Galaxy S23 Ultra Vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Is It Worth Upgrading? [Video]

A couple of years ago, the Galaxy S23 Ultra basically blew away the competition by providing one of the most extensive smartphone packages ever. Since then, there have been a few contenders, but would it be worth a Galaxy S23 Ultra owner considering the switch to the S25 Ultra? Here’s what you need to know.

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After adopting Android, Samsung has practically led the space. In early 2023, the Galaxy S23 Ultra was the power package that practically everyone wanted. It was a noticeable improvement over the S22 series. Common complaints were resolved and at least mitigated, but there was a very small space for some improvements to be made. Some two years later, after the impressive S24 Ultra, the Galaxy S25 Ultra feels less like a quantum leap.

Hardware and design

For the first time practically ever on the top-of-the-line Galaxy phone, things are getting angular. It’s a concise, sharp box with nips and tucks all over the place. You can see substantial size changes in the chassis, but this just means that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is larger than the S25 Ultra despite having a smaller screen. There is also a 14-gram weight discrepancy. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is surprisingly lightweight at 218g compared to the 234g S23 Ultra. You can feel the difference with and without a case – especially if you use a thin case.

Save the chassis changes; you can tell that these phones are part of the same lineage. The almost trademark 5-pin camera design returns. The matte Samsung logo and finishes are very similar too. There are some changes to the S Pen, which might be annoying if you love the utility provided. For staters, the new S Pen is smaller and less bulky. It also sits almost completely flush in the bottom frame edge, so you might not accidentally click it out as often. While you’re down at this section you might also notice the new speaker slot and the SIM card tray eject hole is swapped.

One problem that has been talked about extensively is that the older device has a more capable S Pen with Bluetooth, allowing for hands-free camera controls. The S25 Ultra has ditched the Bluetooth connection on the stylus, meaning you can’t use the camera in the same way. Samsung hasn’t given a good explanation why this functionality has been removed. It’s now just a basic stylus with zero remote features.

Each display is excellent in isolation. In fact, the Galaxy S23 Ultra could still be considered among the best smartphone screens around. It gets bright, is super clear, and is practically perfect. We say “practically” as while the usable screen area is flat, the screen is not completely flat like on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

This change makes it much easier to use, while the improved anti-glare coating is undoubtedly the crowning achievement of Samsung Display over the past couple of years. For many people, this change could be enough to consider upgrading. Even with a screen protector applied – which many will do – it minimizes tons of glare and makes the screen easier to see in bright environments. The max brightness is almost 20% higher on the latest phone, too.

You’re also getting a 6.9-inch screen with super tiny bezels compared to the admittedly small but more noticeable bezels on the S23 Ultra’s 6.8-inch panel. Some AI tricks also improve the visuals on the Galaxy S25 Ultra screen with upscaling, ensuring high fidelity regardless of the content. Elsewhere, the fingerprint scanner is practically identical, so secure unlocks are quick.

Software and performance

With a two-year gap, there is a performance gulf, but probably not as much as you would expect. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is great, and it will be great for a long time to come. It’s tough to discern the difference in performance; put it that way.

One UI 7 is where the most notable differences lie this time around. As of February 2025, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is not yet able to upgrade to Samsung’s Android 15 build. Visually, it’s a big shift. Lots of tweaks have been made to enhance how you interact with your phone, and there are changes that fix lots of common complaints leveled at the skin in recent years.

The improved animations and enhanced animations are a big component in why the new handset feels much smoother out of the box. You will see little bits of tuning practically everywhere, especially when opening and closing apps. While One UI 6 is fine, the extra level of polish gives it a big leap.

AI is also another core component. You can just ignore it and use the Galaxy S25 Ultra just like you may have used the S23 Ultra. If you avoid some of the AI functions and voice controls, the core usability experience is similar but with a little more horsepower and that extra lick of paint. That does ignore some of the supposed 40% performance gains provided by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, but you may only notice when doing things like game emulation or similarly intense tasks.

For all intents and purposes, most people wouldn’t be able to tell which phone is faster in a blind test. A trained eye may spot some improvements, but there’s not a major difference between the duo, and that’s a very strong positive note for the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The S23 Ultra is supported through to 2027 while the S25 series is going to get 7 years of updates. That could be enough of a reason to consider the newer lineup if you want longer support windows.

Camera

If you are going to criticize Samsung for playing it safe, the camera is undoubtedly where that statement applies the most. There is a new ultrawide lens on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is a welcome upgrade. However, the rest of the system is identical.

The tale of the tape is a 200MP main sensor, 10MP 3x optical, 50MP 5x optical and a 12MP versus new 50MP ultrawide. If you are just seeing that one change, it could be considered disappointing. Even the images that these camera systems produce are fairly similar across all lenses.

Samsung says that improved processing should mean reduced noise, motion blur, and better low-light performance, which is available on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The only thing that is noticeable right away is color tuning. The Galaxy S23 Ultra images look warmer, while the S25 Ultra produces cooler images. That said, the S25 Ultra images are more natural across all the lenses and that includes the selfie camera.

Because of the similarities, it’s all down to tuning. Which you prefer depends on your own photographic style choices. What’s more, the camera signifies Samsung’s lack of major progression in recent years. In two years, you’re only getting a new ultrawide camera and little else of note that will improve the quality of photos and videos. Video recording is still among the best at up to 8K resolution all on device.

Battery

While it’s not fair to compare a battery with two years of wear and tear to a fresh device, the capacities are, again, identical at 5,000mAh. No new battery tech is being used. The lifespan also appears to be similar, given the internal cell sizes in our testing.

A day is easily achievable, but the S25 Ultra has a minor edge thanks to some efficiency improvements when doing things like gaming and shooting high-resolution videos.

The bigger problem is the lack of changes to charging speed. We’re still limited to 45W wired, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Galaxy S25 is “Qi2 ready,” but you need a supported case to access the MagSafe-like features, which makes the addition somewhat moot at this stage as similar cases exist for the S23 Ultra. Qi2 charging is supposedly more efficient, but at this stage, it’s tough to tell how much of a difference this makes.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Is now the time to upgrade?

About upgrading: 9to5Google often gives specific product recommendations. Sometimes, we may suggest not upgrading, due to various reasons including, but not limited to: increased device cost, negligible performance gains, or environmental impact. Whether to upgrade is always your call, but our aim is to help you make as informed a decision as possible.

It’s hard to deny that Samsung has taken its foot off the gas in recent years. You can see this coming from the S23 to the S25 series, and in many ways, this demonstrates just how good the Galaxy S23 Ultra was and is even when compared to the brand-new Galaxy S25 Ultra.

The reality is that with so few changes, even if your cell plan has ended or you are looking to upgrade, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is still a fantastic Android phone that holds its own against the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Conversely, the S25 Ultra is a really competent and has all the classic hallmarks of a flagship Samsung phone. If you’re coming from an older device you’ll more bang for your buck, but its still solid across the board – however boring that makes it.

If you insist on getting the Galaxy S25 Ultra, there are lots of place to pick it up including Samsung.com, Amazon (w/ $200 gift card), Best Buy, plus carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more.

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