The new design isn’t handy, but that display is worth it

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with privacy screen protector

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is lighter than its predecessor, but that doesn’t translate to a better in-hand feel. In my experience, the flatter sides have been more inconvenient to hold. Its rounded corners are better than the pointy corners of Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the sharp sides make it slightly unergonomic. It might not matter at the end of the day if you slap a case on it, but that’s what you get without a case.

That said, Samsung’s display is now better than ever. I’m not exaggerating when I say the Galaxy S25 Ultra sports the best display on a smartphone right now. Thanks to Gorilla Armor 2, it is less reflective and more pleasing to look at, especially in harsh lighting conditions.

Galaxy S25 Ultra’s screen is one of the reasons why I kept returning to this phone, despite being left unimpressed at launch. Whether you’re navigating under a bright sun, reading indoors with overhead lights, or simply watching content, it just works better in most scenarios. In comparison, my iPhone 16 Pro’s display is a smudgy and reflective mess under harsh lighting.

To keep using this display in the new design, I had to install Samsung’s Good Lock app, and it has significantly improved my experience. If you have a big Samsung phone, I strongly recommend installing the One Hand Operation+ function from Good Lock app.

I no longer need to perform finger gymnastics on my Galaxy S25 Ultra to reach Quick Settings or the notifications. I’ve set the right-hand diagonal down swipe gesture to open the quick panel, while a diagonal up swipe takes me to Calculator (I need to access it regularly because I’m a freelancer).