Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review: It Smooths Out the Rough Edges

Jan 29, 2025

Chris Niccolls

The PetaPixel team flew back to San Jose, California for 2025’s Samsung Unpacked event ready to review the new Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone as a tool for creators. Although all the new S25 phones feature a brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite 3nm processor and similar AI-based tools, it is the $1,299 Ultra which has the latest camera hardware that we want to focus on.

Samsung S25 Ultra Review: How It Handles

The chassis of the S25 Ultra is made of the same rugged titanium construction as the S24 but features better cooling and far more scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass Armor 2 shielding over the screen. The 6.9-inch OLED panel is the largest Samsung has used so far and features the same 2,600 nits of peak maximum brightness that we saw on last year’s model.

View of tall, leafless trees from below against a clear blue sky. Sunlight peeks through branches, casting shadows on the grassy hill with scattered greenery. — The ultra-wide camera got a lot of attention because it is the only new one added to the S25 Ultra.

The four available colors aren’t likely to turn any heads as they all tend to be slightly different-toned versions of silver but most people will cover the phones with a stylish case anyway. The stylus pen makes a return, allowing you to draw around subjects, do handwriting-to-text conversions, and doodle drawings to be converted to AI imagery. The pen also served as a handy Bluetooth wireless camera remote for selfies, group shots, and tripod work in the past however, Samsung has decided to remove this feature from the S25 phones citing a preference for Samsung owners to use auxiliary devices like Samsung watches instead. I think this is going to upset existing users more than Samsung might be anticipating.

Close-up of a large, ruffled succulent with green leaves edged in pink. The wavy, layered leaves create a textured appearance, with a gradient blend of green and pink hues, forming a vibrant, natural pattern. — The 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera brings a new level of detail to macro shots.

A silver smartphone with multiple rear cameras is placed upright on a wooden surface. A potted plant and a blurred object are in the background, adding depth to the image. The phone's back is smooth and reflective. — The Samsung S25 keeps its understated good looks but the rounded corners are a nice change.

As a camera phone, I like that Samsung provides manual controls directly in the camera app and offers the Expert Raw module for those wanting to play further. There was no real lag to worry about when shooting and I found all the controls to work quickly and reliably via the touch-screen interface. The rounded corners on the S25 Ultra actually felt more comfortable to shoot with when cradling the phone in landscape orientation and the thinner and lighter 7.69 ounce (218 gram) weight is noticeably easier to carry around. Battery capacity is the same as last year’s model but the more efficient Snapdragon processor increases the longevity and I had no issues using the phone for an entire day of shooting on a full charge.

Close-up of a smartphone's rear camera system featuring multiple lenses against a blurred background with a small plant. The phone has a metallic finish. — The camera array is largely the same as last year which shows that phone hardware is stagnant.

A serene countryside scene with tall pine trees in the foreground and a red barn surrounded by a white fence in the background. A windmill stands near the barn under a clear blue sky. Sunlight casts long shadows on the green grass. — I like the flexibility to process raw photos and the Samsung makes it easy to find.

Smartphone camera hardware seems to be plateauing and the Samsung feels like it’s playing a bit of a catch-up game right now. We have the same 5x f/1.7 200-megapixel main camera as before with a type 1/1.3 sized sensor that delivers excellent image quality if you don’t take the ultra-high megapixel count too seriously. Also returning is the 10-megapixel 3x f/2.4 camera with a type 1/3.94 sensor. I like this focal length a lot and truly wish that Samsung would upgrade it to a more sophisticated sensor and lens. The same 5x f/3.4 camera also makes a comeback with its type 1/2.52 50-megapixel sensor. All things considered, the camera array is somewhat stagnant but none of the S25 competitors are innovating here either.

A person wearing a helmet and yellow shirt is rock climbing on a steep, rugged cliff face with a rope. Sunlight highlights the textured rock and moss-covered ground below. — The 5x camera returns and I did find myself using it quite a bit.

Side-by-side comparison of two images showing a dense green tree canopy. The left image is labeled "S24 Ultra 0.6x," and the right image is labeled "S25 Ultra 0.6x," highlighting differences in color and detail. — You can see that the new 50-megapixel sensor adds a little bit more detail compared to last year.

