'I wish I waited to upgrade my iPhone - the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is fantastic'

I used to be a massive Apple fan regarding mobile phones. For years, I would ensure that the (almost) newest iPhone was in my pocket because it would sync with my Apple Watch and my AirPods. However, I decided to pull away from the Apple ecosystem last year - and it was a brilliant decision in my eyes.

With that decision in mind, I also looked to get rid of my iPhone 15 Pro because I was sick of the mediocre battery life, the iOS system started to frustrate me and the lack of innovation. Apple seemed to be going downhill with the iPhone 16. Surely the newest Galaxy flagship wouldn't be that much better? Right?

So, I upgraded and traded my phone for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. A decision that I now slightly regret after trying out the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

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Thanks to Vodafone, I've been trying out the Samsung for almost a month now. If you're looking to grab the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, you can do so at Vodafone starting at £35 a month for the device. Or if you're looking for some alternative devices to look around for, there's always Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max at Sky for £37 a month.

There are also other networks with offers available for the Galaxy S25 Ultra if you have a preference. Sky is offering it for £42 a month, EE for £36.33 a month with an upfront cost of £30 and Three is offering it for £30 a month with a £50 upfront cost

Samsung has managed to capture the sleekness of the iPhone with its newest design - something I'm quite envious of with my S24 Ultra. The sleeker design makes it easier to hold compared to my S24 Ultra. It also fits in my pocket a lot better while still maintaining great battery life.

With all this, Samsung still manages to slightly increase the screen size with a 6.9-inch S25 Ultra compared to 6.8 inches, which is quite outstanding and in hand, you would struggle to think there was much difference at all. Also, along with a stronger glass on the S25 Ultra, there's a new anti-glare coating that really gives the screen a little bit more pop. Putting them side-by-side, I could really see just how much I enjoyed the S25 screen to its older brother.

Camera-wise, I'm a little torn between looks and performance. Both phones have a similar camera system, with a new look on the S25 Ultra, but I'm not a huge fan of its look on the newer phone.

However, when it comes to performance, the new S25 Ultra works a bit better in lower light areas thanks to the bigger ultrawide system, and it has a nicer pop when you take pictures in darker areas. Along with Samsung's new AI push, pictures also have plenty of things you can use to ensure you get the perfect picture.

Regarding day-to-day performance, the S25 Ultra and S24 Ultra are both powerhouses and will remain powerhouses for years. But if you want the best speed and power around, the S25 Ultra crushes the S24 Ultra with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip - however, most people will struggle even to tell the difference with day-to-day use.

Now, let's move on to the things I don't like: AI. AI was the new buzzword for phone companies in 2024 and that has continued into 2025. Samsung continues to push this with the S25 Ultra. Some features work brilliantly - but some do not. I love the Call Transcript feature, as well as Note Transcript, which is extremely useful for taking notes. But when it comes to things like Generative Edit and Portrait Studio, it does show the limitations of AI - and the most important thing: how much do we actually use it?

Personally, I rarely use AI day-to-day, and the time I do use it, it never really impresses me. In my opinion, AI is the new way for companies to sell phones and as someone who has tried a lot of it in the past few years - don't fall for the marketing tricks.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to processing and productivity. When it comes to screen and camera, Samsung has managed to improve—marginally—on what was already a brilliant camera system and managed to change the shape that feels great in-hand and to navigate.