Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's width and screen size tipped

16 August 2024
A few changes will combine to make it much more of a joy to hold than its predecessor ever was.

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • AJx
  • 21 Aug 2024

Prefer rounded edges. Which is why I bought the S24 PLUS

    • D
    • AnonD-1167022
    • mAe
    • 18 Aug 2024

    jiyen235, 18 Aug 2024I have a question, how is a 2x crop "less natural"... moreThis isn't about the comfort of a native 2x lens. 50mm and 23mm are two very different focal lengths that offer a different perspective on a scene.

    A digital crop from a 23mm will still retain the optical characteristics of a 23mm lens, even if the equivalent crop makes it technically equal the zoom of a 50mm. The reason I said a 50mm is more natural is because the perspective generated by the lens tends to look more akin to what the human eye sees. A wider lens will fit more into the frame, but by doing so, will distort the subject's proportions and give the background a totally different look, one that's usually less "focused" in on the subject. The further away you'll get from the subject, the less this distortion will be visible, but even if you take a step back and shoot at 2x crop, the resulting image won't match one of a 50mm lens.

    Here's a clear exemple, taken from GSMArena's review of the Razr 50 Ultra:
    -Portrait using the 23mm lens
    https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/reviews/24/motorola-razr-50-ultra/camera/gsmarena_4112.jpg
    -Portrait using the 50mm lens
    https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/reviews/24/motorola-razr-50-ultra/camera/gsmarena_4212.jpg

    Both of these pictures were shot in a such a way to preserve the same position of the subject in the frame, it allows for a very clear exemple of the perspectives of these two focal lengths.

    The 23mm clearly "thins out" the subject's proportions and the background is very present in the shot, that in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think it is much less personal and the subject feels less isolated.

    The 50mm shot overall could be called "compressed", both in the foreground and background. This results in a presentation that feels more personal, the subject is well separated while still clearly being part of the scene (Longer focal lenghts will have stronger "isolation" effect, as the background and foreground get progessively more compressed). In addition, the proportions of the subject are arguably more pleasing to the eye. This is one of the reasons people shoot portraits at this kind of range, wider or longer isn't necessarily worse, it's just that it conserves proportions in a very appealing way.

    Again it'll depend on the type of composition you're aiming for, so having the option for both 23mm and 50mm helps a lot with that. The reason we're seeing 2x digital crop replacing 50mm lenses is purely because of technical limitations due to the size constraints of smartphones. It is more useful to cover a wider range for most users, so manufacturers are cattering to user preference and adding longer focal lenghts to their smartphones.
    If digital crop could replicate all of the different optical characteristics of lenses then we'd all be using cameras with 1000MP and a 23mm lens to crop-in with ahah

    14-23-50-90mm is a setup you'll rarely see going forward I think, and since these are focal lenghts close to those I use on a daily basis, I find that to be a shame. Recent flip phones are dropping the UW in favor of a 50mm portrait lens and I couldn't be happier about it.
    Also, for additional clarification, I have nothing against digital zoom. I actively use 140mm and 230mm on my Iqoo 12 and am often very pleased with the results. It just so happens that I find myself wishing I could use a 50mm for portraits, while having a slightly longer telephoto. Who knows, maybe one day we'll see Vivo make a 23-50-100mm setup for one of their phones.

    (If this comment appears multiple times, I'm very sorry, for some reason the website is posting my comments and I'm trying to fix it.)

      AnonD-1167022, 18 Aug 2024It's not about the quality of the 2x crop from the mai... moreI have a question, how is a 2x crop "less natural" than a 2x sensor? Yes it could lead to errors but the older sensors in the 2x of the X90 Pro for example can just as easily make processing errors like hdr glow or haloing or something. Besides, it gets noisy super fast in indoor situations so 1 incher 2x is still better I'd say.

      I think you just want to feel the comfort of having a native 2x lens lol, I get you tbh cus I feel weird using digital zoom lol but after looking at samples from the X100 Ultra, Pro and the Find X7 Ultra I must say man, my mind's changed.

      They just need to fix the video recording of cropped focal lengths. Samsung's 10x recording is nice and Apple's 2x is awesome. If these manufacturers were just able to fix their video recording to be 80% as good as their photography Apple and Samsung would basically be forced to up their game.

