The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G remains one of the most complete phones you can buy in India. According to Counterpoint data for January 2025 to February 2026, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the best-selling premium smartphone in India priced above ₹90,000. It has a 6.9-inch display, a titanium frame, a built-in S Pen, four rear cameras led by a 200MP main sensor, and a promise of seven years of software updates. Samsung launched the Galaxy S26 Ultra in February 2026, so the S25 Ultra is now the previous generation, but that has worked in its favour. The price has come down from where it started, and the hardware has aged well.
This overview covers the S25 Ultra camera, performance, AI features and design, along with the Samsung S25 Ultra price and specifications. It also checks how the phone stands up against Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the two phones most buyers will compare it with at this price. The short version is that the Galaxy S25 Ultra wins on zoom range, glare control and its built-in S Pen, and it comes with a seven-year update promise. Apple’s phones are ahead on single-core speed, front camera resolution and pro video tools, and the Pro Max is rated for longer battery life. However, if you want to go for an all-around package, Galaxy S25 Ultra might be the best choice.
Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026: sale details
Sale dates: The sale starts on 8 October 2026, and Amazon’s Early Deals are already live.
Bank offers: Amazon says SBI credit and debit card holders get a 10 per cent instant discount, including on EMI transactions, and Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card holders get 5 per cent unlimited cashback as Prime members, or 3 per cent otherwise.
Sale price: Galaxy S25 Ultra 12GB + 256GB on Amazon: ₹84,999 (offers applicable).
Table of Contents
Flagship with a built-in S Pen
The Galaxy S25 Ultra keeps the titanium frame that Ultra buyers know and slims the body down to 8.2mm. At 218g it is lighter than the 231g iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is 8.75mm thick, though it is heavier than the smaller iPhone 17 Pro at 204g. The front is covered in Corning Gorilla Armor 2 and the back in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the phone is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, and Samsung lists seven colours, including Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Gray and Titanium Whitesilver.
The screen is the main reason to buy the phone. It is a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with QHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, and Samsung has trimmed the bezels to reach a 91.4 per cent screen-to-body ratio, so more of the front is picture. Apple quotes a higher outdoor peak of 3,000 nits for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, but the Galaxy has an advantage of its own. Corning, which makes the Gorilla Armor 2 glass, says its anti-reflective properties dramatically reduce surface reflections in both indoor and outdoor lighting, which should help when you are using the phone in direct sunlight.
There is a built-in S Pen too, which no iPhone offers, and it is genuinely useful for quick notes, marking up screenshots and signing documents.
Performance and battery: fast, capable and built to last
Galaxy S25 Ultra’s performance starts with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. Samsung claims 37 per cent faster CPU performance, 30 per cent better graphics and 40 per cent faster AI processing than the previous generation. On the Geekbench Browser’s Android chart (Geekbench 7), the S25 Ultra averages 2,474 in single-core and 8,888 in multi-core tests at the time of writing, and AnTuTu’s own ranking for June 2026 lists it at 2,800,202 points.
Apple’s A19 Pro is quicker in places. On Geekbench’s iPhone chart, the iPhone 17 Pro Max averages 3,168 in single-core and 8,803 in multi-core tests, and the iPhone 17 Pro averages 3,159 and 8,779. That puts Apple about 28 per cent ahead in single-core speed, while the Galaxy is marginally ahead in multi-core. Apple also says the vapour chamber in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max allows higher sustained performance. Samsung has its own answer: it says the S25 Ultra’s vapour chamber is 1.4 times larger than the previous generation’s, and the phone supports ray tracing for more realistic lighting and reflections in supported games. For everyday use that gap mostly shows up in benchmarks. Heavy mobile gamers are the exception.
Battery life is a strength. The 5,000mAh cell is rated for up to 31 hours of video playback, and Samsung says a 45W adapter takes the phone to 65 per cent in around 30 minutes. Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 is supported too. Apple rates the iPhone 17 Pro at the same 31 hours, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max is rated for up to 37 hours, so it lasts longer.
