The S25 Ultra is finally here, the latest flagship from Samsung. As you know, we write extensively about gaming on this website, and today we’ll dive into what this device brings to the table for gamers.
We’ve seen many devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, but this one stands out with unique hardware enhancements. Let’s take a closer look at what makes the S25 Ultra special.
Display
First, we have a stunning 6.9-inch display with thinner bezels compared to last year’s 6.8-inch model. The display is absolutely gorgeous, offering vibrant visuals that elevate the gaming experience. If you’re a Bleach fan, you’ll love how the Horns of Salvation from Ichigo look on this massive screen.
The display also boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, delivering buttery-smooth gameplay. This feature alone makes it a joy for gamers who demand responsiveness and fluidity.
Design and Comfort
Samsung has introduced rounded corners this year, making the S25 Ultra much more comfortable to hold. This is a noticeable improvement over the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which had sharper corners that could dig into your hands during extended gaming sessions.
Performance
The S25 Ultra is endowed with Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, a specially tuned version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Over the years, this Galaxy-specific chip has been known for its slight overclocking, promising enhanced performance.
While we’ll need to dive into benchmarks to fully assess its capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has consistently delivered outstanding performance across various devices.
Benchmarks: are essential, so let’s start with 3DMark. Looking at Wildlife, it was maxed out, which is typical with the Snapdragon 8 chipset. For the 8 for Galaxy, that trend continues. In Solar Bay, we’re getting about 10,464, which is excellent and shows solid performance.
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Moving on to Geekbench 6, the single-core score is impressive at 3,195. The multicore score nearly hits 10,000, with a result of 9,944. For the GPU, we see a score of 19,651, which aligns with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. So, what does the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy bring to gaming? Let’s look at some games.
- Call of Duty Mobile: It’s a simple benchmark and a great test. The game runs smoothly at 120 frames per second with ease at its highest settings. The combination of the display’s feel and the game’s performance is outstanding.
- PUBG Mobile: Which also supports 120 frames per second. It’s incredible to think that three years ago, this wasn’t possible on an Android device. Now, it’s smooth, and the temperatures remain just right.
Speaking of temperatures, Samsung has introduced a larger vapor chamber—about 4% larger along with a new cooling material called TIM (Thermal Interface Material). This upgrade improves cooling performance during gaming, allowing the chipset to perform at its best.
When testing Genshin Impact, which typically causes temperatures to rise, the game runs flawlessly at max settings. It achieves 60 frames per second without any dips, a significant improvement from last year. The performance remains steady, with temperatures reaching about 105–106°F, which is quite reasonable.
- Call of Duty: Warzone: Is one game where the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy faces challenges. At max settings, the game runs at 39 frames per second, which is disappointing. Ideally, it should hit 60 frames per second, especially when compared to MediaTek chipsets and other competitors.But what I found interesting here while testing was that my temperatures rose drastically. I was getting readings between 111°F and sometimes as high as 120°F. I also noticed my performance dropping down to 29 frames per second at times.
This raises the question: what is going on with the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Call of Duty: Warzone? I encountered glitches with some visuals in the game certain assets didn’t load properly. Clearly, something is up. Which will, be fixed.
How Powerful Is S20 Ultra?
Samsung did add a few features to the Game Arsenal, which I liked, but it still feels like not enough. There’s now a gaming shortcut that appears on the screen, almost like a camera slit. You can swipe to it, and it highlights the game with options like performance customization, tools, and pop-ups. This shortcut includes features like touch protection, screen recording, and game optimization tools. At the bottom, it displays gaming optimization status, such as balanced RAM usage.
You can hit the settings wheel to optimize performance further. Game performance optimization allows you to tweak settings for each game, such as choosing between balanced or power-saving modes. However, higher performance brings more heat. For instance, when I customized Call of Duty Mobile, the FPS option capped at 60 frames per second, even though the game ran smoothly at that setting. This feature helps maximize battery life while gaming. Additional settings like frame boost and screen resolution adjustments are nice to have.
However, while testing I ran into issues with Samsung’s tools. Some of the tools available from the Galaxy Store, like Game Plugin, wouldn’t install. Even sideloading the APK didn’t work. It seems Samsung might be phasing out these tools or replacing them with something new. For now, I relied on my own benchmark tools, as shown earlier, to provide performance insights.
Battery Performance
Finally, let’s talk about battery performance. I have to say it’s been excellent. The Snapdragon 8 chipset delivers about 20–30% better battery performance while gaming, and I noticed this during testing. After roughly three hours of on-and-off gaming, my battery was at 71%. This is a very solid result. There’s also an option to power the device directly for gaming without using the battery, which is a great feature.
Overall, I like what this device brings to the table. It’s more comfortable to hold, has a better and more comfortable screen, and offers solid performance across the board except for Call of Duty: Warzone.