Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone SE (2022)

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, a flagship Android smartphone released in February 2025, represents the pinnacle of modern mobile technology. In contrast, the Apple iPhone SE 2022, launched in March 2022, offers a more compact and traditional iPhone experience running on iOS. These devices cater to distinct user preferences, with the Galaxy S25 Ultra focusing on expansive features and advanced capabilities, while the iPhone SE 2022 emphasizes a familiar design and streamlined performance.

The expected lifespan and software support differ significantly between these two devices due to their release timelines and operating systems.

• Release Timeline: The Galaxy S25 Ultra, released in early 2025, benefits from being a newer device, offering a longer period of guaranteed software updates and security patches from its launch. The iPhone SE 2022, released in early 2022 and discontinued in February 2025, has a shorter remaining support window.
• OS Support: Samsung typically provides up to seven major Android upgrades for its flagship devices, meaning the S25 Ultra is expected to receive updates well into the future. The iPhone SE 2022 launched with iOS 15.4 and has been updated to iOS 18.x as of September 2025, with Apple generally offering several years of iOS support for its devices.
• Physical Durability: The Galaxy S25 Ultra features a titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Armor 2 on both its front and back, contributing to its robust build and IP68 water and dust resistance, allowing submersion up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. While some tests suggest Gorilla Armor 2 might offer a trade-off between scratch resistance and shatter resistance, it generally performs well in bend tests. The iPhone SE 2022 incorporates stronger glass similar to the iPhone 13 series on its front and back and carries an IP67 rating, protecting against dust and water immersion up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

Performance capabilities are a key differentiator, reflecting the distinct hardware and software philosophies of each device.

• Processing Power: The Galaxy S25 Ultra is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor, an octa-core chip designed for demanding applications and efficient multitasking, with CPU speeds reaching up to 4.47 GHz. The iPhone SE 2022 features Apple's A15 Bionic chip, which includes a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, providing smooth performance for everyday tasks and gaming.
• Multitasking and Storage: The S25 Ultra offers substantial RAM options, typically 12GB or 16GB, supporting extensive multitasking and resource-intensive applications. It comes with storage options up to 1TB. The iPhone SE 2022 includes 4GB of RAM, which is sufficient for its iOS environment and typical usage patterns, with storage options up to 256GB.
• Battery Behavior: The Galaxy S25 Ultra houses a 5000 mAh battery, providing extended usage times, with some tests indicating over 17 hours of continuous use and up to 31 hours of general usage. It supports 45W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. The iPhone SE 2022 has a 2018 mAh battery, which users report can last a full day with moderate use, though heavy usage may require more frequent charging. It supports 20W fast charging and Qi wireless charging.

The visual experience on these devices is shaped by their distinct display technologies and sizes.

• Display Technology and Size: The Galaxy S25 Ultra features a large 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display, offering vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast. The iPhone SE 2022 has a more compact 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD Multi-Touch display with IPS technology, known for its accurate color reproduction.
• Resolution and Clarity: The S25 Ultra boasts a high resolution of 3120x1440 pixels (QHD+), resulting in a sharp and detailed viewing experience. The iPhone SE 2022 offers a resolution of 1334x750 pixels (326 ppi), which provides clear visuals on its smaller screen.
• Brightness and Smoothness: With a peak brightness of 2600 nits, the S25 Ultra's display is exceptionally bright, ensuring good visibility even in direct sunlight. It also features a variable refresh rate of 1-120Hz, providing smooth scrolling and responsive interactions. The iPhone SE 2022 has a typical brightness of 625 nits and a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which is suitable for most daily viewing conditions.

Camera capabilities present a significant divergence, reflecting the different design priorities of a flagship versus a more accessible model.

• Rear Camera System: The Galaxy S25 Ultra features a versatile quad-camera setup on the rear, including a 200 MP wide-angle lens with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 50 MP ultrawide lens, a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 50 MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom and OIS. This system offers a Quad Tele System for various optical zoom levels. The iPhone SE 2022 is equipped with a single 12 MP wide-angle camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, capable of capturing detailed photos with features like Smart HDR 4 and Portrait Mode.
• Photography Performance: The S25 Ultra's advanced sensor array and AI processing, including its ProVisual Engine, contribute to excellent low-light performance, detailed macro shots, and enhanced image processing. The iPhone SE 2022, despite its single lens, leverages the A15 Bionic chip for computational photography improvements, delivering consistent and high-quality images in various conditions.
• Video Recording: The Galaxy S25 Ultra supports high-resolution video recording up to 8K at 30fps, along with 4K at various frame rates, Super Steady video stabilization, and the ability to record in log format or directly to external storage. The iPhone SE 2022 can record video at up to 4K at 60fps, with cinematic stabilization and stereo sound recording.
• Front Camera: For selfies and video calls, the S25 Ultra has a 12 MP front-facing camera. The iPhone SE 2022 features a 7 MP front camera.