Software is where Samsung makes its strongest long-term case. The phone came with One UI 7, built on Android 15, and Samsung promises seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, which takes it to 2032. If you tend to keep a phone for five or six years, that promise matters.
Camera: a zoom champion with a few weak spots
The S25 Ultra camera system has four lenses on the back. The main camera is a 200MP sensor that Samsung says gives 2x optical-quality zoom. It is joined by an upgraded 50MP ultrawide, a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom and 10x optical-quality zoom. Samsung’s AI-enhanced Space Zoom runs from 1x to 100x, and the front camera is 12MP.
Among the S25 Ultra camera features, video gets the most attention. The phone records improved 10-bit HDR, offers Log video for editors who want to grade footage themselves, and uses Nightography to clean up low-light clips. The rear cameras can also record 8K video at 30fps.
Apple and Samsung take different approaches to the camera. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max use three 48MP cameras, a main, an ultrawide and a 4x telephoto, and Apple says the telephoto gives 8x optical-quality zoom. Samsung uses a different sensor for each job and gives you both 3x and 5x telephoto lenses, with 10x optical-quality zoom and Space Zoom up to 100x. On paper, that makes the Galaxy the better tool for distant subjects, such as concerts, wildlife or a child on a school stage.
Apple has its own advantages. All three of its rear cameras share the same 48MP resolution, the iPhone supports ProRes RAW and Apple Log 2 for professional video workflows, and the front camera is an 18MP Center Stage unit against 12MP on the Galaxy. If you photograph distant subjects, the Galaxy is the better fit. If you record video for professional editing or spend a lot of time on selfies and video calls, the iPhone has the stronger hardware on paper.
AI features: useful tools, uneven extras
Galaxy AI is the centrepiece of One UI 7, and the S25 Ultra AI features are a mix of Samsung’s own tools and Google’s. The most useful ones are the practical ones. Circle to Search lets you circle anything on the screen to get AI Overviews, and it can now recognise phone numbers, email addresses and web links. Google Gemini is built in, including Gemini Live for free-flowing spoken conversations.
Samsung’s camera and media tools are just as handy. Audio Eraser filters unwanted background noise out of your videos and lets you adjust different types of sound, including voices, music, wind and crowd noise. Custom Filters use AI to create personalised photo filters.
Editing and messaging get further help. Generative Edit lets you move, resize or erase objects in a photo and fills in the background behind them, while Creative Studio, added with the One UI 8.5 update, creates custom wallpapers, stickers and profile images. Chat Assist suggests a different tone for a message or translates it as you type in messaging apps.
Samsung handles privacy through a hybrid approach. Some Galaxy AI features run on the phone and others use the cloud, and the Personal Data Engine analyses your personal data on the device itself, where it is secured by Knox Vault. You can also choose to process data on the device only, though some features are unavailable in that mode.
Not everything is fully settled. Now Brief, which Samsung says gives you personalised briefings through the day, and the Now Bar on the lock screen are new this generation. Samsung also notes that the availability of Galaxy AI features may vary by region, One UI version, device model and phone carrier, so the list of features you get may not match what you see advertised.
Apple’s iPhones have Apple Intelligence built into their apps to help you communicate, express yourself and get things done, so this is not a one-sided contest. Samsung’s advantage is that Galaxy AI brings Google’s Gemini, Circle to Search and Samsung’s own camera and audio tools together in one phone.
Samsung S25 Ultra price and specifications against the iPhone 17 Pro
The Samsung S25 Ultra price in India was ₹1,29,999 for the 12GB and 256GB model when it launched in January 2025, with the 512GB version at ₹1,41,999 and the 1TB version at ₹1,65,999. Prices have fallen since. During the sale, the phone will be available for as low as ₹84,999 (offers applicable), though the figure you pay will vary by store and offer.
