
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – Which One Should You Buy?
by Amiya Nandy in Phones on February 6, 2025When it comes to flagship smartphones, the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra continually battle against one another. Their specifications and features are nothing short of impressive, making them popular among casual users and tech enthusiasts. Let’s take a look at what each device has to offer.
Overview of Zenfone 12 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra
Introduction to Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra
The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra was showcased in February 2025 with hopes of rivaling flagship entries like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. It packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset that was built with performance and power management in mind, and it also comes equipped with a sophisticated energy-saving mode.
Key Features of the Zenfone 12 Ultra:
- 140h of standby time with a powerful, long-lasting battery.
- Price: $1,200
- Available Colors: Sage Green, Ebony Black, and Sakura White.
- AI tracking and AI portrait video capabilities.
- Display: 6.79-inch LTPO OLED (2400 x 1080 pixels, 144Hz refresh rate)
- Camera Setup:
- 50MP main sensor
- 32MP telephoto lens (3x optical zoom)
- 13MP ultra-wide sensor
Introduction to Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra came out in January 2025 and has garnered praise for the amazing capabilities of its camera and the strong performance features that it sports.
Notable Details Concerning the Galaxy S25 Ultra:
- Display: 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED with 1440 X 3120 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.
- Camera Setup:
- 200MP main sensor paired with a 50MP ultra-wide lens.
- Dual telephoto cameras with 3x optical zoom at 10MP and 5x optical zoom at 50MP.
- Video Recording: 30 Frames Per Second with AI image processing enhancements.
- Price: $1,560
Major Points of Distinction Between ZenFone 12 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra
Feature | ZenFone 12 Ultra | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
---|---|---|
Display | LTPO OLED 6.79 inch with 144Hz refresh rate | LTPO AMOLED 6.9 inch with 120Hz refresh rate |
Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 1440 x 3120 |
Main Camera | 50 Mega Pixels | 200 Mega Pixels |
Telephoto Lens | 32MP with 3x optical zoom | 10MP with 3x and 50MP with 5x optical zoom |
Ultra Wide Lens | 13 Mega Pixels | 50 Mega Pixels |
Battery | 5500mAh | 5000mAh |
RAM | 8GB | Up to 12 GB |
Software Support | 2 Operating System Updates with 5 years of security support | 7 Operating System Updates and 7 years of security support |
Both gadgets come with high-end materials and build quality, which enables the devices to carry a tasteful aesthetic charm.
- Zenfone 12 Ultra: 77 x 163.8 x 8.9 мм, 220 г
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: 77.6 x 162.8 x 8.2 мм, 218 г
The resolution of the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s screen (1440 x 3120 pixels) exceeds that of Zenfone’s (2400 x 1080 pixels), making it considerably sharper. However, Zenfone 12 Ultra’s refresh rate of 144Hz ensures smoother scrolling and gaming.
Performance and Software
- Both Zenfone 12 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite.
- Zenfone: 8GB RAM | Galaxy: Up to 12GB RAM
- Software Support:
- Asus guarantees 2 OS updates
- Galaxy S25 Ultra guarantees 7 years of major OS updates
Investors looking out for prolonged support will be better off with the Galaxy S25 Ultra as it is predicted to get more software updates.
Camera Comparison: Zenfone 12 Ultra vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra
📸 Main Camera Features
- Zenfone 12 Ultra:
- 50MP with f/1.9 aperture main camera
- 32MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom
- 13MP ultra-wide camera
- Galaxy S25 Ultra:
- 200MP with f/1.7 aperture main camera
- 50MP ultra-wide
- Dual telephoto with 10MP 3x and 50MP 5x optical zoom
- Winner: S25 Ultra, for its high-resolution main camera coupled with superior zoom function.
🔍 Zoom Functionality Comparison
- S25 Ultra: 100x Space Zoom with 3x and 5x optical zoom
- Zenfone 12 Ultra: Only 3x optical zoom
- Winner: S25 Ultra
🎥 AI Enhancements in Photography
- Zenfone 12 Ultra: AI tracking for video, AI portrait video, AI Magic Fill, AI Unblur, and many more advanced features
- S25 Ultra: Bixby Vision, Dual Recording, scene optimization
- Winner: S25 Ultra for advanced AI photography tools
Battery Life and Efficiency
- Zenfone 12 Ultra: 5500mAh with 15W wireless charging and 65W wired fast charging
- S25 Ultra: 5000mAh with 15W wireless charging and 45W fast charging
Real-World Battery Life Tests
- Zenfone 12 Ultra: Up to 31 hours for video playback
- S25 Ultra: Lasts a full day with heavy usage
- Winner: Zenfone 12 Ultra
Audio Quality and Haptics
- Zenfone 12 Ultra: 3.5mm headphone jack; Hi-Res Audio (384 kHz/32-bit)
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: No headphone jack; stereo speakers
- Winner: Zenfone 12 Ultra (for those inclined towards wired audio options)
Which One Should You Buy?
✅ Pros and Cons of Zenfone 12 Ultra
✔ Pros:
- Bigger battery: 5500mAh
- Good value for money: $1,200
- Aux 3.5mm output
- AI photography
❌ Cons:
- No advanced zoom features
- Only two updates for OS
✅ Pros and Cons Of Galaxy S25 Ultra
✔ Pros:
- Awesome 200MP camera
- 7 Years of updates for software
- Better screen resolution
❌ Cons:
- Pricey: $1,560
- No 3.5mm headphone jack