Samsung's flagships have a long tail. The Galaxy S25 Ultra landed in February 2025 to glowing initial reviews, but the real test of a £1,249 phone is not the first week - it is month six, month 12, month 24. With the S26 Ultra's launch just around the corner, we have dusted off our long-term review unit to see how Samsung's current flagship is ageing.
Battery life
The good news first: the 5,000mAh battery has held up well. We are still seeing roughly 6 hours of screen-on time on a typical day, which is within 10% of our launch-day numbers. Samsung's adaptive battery features have also learned our usage patterns, so standby drain overnight is now negligible.
Galaxy AI - useful or gimmick?
Six months in, some Galaxy AI features have become daily habits while others have quietly gathered dust. Live Translate during phone calls has saved us on holiday more than once, and Circle to Search has become our default way of identifying plants and random products. On the other hand, features like AI photo editing and Chat Assist remain novelties we reach for maybe once a fortnight.
Build and durability
Titanium frame: No visible wear, still looks new
Gorilla Armor 2 display: A few micro-scratches visible in certain light but nothing catastrophic
Camera bump: A small chip from a drop onto concrete. Cosmetic only.
S Pen: Still tracking perfectly, no latency issues
Software experience
Samsung has been unusually diligent with security patches, shipping monthly updates within a week of Google's release. One UI 7 is stable and fast, although we still find the notification panel layout less intuitive than stock Android or iOS. Samsung's seven-year update commitment means this phone will still be receiving updates in 2032.
Should you buy one now?
With the Galaxy S26 Ultra looming in February 2026, there is a strong argument for waiting unless you need a new phone today. However, Samsung's current pay monthly deals on the S25 Ultra are genuinely strong - Three has it at £39/month unlimited, which is meaningful value. If you can live without the latest chip, the S25 Ultra is still a superb flagship and likely to be even better value after Unpacked.
Rating: 4.5/5 (unchanged from launch)