        • D
        • AnonD-1167022
        • mAe
        • 18 Aug 2024

        jiyen235, 18 Aug 2024I honestly think that you're kinda in the wrong here. ... moreIt's not about the quality of the 2x crop from the main sensors being bad, it's mostly about the perspective of the 23 (usually)mm lens that isn't quite great for portraits in my experience. I'm not saying you can't get good shots but I'd much rather use a dedicated 50mm over a 2x crop just because it provides a more natural perspective. 1" sensors have indeed been able to provide excellent 2x digital zoom, with the X100 Pro for exemple providing better quality than even most 50mm teles used nowadays!

        However, I do understand that as size is limited, manufacturers have to make a choice, and most of them dropped 50mm in favor of longer focal lenghts to cover more of the overall range. Rightfully so I think. It just happens that 14-23-50-90mm is a setup I'd really love using on my end, if it supported telemacro. When I said the X90P+'s camera setup was so perfect, I meant it for myself, not necessarily as an objective statement

        The gap between 50mm and 70mm on my Iqoo 12 really isn't huge, so in my case I think a 50mm will feel redundant and won't be worth it, but a 90mm tele (or heck, even the X100 Pro's 100mm ideally) makes total sense to pair with a 50mm.
        If you're stuck with a single telephoto then 70mm is the way to go, 50mm would feel like a compromise and won't cover enough of the overall range to feel even worth putting in.
        Whereas 120mm like Apple and Google are doing is leaving way too much up to the main cam and is a bit too long for portraits, kind of an awkard spot for a single tele setup.

        There is no truly superior focal lenght setup, and in practice most people are gonna prefer having a 65-85mm medium tele and a 120-180mm long range tele, if they're in the market for a camera-centric phone at least.

          AnonD-1167022, 18 Aug 2024The X90Pro+'s selection of cameras is so perfect, the ... moreI honestly think that you're kinda in the wrong here. That's because the 2x cropping of recent 1 inchers is so good that we just don't need a dedicated 2x anymore. Unless it's 1/2" or larger.

          For example, take a look at the X90 Pro's samples here, it has the same 2x as the X90 Pro+, then compare it to the 2x of the Find X7 Ultra (for a more natural looking shot) and the X100 Ultra (for a bit more of a processed look). They both, at least to my eyes, have good enough natural separation by themselves and most importantly, detail retention is amazing.

          So yeah, these phones allow you to take portrait shots in a lot of nice focal lengths and in amazing quality as well. Not to mention the insane number of filters they have that no one seems to talk about.

          I do agree tho that 50 mm is nice but I just think 50-85 mm is the sweet spot between enough zoom to make the subject look good and not so much zoom that you need to go too far so I don't have any set requirement. The fact that these latest cameraphones give us so many options is just amazing to me and I respect them a lot for it.

            • D
            • AnonD-1167022
            • mAe
            • 18 Aug 2024

            jiyen235, 18 Aug 2024nah bruh samsung sucks now, I literally don't want to ... moreThe X90Pro+'s selection of cameras is so perfect, the only thing I'd want changed is support for telemacro (and flat display) and it'd be my perfect device. 50mm is such an underrated focal lenght for portraits on mobile

              Anonymous, 18 Aug 2024In short, for the next replacement of S22U (if you do) you ... morenah bruh samsung sucks now, I literally don't want to upgrade to any of these newer Samsung, Google or even Apple phones, they're all stagnating and boring. Yet I was getting a really bad case of FOMO with the X90 Pro+, it came out a few months after I got the S22 Ultra lol. Now that's a good product.

              Besides, I don't like Folds cus they're fragile but most importantly, not that big. I tried a Fold5 and it wasn't necessarily huge compared to the S22U.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • XWP
                • 18 Aug 2024

                jiyen235, 18 Aug 2024Yeah sorry man, I got annoyed by everyone else and thought ... moreIn short, for the next replacement of S22U (if you do) you need Samsung fold5 or fold6 as they both has not-too-wide display.

                  afronoia, 18 Aug 2024Read my comments again and tell me where I said others opin... moreYeah sorry man, I got annoyed by everyone else and thought you were a fanboy as well or just looking to argue for the sake of it, my bad.

                  Okay I'll look at your original comment first. You said the S Pen is the reason for the wide screen, I'd say it's an excuse for it. The Note lineup has always been boxier, ever since the Note 4 it had a boxy shape. And boxiness isn't an excuse to have a wider body. Samsung just does it to make it stand out. Remember, they had 2 different phones back then, if they had the same aspect ratio, wouldn't it have been far less compelling to go for the Note instead of the S phones? For example, the Note10+ and the S10 5G had 6.8" and 6.7" displays yet they both had a similar width of 77.2 and 77.1 mm. In order to further differentiate they decided to with a tall aspect ratio for the S20 Ultra and a wider aspect ratio for the Note20 Ultra. Another example of the clear differentiator is the material for the back, it was matte on the Note20 Ultra and glossy on the S20 Ultra.

