You don’t need to buy the latest Galaxy Ultra phone, plus you can save money. I’ll explain.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has some of the best specs of any smartphone today, but it also comes with a huge $1,300 price tag. The 2024 model, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, also has excellent specs, and even though it’s only one generation old, you can pick it up new for $950 or used for $544. That’s less than half the price of the current model on the used market. Seriously. 

Sure, if you’re trying to sell your S24 series phone, that amount of depreciation really sucks. But if you’re looking to upgrade from an older phone, then you’ve got yourself a bargain on a high-end device. 

So what difference does one generation make? Can a 2-year-old model still perform like the current flagship? Let’s put these phones side by side and see what we get. 

On paper, the specs are very similar. They both have massive displays with identical resolutions and refresh rates. They both have potent Qualcomm processors, 12GB of RAM, 200-megapixel cameras, titanium frames, and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. And yes, both have the S Pen stylus stuffed inside if you want to doodle pictures while pretending to be working. The S24 Ultra’s S Pen even has several nifty tricks that were removed on the S25 Ultra’s stylus.

The upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup — including the S26 Ultra — is expected to arrive soon. Sure, it might have a complete overhaul that justifies paying its top-end price over the cheaper previous generation. But current rumors suggest that the new phone may receive only modest upgrades. 

Given that you can expect to see a sharp decrease in the price of the S25 Ultra, the same principle could apply: Save a lot of money by buying the previous generation on the used market.

From a purely numbers perspective, there’s little to choose between the S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra — certainly nothing that warrants such a steep price difference. So what are they like to use in person? Let’s start with the cameras. 

Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: cameras

Camera performance is a central way phone-makers try to upgrade their phones each year, with the latest models typically boasting better imaging skills than previous generations. 

While there are some upgrades on paper — like the S25 Ultra’s higher-resolution 50-megapixel ultrawide camera — Samsung hasn’t really altered its format that much for its last few Ultra models. 

I’ve taken many photos on both phones since they launched, and for the most part, I think you’d struggle to tell much difference, let alone pick a winner. They’re both capable of taking lovely images with wide dynamic range, accurate colors and plenty of detail. The zooms on both phones are excellent, and the night modes are superb. 

The upgrade in ultrawide resolution does give you a bit more detail, but would you really notice that on your own? It’s unlikely outside of side-by-side comparisons.

Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: processor

One of the major upgrades in the S25 Ultra over its predecessor is its processor. The S25 Ultra packs a custom version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, versus the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip on the S24 Ultra. On our benchmark tests, there’s a noticeable difference in scores — about 25% higher in the newer chip, in fact — but I’m not sure it’s a difference you’re likely to notice in everyday use. 

I found both phones were perfectly capable of playing demanding 3D games like Genshin Impact and PUBG at max settings while still giving smooth frame rates. Editing photos in Adobe Lightroom was responsive, and navigating around the Android 16 interface felt nippy and smooth. 

So sure, the latest model might have more power. But do you really need it? A Ferrari might have more power than a Mercedes, but the Mercedes is still going to be exceptionally good for 98% of the driving you do on a weekly basis. 

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Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: software

Software-wise, both phones run Android 16 with Samsung’s latest One UI 8 skin over the top. You’ll find the same features across both models, including Samsung’s various AI tools like live translation, audio eraser and drawing assist, which turns your doodles into real pictures. Then you’ve got Google’s AI tools like Gemini Live and Circle to search, which again you’ll find on both models. 

There are no new software features you’re missing out on by going with the last generation. But it’s always important to keep the software support period in mind, especially when buying used. As the more recent phone, the S25 Ultra will have an extra year of guaranteed support. At the same time, Samsung committed to seven years of support for the S24 line, so the older phone will still receive software and security updates until at least 2031. Basically, it’s still got a great life ahead of it.

Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: battery life

Both Ultras pack 5,000-mAh batteries, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, real-world battery life is pretty much the same on both phones. You can expect to easily get through a full day on a single charge and maybe even have enough power left to start a second day. In our CNET Labs 3-hour video streaming test, where we charge the phones to 100% and play a YouTube video over Wi-Fi, the Galaxy S24 Ultra actually performed noticeably better.

If you’re buying a used S24 Ultra, the battery may have aged slightly, but I wouldn’t expect it to have degraded much in just one year of use. Both phones offer 45-watt wired charging and reverse wireless charging to power another device. 

When I started writing this piece, I actually assumed that there would be more differences between the S25 Ultra and the S24 Ultra. But there’s hardly anything. They even look basically the same except the newer one has flat edges, which I don’t actually like as much. 

With battery life and camera performance being pretty much on par, and Samsung bringing all of its new AI skills to previous generations, there’s very little to choose between them. It really comes down to the newer processor, but I honestly don’t think the vast majority of people would notice the difference. The chip in the S24 is already a powerhouse. 

Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra: Final thoughts

These phones are identical in so many ways, except for price. Sure, how much you actually spend on a used device will depend on the quality — cheaper ones may have the odd scuff here and there, while pristine versions will demand slightly higher prices. 

All in all, opting for last year’s model on the used market is a smart way to save a lot of money on a capable device that would otherwise be too expensive. And, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra potentially just around the corner, this whole article will still be relevant as we move into the next generation. 

The logic here isn’t limited to Samsung’s phones. With almost all companies, including Google, Apple, OnePlus and others offering hugely powerful devices with long software support periods, it’s possible you may never need to buy a brand-new phone ever again. 

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Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Some breakfast drinks, for short
Answer: OJS

4A clue: Ready for business
Answer: OPEN

5A clue: Information gathered by a spy
Answer: INTEL

6A clue: Highest-scoring Scrabble word with four tiles (22)
Answer: QUIZ

7A clue: Nine-digit ID
Answer: SSN

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Agree to receive promotional emails, say
Answer: OPTIN

2D clue: Second-highest-scoring Scrabble word with four tiles (20)
Answer: JEEZ

3D clue: Sketch comedy show since ’75
Answer: SNL

4D clue: Burden
Answer: ONUS

5D clue: Geniuses have high ones
Answer: IQS

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