OnePlus 15 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which Is Better?

The OnePlus 15 is the better pick for battery life and charging, with a 7,300mAh cell and 120W wired charging against the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5,000mAh battery and 45W wired speed, while the Samsung wins on screen size, zoom reach and long-term software support.

GSMArena logs the OnePlus 15 as announced on 2025, October 27 and Released 2025, October 28. The Galaxy S25 Ultra was announced on 2025, January 22 and Released 2025, February 03, so Samsung’s phone has enjoyed a long head start in the market.

Android Central expected the OnePlus 15 to start near $900, while the Samsung still costs over $1,000 even after a small price cut since its January 2025 debut. Samsung’s dual telephoto system pushes zoom to 100x, a figure OnePlus does not list.

The table below sets three of the most visible hardware differences side by side.

How Do the OnePlus 15 and Galaxy S25 Ultra Compare in Design and Display?

The OnePlus 15 is easier to handle and better sealed, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra has the bigger, brighter screen and the built-in pen.

OnePlus gave the series a new design this generation, and the colors are Infinite Black, Ultra Violet and Sand Storm. Samsung’s palette is wider, running from Titanium Silver Blue to Titanium Pink Gold. Android Central also says the Samsung’s angular edges feel cumbersome for smaller hands.

Android Central credits the OnePlus 15 with extreme waterproofing, and it expects Samsung’s next Ultra to be slimmer and lighter, which hints that the S25 Ultra’s bulk is a known complaint. EU labels give the OnePlus free fall Class C (90 falls) and repairability Class B, while the Samsung earns free fall Class A (270 falls) and repairability Class C.

Samsung’s built-in S Pen, a stylus the OnePlus 15 lacks, adds a premium extra for jotting notes or signing documents. GSMArena measured 1364 nits on the OnePlus and 1417 nits on the Samsung, a far narrower gap than the manufacturers’ peak ratings suggest. Both phones carry stereo speakers and take a Nano-SIM alongside an eSIM, though only max 2 at a time can be active.

Which Phone Has Better Hardware: OnePlus 15 or Galaxy S25 Ultra?

The OnePlus 15 has the stronger hardware in GSMArena’s benchmark and endurance results, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra offers broader legacy network support.

OnePlus builds the phone around a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, and GSMArena’s runs show the gap summarized in the table below. An AnTuTu v11 run also gave the OnePlus 15 3688274 (v11).

For video, the OnePlus 15 tops out at 8K@30fps, while the Samsung also offers 8K@24/30fps.

Connectivity is where Samsung’s variants broaden. OnePlus lists GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G with SA/NSA/Sub6 5G support. Samsung adds LTE (CA), older CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA and CDMA2000 1xEV-DO support, and mmWave on its US model.

Which Camera System Is Better: OnePlus 15 or Galaxy S25 Ultra?

The Galaxy S25 Ultra has the more capable camera system on paper, especially for zoom, while the OnePlus 15 answers with a higher-resolution selfie camera and a newer imaging approach.

The OnePlus 15’s square camera bump replaces its predecessor’s circular island and now resembles the OnePlus 13s and the Oppo Find X9 Pro. When you frame shots outdoors, Samsung’s anti-reflective coating cuts glare, whereas OnePlus counters with thin bezels that make previews feel immersive. Android Central gives the OnePlus 15 the edge in ergonomics thanks to its gentler curves.

Reviewing photos favors Samsung’s denser panel, which packs 1440 x 3120 pixels against 1272 x 2772 pixels on the OnePlus. For video, GSMArena lists Dolby Vision on the OnePlus 15 and HDR10+ on the Samsung. The GPU and storage differ too: Adreno 840 with UFS 4.1 versus Adreno 830 with UFS 4.0.

Both are flagship devices, and in the contest for the best Android smartphone Android Central gives Samsung the edge, citing its AI integration, while OnePlus pushes AI improvements. Newer chips also help power efficiency, which matters because on-device AI workloads keep growing.

Who Should Buy the OnePlus 15, and Who Should Buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra?

The OnePlus 15 suits buyers who want long battery life and fast charging, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra suits buyers who want camera range, pen input and the longest software support.

Samsung promises OS upgrades and software and security updates for seven years, an area where Android Central says OnePlus still has catching up to do. Anyone keeping a phone for the long haul should weigh that first.

Android Central frames the OnePlus 15 as the pick for gaming and the Galaxy S25 Ultra as the pick for productivity, helped by Samsung DeX. EU labels back the endurance story: the OnePlus 15 posts 74:25h endurance and 1100 cycles, against 44:54h endurance and 2000 cycles for the Samsung.

Both models are Available to buy, and photographers should note Samsung’s Expert RAW and Camera Assistant for finer control. The table below lays out the lens trade-off.