                  So in your next comment you said I should hold the phone correctly. But I'm sorry man I've been holding phones like this for more than a decade and I just can't unlearn it. Besides, it's not my job to design a good product. But yeah, I agree and I've always said it, flatter sides help in grip but I also always say that they're pretty bad but comfort, especially in big phones. An iPhone 13 Pro? Extremely comfy to hold, the Pro Max? YIKES. Anyways, you think it's a good balance, I don't think so. Because most people end up using covers, and that MASSIVELY improves grip. A relative has the same cover on his S23U as I have on my S22U (not the same model but the same type with the same materials and stuff). I held his phone with and without a cover and I tell you man, it was like holding a phone from a different company altogether. It just wasn't comfy for me man. I gave it to another relative and he had a similar opinion as well. The thing is, if they wanna make flat sides sure, but they gotta make the phone taller. If they neither make it taller nor do they give it curved sides, it's supremely uncomfortable. Btw the only reason the S22 Ultra is so well designed in terms of comfort is cus they just copied and pasted the body of the Note20 Ultra, which was a superb device imo.

                  In short, I think you're trying to justify your purchase by going for the S23U and defending its shortcomings as "features" OR you genuinely like it and I have no say in that, you do you, but it's easy to see that the S23U is a few steps down compared to the S22U in terms of comfort.

                  Oh and btw, you also said that you're supposed to hold it with two hands, but why does Samsung have a really handy one hand mode then? I use it cus the phone is super wide. If it were taller I wouldn't have used it as much.

                  Okay, I believe you, this is your first phone. It just felt like you were trying to justify the shortcomings by blaming others, like who are you to tell others how to use their phones like it's not my job to consider how I'm "supposed" to use a phone. That's why I thought you were a classic fanboy. I still do think you're trying to justify your purchase by defending it but you do you.

                  I never talked about beauty. I know many people who think the iPhone 12 is the most beautiful phone compared to an iPhone 11 and they also hate the curved look. I'm talking about practicality. We use phones, not look at their design from the back or side. Like, what's the point of having more power, better screens, better battery if I can't use it for long without feeling uncomfy? Again, weight or size isn't my issue, it's how the size is used. The iPhone and the Samsung phones are just too wide. I don't care if taller phones are generic. A lot of people here seem to lack common sense and think just looking unique is enough to justify a more uncomfortable design. The Xperia 1 V is unique looking and tall. The width is just an excuse to be either more like Apple so that people can easily switch OR they're adamant in making something uncomfortable that looks "cool".

                    jiyen235, 17 Aug 2024exactly, you own a new Samsung flagship and vehemently defe... moreRead my comments again and tell me where I said others opinion were wrong? I only stated the facts and even explained that it is a personal opinion that a design is good or not.

                      AnonD-1167022, 17 Aug 2024My first time holding a flat body design was a S23+ in a st... moreFlat sides aren't the problem, the flat back is. Even Apple is going back and slightly curving the back, Samsung is seemingly going to do the same. I feel like Google is gonna have to curve it again a year or two later. Why are they so adamant in making changes for the sake of changes?

                      Curved sides would be a further plus point but I think we should at least get curved backs like these big companies be torturing us man.

                      ohh in my country there's always a lotta covers and protectors available in third party repair shops so I just go and get one, pay them to install it and we're done.


                      Yeah I think micro curved displays are the best compromise between people who want protection/less glare and people who want to feel comfy with gestures. I think the 14 Ultra's display type is perfect fr.

                        Google., 17 Aug 2024If Samsung does not go towards reducing the size of the cas... morebuddy, you forgot about the main phone of that year, the Note10+. It was 6.8" and its width was 77.2 mm. Admittedly it was still wide but you're acting like this is a new thing lmao

                        Yk how they can fix this problem? 20:9 aspect ratio. Like the S21 Ultra. it was 6.8" as well BUT was only 75.6 mm. I tried an S20+ and goodness me it was so comfy.

