Samsung has announced its long-awaited S25 series, headed up by the premium Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Although we haven’t fully reviewed the Galaxy S25 Ultra yet, we have spent time with the Honor Magic 7 Pro, and gave the handset a solid four-star rating.
If you’re torn between the two mighty Android smartphones then this guide will help. We’ve compared the specs of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to the Honor Magic 7 Pro and highlighted the key differences and any noteworthy similarities to help you make your mind up.
Price and availability
Set to launch on 7th February 2025, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is currently available for pre-order with a starting RRP of £1249 for the 256GB model, with numerous Galaxy S25 Ultra pre-order deals live at the moment.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is slightly cheaper than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with a starting RRP of £1099.99 for its 512GB model.
Both run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
While both handsets feature Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, we should point out that the S25 series sports its own custom version of the chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset.
As we haven’t tested the S25 Ultra yet, we don’t know whether there’s much of a difference between this and the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite, but we’ll be sure to update this article once we do.
Otherwise, Snapdragon 8 Elite not only offers 40% faster performance and 45% better power efficiency than last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, but it also enables better running of on-device AI models, which is key for both the S25 Ultra and Honor Magic 7 Pro.
We found when testing the Honor Magic 7 Pro that the phone “flies in everyday performance regardless of what you throw at it” although we did note that it had a tendency to get hot when you push the chipset’s capabilities.
One UI 7 vs MagicOS 9
Although the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Honor Magic 7 Pro each run on a different OS, they do bear some similarities. Firstly, AI is undoubtedly the star of the show of both phones, with the S25 Ultra sporting numerous additions to its Galaxy AI toolkit, courtesy of the OneUI 7 update.
Alongside last year’s favourites, such as Circle to Search and Drawing Assist, which launched with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the S25 Ultra will also see new features including the Now Bar and Now Brief. Akin to Apple’s Dynamic Island, the Now Bar allows you to quickly access your most used apps and controls directly from your lock screen, alongside personalised recommendations powered by AI.
Similarly, the Honor Magic 7 Pro also boasts a Dynamic Island-esque tool with Magic Capsule, which displays controls and the like within the screen’s notch.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro also includes an AI toolkit that is packed with a mix of Honor-exclusive and Google AI functions. There’s Magic Portal which can analyse messages, images and other content to provide shortcuts to apps you might need. For example, if someone texts you an address, you’ll receive a shortcut to directions via Maps.
While the Notes app sees new integrated tools such as AI Format, which readjusts notes into different styles, and AI Transcript, there’s also AI Deepfake Detection which alerts you when a potential scam is found during a video call.
Much like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, you’ll also find Circle to Search built into the Honor Magic 7 Pro, which is a useful addition.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has four rear cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is made up of four rear cameras which remain, for the most part, unchanged from its predecessor. Alongside the same 200MP main, 50MP periscope and 10MP telephoto lenses, Samsung has upgraded the ultrawide from 12MP up to 50MP to provide “exceptional clarity and vibrancy”.
Considering we found the Galaxy S24 Ultra to be “solidly flagship level” and capable of snapping vibrant photos across differing lighting conditions, this decision to retain more of its snappers for its successor is understandable.
On the other hand, the Honor Magic 7 Pro has three (usable) rear lenses: a 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide and a whopping 200MP telephoto. We were impressed with its photography prowess, and found it rarely failed at achieving a crisp image, even in low-light conditions.
However, it’s worth noting that both Honor and Samsung are guilty of overprocessing colours in images, resulting in shots that can be too vibrant and edge on superficial looking. Some users will appreciate this, but some will undoubtedly prefer the more true-to-life colours seen in the Pixel 9 Pro. It’s down to personal preference.
The camera is just half the story when it comes to both the S25 Ultra and Magic 7 Pro. Thanks to their respective AI smarts, both handsets are fitted with photo editing tools that allow you to neaten up images, such as erasers and auto-fill effects.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has faster charging support
With support for 100W charging, the Honor Magic 7 Pro surpasses the S25 Ultra’s 45W support which Samsung says will take the phone up to 65% in “around 45 minutes”.
While Honor claims that a full charge would take just 33 minutes, the catch is that it doesn’t include a compatible charger in the box. Similarly, Samsung also neglects to include a charger, which is another expense you’ll likely need to factor in, unless you have one to hand.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has an IP69 rating
Although it was heavily rumoured that the Galaxy S25 Ultra would receive an IP69 rating either in lieu of or alongside an IP68 rating, it makes do with the same IP68 as its predecessor. The Honor Magic 7 Pro, on the other hand, boasts both.
While both IP68 and IP69 means the device is dust-tight, the difference here is with their water resistance. While an IP68 rating shows that the electronic device can withstand continuous immersion in water, IP69 means it’s protected from exposure to high pressure and high temperature water jets.
Whether an IP69 rating is really useful is arguable, as it’s unlikely you’ll find yourself in a situation where a hot, high-pressure water jet is directed at your phone. Having said that, extra durability is certainly not a bad thing.
Early verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is looking to be more of a refinement to last year’s flagship, rather than a complete overhaul, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as we hailed the Galaxy S24 Ultra as a “phone that seems to do it all”.
With a four-star rating, the Honor Magic 7 Pro is undoubtedly a great Android choice, thanks to its speedy performance, AI prowess and excellent camera hardware. Until we review the Galaxy S25 Ultra, however, we’ll hold off from forming a conclusive verdict.