What we do get, though, is a new 0.6x ultra-wide f/1.9 50-megapixel camera that is capable of capturing some decent macro shots. Samsung seems to be hush-hush about the sensor size, though, which makes me think that it might be slightly smaller than last year. If true, that would offset the faster aperture. This is speculation, however, as Samsung did not reveal the sensor size to us despite us asking over a week prior to publishing this review. We’ll update this review should Samsung eventually provide us with this information.

Close-up of a blooming daisy with light pink petals and a deep purple center. The background features green leaves and yellow variegated foliage, slightly blurred to highlight the flower in focus. — You can do macro shots with the main camera as well and it combines the ultra-wide camera to create a close up shot as one.

A person sits on a curb under a tree, using a smartphone. They're in front of a green and blue building with a garage door. A blue recycling bin and a yellow fire hydrant are nearby. Shadows from the tree are cast on the wall. — The shutter lag seems faster than before and I found the phone to be quite responsive all over.

At least we have three out of the four rear-facing cameras that achieve at least 50-megapixels and this brings the S25 largely in line with the competition. There is a small but noticeable resolution improvement with the new ultra-wide camera and I appreciate having at least three cameras capable of the same 50-megapixels. Maybe it goes without saying but the megapixel count on smartphones doesn’t equate to the same levels of perceived detail that we get on larger sensor cameras. To my eyes, 50 megapixels on a phone is perhaps closer to the quality and enlarging capability of a larger 16-megapixel sensor from a standalone camera. Still, I think we have reached a bit of a sweet spot at 50 megapixels, allowing for some cropping and enlarging when needed. I find the 200-megapixel option on the main camera to be of very limited benefit above this given its file size, even with RAW files.

Sunlight filters through lush green leaves of a tall tree in a forest. The tree stands on a ground covered with fallen leaves and mossy rocks, casting intricate shadows. The warm light creates a serene and peaceful atmosphere. — You can use the myriad filters to change the overall look or edit the raw files in post.

Split image comparison showing the same person with a camera on a tripod in a wooded area. The left side is unprocessed, with a blue tint. The right side is processed with natural colors. Text reads "50MP DNG RAW Capture" and "Processed RAW. — Having manual control and raw photography gives enough flexibility to be creative and make corrections.

I have found the Samsung “look” to photos to be slightly over-sharpened and with very vivid color saturation and this remains present in the S25. This extra sharpening and processing ends up costing a little bit of perceived detail in my opinion. Still, I will say that many people — my wife included — prefer the overall color tone compared to other smartphones because the effect is attention-grabbing and the lack of detail is a moot point for social media applications.

Smiling man with dark hair and a beard stands near a rock wall, with a blurred tunnel background. — Samsung always does a great job with portraits and I find the results quite natural-looking.

Art Deco-style theater with a vertical "Studio" sign. A marquee displays "Tis the season to be sending." Traffic lights and a street sign reading "San Salvador St" are in the foreground. Clear blue sky. — I tried to shoot most of my images at 50 megapixels and I like that I can do this on most of the cameras now.

As a photographer, I suppose I always want newer and better hardware but it looks like the main differences from the S24 Ultra to the S25 model are going to be software-based for the most part. One thing I do applaud Samsung for is the level of manual control and RAW photography access that it provides. This means that I can skip a lot of the color filters and AI-based tools if I want to and simply process my DNG files on the computer like I would with a more advanced mirrorless camera.

View of a narrow rocky canyon with light illuminating the textured walls. A small stream runs between the rocks, leading to a large boulder overhead. The scene features a mix of rugged rock surfaces and scattered stones. — The night mode does a good job of reducing noise and is quite steady to handhold but the results are almost identical to last year’s phone.

A smartphone lies on a wooden surface with a stylus placed diagonally on its screen. The phone is dark gray with visible side buttons and ports. The screen displays the time faintly due to low lighting. — The stylus pen returns but you can’t use it as a camera remote anymore.

The shooting experience does seem faster overall thanks to the new processor, with less lag from the shutter to the moment of capturing the image. I found it a little easier to time my shots with moving subjects and get the right moment captured. Many Samsung users have complained about the propensity of previous Samsung phones to deliver blurry images with moving subjects. Both Google and Apple seem to have a better reputation when it comes to capturing subjects like kids and pets, especially in lower-light situations. However I found my Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max to have very similar motion blur issues, and as an experienced photographer, the solution is elementary. Choosing the Pro manual mode on the S25 Ultra and raising the shutter speed to a faster setting fixed the issue, albeit with an increase in noise. However, I can see how this would be a frustrating experience for someone who uses a phone more casually, and let’s keep in mind that this represents the vast majority of users.

