Galaxy S24 Ultra • Unlocked vs Galaxy S25 Ultra • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, released in January 2024, and its successor, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, launched in February 2025, represent the pinnacle of Samsung's flagship smartphone offerings. While both devices share a premium foundation, the Galaxy S25 Ultra introduces refinements in performance, camera capabilities, and design, building upon the strong base established by its predecessor. Both run on the Android operating system, with the S25 Ultra launching with a newer version and both benefiting from Samsung's extended software support policy.

When considering the longevity of these devices, both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Ultra are designed for extended use, benefiting from Samsung's commitment to long-term software support.

• Software Support: The Galaxy S24 Ultra, released with Android 14, is guaranteed to receive seven generations of Android OS updates and seven years of security updates, extending its support well into the future. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, launched with Android 15, also benefits from this policy, ensuring seven years of OS and security updates, with support projected to end around 2032. This means the S25 Ultra will receive one additional major Android version update compared to the S24 Ultra due to its later release.
• Practical Lifespan: Both models feature robust build materials, including titanium frames, contributing to their physical durability. Users can expect a practical lifespan that aligns with their extensive software support, making either device a suitable long-term investment. The repairability scores are generally comparable for flagship devices, though specific repair costs can vary.
• Update Frequency: Both devices receive regular security patches, typically monthly for the initial years, ensuring ongoing protection against vulnerabilities. This consistent update schedule helps maintain device security and performance over time.

The performance of both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra is robust, designed to handle demanding applications and multitasking with ease, though the newer model brings generational advancements.

• Processing Power: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with a powerful current-generation processor, enabling smooth operation for everyday tasks, intensive gaming, and complex applications without noticeable lag. The Galaxy S25 Ultra features a next-generation processor, specifically optimized for Galaxy devices, which delivers enhanced performance. Benchmarks indicate significant gains, with CPU performance showing a 43-46% improvement and GPU performance around 36% better compared to its predecessor. This translates to quicker app launches, more stable frame rates in games, and faster processing for on-device AI tasks.
• Multitasking and Storage: Both devices offer ample RAM, with the S24 Ultra typically featuring 12GB and the S25 Ultra offering configurations up to 16GB, facilitating seamless multitasking across numerous applications. Storage options range from 256GB to 1TB on both models, providing extensive space for apps, photos, and videos.
• Battery Behavior: Both phones house a 5000 mAh battery, supporting 45W wired and 15W wireless charging. User feedback for the S24 Ultra consistently highlights its strong battery life, often lasting a full day even with heavy use. The S25 Ultra is expected to offer slightly improved battery efficiency due to its more advanced processor and GPU, potentially leading to longer usage times on a single charge.

Both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra offer exceptional display experiences, characterized by vibrant visuals and smooth interactions, with the S25 Ultra introducing minor enhancements.

• Display Technology and Clarity: Both devices feature a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels, delivering sharp and detailed visuals. The S24 Ultra has a 6.8-inch screen, while the S25 Ultra slightly increases this to 6.9 inches, offering a marginally larger viewing area. Both displays support HDR10+ for enhanced contrast and color.
• Brightness and Refresh Rate: Both models boast a peak brightness of 2600 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in bright outdoor conditions. An adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz on both phones provides fluid scrolling and responsive gaming, while intelligently adjusting to conserve battery life.
• Durability and Design: The S24 Ultra features Gorilla Armor for enhanced scratch resistance and an anti-glare coating. The S25 Ultra continues this trend with similar protective features and introduces slimmer bezels, contributing to a more immersive viewing experience.

The camera systems on both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra are highly capable, delivering versatile photography and videography, with the S25 Ultra refining its ultrawide lens and AI processing.

• Camera System Configuration: The Galaxy S24 Ultra features a quad-camera setup including a 200MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 10MP 3x telephoto lens, and a 50MP 5x telephoto lens. The S25 Ultra maintains the 200MP main sensor and the 10MP 3x telephoto, but upgrades the ultrawide camera to a 50MP sensor and retains a 50MP 5x telephoto lens.
• Photography Performance: Both phones excel in everyday photography, producing images with vibrant colors and clarity. The S24 Ultra is praised for its versatile zoom capabilities, offering strong performance at 3x and 5x optical zoom, and utilizing AI for enhanced 10x zoom. The S25 Ultra's new 50MP ultrawide sensor allows for higher resolution and potentially better detail in wide-angle shots, and its enhanced AI-powered ProVisual Engine aims to improve low-light performance and overall image processing, resulting in cleaner night photos.
• Video and Audio: Both devices support 8K video recording at 30fps and 4K video at up to 120fps, offering high-quality video capture. The S25 Ultra also introduces features like Audio Eraser to filter out unwanted background noise from videos. Both include stereo speakers for an immersive media consumption experience.