OnePlus 15 vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Main differences to expect
OnePlus is on the cusp of releasing a new Android flagship phone very soon to succeed the OnePlus 13. Called the OnePlus 15 (we're skipping the "14" for cultural reasons), the upcoming device will "never settle" with a round of pretty exciting upgrades that will feel on point for a OnePlus device, bringing that undeniable value once again.
How will this one compare against one of the better devices available right now, the Galaxy S25 Ultra?
While it's true the Galaxy S26 Ultra is right around the corner, the current Galaxy S25 Ultra is here right now, and is easily the ultimate Android phone to consider if you live in the US.
OnePlus 15 vs Galaxy S25 Ultra expected differences:
| OnePlus 15 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Design | |
| New flat design with redesigned camera bump | Titanium device with rounded corners and flat screen |
| Mostly the same size at 8.1 mm | Marginally thicker at 8.2 mm |
| Potentially lighter at 210-215 grams | 218 grams |
| Display | |
| 6.78-inch OLED | 6.9-inch AMOLED |
| 1-165 Hz refresh rate | 1-120 Hz refresh rate |
| No anti-glare coating | Anti-reflective properties |
| Performance | |
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, 3nm | Snapdragon 8 Elite, 3nm |
| 12/256GB 12/512GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB | 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB |
| Camera | |
| Triple camera (50MP + 50MP ultra + 50MP 3.5X) | Quad camera (200MP + 10MP 3X + 50MP 5X + 50MP ultra) |
| 32MP front | 12MP front |
| Battery & charging | |
| Significantly larger 7,300 mAh silicon-carbon battery | A 5,000 mAh battery |
| 120W wired charging, 50W proprietary wireless | 45W wired, 15W wireless charging |
Design and Size
New aesthetics for the OnePlus 15
The OnePlus 15 is coming along with a fresh new design language that fully leans into the flat aesthetics, with a flat frame, flat front and back glass, and a revamped rear camera island that looks similar to the one on the Google Pixel 9/10 Pro Fold. It's diverging from the looks of the older OnePlus 13, but the change could be all for the better, mind you.
The OnePlus 15 will reportedly utilize "aerospace-grade nano-ceramic metal," said to be stronger than titanium, aluminum, or stainless steel, which would be great to see.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a titanium design language, one that utilizes rounded corners unlike the right-angled ones on the Galaxy S24 Ultra and prior phones. The frame and the front and back of the phone were both flat, contributing to the trendy flat looks. We loved that redesign, and we will see in on the Galaxy S26 Ultra as well.
| OnePlus 15 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Thickness 8.1 mm | Thickness 8.2 mm |
| Dimensions - | Dimensions 162.8 x 77.6 mm |
| Weight 211/215 grams | Weight 218 grams |
In terms of size, the OnePlus 15 will likely be ever-so-slightly more compact than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and possibly lighter at that. Good. The Galaxy S25 Ultra evens things out with an on-board S Pen, though.
The Galaxy flagship is IP68 water- and dust-certified, but the OnePlus 15 will beat that with IP69 water and dust resistance, which will protect it against water jets and is as robust as it can be.
The OnePlus 15 will be available in purple, titanium, black, and the signature color for the lineup, Sand Storm. The Galaxy S25 Ultra can be yours in Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver, and Titanium Gray, which is a diverse but not very vivid selection.
Display Differences
The OnePlus 15 will employ a slightly smaller 6.78-inch display than its predecessor, with thin bezels and a new panel made by BOE. It is expected to be a 1.5K screen, with up to 1800 nits of typical brightness (not to be confused with peak), and finally, a super-smooth 1-165Hz refresh rate. It's not likely to notice that much of a difference versus a standard 120Hz flagship screen, but hey, it's specs wars over here.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra, on the other hand, packs a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which can reach up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness, has all the HDR bells and whistles, as well as a 1-120Hz refresh rate. Another key feature is this one's anti-reflective coating, which prevents undesirable reflections.
| OnePlus 15 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Size 6.78-inch | Size 6.9-inch |
| Brightness 1800 nits (typical) | Brightness 2,600 nits |
| Refresh rate 1-165Hz | Refresh rate 1-120Hz |
We get an ultrasonic fingerprint on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the OnePlus 15 will follow suit, too.