Samsung S25 Ultra Review: The AI Tools in Action

Most of the software tools are making a return from the S24 and I want to discuss these first. Samsung has a very realistic-looking portrait mode which does a good job of separating the subject from the background, providing that shallow depth-of-field look and having a natural transition across the focus range. In most cases, the S25 Ultra either executed a photo at the same level as the S24 Ultra if not ever-so-slightly more refined but regardless, this is an effective tool.

Samsung calls its night mode Nightography and says that it has been updated to work with video in real-time. This is a big advantage compared to the Google Pixel video having to be transferred to the cloud to reduce noise. As for night mode in low-light photography, I didn’t notice any real difference between the S25 Ultra and the older S24 Ultra. The results have the same clean, but somewhat “smooshed” look, although Samsung does a good job of stabilizing the camera while hand-holding it.

Close-up of a smartphone camera module on a pink background. Text indicates a 0.6x camera with 14mm equivalent and 50MP Quad Bayer sensor. The module features multiple camera lenses and sensors. — We get one new camera this year and it is an updated ultra-wide.

Samsung continues with the automatically suggested edits it introduced last year such as Remove Reflections or Remove Flare. These tools do work with some efficacy, albeit to about the same degree as we saw last year. The usual color filters and contrast sliders also return, giving users a handy way to create their own custom looks for any photos taken. There is one new feature that allows you to reference an existing photo that captures a particular lighting situation or color balance and then apply that look as a filter to your subsequent images. It works well, although I found not always to the degree that Samsung showcased in its on-stage demo.

A store window displays a room with a polished floor, a tall floor lamp, and a door designed to resemble a bookshelf. A real bookshelf with many books is visible, with a reflection of the street outside. — The S25 Ultra automatically detected my reflection and allowed me to remove it. It didn’t quite get all of the glass reflections though.

Taking a move straight out of Google’s playbook, Samsung has incorporated a “Best Face” mode which lets you combine a series of group or portrait shots together and then eliminate closed eyes or the lack of a smile. Overall, I feel like the new tweaks are fairly minor and the experience ends up feeling like more of the same.

Two side-by-side images show a rock in the foreground by a reflective pond. The left image is in portrait mode with a blurred background, while the right shows a virtual aperture of f/1.4, highlighting the blurred surroundings. — The new Virtual Aperture control lets you change depth-of-field in a digital way with pretty good results.

There is a noteworthy change to the Expert RAW module that allows you to mimic an aperture setting virtually. I found that it only works with the main camera for now and you are limited to 12 megapixels of resolution when you activate it but you can shoot it as a RAW file. This lets you go from an f/1.4 to an f/16 look and that mimics the appearance of proper round bokeh with specular highlights. It looks pretty natural and Samsung has already proven that it can render depth maps well since the aforementioned portrait mode is an excellent example of this. I’m still perplexed as to why Samsung keeps the Expert RAW module as a separate download and I wish it would just replace the Pro mode in the camera app with Expert RAW instead. Regardless, it’s easy enough to click on the “more” tab and access the extra modules.

A person walks along a forest trail lined with a wooden fence. Sunlight filters through the trees, casting shadows on the path covered with fallen leaves. The scene is calm and serene. — There are plenty of filters that you can try and each one can be customized for contrast and color.

Samsung gratefully updated the AI-assisted Generative Edit tool that was introduced last year and was, frankly, disappointing. We found subjects often had limbs or appendages missing when cut out from the background and the filling of any erased areas looked obviously and poorly patched. Additionally, to get these lackluster results, you had to wait a long time for it to send the process through the cloud which sapped any remaining fun and immediacy out of the experience.

I’m happy to report that the new Generative Edit tool now works on-device with the S25 series and is therefore much faster to use. More importantly, the results are much more realistic and I found the eraser function and generative replacement to be way more seamless than before. This is perhaps the largest improvement from last year’s smartphone and makes the tool actually usable.

Sketch-to-Image is another returning tool that lets you draw and doodle figures onto your images. From there, the Samsung phones will then AI-generate an image based on what you have drawn. I don’t personally find this tool to be that useful myself and it seems to function the same as before. It’s important to note that while Generative Edit no longer needs a cloud connection, the sketch function does.

