With the highly anticipated Galaxy S25 Ultra around the corner, many Galaxy S23 Ultra users are wondering if it’s worth making the jump to Samsung’s latest flagship. The new model surely brings several key upgrades, but it still might not be worth the money for everyone. After all, Samsung has kept a few things completely unchanged, and the S23 Ultra still has many years left in it. Let’s break down the key differences and help you decide if it’s the right time to upgrade.
Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S23 Ultra: Design and Build
Gone are the days of boxy Ultra flagships with sharp corners and curved screens. The Galaxy S25 Ultra sports a more rounded design and a completely flat display. Don’t get us wrong, it still looks uniquely premium and stylish. But some Galaxy S23 Ultra users might not feel the taste right away. You’ll surely get used to it over time though. More importantly, the redesign also enhances its strength and durability.
Instead of an aluminum frame, you now get a titanium body with stronger Gorilla Armor 2 glass on the front and back. This is in addition to the top-level IP68 dust and water resistance. The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s dimension of 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm makes it more compact than the S23 Ultra (163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm). You are getting a 0.7mm slimmer phone, which is also 15 grams lighter (219 grams vs 234 grams).
Verdict: The Galaxy S25 Ultra brings noticeable refinements in aesthetics and build quality, but there’s more to consider before deciding on an upgrade.
Display technology
Since the Galaxy S25 Ultra is more compact and sports a flat display, many people might be wondering if Samsung shrunk the screen size. But it’s the opposite: the new model actually has a bigger screen, measuring 6.9 inches instead of 6.8 inches. The company made it possible by trimming the bezels, offering an impressive 91.4% screen-to-body ratio, which is pretty high for a flat display (last year’s S24 Ultra has a screen-to-body ratio of 88.5%).
Galaxy S25 Ultra in Titanium Gray
Beyond aesthetics, the Galaxy S25 Ultra brings more display improvements. It’s still a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display with QHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support, but with a higher peak brightness of 2,600 nits instead of 1,750 nits. You can also expect enhanced color accuracy and power efficiency. While the S25 Ultra supports the S Pen, it might lack Bluetooth support, cutting off Air Actions or air gestures.
Verdict: Notabe display upgrades, but shouldn’t be your primary reason to switch from the S23 Ultra; might be a good upgrade for content consumption.
Processor and Performance
Like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Galaxy S25 Ultra runs a Snapdragon processor globally. However, its 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite is miles ahead of the 2023 model’s 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Its peak CPU speed of 4.47GHz marks a 33% boost, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is in a league of its own with its GPU and AI capabilities. Qualcomm built this chip for the AI era.
The jump to the 3nm process brings a huge efficiency boost. Moreover, the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a minimum of 12GB RAM, with 512GB and 1TB storage options offering 16GB of RAM. This ensures smooth AI processing for a more enjoyable experience. The new flagship also offers enhanced cooling and deeper hardware-software optimization.
Verdict: The Galaxy S25 Ultra delivers a substantial performance boost, making it a compelling upgrade from the S23 Ultra.
Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S23 Ultra: Camera System
The Galaxy S25 Ultra offers notable camera upgrades for S23 Ultra users. You get a new 50MP ultrawide camera instead of a 12MP unit and a new 50MP 5x zoom camera instead of the 10MP 10x unit. Yes, the 10x zoom camera is gone, as Samsung has replaced it with a 5x one. It boasts 10x optical quality, so you don’t lose much. The 200MP primary shooter and 10MP 3x zoom camera carry over unchanged.
The 12MP selfie camera also remains the same as the S23 Ultra. However, enhanced software processing, AI optimization, and chipset improvements enable the Galaxy S25 Ultra to capture better photos and videos. Low-light videos are expected to deliver major quality gains. You also get better image stabilization and tons of new camera features.
Verdict: Samsung’s latest flagship delivers decent camera upgrades; not a major hardware overhaul but expect notable improvements in image quality and camera experience.
Battery and Charging
This is one area where Samsung has stopped innovating. Well, with devices getting more compact and lighter, we can understand the company not adding to the 5,000mAh battery — efficiency gains from the chipset and the display should allow for a longer battery life on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, Samsung needs to improve the charging speed. For years, it has offered 45W charging on its flagships, and it remains the same this year.
On the bright side, the wireless charging speed could be increased from 15W to 25W, with Qi2 support on the cards. This also means you get support for magnetic accessories, though you need a compatible case for it. The phone itself doesn’t have built-in magnets, so must put on a compatible case to attach magnetic wallets and other accessories.
Verdict: Minimal upgrades in battery life and wireless charging speed; S23 Ultra users won’t feel any notable changes in this space.
Software and Features
With each new generation, Samsung has improved the One UI experience. Galaxy S25 ships with One UI 7, which takes things to a whole new level. It’s smoother, more customizable, and introduces several notable UI changes. But the good news for S23 Ultra users is that this update will be available to them soon. The device is eligible for two more major OS updates, so it has plenty of life left in it.
However, many new AI features and camera enhancements on the Galaxy S25 Ultra will never make it to the 2023 model. The new phone’s more powerful processor and deeper optimization also allow for a more refined experience. On top of this, it will receive seven major OS updates — guaranteed support until 2032. No other Android phone in the market gets more updates.
Verdict: The enhanced software experience and new AI tools make the Galaxy S25 Ultra a worthwhile upgrade to consider from the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Price and Availability
Though the exact pricing details remain unclear, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is unlikely to cost less than $1,300. As such, upgrading from the Galaxy S23 Ultra won’t come cheap. A lot depends on how much the old model secures in Samsung’s trade-in program, which offers up to $900 credit when buying the new flagship. The highest value is typically reserved for newer devices, but the S23 Ultra should fetch a handsome amount.
If you pre-order, Samsung offers additional discounts or freebies, so you may be able to upgrade at a lot less than the original price. The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes in Titanium SilverBlue, Titanium WhiteSilver, Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium JetBlack, Titanium JadeGreen, and Titanium PinkGold colors. The latter three will be exclusively available through Samsung’s official website.
Verdict: The Galaxy S25 Ultra doesn’t come cheap; it could still be worth your money if you get decent early bird offers and trade-in credits.
Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S23 Ultra: Should you upgrade?
Now back to the main question: is it the right time for Galaxy S23 Ultra users to upgrade to the S25 Ultra? In short, the new model has enough perks to make it worth the expense — whatever you end up paying for it. However, it isn’t on a completely another level. It’s more like an accumulation of several incremental upgrades rather than big boosts everywhere.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a strong contender even in 2025. You may consider upgrading if you want to step -up your smartphone experience and are willing to splurge a few hundred dollars on a new phone. Don’t miss out on Samsung’s pre-order savings of up to $1,250. You can maximize your benefits if you pre-reserve the Galaxy S25 Ultra early.
