It's been 10 months since Samsung announced the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it remains one of the best phones in 2025, holding its own against the likes of its competition: the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pixel 10 Pro XL. In fact, the Galaxy S25 Ultra received a CNET Editors' Choice Award because it truly is one of the best phones you can buy. But that doesn't mean you should right now.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra wasn't the upgrade I wanted for the $1,300 phone. Sure, it has the best screen on a smartphone, and it'll likely be discounted for the holiday season, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra should be here in a couple of months.
Given the iterative nature of this year's upgrade, I expect Samsung to introduce meaningful additions to its Galaxy S-series flagship in 2026. If you're considering spending $1,000 or more on the Galaxy S25 Ultra during the Black Friday sales, I have three reasons why you should hold off on your purchase and wait. If you can snag one for hundreds of dollars off, I'm talking for less than $1,000, then I'll forgive you -- but I still think you should wait!
1. A more refined design
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is uncomfortable to hold as its sharp corners dig into my palm. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the best Android phones of 2025; however, it can be unwieldy and uncomfortable to hold. Samsung shifted from a heavy design to a lighter one, but built the Ultra phone in a way that's unergonomic to hold. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has flatter sides and corners that dig into my palm, which might not be a deal breaker for some. However, the S26 Ultra is rumored to have a more ergonomic design, and hopefully, it won't be the same "pain in the wrist" as the S25 Ultra.
I want Samsung to steal some iPhone 17 Pro Max's design. I was happy to see the leaked renders of the Galaxy S26 Ultra from Android Headlines that show an improved design with curvier corners compared to its predecessor. At 7.9mm thick, the unreleased Ultra phone is said to be 0.3mm slimmer compared to the 8.2mm-thick Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The combination of a thinner body and rounded corners could make it one of the most comfortable to hold big phones in 2026 -- especially if Samsung can retain the 218g weight.
2. An even better display
Galaxy S25 Ultra has the best screen on a phone and it's likely to get even better. James Martin/CNET
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