The Galaxy S25 Ultra: in 2025, a flagship's magic is in the details

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So why this borderline obsession with Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra? I can almost hear you from my desk:



Truth to be spoken, I don't have this burning desire to get a Galaxy Ultra. Sure, if I had only Samsung phones to choose from, I'd pay top dollar for the Ultra in a heartbeat. Thankfully, I have more brands to pick from right now.

But the Galaxy S25 Ultra never fails to grab my attention – and it has been the case for many weeks now. Whether it's a good thing I've got to say, or some mildly critical stuff, this upcoming flagship from South Korea is pretty popular with me (and not just me, as it turns out).

And how could it not be? In the world of smartphones, the Galaxy Ultra series has garnered attention for both its interior and exterior.

The recently leaked renders comparing the Galaxy S23 Ultra, S24 Ultra, and the upcoming S25 Ultra have sparked debates about just how much has changed in two years. But have we reached a point where these so-called changes are little more than subtle tweaks to a design that has, for all intents and purposes, plateaued?

What's the deal with the renders?

Looking at the renders, it's clear that the differences between these models are at best incremental… to some.

Yes, the S23 Ultra's sharp, rectangular edges give way to slightly rounder corners in the S25 Ultra, and the bezels are slimmer, but fundamentally, these are iterations of the same candy bar design. And there's no way around it, since every phone out there looks like that, give or that. It's what touchscreen phones can look like. Except for foldables, but they'll plateau in the near future as well.

The question then arises: have we become too obsessed with scrutinizing every minuscule detail of a phone's design? When you strip away the marketing buzzwords and focus solely on the physical changes, the narrative of dramatic evolution seems to crumble.

I mean – you and I, my dear reader – we can certainly obsess over the difference between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. We can argue for days if it's better to have a phone with sharp, boxy edges, or a slightly rounded one.

However, I'll be having a hard time showing the picture above to a non-tech-savvy person and convincing them that these are some extremely different phones with distinct, non-identical design philosophy behind each of them.

Cars are diverse. Can't smartphones also be diverse?

Yeah, no. Unlike smartphones, car models are typically updated every five to seven years, allowing time for significant advancements and noticeable redesigns.

Compare a car's generational leap to the annual cycle of flagship phones, and it's easy to see why changes in smartphones appear minor. Car manufacturers can afford to make bold design decisions because their timelines and profit margins permit them to. Smartphones, however, operate under tighter constraints, driven by the relentless pace of technological and consumer demand.

It's true: the candy bar form factor dominates, and manufacturers have honed their craft to such a degree that there's little room left for revolutionary change.

In many ways, this is a reflection of the maturity of the smartphone market. Once defined by radical leaps (Sony Ericsson phones were extremely different from Siemens and from Nokia phones, for example), the industry now thrives on refining what works.

Boxy edges are so good though

Still, it would be unfair to entirely dismiss the changes as microscopic and unworthy of attention.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Galaxy S24 Ultra's aggressive, boxy design: in my eyes, it's distinct, almost iconic in its sharpness. The shift toward a more rounded, iPhone-esque aesthetic with the S25 Ultra will be cheered by some, but I see it as an effort to appeal to a wider audience.

Of course, rounded edges and flat sides might lack the striking boldness of their predecessors, but they bring a sense of comfort and uniformity that aligns with modern trends.

Furthermore, the changes aren't purely cosmetic. The transition to slimmer and more uniform bezels enhances the immersive quality of the display, and the inclusion of new hardware improvements like a higher-resolution ultrawide camera and advanced cooling systems should not be overlooked. These are meaningful upgrades that could enrich the user experience.

However, the rumored downgrade to the S Pen's capabilities – removing Bluetooth functionality – is a puzzling move that could frustrate long-time fans of Samsung's stylus innovation.

Minor is major

This brings me back to the core question: are these changes significant enough to warrant excitement?

While the answer depends on individual perspective, one thing is clear – the leap from one flagship to the next is no longer about bold reinventions but about subtle refinements.

Maybe we've reached a point where even minor adjustments can feel like major changes.