All this to say the Galaxy S25 ($800), Galaxy S25+ ($1,000), and Galaxy S25 Ultra ($1,300) are powerful, reliable, and well-equipped smartphones. They're excellent upgrades if you're coming from a three or four-year-old device. They're just not otherwise interesting or exciting.

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.

With the new Galaxy S25 Ultra in my hand, I stand in the lobby of the LinkedIn building in San Francisco, which happens to be a POPOS: a privately owned public open space. It's a gorgeous hall, with long running panels of blonde wood on the ceiling and back wall.