the same design. The Plus has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display and the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. Even so, it’s slim and light, and that gives a little wow effect when you first pick it up. The S25 Ultra, which is almost the same size, got a redesign but is still bulky and pretty heavy compared to the Plus.

That’s the main reason for me. I’m on the road a lot, for work and privately, and I like to test and film devices on the go. It makes a noticeable difference whether I’m holding the Ultra or the Plus while doing that.

Backing up footage on the go

Ad: After a complete data loss at IFA last year, I make sure I have enough storage on the road. For that I carry Samsung’s portable SSDs:

• T9 with 4 TB: This is where all footage lands first, whether from the camera or the smartphone. Read speed 2,000 MB per second.
• T7 with 1 TB: This is where I archive finished YouTube videos and individual clips. Read speed 1,050 MB per second.

Both are small, light, compatible with all operating systems and protected against drops. I can work directly from the SSD in the editing software, which was a real game changer in my workflow. Ad: In my cameras, I use the Samsung PRO Ultimate (512 GB, 200 MB per second) and PRO Plus (512 GB, 180 MB per second) memory cards, which are protected against heat, water and shocks.

What you give up compared to the Ultra

I was pleasantly surprised by how few compromises you have to make with the Plus. The biggest is the camera. The S25+ has the same sensors as the S25, and the video quality is still really good. For good vacation photos or shots for Instagram, the photo quality is probably enough for anyone.

The problem is the price. For the price of the S25+, you can also get a Pixel 9 Pro or something similar, where the camera quality is in a different league. There are also interesting devices from Honor and Xiaomi with very good cameras. For photos, the S25+ looks pretty old by comparison. I think it’s a shame that there were no new camera lenses for the S25 and the S25+.

Also regrettable: The S25 and the S25+ didn’t get the anti-reflective display glass of the S25 Ultra. When watching videos, working or scrolling, that’s a game changer, because it reflects sun and light so little.

Processor, battery and AI move closer together

• Processor: It’s the same in all three models. It used to be the selling point for the Ultra, and that no longer applies. That’s logical, because Galaxy AI is identical on all three models and needs this performance.
• Battery: The difference is only around 100 mAh now. The S25+ battery lasts about as long as the S25 Ultra’s, give or take an hour or two.
• Camera: On the S25 and the Plus, the camera hardware is still the same as on the S22. It’s the most striking difference from the Ultra.
• S Pen: Only the S25 Ultra comes with it.

Apart from a few features, Galaxy AI has so far been more useful or cool gimmicks. But you can see where things are heading. Google and Samsung are the first and so far only manufacturers bringing AI to their smartphones for us users. I would have liked the series to get thinner and lighter, get more battery and above all better camera equipment, especially on the smaller models.

Verdict: Who is the Galaxy S25+ worth it for?

If you don’t need the S Pen, get by with a very good standard camera and care more about video quality, you’re much better served by the light, beautiful S25+ than by the heavier, less handy and more expensive S25 Ultra. Which design looks better is a matter of taste. But the S25 Ultra is no longer the sole premium flagship, not because it got worse, but because the S25+ has caught up so rapidly.

I have a feeling that this convergence of Plus and Ultra could end the same way as the convergence of the Note and the S series a few years ago, especially since a new star will probably be born soon with the Galaxy S25 Edge.