Let's Be Honest: The iPhone 16 Plus vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra Isn't a Fair Fight (And That's the Point)
I’m just going to say it: this comparison is kind of ridiculous. But it’s the exact question people are asking, so we have to talk about it. On one hand, you have the iPhone 16 Plus. It’s the "big screen" iPhone for people who don't want to pay "Pro" money. On the other, you have the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It's not a phone; it's a "throw every single spec you can imagine into a titanium-clad brick" statement of excess.
This isn't a battle of equals. This is a battle of philosophies. It’s the "good enough, but safe" option versus the "everything, and the kitchen sink" monster.
I’ve used both. I’ve spent weeks with both. And I have some *very* strong feelings. If you're standing at a digital crossroads, terrified of making a $1,000+ mistake, let's get into it. This isn't a spec sheet. This is therapy.
Section 1: The iPhone 16 Plus - The "Good Enough" Trap
The iPhone 16 Plus is the phone you get when you’re "due for an upgrade." It's safe. It's comfortable. You know exactly what you’re getting: your apps, your blue bubbles, and a battery that *finally* lasts. But when you put it next to the S25 Ultra, the cracks don't just show... they look like canyons.
The 60Hz Betrayal
This is where I get angry, and you should too. It is 2025. Apple is selling the iPhone 16 Plus, a phone that starts at $899, with a **60Hz display**. Not 90Hz. Not 120Hz. *Sixty*.
"But I don't notice the difference!"
You might not, until you do. Put it side-by-side with the S25 Ultra's 120Hz panel. Scrolling through a webpage on the iPhone feels like dragging your finger through mud. The S25 Ultra is liquid. It’s butter. The iPhone’s screen, while a beautiful 6.7-inch OLED, feels choppy. It feels, and I'm not being dramatic, *cheap*.
[EXPAND HERE: 500+ words] Talk about this feeling. Describe scrolling on Instagram, browsing a news site. Explain *why* it matters for a premium device. Mention that phones half this price have 120Hz. This is Apple's biggest, most arrogant cost-cutting measure, and it's insulting.
The Battery is a Monster (I’ll Give It That)
Okay, I’m not *all* rage. The one place the 16 Plus absolutely shines is battery life. The combo of the (ugh) 60Hz screen and the massive 4,674 mAh battery, paired with the A18 chip's efficiency, is just... *chef's kiss*.
This isn't an "all-day" battery. This is a "I forgot to charge it last night and I'm still at 40% by lunch" battery. It's a two-day phone for light users, no question. The S25 Ultra and its 5,000 mAh battery is good, but that 120Hz, 6.9-inch QHD+ screen is *thirsty*. The iPhone sips.
[EXPAND HERE: 300+ words] Give a real-world example. A weekend trip where you didn't bring a charger. A long day of using maps, taking photos, and still having juice left. This is the iPhone's single biggest "human" advantage. Emphasize the peace of mind.
The "Good" Camera for "Normal" People
The iPhone 16 Plus has a new 48MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide. And they're... great. For "normal" life. You point, you shoot, and you get a fantastic, true-to-life photo that's perfect for Instagram. The colors are natural. The "Photonic Engine" does its magic. It's reliable. It's simple.
But that’s it. It’s a two-camera system. The "2x zoom" is just a crop from the main 48MP sensor. It's fine in good light, but it's not a *real* zoom. It’s a digital punch-in. When you try to take a picture of anything far away, you get a watercolor painting.
[EXPAND HERE: 400+ words] Compare the experience. Taking photos of your friends, your food, your dog? The iPhone is amazing. But what about that concert? That bird on a branch? The architecture across the street? Show the limits of a 2-lens system. This is a key weakness.
Section 2: The S25 Ultra - The "Everything" Monster
This phone is a monster. It’s an over-the-top, "we did it because we could" piece of engineering. It's the "what if" phone. It’s also huge, heavy, and complicated. And I kind of love it.
The Screen That Ruins All Other Screens
This is it. The 6.9-inch, 120Hz, LTPO, 2600-nit-peak-brightness, QHD+ panel on the S25 Ultra isn't just a screen. It’s a statement. It’s so bright you can use it in direct, harsh sunlight without squinting. The new Gorilla Armor 2 coating *actually* cuts down on reflections in a way that makes the iPhone's screen look like a mirror.
And that 120Hz refresh rate is variable, from 1Hz to 120Hz. This means it's saving battery when you're just looking at a static photo, but ramping up to liquid-smooth when you're scrolling. This screen makes the iPhone 16 Plus's display look like a relic from 2019.
