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The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is likely to live up to its name as a top-tier smartphone, but will it also be packed full of new and improved features?

Based on the tips and rumors we've heard so far, we’re expecting a bit of a mix here – with some major improvements and some things staying much the same as on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

But it’s those new and improved things that we’re focused on in this article, so below, you’ll find the most substantial upgrades we’re expecting from the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

More megapixels for your widest shots

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is already superb, but the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera system could be even better, with multiple rumors suggesting this phone will have a new 50MP ultra-wide camera.

That would be a big jump in megapixels, as the current model has just a 12MP ultra-wide camera, so this change could lead to dramatically more detailed ultra-wide shots.

That will come in handy whenever you want to fit a lot into an image, and will hopefully bring this snapper more in line with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s main camera.

Extra RAM for AI

Circle to Search on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

AI is likely to become an increasingly important part of smartphones over the next few years, so it’s sure to be a big focus with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and one way that could manifest is in extra RAM.

While having a lot of RAM can help with all sorts of things, it’s particularly important for AI, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that Samsung is rumored to be increasing on the 12GB of RAM in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to 16GB in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

That said, we've elsewhere heard that only a 12GB Galaxy S25 Ultra model will be offered, while one tip suggests the base model of the Galaxy S25 Ultra will still only have 12GB, meaning you’d have to pay for a higher storage capacity if you want 16GB. If you want to make heavy use of AI though and want it to be as fast and smooth as possible, then that could be worth the investment.

A top-end chipset to deliver peak performance

Call of Duty: Mobile on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

If the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra does have more RAM than its predecessor then that should help ensure it’s more powerful. But what will help even more is a new, top-end chipset, and that’s almost certainly what it will get, with most leaks suggesting the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will be equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite has performed extremely well in benchmarks, with scores that in many cases beat even the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. So if the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra does have this chipset – as is looking very likely – then it could be exceptionally powerful.

Magnetic wireless charging

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

As well as possibly beating the iPhone 16 Pro Max when it comes to power, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could match its clever charging capabilities, by having a MagSafe-like system of its own.

According to one rumor, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will support Qi2 magnetic wireless charging, which is a very similar tech to MagSafe. This would mean you could magnetically attach wireless chargers and other accessories (such as tripods and battery packs) to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Notably though we’ve elsewhere heard that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra might just work with a line of cases that have magnets built in instead, which wouldn’t be quite as slick, and we’re not certain which information is right.

A bigger screen than ever

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s screen is already massive at 6.8 inches, but according to the rumors so far, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could have an even larger 6.9-inch display.

This is unlikely to make a drastic difference, but if the bezels are reduced too – as is likely – then it won’t necessarily make the overall footprint of the phone much bigger, and that small amount of extra space could benefit movies, games, and anything else where bigger is better.

On top of which, one leak suggests the Galaxy S25 Ultra's display could use a new version of Gorilla Glass that includes anti-glare tech, making for another screen upgrade.

A refined and refreshed design

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Even before you turn it on, there could be some obvious changes on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, with reports suggesting the S25 Ultra will have much curvier corners than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

That could help it fit in visually more with the rest of the Samsung Galaxy S25 line, and might also make it more comfortable to hold (at least if you hold it in such a way that the corners dig into your hand).

But that’s not all, we’ve also heard that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra might have smaller bezels than any other phone, which could leave it looking exceptionally high-end.

You might also like

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rumored release date: when is this phone likely to launch?
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rumored price: how much is the top S25 model likely to cost?
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rumored specs: all the key rumored specs for the top model

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