Which one is best worth your budget? Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro. I spent weeks testing both to break down their cameras, performance, ecosystems, and hidden quirks. Check out my honest insights for your 2025 upgrade.
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Let me start with Galaxy S25 Ultra. If smartphones had a “go big or go home” award, I will give to this device every year,Unless better Device comes out in the future. I’ve been using it for three weeks, and honestly, it’s like carrying a mini supercomputer in my pocket.
Display
The moment I unboxed S25 Ultra, its 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 3X display left me speechless. Colors pop with an almost surreal vibrance—think Avatar in HDR but on a device that fits in your hand. I watched a 4K documentary on Ethiopian sunsets, and the gradients between oranges and purples felt like I was peering through a window, not a screen. Samsung’s new anti-glare coating is a game-changer too; even under harsh sunlight at noon, I could scroll Instagram reels without squinting.
But size isn’t everything. The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate makes scrolling buttery smooth, though I did notice slight stuttering when switching between heavy apps like Adobe Lightroom and Genshin Impact. Not a dealbreaker, but worth noting if you’re a multitasker.
Camera
Samsung’s 200MP primary camera. At first, I thought this was overkill—until I zoomed into a photo of my dog’s fur and could count individual strands. The sensor’s pixel-binning technology shines in low light, too. I snapped a midnight cityscape of Addis, and the details in the shadows (think: graffiti on alley walls) were shockingly clear without that oily “night mode” look.
The 10x optical zoom is where Samsung flexes its muscles. I took a shot of the entoto park from distance, and the lounge tables looked sharper than my DSLR’s attempt with a 300mm lens. But here’s the catch: the zoom is shaky unless you’re propped on a surface. Handheld? Good luck.
Video buffs will love the 8K/30fps recording, but be warned—files eat storage alive. A 5-minute clip chewed through 12GB. Thankfully, the 1TB base storage option means you won’t run out of space before your next cloud backup.
Software
Samsung’s One UI 7, layered over Android 16, is… a lot. The customization options are endless. I spent an afternoon tweaking app icons, gesture controls, and even the animation speed for app transitions. If you love personalizing every pixel, you’ll adore this.
But with great power comes great confusion. My mom (a casual user) borrowed my phone and accidentally triggered “Edge Panels” six times in ten minutes. The learning curve is steep, and bloatware like Samsung Global Goals and LinkedIn Lite still comes pre-installed. You can uninstall them, but why are they here in the first place?
Battery Life
The 6,000mAh battery is a marathon runner. On a typical day—2 hours of YouTube, an hour of calls, and constant Slack scrolling—I ended at 40% by bedtime. For heavy users, this means no more midday charging anxiety.
And when you do need juice, 65W fast charging delivers a 0-100% boost in 35 minutes. Compare that to Apple’s still-laughable 30W speeds, and it’s a clear win. Wireless charging? 15W, same as last year. Disappointing, but not surprising.
iPhone 16 Pro
Now, let’s take a look at iPhone 16 Pro. If Samsung is a fireworks show, Apple’s flagship is a perfectly tuned orchestra—subtle, harmonious, and ruthlessly efficient.
Performance
The A18 Bionic’s Dark Magic
Apple’s A18 Bionic chip isn’t just fast—it’s unnervingly smooth. I opened 18 Chrome tabs, hopped into a Zoom call, and streamed Spotify in the background. Zero lag. Even when editing 4K video in LumaFusion, the phone stayed cool thanks to the redesigned graphene cooling system. Remember the iPhone 15 Pro’s overheating scandals? Gone.
Gaming is where the A18 flexes. Genshin Impact at max settings ran at 120fps without a single dropped frame. I Tested and Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 Android stuttered twice during the same boss fight. Apple’s hardware-software synergy is still unmatched.
Camera
The iPhone 16 Pro’s 48MP main sensor sounds underwhelming next to Samsung’s 200MP, but Apple’s computational photography is witchcraft. I took a portrait of my niece mid-sprint, and the LiDAR sensor nailed the focus while blurring the background like a $2,000 mirrorless camera.
Where Apple truly dominates is Gaming and video. The new Cinematic Mode now supports 4K/60fps, and the stabilization made my shaky hike footage look like a Steadicam shot. Colors are less vibrant than Samsung’s, but skin tones look natural—no orange-faced selfies here.
The 5x optical zoom can’t match Samsung’s 10x, but it’s sharper in motion. I shot a bird taking off, and the iPhone captured every feather ripple. Samsung’s zoom? A blurry mess in similar conditions.
Software
iOS 19 isn’t revolutionary, but it’s refined. The new Contextual Control Center adapts to your location—showcasing Netflix controls at home or hiking maps on trails. It’s intuitive, but after years of Android’s freedom, iOS still feels like a gilded cage.
Case in point: sideloading apps. Yes, Apple finally allows it in the EU, but the process involves scanning QR codes from “approved developers.” Meanwhile, on Samsung, I installed an emulator in two taps.
But if you’re entrenched in Apple’s ecosystem, leaving feels impossible. Handoff between my MacBook and iPhone is flawless, and AirPods switch devices faster than I can blink. It’s convenience at the cost of flexibility.
Battery Life
The iPhone’s 3,800mAh battery gets me through a day, but just barely. After 4 hours of screen time (including 30 minutes of gaming), I hit 15% by 9 PM. It’s reliable, but power users will need a MagSafe battery pack for late nights.
Charing speeds? Still stuck at 30W. A 50% charge takes 20 minutes—decent, but laughable next to Samsung’s 65W.
So to make a choice on S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro consider your priority and why you are buying this high budget devices.
Why Galaxy S25 Ultra Might Be Your Choice?
- You’re a multitasking maniac: Split-screen apps, Dex mode, and that massive screen make it a productivity beast.
- You demand cutting-edge hardware: 200MP photos, 8K video, and zoom that rivals telescopes.
- You hate dongles: The return of the microSD slot (up to 1TB) is a love letter to power users.
When to choose iPhone 16 Pro?
- You’re an Socialite: iMessage, AirDrop, and FaceTime are lifelines.
- You prioritize longevity: iPhones get 6+ years of updates. My iPhone 11 Pro still runs iOS 19 smoothly.
- You create content and Game daily: The best video phone for influencers, hands down.
My Final Verdict: It’s About Priorities
After living with both, here’s my take on S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro :
- The Samsung Ultra 25 is for tinkerers who want a gadget that can do everything, even if it demands patience.
- The iPhone 16 Pro is for minimalists who value polish over experimentation.
I’m keeping the Ultra 25 because I love geeking out over settings, but my partner (who films TikTok dances daily) swears by her iPhone. Your lifestyle picks the winner.
Related Posts:
- “iOS 19’s Hidden Gems: 5 Features You’ll Actually Use”
- “Samsung Ultra 25 vs. Google Pixel 10: Which Android King Wins?”
- “Do Smartphone Cameras Still Beat DSLRs in 2025?”
