Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Camera Falls Short of Expectations in DXOMARK Rankings

Despite boasting a powerful 200MP camera, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has underperformed in recent DXOMARK camera tests, achieving a rank of 24th overall. This result places it behind several older smartphone models and raises questions about Samsung’s camera performance relative to its competitors.

DXOMARK Scores and Analysis

Released in February 2025, the Galaxy S25 Ultra received an overall camera score of 151 from DXOMARK DXOMARK. While the device excels in certain areas, such as telephoto performance and video recording in bright light, it falls short in overall image quality when compared to other smartphones in its price segment (>$800). The display, however, received a score of 160, ranking 2nd globally and within the ultra-premium category DXOMARK.

Strengths and Weaknesses

DXOMARK’s testing highlighted several strengths of the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera:

• Great detail in zoom shots, particularly at long range.
• Effective exposure and dynamic range in bright light video.
• Natural skin tones in simpler scenes.
• Impressive video color rendering with neutral white balance.

However, the review also identified key weaknesses:

• Autofocus instabilities and exposure adaptation issues in video.
• Noticeable noise in low-light videos and photos, especially in high-contrast scenes.
• White balance casts in low-light shots.
• Inconsistent performance of bokeh mode.

Despite these drawbacks, DXOMARK noted that Samsung has made significant improvements to nighttime photography with the S25 series Samsung Community.

Comparison with Competitors

The Galaxy S25 Ultra shares its 24th-place ranking with devices like the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, and Motorola Edge 50 Ultra Android Headlines. Notably, the Xiaomi Redmi A3 and Huawei Pura 80 Ultra currently lead the rankings with higher scores.

Pricing and Market Position

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is priced at $949, 939 €, or 1450 € depending on the region DXOMARK. The DXOMARK ranking suggests that consumers may find better camera performance in competing devices at similar price points.

Looking Ahead

While the Galaxy S25 Ultra offers a compelling display and some strong camera features, its DXOMARK ranking indicates a require for further optimization in image processing and low-light performance. Future software updates may address these issues, but for now, consumers prioritizing camera quality may seek to consider alternative options.