Samsung Galaxy S S25 Ultra Titanium Silver Blue 512GB

The S25 Ultra is in the 98th percentile for performance and 96th percentile for camera, making it one of the fastest and most capable phones right now. However, its display is only average and the price swings are wild, ranging from $1,050 to over $22,000. If you can grab it at a low price and don't need a top-tier screen or rugged build, it's a powerhouse.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a performance monster. In our database, it lands in the 98th percentile for raw speed, making it one of the absolute best phones you can buy right now. That's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, so you can throw anything at it and it won't flinch. The camera setup is also a standout, hitting the 96th percentile with a ridiculous 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 50MP telephoto that gives you 3x optical zoom.

But the Ultra isn't perfect. The 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED display only manages a 47th percentile ranking, which is about average for a flagship this expensive. And while the 5000mAh battery holds up well (77th percentile), the phone's weakest area by far is ruggedness, scoring just 37.8 out of 100. You also need to keep an eye on pricing: we've seen it listed anywhere from $1,050 to a jaw-dropping $22,129. If you can get it near the low end, it's a steal. If you can't, you might feel a little robbed.

This is a phone that doesn't know how to slow down. With a Snapdragon 8 Elite and 12GB of DDR5, our benchmark suite puts the S25 Ultra in the top 2% of every mobile device we've tested. Multitasking, heavy gaming, 8K video editing, it all happens without a hitch, and app load times are basically instant. The 512GB UFS storage means you aren't juggling files either.

The camera system is just as impressive. The 200MP main sensor captures an absurd amount of detail, and the 50MP ultrawide and telephoto lenses keep quality consistent across zoom levels. We saw excellent dynamic range and color accuracy, landing it in the 96th percentile for camera. It's among the best mobile shooters on the market, full stop. Connectivity is also well above average (82nd percentile) thanks to Wi-Fi 7 and 5G support, though call quality and data speeds are more than solid.

Value is a moving target with this phone. At its lowest, around $1,050 from some retailers, the S25 Ultra offers staggering performance and camera quality per dollar. But that price can balloon to an insane $22,129, which is pure chaos. We'd say any price under $1,300 is a good deal for what you get, but if you're not a careful shopper, the premium you pay could be obscene. Newegg carries this model, but even there, pricing fluctuates, so keep your eyes peeled.

Against the iPhone 17, the S25 Ultra trades blows. Apple's display quality and build feel are typically better, but Samsung's raw speed and camera versatility give it an edge in performance-focused tasks. The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL often beats the S25 Ultra in our feature rankings, especially for AI and software smarts, though it can't match the sheer horsepower. The OnePlus 15 undercuts the Ultra on price and delivers similar Snapdragon muscle, making it a tempting alternative if you don't need the absolute best camera. If you want the absolute fastest Android phone, the S25 Ultra is it, but the gaps in display and ruggedness mean the competition is often more well-rounded.

If a stunning display is a dealbreaker, look elsewhere: the S25 Ultra's 47th percentile screen is merely average and won't wow you the way an iPhone 17 or Pixel 10 Pro XL might. It's also a poor choice for clumsy users or anyone who needs a phone that can take a beating, given its abysmal ruggedness score. And if you aren't willing to hunt for a good deal, the absurd price spread means you could easily waste thousands of dollars.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a beast for anyone who lives on the bleeding edge of mobile performance. Its camera and speed scores are genuinely elite, and if you can land one for under $1,100, it's a fantastic purchase. But you have to accept an average screen and be willing to nurse it a bit, because that ruggedness score is a real downer. If you find a great price and don't mind those trade-offs, you'll be grinning every time you open an app or snap a photo.