                          • D
                          • Des
                          • Dk%
                          • 18 Aug 2024

                          jiyen235, 17 Aug 2024large and heavy isn't the issue, flat sides being unco... moreLet samsung do that. When they do a bad design...sales go to other companies. If they stick with a good design for years without doing a good design>bad design >good design strategy....their year on year sales rise will be more and faster.

                            Anonymous, 17 Aug 2024Then why don't you pay for something that has both and... moreTwo things, firstly, I bought into the hype. Everyone hyped up this phone like there was nothing else like it. Secondly, it was indeed mostly the best at the time in terms of hardware. Vivo X80 Pro's super telephoto was a measly 8 MP, 1/4.4" one, Oppo's Find X5 Pro had a 2x only and a 1/1.56" main sensor and Xiaomi's 12S Ultra was China only. It's just that the software let this phone down a lot. It was like, everyone was still catching up so Samsung could've stagnated yet still didn't make a horrible phone. By 2023 everyone else had caught up and now it's been 2 years of Samsung being behind overall. So yeah I'm not buying Samsung, I'm just sad that they might be setting a horrible example by continuing like this, if the market leader doesn't innovate, why should others? At some point they'll stop. That's scary.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-1167022
                              • mAe
                              • 17 Aug 2024

                              AnonD-1167022, 17 Aug 2024My first time holding a flat body design was a S23+ in a st... more(my original reply seemed to not have gone online on my end but did, sorry for the two slightly different answers)

                                • D
                                • AnonD-1167022
                                • mAe
                                • 17 Aug 2024

                                Google., 17 Aug 2024If Samsung does not go towards reducing the size of the cas... moreThe Note 10 being a 2019 device is insane to me because it looks better than a lot of currently available flagships. Samsung actually had a lead in design for a bit before stagnating like crazy!

                                  If Samsung does not go towards reducing the size of the cases of their smartphones, they will very soon make them lose interest in their devices! Remembering their Samsung Galaxy Note 10 model - https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note10-9788.php - it was an icon of style and miniaturization, with a body width of 71.8mm. The current S24 Ultra is hardly a compact device, with a catastrophic case width of 79 mm! It is simply impossible for them to work with one hand - it is physically inconvenient! This smartphone can already be called almost a tablet! Samsung - come to your senses!!😔

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-1167022
                                    • mAe
                                    • 17 Aug 2024

                                    jiyen235, 17 Aug 2024exactly! the flat frame on an iPhone is so bad, like just e... moreMy first time holding a flat body design was a S23+ in a store, and I was really surprised that it felt so uncomfortable... Haven't been in an Apple store in ages so I haven't actually tried holding any of the new generations of Iphones without cases.
                                    To be fair, my Iqoo 12 only has a rounded back and is very comfy when using a case, but I wouldn't use it without one either.
                                    I wish companies would simply design the entire body of the phone around the fact it'll have a flat screen, as in, curve it pretty much exactly the same way the Pixel 8 Pro did. I'm a bit baffled that everyone's just doing flat sides with perhaps some curved back panels still.

                                    Also I live in France and for some reason proper tempered glass screen protectors for curved displays are hard to find. I almost bought a X90 Pro+ (Or Mi 13 Pro) and ended up going with the Iqoo 12 because I couldn't find any good screen protectors for either of them on either Amazon or AliExpress.

                                    With the new micro curved displays, for some reason I am able to find some on AliExpress that actually seem to fit the Mi 14 Ultra really well? Haven't checked for other devices with the same screens though so I'll need to dig further.
                                    If micro curved displays allow for an easier time finding screen protectors, I'm okay with making it a compromise for the sake of pleasing more of the userbase.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • XBF
                                      • 17 Aug 2024

                                      jiyen235, 17 Aug 2024When did I talk about the weight? I was talking about comfo... moreThen why don't you pay for something that has both and leave Samsung mess? Also nobody squeezes a phone sharp corner into their palms like their holding some weapon. The s24 ultra is the widest phone right now period. People paying that high price always put cases on their phones and thus it increases the phone dimension by 10-20% and they complain without knowing it.

                                        Anonymous, 16 Aug 2024Imagine hating so much on bezels that you have to go extrem... moreHave to agree about the top bezel, it's MILES better than that annoying punch-hole in the screen. I had Sony Xperia 5 II for about two years, sadly the terrible software made me move back to a midrange Samsung which I am much happier with, but I still miss that Sony design. Oh that and a notification LED, but sadly Sony removed the latter on newer models for no reason whatsoever.

                                          1 of 5