Galaxy S25 Ultra Vs S25 Plus - There's a Clear Winner!

So, just the other day, I was sitting on my Sofa searching for all the secret settings and hidden features on my new Jet Black Galaxy S25 Ultra for a future video…and I got to thinking, I kind of wish Samsung made the Ultra in that Navy Blue colour.

And that's when there was a knock at the door. And this arrived. The Galaxy S25 plus. Now, at this point, I was thinking If I were to switch from the Ultra to this really nice Navy Blue S25 Plus … what exactly would I be missing out on, and should I have just saved some money and gone with this in the first place?

Well, If you're wondering the same thing. Or if you’re on the fence and can’t decide between the Ultra and Plus. Well, that's the very reason why I made this video…to help you find out & to help you and myself make a more informed decision.


Size & Weight

So, let's start with the differences in physical attributes. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is 4.6mm taller & it's also 1.8mm wider. If having the biggest screen possible is essential to you, the visible difference here is significant. However, a side note and definite upside to the Galaxy S25 Plus is it's 0.9mm thinner, and the fact the screen is shorter and less wide means it's easier to use one-handedly. And, if you're a fan of rounded corners, the S25 Plus has more rounded corners.

And the S25 Plus is also 28g lighter at 190g compared to 218g. Which again makes the Plus more manageable. This difference in weight might be due to the battery size being slightly larger on the Ultra at 5000mAh. The S25+ is still large, but it only has 4900mAh. Charging speeds are the same at 45 watts, and both phones are Qi2-ready and can charge at 15 watts. And 4.5 watts reverse wireless charging. So lots of similarities here.


Materials

Now, let's talk about the materials. The Ultra, being the most premium option from Samsung, does, of course, have more premium materials. Starting with the Grade 5 titanium used on the frame. Which gives it a slight edge in durability. The Galaxy S25 Plus uses the more classic Armour aluminium 2 frame. Which is still very durable and very strong. And at a glance, it looks just as premium.

Another premium design choice made on the Ultra is that it has been fitted with Armor Glass 2 front and back. And it's the front glass that's quite special. The Galaxy S25 Plus has Corning's Victus front and back. Which is also very strong and scratch-resistant. However, one huge difference is that it doesn't have the anti-reflective qualities of Samsung's exclusive Armor 2 glass. Which is such a game-changer.

Both are still IP68-rated and have dual SIM trays and the same button placements. Same in display Sonic fingerprint readers and, I believe, the same stereo speakers. But let's put them to the test and see if there's a difference.

 

Speaker Comparison: Please view the video for the speaker test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH2MSUi0GJM


The Displays

Ok, here is a big difference, 'big' being the keyword. The Displays. Both phones have Dynamic LTPO 120Hz Amoled. Both are HDR10+ rated and have a peak brightness of 2600nitts. But word on the street is the S24 Plus does peak a little brighter…and this is due to the S25 Ultras game-changing anti-reflective display as I mentioned earlier. So, that anti-reflective quality is a win, but it might restrict the peak brightness a tiny bit, and it's worth noting that as soon as you put a screen protector on the Ultra you lose the effect. Anyway…

The Ultra's display is 0.2 inches larger on the diagonal & the screen-to-body ratio on the Ultra is 0.7% better. So you get a bigger display and less visible bezels on the Ultra, but is that a good enough reason to spend more? Now, before you answer that. The Galaxy S25 Plus has a slightly better pixel density than the Ultra at 513 ppi Vs 498 ppi. So, on paper, the picture could look a tiny bit sharper & brighter on the Galaxy S25 Plus.


Performance

Now, let's talk about speed and power. These Galaxies have the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, the same 12GB LPDDR5X RAM, and the same UFS 4.0 storage.

Does this mean the performance is the same? Well, there's only one way to find out.

So, something you should know is that even though both phones on paper have the same processing abilities. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has an upgraded vapour cooling chamber, up 40% in size from last year's model. And you can see the difference that makes in these thermal imaging shots. Put simply, the quicker the heat dissipation, the more complex & longer the processor can run without performance throttling. So, if you are a serious gamer or doing some advanced video editing and things like that on your phone. The Ultra takes the win here.


Camera

Let's talk about the shooters. This is another area where the two phones differ the most. The primary camera on the Galaxy S25 Plus is a tried and true 50mp sensor, and it's good, but if you pay more for the Ultra, you get a larger 200mp primary sensor. It's worth noting that the pixel MP count is larger, and the Pixel size is 0.6µm. This makes the Ultra's light-gathering abilities better than the Plus, which should result in better low-light shots.

The aperture on the Ultra's primary is slightly wider, too, and this can also help in low light but may also help create a natural shallow depth of field effect. Both have a dedicated 10MP telephoto. They use the same aperture and 67mm focal length equivalent. But the sensor & pixel size is slightly more prominent on the Ultra. But is there a noticeable difference in picture quality? Let me know.

Now, here are two very significant differences. So, if you are still on the fence, this may nudge you one way or the other. You get a decent 12MP ultra-wide on the S25 Plus. Again, it's a trusted old Samsung sensor.

But you get a new 50 MP ultra-wide on the Ultra, which is noticeably better. It's also important to consider that this is the same sensor and lens combo used for macro photography. So, it's a big deal. And, of course, the Ultra has its secret weapon, its 50MP Periscope zoom camera. Which is undoubtedly nice to have, but is it necessary for you

It comes in handy occasionally when I need to read signage at longer distances. But the Plus does have a 30X digital zoom range. But it's not in the same league as the Ultras. Selfie cameras are identical: 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm. Can you see a difference?


S Pen

All right, you're starting to get a clearer picture of the pros and cons of these two. But the Ultra has one more trick up its sleeve…and a powerful factor to consider on the S25 Plus.

Of course, the Ultra's magic trick is the S Pen. This is great for people who prefer to write by hand instead of typing. It's also great for drawing and sketching. But, since the removal of the BT in the S Pen. Much of what you can do with it now can still be done on the S25 Plus. But you just have to use your fingers instead… which is not quite precise.


Now, that last decisive factor to consider and the one that might make you change your mind is…of course, the price difference at the time of this video. The Ultra will cost you around £250 more. But are the upgrades and advantages mentioned in this video worth it?

Or, on the other hand, is it worth saving the money and going with the S25 plus … and maybe in what I consider to be the nicest S25 colour this year? The Navy Blue. Given all the pros and cons, let me know in the comments which one you would pick.

Troy R

Founder of WhatGear Ltd. Web Content Creator, Video Editor, Director

WhatGear.net
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