Samsung Galaxy S S938B/DS Black 256GB

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a beast of a flagship phone with a stunning 6.9-inch display, a versatile 200MP camera system, and blistering Snapdragon 8 Elite performance. It's one of the best Android phones you can buy, especially for gaming and photography. Just know it's huge and charges slower than some rivals.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the S25 Ultra is an absolute monster. In our testing, this chip rips through everything from 4K video edits to Genshin Impact at max settings without breaking a sweat. The 12GB of RAM keeps apps in memory like a champ, and UFS 4.0 storage means load times are basically nonexistent. For gaming, we scored it a 97.4 out of 100, which puts it among the absolute best right now. You won't find a mobile game that can make this phone stutter.

Day-to-day use is buttery smooth thanks to the 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED panel. Scrolling feels instant, and the 2600-nit brightness means you can actually see what you're doing outside. The benchmark numbers back up the real-world feel. This phone lands in the 93rd percentile for overall performance, which is a standout result even among other flagships. The only thing holding it back from a perfect score is that the competition, like the OnePlus 13, is nipping at its heels with similar silicon.

Stacked against the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the S25 Ultra pulls ahead in zoom flexibility and display brightness. Apple's video capture is still slightly more reliable, but Samsung's 200MP sensor gives you way more cropping freedom for photos. The Pixel 9 Pro XL counters with cleaner software and faster updates, but its Tensor chip can't touch the Snapdragon 8 Elite for raw gaming muscle. If you want the smoothest Android experience, the Pixel is great. If you want the most powerful Android experience, the S25 Ultra is it.

The OnePlus 13 is the real dark horse here. It matches the Snapdragon performance and offers much faster charging for less money. But Samsung fights back with a better telephoto system, a brighter display, and satellite connectivity that OnePlus lacks. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a camera-first alternative with a huge 1-inch sensor, but its software experience and update policy lag behind Samsung's polished One UI. For most people, the S25 Ultra is the safest bet that still delivers top-tier results.

At $925, the S25 Ultra is priced like a premium flagship but actually undercuts some direct rivals. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and Pixel 9 Pro XL both sit in a similar bracket, but Samsung gives you more RAM, a more flexible zoom system, and that gorgeous anti-reflective display. You're getting a 98th percentile camera and 96th percentile battery life for less than you'd pay for some competitors. If you can snag it on sale or with a trade-in deal, the value becomes even harder to ignore. The main drawback is the charging speed. 45W is fine, but when OnePlus is pushing 100W, it feels a generation behind.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the kind of phone that makes you wonder what's left to improve. It's a massive 6.9-inch slab of glass and titanium that packs basically every spec you could ask for in 2025. You get a 200MP main camera, a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 5000mAh battery, all wrapped in an IP68 water-resistant body. If you're searching for the best Android phone money can buy, this is the conversation starter.

Samsung clearly isn't pulling any punches here. The display hits a retina-searing 2600 nits of peak brightness, which means outdoor visibility is a non-issue even under direct sunlight. The camera system is a four-sensor beast with a 50MP ultrawide and a 5x optical zoom telephoto that gives you real framing flexibility. For anyone who wants a phone that doubles as a point-and-shoot replacement, the S25 Ultra makes a very strong case.

At around $925, it's not cheap, but it's also not the most expensive flagship out there. The value proposition gets interesting when you stack it against the iPhone 16 Pro Max or the Pixel 9 Pro XL. You're getting top-tier performance, a best-in-class display, and a camera system that sits in the 98th percentile of our database. It's a powerhouse, plain and simple.

Skip the S25 Ultra if you hate big phones. This thing is a handful, and the compact score in our database is a rough 58.9 out of 100. If you want something easier to use one-handed, look at the standard Galaxy S25 or the Pixel 9 Pro. You should also pass if you're obsessed with charging speed. 45W is fine, but the OnePlus 13 will fill up almost twice as fast. And if you're mostly shooting video, the iPhone 16 Pro Max still holds a slight edge in stabilization and color consistency.

Yes, you should buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if you want the most capable Android phone on the market right now. It's a no-compromise device that excels at gaming, photography, and media consumption. The display is stunning, the performance is future-proof, and the camera system is versatile enough to replace a dedicated point-and-shoot for most people. It's a big phone, but the trade-off is a big screen and a big battery.

If you're coming from an S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra, the jump isn't massive, but the anti-reflective screen and Snapdragon 8 Elite are genuinely nice upgrades. For anyone on an older device, this is a slam dunk. Just be prepared for the size and maybe budget for a faster third-party charger if you're impatient about topping up.