That matters because the iPhone 17 Pro costs ₹1,34,900 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max ₹1,42,490, both for 256GB on Apple India. At Samsung’s current listing the Galaxy is about 11 per cent cheaper than the iPhone 17 Pro and about 20 per cent cheaper than the Pro Max, and it adds a 5x zoom lens, an S Pen and a seven-year update promise. Here is how the three phones compare on paper.
| Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
India price (256GB) | ₹84,999 (offers applicable) | ₹1,34,900 | ₹1,49,900 |
Display | 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 2,600 nits | 6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz, 3,000 nits | 6.9-inch OLED, 120Hz, 3,000 nits |
Chip | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A19 Pro |
Rear cameras | 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x, 50MP 5x | 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 4x | 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 4x |
Front camera | 12MP | 18MP | 18MP |
Video playback (rated) | Up to 31 hours | Up to 31 hours | Up to 37 hours |
Weight | 218g | 204g | 231g |
Frame | Titanium | Aluminium | Aluminium |
Before buying, weigh three things. First, Samsung launched the Galaxy S26 Ultra in February this year. Samsung says it adds faster charging, with up to 75 per cent in 30 minutes, wider camera apertures for clearer low-light photos and a Privacy Display. If you want the newest hardware and can spend more than the S25 Ultra’s current Samsung listing, that is the phone to look at.
Second, the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are ahead on single-core speed, front camera resolution and pro video formats, and the Pro Max is rated for longer battery life. Third, the S25 Ultra is heavier than the iPhone 17 Pro, and its S Pen has lost Bluetooth. Those are real gaps, but at this price they are hard to hold against the phone.
Bottomline: a flagship that has aged well
The Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G is still an excellent phone. The display is superb, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is fast, battery life is strong, the zoom cameras reach further than Apple’s, and seven years of updates make it a sensible long-term buy. Galaxy AI adds practical tools such as Circle to Search, Gemini and Audio Eraser, and the S Pen gives the phone a job no iPhone can do. At a sale price of ₹84,999 for 12GB + 256GB, it also costs much less than Apple’s Pro phones.
However, keep in mind that it is not flawless. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are quicker in single-core tests, have a higher-resolution front camera and record in pro video formats, and the Pro Max lasts longer on a single charge. For everyone else, the Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G remains one of the most complete premium phones you can buy today.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is the Galaxy S25 Ultra still worth buying in 2026?
Yes, for buyers who want a large-screen flagship with a stylus and long zoom. The Galaxy S25 Ultra pairs a 200MP main camera, 3x and 5x telephoto lenses and a built-in S Pen with seven years of OS and security updates, running to 2032. The phone will be available for as low as ₹84,999 (offers applicable) for 12GB + 256GB, much below the S26 Ultra’s launch price.
Q. Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro: Which should you buy?
Buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra for more zoom, a bigger screen and a stylus, and the iPhone 17 Pro for professional video and selfies. The Galaxy adds a 5x telephoto, 100x Space Zoom and a 6.9-inch display, while the iPhone 17 Pro supports ProRes RAW and Apple Log 2 and has an 18MP front camera. At the sale price, the Galaxy phone is much cheaper.
Q. Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S26 Ultra: what is the difference?
The S26 Ultra is the newer model, and Samsung says it adds faster charging, with up to 75 per cent in 30 minutes, wider camera apertures for clearer low-light photos and a Privacy Display. It launched at ₹1,39,999 for the 256GB model in February 2026 but can now be grabbed at a slightly lower price. The S25 Ultra keeps the 200MP camera, S Pen, titanium frame and seven-year update promise at a lower price.
Q. What will the S25 Ultra cost in the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026?
The Great Indian Festival price is ₹84,999 (offers applicable) for 12GB + 256GB. During the sale, which starts on October 8th, SBI credit and debit card holders get a 10 per cent instant discount, including on EMI. Check the final price on Amazon’s payment page, as offers can change.
Q. How many years of updates does the Galaxy S25 Ultra get?
Samsung promises seven generations of Android OS upgrades and seven years of security updates for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which takes support to 2032. The phone launched with One UI 7 on Android 15 and has since received One UI 8.5, so a buyer in 2026 still has around six years of updates ahead.
