OnePlus 15 vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: I tested both Android flagships, and here's my verdict

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

OnePlus has announced its caller flagship telephone earlier than expected. The OnePlus 15 is here, and it takes connected the heavyweights similar Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra without costing a 1000 dollars (unless you configure it with much retention and RAM). It offers a large and agleam display, the latest Qualcomm flagship processor, a immense battery, and overmuch more. 

So, should anyone bargain the Galaxy S25 Ultra successful today's market? It turns out, determination are inactive respective reasons to outpouring for Samsung's flagship, adjacent if OnePlus is the caller hotness.

Also: I tested the OnePlus 15 during my travel to South Korea, and it did my Samsung dirty

If you are undecided betwixt the 2 phones oregon conscionable privation to comparison the latest OnePlus 15 to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, you're successful the close place. I compared the 2 flagships below, and here's the 1 that'll amended suit your needs.

You should bargain the OnePlus 15 if…

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

1. You privation a much durable phone

The OnePlus 15 is IP68 and IP69 rated for particulate and h2o resistance, whereas the Galaxy S25 Ultra offers an IP68 rating. For the unaware, IP68 is for submersion, portion the second is for h2o jets astatine temperatures up to 80°C, ensuring the instrumentality tin withstand adjacent much utmost conditions. These are much important successful day-to-day use, acknowledgment to a surface that tin withstand h2o droplets.

Also: The lone Android Auto wireless adapter you should walk your wealth connected (and it works with CarPlay, too)

You can't usage a Samsung oregon Apple phone's surface successful a drizzle oregon astir the excavation due to the fact that the h2o droplets registry fake touches. I could beryllium replying to a substance connection and person to hitch disconnected the surface consistently to get my connection right. By contrast, the OnePlus 15's show allows you to interact with the surface adjacent erstwhile it's covered successful h2o droplets. This means I tin alteration songs successful the ablution and substance a person adjacent a excavation without worrying astir h2o getting wrong the telephone oregon interfering with my screen.

If you opt for the Sand Storm variant, you get a much durable frame. According to OnePlus, this "MAO-treated mediate frame" offers amended durability than different variants -- making the OnePlus 15 much durable for regular usage than the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

2. You request your telephone to past much than a day

The OnePlus 15 features a 7,300mAh artillery capacity, which reportedly incorporates 15% silicon contented successful the anode for enhanced vigor density (compared to the manufacture modular of 10% silicon contented presently successful use). By comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra sports an ageing 5,000mAh artillery capacity. In my usage, some these phones lasted longer than I expected, but that's due to the fact that I kept my expectations debased erstwhile utilizing the Samsung flagship.

Also: How to wide your Android telephone cache (and hole dilatory show for good)

I've been utilizing the OnePlus 15 for a week now. Yesterday, I began my time astatine 8 a.m. to spell to a conference. I utilized societal media apps similar WhatsApp, Instagram, captured a batch of photos utilizing the default Camera app, navigated utilizing Maps, and listened to euphony connected Spotify. By meal time, I had 40% artillery near connected my phone.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra wouldn't past maine done the evening connected days similar these with dense usage. On the OnePlus 15, I've consistently clocked 9 hours of surface clip and inactive had plentifulness of artillery near for doomscrolling earlier bed. If you privation your telephone to easy past you a time and spell up to 2 days connected mean usage, the OnePlus 15 is your champion bet. And erstwhile you are debased connected battery, it'll besides complaint faster astatine 80W, arsenic compared to Samsung's 45W accelerated charging.

3. $200 successful savings sounds bully to you

The OnePlus 15 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, arsenic compared to past year's Snapdragon 8 Elite connected the Galaxy S25 Ultra. OnePlus has paired it with a 1.5K solution and 165Hz refresh rate-supported show alongside a ample vapor cooling system. It is arguably much almighty than the Samsung flagship without breaking the bank.

If you are fond of mobile games but don't privation to walk much than $1,000 to get the astir almighty flagship telephone connected the market, the OnePlus 15 would service you well. It is priced astatine $899 for the basal variant, arsenic compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra's motorboat terms of $1,300.

You should bargain the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if…

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

1. You privation the champion show connected a phone

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra builds upon the already class-leading Galaxy S24 Ultra display. It added a amended anti-reflective coating to connection a much color-accurate display. This improves surface legibility successful some indoor lighting and nonstop sunlight. It's a pleasing surface for consuming content, reading, and browsing the web. In fact, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has my favourite show connected immoderate smartphone I've utilized truthful far.

Also: Why the Samsung S25 Ultra is inactive my favourite Android telephone this twelvemonth - particularly astatine this price

In comparison, the OnePlus 15 features a lower-resolution show and lacks an anti-reflective coating. It is inactive large and agleam with narrower bezels, but it doesn't person the aforesaid pleasing-to-look-at experience. I'd emotion for Samsung to get OnePlus' AquaTouch exertion for amended usability successful definite environments. That said, I'd prime the Galaxy S25 Ultra implicit OnePlus' caller flagship telephone for contented depletion immoderate day.

2. An S Pen stylus intrigues you

Samsung has repositioned the S Pen implicit the years -- moving it from the Note lineup to the Galaxy S series. It removed definite Bluetooth capabilities from the Galaxy S25 this year. However, it is inactive fantabulous for jotting down speedy ideas and notes connected your phone.

If you similar penning connected your phone's screen, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the lone high-end telephone to connection this feature. Remember, you nary longer get features similar a distant camera shutter button, but it inactive comes successful useful astatine meetings. In contrast, the OnePlus 15 lacks this capability.

3. You privation longer bundle support

OnePlus is offering 4 years of OS enactment and 5 years of information updates with the caller OnePlus 15. It runs Android 16 retired of the box. In comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra was launched with Android 15-based One UI 7 and received its archetypal OS upgrade a mates of months ago.

Also: The champion Samsung phones of 2025

Despite that, it volition past you longer than the OnePlus 15 -- Samsung offers 7 years of OS and information updates. If you bargain the Galaxy S25 Ultra close now, it volition past you 1 twelvemonth longer than the OnePlus 15, provided you're good with the overtime degradation successful artillery life.

Specifications