Do the OnePlus 15 and Galaxy S25 Ultra Support the Same Network Bands?

Both phones support 5G and LTE, but their band lists change by region, so checking a carrier’s bands matters more than comparing spec sheets.

GSMArena prints separate band tables for international, Chinese and Indian OnePlus 15 models, and Android Central expects the global model to track the China variant closely. Samsung gets an international list and a separate list for a version sold in the United States.

Short-range radios differ too. The OnePlus 15 supports Bluetooth 6.0 against Bluetooth 5.4 on the Samsung, and both list Wi-Fi 7. Samsung adds Ultra Wideband (UWB), while only the OnePlus keeps an Infrared port.

Picture three power users: one who multitasks all day on calls and maps, one who travels between countries, and one who works outdoors far from a strong signal. Each should verify band support for their own carrier before choosing.

When Did the OnePlus 15 and Galaxy S25 Ultra Launch?

The OnePlus 15 launched in late 2025, about nine months after the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it ships with newer software.

Android Central’s preview put the global launch on November 13, with OxygenOS 16 running on Android 16. OnePlus promotes Hyper Rendering technology, said to improve per-frame rendering efficiency by 80%.

GSMArena lists the Galaxy S25 Ultra on Android 15 with One UI 8, while Android Central’s table shows Android 16, so the two sources disagree on that point. Android Central also notes OnePlus offers four years of updates.

At launch OnePlus dropped Hasselblad branding for its in-house DetailMax Engine. GSMArena also lists LUT preview, laser focus and a periscope telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom on the new model. Android Central advised buyers weighing a pricey Samsung to wait until January 2026 and see the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which it expected to shed bulk.

How Do the OnePlus 15 and Galaxy S25 Ultra Score in Lab Tests?

In GSMArena’s lab data the OnePlus 15 leads on speed and endurance, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra measures brighter on the display.

GSMArena’s chip pages list SM8850-AC for the OnePlus 15 and SM8750-AC for the Samsung, both built on 3 nm. The CPU cores are Oryon V3 on the OnePlus and Oryon V2 on the Samsung.

On the display, the OnePlus 15 uses an LTPO AMOLED panel at 165Hz rated at 1,800 nits, while the Samsung’s Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X runs at 120Hz and peaks at 2,600 nits. Glass hardness is Mohs level 5 versus Mohs level 6. Android Central lists a brighter higher-res screen among Samsung’s pros.

Efficiency labels split as well: energy Class A for the OnePlus and energy Class B for the Samsung. Android Central also noted that Samsung’s shutter lag has been reduced quite a bit.

What Do the EU Energy Labels Say About Both Phones?

The EU labels rate the OnePlus 15 higher for energy efficiency and repairability, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra higher for free-fall durability and battery cycle life.

Build details give context to those ratings. The OnePlus 15 has an aluminum frame and a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, with an IP69 rating for dust and water. The Samsung uses a titanium frame, a Gorilla Armor 2 front and an IP68 rating.

Size and weight differ slightly. The OnePlus 15 measures 161.4 x 76.7 x 8.1 mm and weighs 211 g or 215 g, whereas the Samsung measures 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm and weighs 218 g.

Battery chemistry and audio also differ. OnePlus uses a Si/C Li-Ion cell, and the Samsung is Qi2-ready for magnetic wireless charging. In GSMArena’s loudspeaker test both phones rated very good, at -24.8 LUFS for the OnePlus and -24.6 LUFS for the Samsung.

What Are the SAR Ratings, Model Numbers and Prices of Each Phone?

GSMArena lists the OnePlus 15 at $ 1,299.00 / ₹ 85,999 and the Galaxy S25 Ultra at $ 589.95 / £ 567.00 / € 738.76 / ₹ 99,999, with SAR ratings and model numbers detailed below.

The prices are not like-for-like. GSMArena’s OnePlus price refers to a 512GB model with 16GB RAM, whereas the Samsung price refers to a 256GB model with 12GB RAM, and Android Central expected OnePlus to land at an affordable price. Neither phone takes a card, so storage is not expandable, and both list a 1TB option.

SAR ratings are listed as follows:

• 1.17 W/kg (head) and 1.00 W/kg (body) for the OnePlus 15.
• 1.26 W/kg (head) and 0.64 W/kg (body) for the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
• 1.25 W/kg (head) and 1.42 W/kg (body) for the Galaxy S25 Ultra under the EU listing.

Model numbers include CPH2747 and PLK110 for the OnePlus, and SM-S938B and SM-S938U for the Samsung. Samsung’s USA unlocked variant adds bands 257, 258, 260, 261. Older coverage appears as GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and HSDPA 1700(AWS) on both phones.