AI-generated illustration of a person with short dark hair and a beard, wearing a collared shirt and T-shirt. The background is pink. — It took a long time for the Photo Studio app to finally capture my likeness. Most of the attempts made me look like a much younger and completely different person entirely.

There is a brand new AI tool this year that also requires a connection to the cloud and it mimics many of the popular avatar designers that we have seen across the app stores. Samsung calls it the Photo Studio and it lets the camera make head-and-shoulder renderings of any image of a face, as long as all the facial features are visible and subjects are looking towards the camera. It will work with images pulled off the internet or from other devices as well and I have to admit that I was enamored by it for quite a few hours… however, it was due to a combination of both fascination and frustration.

A lone tree growing atop a rocky cliff against a clear blue sky. The branches of the tree stretch outwards, with green leaves visible in the foreground, framing the scene. — We explored Pinnacles National Park and it was a nice location to test a phone.

Photo Studio will make the subject look like a comic book hero or a 3D cartoon, a watercolor portrait, or a pencil sketch drawing. With some people, this works almost perfectly straightaway. However, for me and many others who tested it, the results often look like completely different people and the phone takes serious liberties with a subject’s age and appearance. It took me countless attempts and multiple portrait shots to finally get something that resembled my face and I’m convinced that in the end, the software gave up trying to render a likeness of me and simply copied my face straight off the source image with an AI filter rendered over it. I’m only giving this experience as much time as I did because it took so long to finally get there and I didn’t want that journey to go without mention.

A smartphone displays a photo editing app with a portrait of a man. The app shows options for comic and color effects. The phone is mounted in a circular holder against a blurred background. — New AI-tools like the Photo Studio are pretty gimmicky.

It’s not my place to say who will find these new and updated tools useful. I’m sure many users will find joy in making Photo Studio portraits with their friends or building custom gifs from their video clips. The occasional removal of flare or reflections can be handy, too. I certainly appreciate the more integrated tools like Nightography and Panorama mode for the occasional shot, too. We are seeing these tools with more and more abundance across all the manufacturers and like it or not, they are only going to get more ubiquitous.

A person in a black jacket and pants walks on a sidewalk with a tree on the left. A transparent, ghost-like figure mirrors their steps to the right. A large garage door and plants are in the background. — The Generative Edit tool is quicker to use and more realistic in its renderings.

I will say that I find myself only using tools like Portrait Mode or Generative Edit with some regularity, and even then only on a fairly rare basis. For those who are interested in a more traditional photographic workflow, I think the benefits from the S24 to the S25 phones will seem incredibly minor overall. But at least Samsung allows its users to take whichever approach they desire to get to a final result. The S25 Ultra has an intuitive photographic interface with excellent raw capabilities and it doesn’t dumb down the amount of options available for a creator to utilize.

Samsung S25 Ultra Review: Video Gets a Boost

The Samsung S25 Ultra gets the same video recording modes as last year’s model, but this is okay given that 8K recording and 4K 120p were already present before. Now that the ultra-wide camera has more resolution, we can get 8K recording on that lens, too.

The Samsung phones already had a distinct advantage over the Google phones when it came to video but this fact is further cemented by the addition of log recording. Having a flat profile when recording 10-bit H.265 video adds flexibility to change exposure and contrast as well as modify the overall color balance. We haven’t seen a dedicated LUT for this log footage yet — although Samsung did promise it was coming (although it didn’t say when or how it could be obtained) — but the ability to grade the image to such an extent is a big step forward for the S25 Ultra.

However, Samsung still seems to be baking in its typical over-processed sharpening to the footage and this actually detracts from the nuanced detail that Apple manages to maintain in its log recordings. Hopefully, there will be a way to tone down this effect in future updates. Still, there is a noticeable detail advantage to shooting 8K on the Samsung phones and there is no need to have cloud access to get it, so the Samsung makes way more sense than the Google Pixel 9 phones when you need more advanced video capabilities.

A person is being photographed using a smartphone. The phone screen shows the person's image in black and white with photo-editing controls visible. The person is wearing a jacket and a lanyard, sitting against a gray background. — Log recording is a big update and makes the Samsung S25 a video phone to be reckoned with.