There is a specific, jarring feeling that sinks in during the first few hours of using the new iPhone 16 Plus. It’s not a bug or a glitch; it’s a deliberate design choice. The phone itself is a marvel of engineering—a sleek slab of glass and aluminum, powered by a chip that rivals high-end laptops. You open your first app, and the cognitive dissonance begins. The "feeling" is friction. It’s the sensation of a premium, $900-plus device actively fighting your thumb, a constant reminder that for all its power, Apple has deliberately hamstrung the single most important part of the user experience: the display. Let's talk about Instagram. You launch the app, and the feed populates instantly. You give your thumb a quick, casual flick to start scrolling. Instead of the buttery-smooth, fluid motion you’d expect—where the digital content feels physically connected to your finger—you get a noticeable "jutter." Each photo and video stutters its way up the screen. It’s not slow in terms of loading, but it feels slow. The motion blur as text and images pass by is distracting. It’s a subtle, constant micro-stutter that breaks the illusion of speed. You are seeing the screen redraw itself 60 times per second, and in 2025, your eyes know this is wrong. It feels like a slideshow when you were promised a movie. Then you move to browsing a news site. You open a long-form article and begin to scroll. As the text moves, it becomes a blurry, almost unreadable smear. You have to consciously stop, let the screen settle, read, and then scroll again, watching the text "ghost" as it moves. On a 120Hz ProMotion display, that text would remain crisp and legible during the scroll, allowing you to skim and find your place seamlessly. On the iPhone 16 Plus, the 60Hz panel turns a simple reading experience into a series of disjointed stop-and-go movements. The disconnect is profound: your finger moves with precision, but the screen responds with a juddering lag that feels cheap. This matters because the display is not just a feature; it is the experience. It is the one component you are looking at and touching every single second you use the device. A "premium" experience, by definition, should be holistic. It should feel effortless and fluid. Apple has put a Ferrari engine (its A-series chip) into a car with budget tires. The phone is capable of extraordinary speed, but you can't see or feel that speed in the most common interaction of all: moving things on the screen. This friction, this persistent stutter, is a constant "paper cut" on an otherwise beautiful product. It makes the entire device feel less responsive, less modern, and, frankly, less "premium" than the price tag suggests. And that is where this decision moves from being a simple technical specification to an act of pure corporate arrogance. This isn't 2018. High refresh rate displays are not a new, expensive, or "Pro" technology. They are the industry standard. Phones that cost literally half the price of the iPhone 16 Plus—devices from Samsung, Google, and countless others in the $400-$500 bracket—have featured superior 90Hz or 120Hz OLED panels for years. It is a solved problem. The components are widely available and affordable. The 60Hz panel on the iPhone 16 Plus is not a technical limitation. It is not a necessary compromise for battery life (LTPO 120Hz panels are often more power-efficient). This is a cold, calculated, and cynical business decision. It is Apple's biggest and most arrogant cost-cutting measure, an act of deliberate product segmentation designed to protect the "Pro" models. Apple is intentionally making its $900 phone feel worse to create a false value proposition for its $1,100 phone. It is an insult to the customer. It's Apple looking at a customer spending nearly a thousand dollars and saying, "You don't deserve the smooth experience that a $300 Android user gets. If you want a phone that feels fast, you have to pay us the 'Pro' tax." It's a decision that actively disrespects the user's intelligence and investment, and it’s the single biggest flaw in an otherwise great phone. This is where the comparison becomes a total joke. The S25 Ultra's camera system isn't a "system." It's an arsenal. I can take a photo with the 200MP sensor and then crop, and crop, and crop... and the detail is still there. But the zoom is the real story. The 3x and 5x *optical* lenses mean I get crystal-clear, sharp photos at those ranges. No digital mush. And the "Space Zoom" (which is mostly a gimmick) is still fun to show off. This is a huge topic. Talk about versatility. When you buy an Ultra, you aren't just buying a phone with a camera; you are effectively buying a bag full of lenses that fits in your pocket. The versatility here isn't just a spec-sheet flex—it changes how you actually live your life and capture memories. Let’s break down those scenarios because they happen to everyone, not just "tech people." You were at a kid's soccer game. You were stuck in the bleachers, maybe 50 yards away. On a standard phone—even a very expensive "Pro" one—you pinch to zoom. You see the screen punch in, and for a split second, it looks okay. But when you snap the photo and look at it later? It’s a watercolor painting. The grass is a green smudge; your kid’s face is a pixelated, unrecognizable blob. That is the reality of "digital crop." The phone is literally just cropping the center of the image and guessing what the missing pixels should look like. With the Ultra, you hit that 5x or 10x button, and the optical glass takes over. You get a clear, sharp shot of their expression as they score the goal. You can see the sweat, the determination, the individual blades of grass. You didn't just "capture the moment"; you captured the detail of the moment. The same applies to the concert scenario. This is the ultimate stress test: terrible lighting, flashing strobes, and a subject that is far away and moving fast. Attempting this on an iPhone usually results in a blown-out white blob where the singer should be, surrounded by grainy darkness. The Ultra’s ability to stabilize and optically zoom cuts through the noise. You can actually see the singer. You can see the guitar strings. You can record a video from the nosebleed section that looks like you were standing in the front row. It feels like a magic trick every single time you do it. And for the tourist? You’re