๐ฅ Official Release Date: February 7, 2025 (Confirmed!)
Samsung just made it official: The Galaxy S25 Ultra will hit stores globally on February 7, 2025, with pre-orders launching January 30 at 9 AM ET. The company teased the phone in a 30-second Super Bowl ad spot yesterday, confirming rumors of a February debut.
Why the slight delay from January?
- Supply chain adjustments: Samsung cited โhigher-than-expected demand for advanced camera componentsโ as the reason for the one-week push.
- AI fine-tuning: Insider reports claim Samsung prioritized optimizing its โGalaxy AI 2.0โ suite to outshine Googleโs Pixel 10 Pro.
โ Confirmed Specs: Whatโs Inside the S25 Ultra
At todayโs Unpacked event in Seoul, Samsung revealed key upgrades. Hereโs the official breakdown:
1. Camera: 200MP โProVisual Engineโ
- 200MP Adaptive Pixel Sensor: Confirmed. Uses pixel-binning for sharper low-light shots andย lossless 10x zoomย (a surprise upgrade from the rumored 5x).
- AI Director Mode: Filmmaking tool that auto-frames videos and suggests angles.
- Nightography 2.0: 50% brighter night shots vs. S24 Ultra.
2. Performance: Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (Global)
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 4: Confirmed for U.S., EU, and Korean models. Benchmarks show 25% faster GPU than Appleโs A18 Pro.
- 5,500mAh Battery: Officially confirmed with 65W wired charging (0โ100% in 38 mins).
3. Display: โThe Brightest Everโ
- 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X: 3,200 nits peak brightness, 1-144Hz LTPO refresh rate (finally matching gaming phones).
- Armor Aluminum Frame: 10% more scratch-resistant than S24 Ultraโs titanium.
4. Galaxy AI 2.0: New Tricks
- Live Translate Plus: Works offline in 20 languages (up from 13).
- AI Emergency Detect: Alerts emergency contacts if you say โHelp meโ during a call.
โ ๏ธ What Didnโt Make the Cut
- Under-Display Camera: Rumored โinvisibleโ selfie cam was scrapped for reliability issues.
- 1TB Base Storage: Still starts at 256GB (1TB remains a $200 upgrade).
Price and Pre-Order Deals
- Starting Price: **1,449โโ(256GB),up1,449โโ(256GB),up150 from S24 Ultra.
- Pre-Order Perksย (Jan 30โFeb 6):
- Free Galaxy Watch 7 (valued at $299).
- Double storage (256GB โ 512GB) at no cost.
- Up to $750 trade-in credit for older Galaxies.
Carrier Deals:
- Verizon: $1,000 off with unlimited plan + trade-in.
- T-Mobile: Free S25 Ultra with 24-month Magenta Max subscription.
Early Reviews: What Critics Are Saying
Hands-on tests fromย The Vergeย andย CNETย highlight:
- ๐ Pros: โBest smartphone camera everโ (10x zoom rivals DSLR lenses), โWild battery life.โ
- ๐ Cons: โHeavy at 234g,โ โNo significant design changes from S24 Ultra.โ
Should You Buy It?
Worth the splurge if:
- Youโre a photography pro or content creator.
- You need AI tools for work/travel.
- Your phone is 3+ years old.
Skip if:
- You own an S24 Ultra (this is an incremental upgrade).
- Youโre on a budget (the $799 Galaxy S25+ covers most basics).
Final Checklist Before Pre-Order
- Compare trade-in values: Samsung.com offers $100 more for iPhones than carriers.
- Pick your color: New โTitanium Violetโ and โIceberg Blueโ are exclusives.
- Pre-order early: Free Watch 7 stock is limited.
Ready to upgrade?ย Pre-orders go live in 24 hours. Drop a comment below if youโre team #S25Ultra or team #WaitingForDiscounts!
Stay tuned for our full review on February 5!
Read More: Galaxy S25 Ultra: Samsungโs iPhone Killer? Trade-In Deals, AI & More