Samsung is following Google and Apple with some built-in audio filters designed to eliminate distracting background noises while maintaining the voice of the presenter. This can be a handy tool to help tone down the sounds of rushing water and reduce construction noises or a noisy car interior. As long as the ambient sound is not similar to human speech, it does a good job of reducing it down to manageable levels while maintaining the voice of the subject. The audio can sound a little tinny but for someone wanting to post a quick clip on a noisy street the interface and effect is very usable. Curiously, you cannot shoot in log and use this feature.

Comparison image showing a detailed view of rock formations. The left side is labeled "8K/24P" and the right side "4K/24P" with a "300% Crop" text, highlighting differences in resolution and detail between the two. — The S25 Ultra can now do 8K video on three of its cameras. There is a detailed benefit for sure.

Samsung has also incorporated a new Nightography effect into its video recording modes to improve low-light video recording. Google and Apple also take a similar approach, although the Pixel series requires an arduous upload to the cloud and subsequent download to see results. I really appreciate that the S25 Ultra applies this low-light boost to the video in real time and it happens automatically without needing to use any specific mode. We compared the footage to the older S24 Ultra and we do see a slight benefit to overall detail. Although both the S24 and S25 still record very soft low-light video due to all the noise reduction, there is at least an incremental benefit to the video quality on the latest phone.

A man comparing two smartphone cameras, one labeled "S24 Ultra" and the other "S25 Ultra." He's wearing a maroon shirt with a circular outdoor graphic. In the S25 Ultra photo, he gives a thumbs-up, smiling. — The “Nightography” video mode gives a slight bit more detail but the results are still soft.

Samsung S25 Ultra Review: More of the Same

So you may have gathered that the improvements in the latest Samsung S25 Ultra feel pretty minor especially when it comes to the creative side. Photography is largely unchanged from last year’s model even with the addition of the higher resolution ultra-wide, and as a result, I have a hard time recommending it to an existing S24 Ultra user if image quality was the main reason they were looking to upgrade.

That story is different for those whose main focus is video. The log recording option, available in all resolutions and frame rates, is a very nice addition and there are minor benefits to the low-light footage it can capture. Samsung also added some rather robust audio filtering that works pretty well, so if you are looking for an Android-based video-centric experience, the S25 Ultra has lots of appeal.

Everything this year seems to be a little faster here and a little more efficient there, and this is a commonality that we have seen across the smartphone industry lately. I wouldn’t say that the Samsung S25 Ultra surpasses the competition so much as catches up to it. However, a smartphone is more than just the cameras and many users will appreciate the better results using Generative Edits or the AI features that can help you organize your gallery or find a place to purchase the product that you circled on your screen.

To be fair, there is not much to dislike about the phone either. It is fast, features good image quality overall, has improved video, and it packs a very nice screen. It feels like a premium smartphone in pretty much every way, including the high $1,299 asking price. Any criticism we can level at the S25 Ultra for being more of the same we could throw equally at the Google Pixel 9 Pro or Apple iPhone 16 Pro.

I think it is fair to say that in 2025, a smartphone is not something that needs to be updated annually. If you have held off for a while and need a new Android phone, the Samsung S25 Ultra can be a good choice. The title of this review is a double entendre: not only did Samsung literally smooth out the corners of the S25 Ultra compared to its predecessor but the overall experience is just smoother and more pleasant.

Are There Alternatives?

Certainly, the Google Pixel 9 Pro makes sense because of the shared Android ecosystem and much of the shared AI technology as well. Both Samsung and Google are heavy users of Google’s Gemini AI on the software side and have similar camera and screen technology on the hardware front. Samsung wins out when it comes to video but if you are willing to jump ship and go Apple, the iPhone 16 Pro series gives similar results with a slight edge when it comes to video performance.

Should You Buy It?

Maybe. Samsung Galaxy S24 owners can probably skip this generation since the overall package is pretty close (unless you really need log video capture). If someone is holding on to an S21 or S22, though, this might be a good time to trade up for what will be a noticeably improved experience.

Editor’s Note: After publication, Samsung provided some clarity on a few missing pieces of information: The new ultra-wide is a Type 1/2.52 and log footage is captured in 10-bit HEVC. The Samsung LUT is included in the Ultra so editors have access to it on-device but it can also be downloaded from Samsung’s website.