iPhone 17 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The iPhone 17 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra come at the "best phone" question from different directions. The iPhone is Apple's current Pro flagship at full price; the Galaxy is Samsung's 2025 Ultra, still a top-tier phone but now heavily discounted. That makes this as much a value decision as a hardware one — and, of course, a choice between iOS and Android. Here is how they compare, drawn from independent expert reviews of each, with current UK prices.

At a glance

The iPhone 17 Pro (around £1,099.00) is the newer phone, with Apple's latest chip, the best video tools on any phone and the tightly integrated iOS experience. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (around £649.00) undercuts it by roughly £450 while offering a bigger screen, a built-in stylus, more cameras with longer zoom and a larger, faster-charging battery. If you want the newest iPhone and iOS, the Pro is the pick; if value and versatility matter more, the discounted Galaxy is hard to argue with.

Check the iPhone 17 Pro price on Amazon · Check the Galaxy S25 Ultra price on Amazon

Operating system and value

Two things frame this whole comparison. The first is the operating system: the iPhone 17 Pro runs iOS, with its simplicity, long support and seamless links to other Apple devices, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra runs Android with Samsung's One UI, which is more customisable and cross-platform. The second is price. Because the S25 Ultra is last year's model, it now sells for around £450 less than the iPhone. If your other devices are Apple, the iPhone slots in and the premium may be worth it; if you are open to Android, the Galaxy delivers flagship features for far less money.

Design and build

Both are premium, but sized differently. The iPhone 17 Pro uses an aluminium unibody, weighs 206 g and is 8.8 mm thick, with a more compact 6.3-inch footprint. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is the larger phone thanks to its bigger screen, yet stays slim at 8.2 mm and weighs 218 g, wrapped in a titanium frame with toughened glass. The Samsung also carries an integrated S Pen stylus, which the iPhone has no answer to. Choose the iPhone for a lighter, more pocketable body; the Galaxy for the bigger screen and the stylus.

Screen

The Galaxy has the size advantage with a 6.9-inch AMOLED at 120 Hz, while the iPhone 17 Pro's 6.3-inch OLED is smaller but superb — reviewers measured a very bright 2507 cd/m² on it. Both run at 120 Hz and both are excellent in sunlight. If you want the most screen for media and multitasking, the Galaxy leads; if you prefer a more manageable display, the iPhone suits.

Performance

The iPhone has the newer silicon. Its A19 Pro chip is Apple's most powerful yet, with a six-core graphics processor and a vapour chamber to hold performance under load. The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12 GB of RAM, which is still blisteringly fast and handles anything you ask of it. In day-to-day use both are instant; the iPhone's chip is the more cutting-edge, the Galaxy's is no slouch and benefits from more memory for multitasking.

Cameras

The Galaxy is the more versatile system on paper. It carries four rear cameras — a 200-megapixel main, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide, a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto and a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto — giving it the highest-resolution sensor and the longest optical zoom. The iPhone 17 Pro runs a triple 48-megapixel system: a 24 mm main, a 13 mm ultra-wide and a telephoto at a 100 mm (4x) equivalent. Where the iPhone pulls ahead is video — it films 4K60 in Dolby Vision and can capture ProRes RAW on every lens, making it the stronger choice for serious filming. For stills reach and flexibility the Galaxy leads; for video the iPhone does.

Battery and charging

The Galaxy has the clearer practical edge. It packs a 5000 mAh battery and charges at 45 W, while the iPhone 17 Pro's European model carries a nominal 3998 mAh cell and tops up more slowly over a cable, with wireless MagSafe charging up to 25 W. Both last a full day, but the Galaxy's larger battery and quicker wired charging make it the more convenient on a busy day.

Verdict: which should you buy?

Pick your operating system first, because that decision outweighs the rest. If you want iOS, the iPhone 17 Pro is an outstanding phone — the newest chip, the best video capture available, a compact, light body and Apple's ecosystem — and it is the right buy if those things matter to you and the price does not put you off.

If you are open to Android, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a superb value right now. At around £450 less it gives you a bigger screen, an S Pen, more cameras with longer zoom, and a larger, faster-charging battery — a huge amount of phone for the money, even if it is a generation older. For buyers led by value and versatility rather than brand loyalty, the discounted Galaxy is the more sensible spend; for those set on the latest iPhone and its video tools, the 17 Pro justifies its premium.