2025 is turning out to be the year of the Ultra phone. Every major Android maker has thrown its best shot into the ring: the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Vivo X200 Ultra, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and Oppo Find X8 Ultra. Each of them is packed with flagship-level features, aiming for the crown of best phone of 2025.
Even before the Pixel 10 and iPhone 17 arrive, the Ultra lineup is already dominating the conversation.
Yet, the surprising sales champion isn’t the flashiest or the most groundbreaking. It’s the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra-the phone many critics dismissed as safe, predictable, even a little boring. While its rivals boast dazzling 1-inch camera sensors and aggressive hardware upgrades, the Galaxy plays it conservative, focusing on refinement over reinvention. Its camera is great, but not the most ambitious. Its design is familiar, but polished. Its software, however, remains a reliable strength, offering the stability and ecosystem perks that Samsung has perfected.
Despite being overshadowed on paper, the Galaxy S25 Ultra crushed competitors in real-world sales. Consumers seem to prefer a phone that simply works consistently over one that experiments with risky features. The S25 Ultra may lack the wow factor of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra or the boldness of the Vivo X200 Ultra, but in terms of trust and day-to-day usability, it’s the king of 2025.