Samsung’s Galaxy S series has long held pride of place in India’s premium smartphone market, and 2025 sees the baton BEING passed to the Samsung S25 and Samsung S25 Ultra. With AI features, upgraded cameras, and localized pricing, these new flagships aim to redefine what it means to own a “Samsung flagship” in India.
Launch & Pricing in India
Samsung officially lists the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in its Indian store. The Ultra variant is priced at ₹1,23,499 on Samsung’s official site. Samsung On major e-commerce platforms like Flipkart, the 512 GB Ultra is listed for around ₹1,35,499 (with discounts and bank offers lowering the effective price). Flipkart Meanwhile, the standard S25 starts in more modest territory (Samsung hasn’t prominently published its base price, but spec listings and media suggest that Samsung is positioning it to compete with other “compact flagship” devices).
Given periodic offers and trade-in deals in India, the effective street price for the Ultra may drop significantly during sales festivals.
Specs & Key Features — S25
- The S25 features a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with LTPO and a 120 Hz refresh rate. Samsung
- Internally, it runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, with 12 GB RAM and storage variants up to 512 GB. Business Standard
- On the camera front, it has a triple rear setup: 50 MP (main) + 12 MP (ultra-wide) + 10 MP (telephoto, 3× optical zoom). The front camera is a 12 MP shooter.
- The battery is rated at 4,000 mAh, with wired charging support (25 W in many markets) and likely wireless charging.
- Other features include IP68 water/dust resistance, under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and Samsung’s software support and AI enhancements.
The S25 is clearly positioned as the “compact flagship” — ideal for users who prefer smaller phones without compromising on performance or futureproofing.
Specifications & Key Features — S25 Ultra
The Ultra variant ups the ante significantly across design, camera, and performance Samsung :
- It uses a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (QHD+), 120 Hz, LTPO display.
- The Ultra also runs on Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with 12 GB RAM and storage variants of 256 GB, 512 GB, and a rare 1 TB model.
- In cameras, the S25 Ultra boasts a 200 MP main sensor, along with a 50 MP periscope telephoto (5× optical zoom), a 10 MP 3× tele, and 50 MP ultra-wide. This is a leap over the standard model, especially suited for photography and zoom enthusiasts.
- Battery capacity is 5,000 mAh, with wired charging support up to 45 W (and wireless charging options as well).
- The Ultra carries a built-in S Pen, allowing stylus interaction natively, as well as design upgrades using titanium finishes and refined build.
- Samsung also highlights Galaxy AI features, deeper software integration, and extended update support as key selling points.
What Works & Trade-offs (for Indian Users)
Strengths:
- The Ultra’s camera, with its 200 MP primary sensor and periscope zoom, is among the most advanced in Samsung’s lineup.
- The presence of S Pen adds functional versatility — note, though, that Samsung has removed some motion gesture features from the pen in S25 Ultra to simplify and cut costs.
- Both phones support Samsung’s long-term software updates (reportedly up to 7 years) and tight integration with Galaxy AI / Gemini features.
- Design, performance, and build quality are flagship class, and Samsung’s local service network in India gives aftersales confidence.
Trade-offs / considerations:
- Charging speeds are relatively conservative. While the Ultra supports 45 W wired charging, that is modest compared to competitor flagships that push 65 W or higher. WIRED+2Wikipedia+2
- The standard S25 has a smaller battery (4,000 mAh), which may not deliver stellar endurance under heavy use.
- Pricing remains steep, especially for Ultra models. For many buyers, the cost may justify waiting for deals or opting for the standard S25 or even last generation’s models.
- Stylus features are pared down compared to previous Ultra models; Samsung removed the remote shutter / motion gestures features due to low usage.
Final Thoughts: Which to Choose in India?
If you want the full flagship experience — top cameras, S Pen, big display, and the most futureproof hardware — the S25 Ultra is the obvious pick, so long as the price fits your budget.
But if you prefer something more pocketable, with flagship performance, easier handling, and good balance, the S25 is compelling — especially considering Samsung’s strong software promise and ecosystem.
In the dense Indian premium smartphone market, these two models offer tiered choices: The Ultra tries to compete with the absolute best, while the S25 tries to bring flagship DNA into a more user-friendly size. For buyers, timing sales, checking for trade-in offers, and balancing feature priorities will determine which model makes sense.