Performance and Software
Qualcomm posterchildren
Inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the pretty decent Snapdragon 8 Elite clicks and ticks. It's a finely tuned version intended for Galaxy devices, slightly overclocked in comparison with the garden-variety chip available to other Android makers.
The OnePlus 15 will improve on that with the next chapter in Android performance, which will be helmed by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite. We know, the naming makes little sense.
What makes sense, however, is the performance, which will definitely beat the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite by a margin. Remains to be seen by how much.
| OnePlus 15 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Chip Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Process 3nm | Process 3nm |
| RAM, Storage 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB | RAM, Storage 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB |
The OnePlus 15 will come along with 16 GB of RAM, which is the current standard for Android flagships. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is less impressive here, with merely 12 GB of RAM on deck. Not particularly inspiring in terms of the future, that's for sure.
Storage options are similar on both phones: starting at 256 GB,they are also available with 512GB or 1TB of storage.
Android 16 will be the software on deck for either device, with One UI 8.5 or newer for the Galaxy S25 Ultra and OxygenOS 16 for the OnePlus. The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with seven years of support, while the OnePlus 15 will score at least four, but hopefully more.
Camera
Quad vs triple
The OnePlus 15 will come with triple 50MP cameras, including a slightly longer 3.5X telephoto. We expect better performance than the OnePlus 13 nonetheless.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra arrived with a quad camera, including a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide, and two zoom cameras, a 10MP 3X telephoto and a 50MP 5X periscope. It performs exceptionally well in our custom camera test.
| OnePlus 15 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Main 50 MP, f/1.8 24 mm | Main 200 MP, f/1.7 24 mm 1/1.1" sensor |
| Ultrawide 50 MP, f/2.0 15 mm | Ultrawide 50 MP, f/1.9 |
| Telephoto 50 MP, f/2.8 3.5X zoom | Telephoto 10 MP, f/2.4 3X zoom (67 mm) |
| Periscope 50MP, f/3.4 5X zoom (111 mm) |
Battery Life and Charging
What a spread!
Well, Samsung has been resting on its laurels for far too long. It's been five years and counting of employing the same 5,000 mAh battery on its Galaxy S Ultra flagships, and it's getting boring now.
The OnePlus 15 will give us a major 7,300 mAh battery at the rear, which is significantly larger than pretty much any other flagship out there right now. That's because it's a silicon-carbon battery, so the density is much greater than a standard lithium-ion.
| OnePlus 15 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Battery size 7,300 mAh | Battery size 5,000 mAh |
Charging speeds 120W wired 50W wireless charging | Charging speeds 45W wired 15W wireless |
In terms of charging speeds, the OnePlus 15 will score 120W wired and 50W wireless VOOC charging. Quite the difference against the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 45W wired and 15W wireless charging capabilities, don't you think?
Specs Comparison
| OnePlus 15 | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 8.1 mm thickness 211–215 g | Size, weight 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm 218 g |
| Screen 6.78" OLED 1–165Hz refresh rate | Screen 6.9" OLED 120Hz Anti-reflective coating 2,600 nits peak brightness |
| Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 3 nm | Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 3 nm |
| Versions: 16GB/256GB 16GB/512GB 16GB/1TB LPDDR5 | Versions: 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB LPDDR5 |
| Cameras: 50 MP main 50 MP ultrawide 50 MP 3.5× telephoto 32 MP front | Cameras: 200 MP main 50 MP ultrawide 50 MP 5× zoom 10 MP 3× zoom 12 MP front |
| Battery: 7,300 mAh | Battery: 5,000 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 120 W wired 50 W wireless | Charging: USB-C 45 W wired 15 W wireless |
Summary
Well, OnePlus isn't settling anytime soon, and the upcoming OnePlus 15 is the perfect example.
It's scoring major upgrades in the battery, display, and performance areas, trying to reiterate OnePlus' spot as one of the better value manufacturers that are present on the US phone market.
The competition is fierce, however, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra is at the forefront. With an S Pen, one of the best custom Android skins, and an all-around exceptional hardware and software packaging, it's a phone that's hard to pass up, even in the face of newer and faster devices.
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