iPhone 17 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Here is an unusual match-up: the iPhone 17, Apple's current standard model, costs more than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung's former top-of-the-range flagship, now heavily discounted. So the pricier phone is the more modest one on paper, while the cheaper phone throws more hardware at you. Add the iOS-versus-Android question and this becomes a genuinely interesting decision. Here is how they compare, drawn from independent expert reviews of each, with current UK prices.

At a glance

The iPhone 17 (around £799.00) is the newer, more compact phone, with Apple's latest standard chip, a smooth 120 Hz screen and the polished iOS experience. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (around £649.00) is a former flagship at a knock-down price, and for £150 less it hands you a bigger screen, a built-in stylus, a four-camera system with long zoom and a larger battery. If you want current-generation iOS, the iPhone is the pick; if you want the most hardware for the money and are happy with Android, the Galaxy is remarkable value.

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

Operating system

As always, decide this first. The iPhone 17 runs iOS, which is simple, consistent and tightly integrated with other Apple devices; the Galaxy S25 Ultra runs Android with Samsung's One UI, which is more customisable and cross-platform. If you already own Apple kit, the iPhone slots in; if you value flexibility, the Galaxy is the more open option. Everything below is secondary to this choice.

Design and build

The two are very different sizes. The iPhone 17 is the compact one, at 8 mm thick and a light 177 g with a 6.3-inch screen. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a much larger phone, with a 6.9-inch display and an integrated S Pen stylus, in a titanium frame; it is bigger and a little heavier at 218 g, though still slim at 8.2 mm. If you want a phone that slips easily into a pocket, the iPhone wins; if you want the biggest screen and a stylus, the Galaxy does.

Screen

Both use excellent OLED panels at 120 Hz, so both scroll beautifully. The Galaxy's is far larger at 6.9 inches, which suits video and multitasking. The iPhone 17's 6.3-inch panel is smaller but superb, with a sharp 460 ppi resolution and a quoted peak brightness of 3000 nits (around 1000 nits in typical use). This is a straightforward trade between the Galaxy's size and the iPhone's more compact, very bright display.

Performance

Both are quick, with different strengths. The iPhone 17 runs Apple's standard A19 chip with 8 GB of RAM — fast and efficient, though not the Pro version. The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12 GB of RAM, a flagship chip that remains blisteringly fast. In everyday use neither will hold you back; the Galaxy has more memory for heavy multitasking, while the iPhone's chip is the newer design. For most people both feel instant.

Cameras

The Galaxy's camera system is more ambitious. It carries four rear cameras — a 200-megapixel main, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide and two telephotos (5x and 3x) — giving it the highest-resolution sensor and genuine optical zoom. The iPhone 17 has a dual 48-megapixel setup: a main camera and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide at a 13 mm equivalent, with no dedicated telephoto, though it films 4K at up to 60 fps and can crop its main sensor to a 2x zoom. For everyday and wide shots the iPhone is very good, but for zoom range and sheer flexibility the Galaxy is clearly ahead.

Battery and charging

The Galaxy has the practical edge. It packs a 5000 mAh battery and 45 W charging, while the iPhone 17 carries a smaller 3692 mAh cell and charges more slowly over a cable, with wireless charging up to 25 W. Both last a full day in normal use, but the Galaxy's bigger battery gives it more of a buffer for heavy days.

Features and value

This is where the pricing quirk really shows. For £150 less, the Galaxy S25 Ultra adds an S Pen, extra cameras with zoom, a bigger screen and a larger battery — hardware the pricier iPhone 17 does not match. What the iPhone gives you in return is the current-generation A19 chip, the latest iOS with years of updates, a more compact body and the Apple ecosystem. Both start at 256 GB. It comes down to whether you value newness, iOS and compactness, or maximum hardware for the money.

Price and verdict

At the time of writing the iPhone 17 is around £799.00 and the Galaxy S25 Ultra around £649.00, so unusually the standard iPhone is the more expensive of the two.

Buy the iPhone 17 if you want the current-generation iPhone and iOS: a fast chip, a 120 Hz screen, a capable dual camera and a compact, light body, with the long software support Apple is known for. For anyone in the Apple world, it is the natural choice.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if you want the most hardware for your money and are open to Android. Even as last year's model it undercuts the iPhone by £150 while offering more cameras, more zoom, a bigger screen, an S Pen and a larger battery — outstanding value. Choose your operating system first, then weigh the iPhone's newness against the Galaxy's sheer capability for less.