If you have a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, the S25 Ultra isn’t the upgrade you might think
Samsung was clear in its pitch for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This phone is aimed at people upgrading from older generations of Samsung hardware. At this price point, it doesn’t feature upgrades enthusiasts would want and doesn’t compare favorably to some notable improvements made by competitors like OnePlus. Still, Samsung claims that you’ll be happy if you’re coming from an S22 or S23 series device.
No Thanks, Keep Reading
Unfortunately, there’s a problem with that. If you’re targeting casual users for updates, you must consider their less demanding requirements. I have both phones, and I’m not immune to the obvious upgrades on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but for most users, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still more than up to the task.
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I’m a smartphone expert and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra left me unimpressed: Here’s why
This isn’t the path, Samsung
I’m not feeling the pain
The daily experience is still good
People love to throw out Samsung’s enhanced trade-in offers as a reason to upgrade, and yes, $600 in trade for your Galaxy S22 Ultra sounds like a good deal at first. However, you didn’t get that Galaxy S22 Ultra for free, and an example in respectable condition is selling for at least $330, so you’re still paying over $1,000 for the Galaxy S25 Ultra out of pocket. I want to make sure I’m getting the most value for that kind of money, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra still provides enough of a premium experience to make me wait another year to upgrade.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra easily handles daily tasks, and I don’t experience any lag when using apps like Instagram or Facebook. Sure, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 powering the S22 Ultra will show its age when playing AAA mobile games or editing video, but beyond that, you won’t feel the squeeze just yet. It’s also important to remember the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still in support, with at least one more major One UI upgrade promised and two more years of security updates. This means you can use your banking and financial apps confidently without using solutions like LineageOS for security patches.
One UI 7 is coming to your Galaxy S22 Ultra, and while I can’t promise which features of Galaxy AI will be supported, Samsung has stated that whatever features it can bring to older hardware, it will. It may mean more AI magic is handled in the cloud than on your device, but I don’t think you’ll be starving for AI features on your S22 Ultra, especially since Galaxy AI and Google Gemini are already on your device with One UI 6.1.
Premium is premium
You even pick up a few features
My Galaxy S22 Ultra’s polished aluminum frame still looks fantastic, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ protects the front and back. The phone has an IP68 rating, a 5,000mAh battery, 12GB of RAM, and a gorgeous QHD display — stop me if you’ve heard these specs before on another device. You pick up a couple of features on your S22 Ultra that you’d lose by upgrading. The older model still has a 10x optical periscope zoom, making the camera system more versatile. I know Samsung claims that the 5x the current models have can provide the same results as the 10x, but I like having the option of the additional optical zoom.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra camera samples
Photos from my Galaxy S22 Ultra still look impressive in good lighting. While you’ll notice a difference once the lumens become sparse, I’m happy with the output. The S22 Ultra features the much-discussed Bluetooth S Pen, so Air Command is available for swiping and controlling media from a distance. You can also trigger the shutter remotely with the button on your S Pen, but you lose all these features when upgrading to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
I agree with the people saying that this might be the beginning of the end for the Ultra as we know it.
Despite its age, the Galaxy S22 Ultra looks and plays the part of a flagship from 2025. It has a premium design with high-quality materials and a stunning display with vibrant saturation that Samsung is just now returning to on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. If you’re the casual user Samsung targets for upgrades, you may want to hold out another year.
We’ve lost something
The Galaxy S25 Ultra says goodbye to the Galaxy Note
When you hold the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S22 Ultra, it’s plain to see the Galaxy Note styling is gone. While the S22 Ultra takes design cues from the Note 20 Ultra and previous Notes, the Galaxy S25 Ultra seems like a beefed-up S25+. If you exhaled with relief when the S Pen returned on the S22 Ultra, you may be disappointed with the new design, as I feel it is a sign of things to come.
I agree with the people saying that this might be the beginning of the end for the Ultra as we know it. I think the endgame is that Samsung wants to remove the S Pen entirely from the Galaxy Ultra lineup and place it in the Galaxy Z Fold series. The Galaxy Z Fold becomes the enthusiast device, and the Galaxy Ultra can become the top-of-the-line consumer phone. It’s disappointing because it means we’ll have to pay almost $2,000 for an S Pen in the future, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Beyond nostalgia, the S22 Ultra has life left
Even if pining for the long-lost days of the Galaxy Note isn’t enough for you to keep your S22 Ultra, there are still plenty of valid reasons why waiting another year makes sense. Yes, you’ll notice plenty of upgrades, from better battery life to slightly snappier performance. Still, if you’re honest with yourself, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is doing well enough to hang onto. It allows you to wait and see what Samsung has in store. If you like the changes on the S26 Ultra, you can upgrade then or find a fantastic deal on an older Galaxy Ultra model that better fits your needs.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra leaves the Note-like design behind for the very first time. With flat edges, curved corners, and a massive 6.9-inch display, this is a modern flagship through and through — and yes, that S Pen is still here too.
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