Choosing between two flagship smartphones can feel overwhelming, especially when both promise cutting-edge features. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra represent two different philosophies in premium phone design—one focused heavily on photography innovation, the other offering a well-rounded flagship experience. Let’s break down what matters most to help you make the right choice.
Design Philosophy: Curves vs. Clean Lines
The first thing you’ll notice is how different these phones feel in your hands. Huawei has stuck with their signature quad-curved design on the Pura 80 Ultra, where both the front and back curve gently on all sides. This creates that premium, edge-to-edge feeling that many users love. However, it comes with a trade-off—that massive camera bump on the back nearly doubles the phone’s thickness in that area.
Samsung took a completely different approach with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. They’ve moved toward a flatter, more rectangular design with titanium construction. The sides are straighter, the screen is flat rather than curved, and instead of a camera island, individual camera cutouts sit flush with the back. It’s a more modern look that many find easier to use daily.
Weight becomes a real consideration here. The Pura 80 Ultra tips the scales at 233.5 grams—that’s quite heavy for daily use. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, despite its larger screen, weighs in at 218 grams. Those 15 grams might not sound like much, but you’ll definitely notice the difference during extended use.
Display Quality: Brightness Wars
Both phones sport gorgeous OLED displays that’ll make your content pop. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra features a 6.8-inch screen with impressive 3,000 nits peak brightness—perfect for outdoor visibility. Samsung counters with a slightly larger 6.9-inch display hitting 2,600 nits, but includes their excellent anti-reflective coating that makes a real difference in bright conditions.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra edges ahead with higher pixel density (498 PPI vs 459 PPI), making text and images appear sharper. Both support 120Hz adaptive refresh rates, so scrolling feels smooth on either device. In real-world use, you’ll be happy with either display, though Samsung’s panel technology and color accuracy have a slight edge based on testing.
Performance: The Reality Check
Here’s where things get complicated for the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra. The Kirin 9020 chipset, built on 7nm technology, simply can’t compete with modern processors. It’s not that the phone feels slow in daily use—apps open fine, and basic tasks work smoothly. But when you compare benchmark scores, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Elite (built on 3nm technology) absolutely dominates.
The performance gap becomes obvious in demanding tasks like gaming, video editing, or running multiple apps simultaneously. The Galaxy S25 Ultra handles everything you throw at it without breaking a sweat, while the Pura 80 Ultra shows its limitations under heavy load.
Interestingly, Huawei includes 16GB of RAM compared to Samsung’s 12GB, but the older processor architecture means this advantage doesn’t translate to better real-world performance.
Software Experience: The Elephant in the Room
This might be the biggest decision factor for many buyers. The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs Android 15 with Samsung’s One UI 7, offering seven years of guaranteed updates, comprehensive Galaxy AI features, and access to all Google services you’re used to.
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra runs EMUI 15, which is based on the older Android 12. Outside of China, you won’t have Google Play Store, Gmail, YouTube, or other Google services. While Huawei’s AppGallery has grown, it’s still missing many popular apps. The update situation is also uncertain—you might get one or two updates before Huawei potentially shifts to their Harmony OS.
For most users outside China, this software limitation is a deal-breaker, regardless of how good the hardware might be.
Camera Innovation: Where Huawei Shines
Photography is where the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra truly attempts to differentiate itself. The phone features an innovative dual periscope system that uses one sensor with a switching prism mechanism. This allows for both 3.7x and 10x optical zoom from a single sensor—pretty clever engineering.
The main camera uses a large 1-inch sensor (50MP) designed to capture more light and detail. Samsung takes a different approach with their 200MP main sensor, focusing on resolution and computational photography. Both phones include ultrawide cameras and multiple telephoto options.
In practice, both phones take excellent photos. The Huawei tends to produce more saturated, warmer images that pop on social media. Samsung’s processing is more refined, producing more natural-looking results with better dynamic range. The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s computational photography often recovers more detail from challenging lighting situations.
For zoom photography, the Pura 80 Ultra’s dual periscope system offers unique flexibility, though Samsung’s proven telephoto cameras deliver consistently good results across all zoom ranges.
Battery Life: Charging Speed vs. Longevity
Battery performance tells an interesting story. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra packs a 5,170mAh battery (5,700mAh in China), while the Galaxy S25 Ultra includes a 5,000mAh cell. In testing, both phones deliver similar all-day battery life of around 8 hours of mixed use.
Where Huawei absolutely crushes Samsung is charging speed. The Pura 80 Ultra supports 100W wired charging, filling the battery in just 39 minutes. Wireless charging hits 80W, completing a full charge in 55 minutes. Samsung’s 45W wired charging takes over an hour, and their 15W wireless charging needs nearly two hours for a full charge.
If you’re someone who frequently needs quick top-ups throughout the day, Huawei’s charging advantage is significant.
Special Features: S Pen vs. Innovation
The Galaxy S25 Ultra includes Samsung’s signature S Pen stylus, integrated right into the phone body. If you take handwritten notes, sketch, or need precise screen control, this feature alone might make your decision. The S Pen transforms the phone into a digital notepad and offers unique productivity features.
Huawei doesn’t offer stylus support, but they do include some interesting camera innovations and AI features. However, these feel less mature compared to Samsung’s ecosystem of Galaxy AI tools.
Pricing Reality Check
Both phones command premium pricing, with the Galaxy S25 Ultra starting around $1,300 for the base model and the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra priced at approximately $1,220. While the Huawei costs slightly less, the software limitations and lack of Google services significantly impact its value proposition for most users.
Different Phones for Different People
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra emerges as the clear winner for most buyers. It offers flagship performance, comprehensive software support, access to all the apps and services you expect, and excellent cameras. The integrated S Pen adds unique functionality, and Samsung’s seven-year update commitment ensures your investment stays current.
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra showcases impressive camera innovation and superior charging speeds. If photography is your absolute priority and you’re comfortable living without Google services, it offers some unique capabilities. However, the older processor, uncertain software future, and app ecosystem limitations make it a difficult recommendation for general use.
For photography enthusiasts who already live in Huawei’s ecosystem or don’t mind the software compromises, the Pura 80 Ultra offers something different. But for most people seeking a premium smartphone experience, the Galaxy S25 Ultra provides better overall value, performance, and long-term usability.
Your choice ultimately depends on what you prioritize: comprehensive flagship experience (Galaxy S25 Ultra) or photography innovation with significant trade-offs (Pura 80 Ultra).