As I got ready for a long weekend getaway, I wanted an Android phone with a great camera to capture my experiences. I inserted my SIM card into a new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and set it up solely for leisure, aiming to avoid work emails and notifications. After spending four days with the device, here’s what I found while revisiting the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Design Issues
The Galaxy S25 Ultra has a very flat design.The sides are straight, the screen is level, and the corners are less rounded than earlier models. It resembles a large block rather than an attractive phone. While some may not mind its looks, comfort is essential for everyone. Sadly, after using the S25 Ultra again, I realized it isn’t pleasant to hold.
After trying out several other phones like the OnePlus 13 and Google Pixel 9a, all of which felt better in hand, I noticed that the sharp edges of the S25 Ultra dig into yoru palm when you grip it. Additionally, its slippery surface makes it hard to keep hold of without effort.
I used this phone mainly for fun—browsing Reddit or playing games—but its discomfort made me reluctant to pick it up frequently enough.In contrast, my Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max feels much more ergonomic and pleasant during extended use.Using the S25 Ultra felt forced at times; that shouldn’t be necessary.
Outstanding Display Quality
it’s unfortunate that holding the S25 Ultra was uncomfortable as its display is extraordinary—truly one of the best on any smartphone today.During my trip in sunny weather in England, this phone's anti-reflective screen really shined through. It’s tough to capture how effective this feature is in photos since it minimizes harsh reflections that can obscure visibility from various angles.
this quality becomes crucial when taking pictures since you rarely shoot directly from eye level; thus strong viewing angles matter greatly on smartphones. No matter how I held it or what lighting conditions where present, I could always see what was on-screen clearly—a remarkable achievement compared to other devices available now.
The brightness also played a role in making this display stand out but wasn’t solely responsible for its effectiveness; automatic brightness adjustment did most of the work well enough that manual adjustments were rarely needed during my time outside—only once did I need to tweak settings after returning indoors when there was slight lag adjusting back down from radiant sunlight conditions.
Camera performance
Before settling on purchasing the Galaxy S25 Ultra over alternatives like Xiaomi 15 Ultra due largely due their notable cameras—I had been slightly disappointed by Xiaomi's performance locally but loved using them elsewhere—I hoped traveling would change my perception about Samsung's camera capabilities as well.
During my trip focused primarily on landscape photography meant utilizing both main and wide-angle lenses frequently; their consistency impressed me with balanced colors even under tricky lighting situations! However photos taken straight from these lenses appeared too natural-looking according personal preferences leading me towards One UI 7’s photo editing tools instead!
I applied filters such as Chill or Amber onto most images before further tweaking them until they matched desired aesthetics perfectly! A handy feature allows saving edits made onto one image as custom filters applicable across others taken under similar conditions too! Plus Samsung offers an AI-powered eraser tool capable of removing unwanted elements seamlessly!
Looking back at edited images brings satisfaction despite needing adjustments initially suggesting perhaps factory tuning isn’t quite right yet enthusiasts seeking unedited shots might feel let down by results overall—but thanks powerful editing suite provided changing appearance becomes enjoyable rather than burdensome task!
Final Thoughts
Overall experience with Galaxy S25 ultra proved reliable thanks excellent screen performance battery life lasting beyond two days usage however frustrations arose regarding shape itself if used daily likely opt case improve handling comfortability issue further complicating matters given durability means cases aren’t strictly necessary either way!
While pleased capturing memories throughout trip via photographs taken still feel ambivalent towards device itself—it excels technically yet lacks emotional connection compared alternatives like OnePlus 13 which might’ve offered greater satisfaction overall despite being pricier option available today ultimately leaving impression cold capable high-performance smartphone worth considering based logical reasoning rather heartfelt attachment formed over time spent together!