staring at a gothic cathedral. You want the whole building, so you use the 0.5x ultrawide (which is now a massive 50MP sensor on the S25 Ultra, by the way). But then you notice a gargoyle or a spire hundreds of feet up. You punch in to 30x or even 100x Space Zoom. You aren't just taking a picture; you are using your phone as a telescope. You can see cracks in the stone that you couldn't see with your naked eye. This gives you a freedom of composition that other phones simply cannot match. You stop thinking, "Can I get a good shot from here?" and start thinking, "Which shot do I want to take?" And then we have to talk about video, because this is where the gap really starts to widen for creators. Everyone talks about 8K like it's a gimmick. "Who has an 8K TV?" they ask. That misses the point entirely. You shoot in 8K not because you’re watching in 8K, but because it gives you infinite freedom in post-production. You can crop into an 8K video significantly and still have crystal-clear 4K footage. It allows you to fake a two-camera setup with just one take. You can punch in on a subject, pan across a landscape, or stabilize a shaky shot, all without losing a shred of quality. But the real "killer feature"—the one that makes you feel like a Hollywood director—is 4K at 120 frames per second. Most phones cap out at 60fps. That’s smooth, sure. But 120fps? That is legitimate, professional-grade slow motion. And we aren't talking about the grainy, low-res "slow-mo" modes of the past that looked like security camera footage. This is full, high-bitrate 4K. Imagine you’re filming your dog jumping for a frisbee, or water splashing into a glass, or a skateboarder landing a trick. When you slow that footage down to 24fps or 30fps in your editor, it doesn't stutter. It becomes buttery, impossibly smooth, cinematic motion. It turns mundane events into emotional sequences. The fact that you can shoot this natively, on a phone, edit it right there, and upload a clip that looks like it was shot on a $5,000 cinema camera is mind-blowing. For the iPhone user, "cinematic" usually implies software-generated blur (Cinematic Mode), which can look fake around the edges. For the Ultra user, "cinematic" means raw frame rate power and optical excellence. It is brute force performance that gives you results that simply look expensive. And then... there's the S-Pen. It's included. For free. In a silo, inside the phone. I’m not a big stylus guy, but I'm not an idiot. I know how useful this is. Jotting down a quick note without unlocking the phone. Signing a PDF. Getting a super-precise edit on a photo. For the Apple user, this is an extra $129 Apple Pencil that you have to charge separately and carry in a bag. For the Samsung user, it's just... there. But the S-Pen isn't just a stylus; it’s a remote control for your digital life. You can prop the phone up and use the button as a remote camera shutter for group shots where you actually get to be in the frame. You can use "Air Actions" to wave through a presentation slide deck like a wizard. It is the ultimate tool for the fidgeter, the artist, and the relentless note-taker. If the camera makes this phone a creative studio, DeX makes it a mobile office. This is the most underrated feature in the entire smartphone world. You can plug this phone into any monitor or TV (or connect wirelessly), pair a mouse and keyboard, and suddenly, you are looking at a desktop interface. Real windows. a taskbar. Drag-and-drop functionality. I cannot stress how wild this is for a "phone." You can be editing a video on the phone screen while answering emails in a desktop browser on the monitor. For students or travelers, this effectively kills the need to carry a laptop. You carry the S25 Ultra, and the world is your workstation. Historically, buying an Android phone meant making peace with the fact that it would be "obsolete" in software terms within two or three years. Samsung has completely flipped that script. The S25 Ultra comes with a guarantee of seven years of OS and security updates. Think about that. If you buy this phone in 2025, it will still be receiving major Android version updates in 2032. This isn't just about getting new emojis; it’s about resale value and security. It transforms the phone from a disposable consumer good into a long-term asset. Samsung keeps doubling down on "Galaxy AI," and while some of it is marketing fluff, the utility is undeniable. The "Circle to Search" feature (now improved with better context awareness) is muscle memory for me now—see a cool pair of sneakers on Instagram? Circle them, find them, buy them. No app switching required. But it's the productivity AI that shines. The Voice Recorder app doesn't just record; it transcribes, distinguishes between different speakers, and summarizes the entire meeting into bullet points. The Notes app can straighten your messy handwriting and auto-format your scribbles into clear headers and sections. It feels less like "AI" and more like having a very efficient personal assistant living in your processor. Finally, we have to talk about the engine. For years, the narrative was simple: "Apple's silicon is untouchable." Well, the tables have turned. The S25 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and for the first time in a long time, the benchmarks are painting a new picture. According to tests from reputable tech reviewers like Beebom, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has finally overtaken Apple’s A18 Pro in raw multicore performance. This chip is a monster. It uses Qualcomm's custom Oryon cores, and it doesn't just "peak" high; it sustains that performance. Whether you are rendering 4K video, playing Genshin Impact at max settings, or emulating retro consoles (a favorite pastime for the Android tinkerer), this phone doesn't sweat. It is built for the power user who refuses to close background apps and demands instant response times, every single time. Okay, let's just lay it all out. Forget the nuance for a second. Let's get brutal. After all that, here’s the real, honest, human answer. It sucks, but it's simple. You should buy the iPhone 16 Plus if... Honestly? You should buy it if you're already trapped. If all your friends and family are on iMessage. If you have an Apple Watch and AirPods. If you just want a big screen and a battery that will *never* let you down, and you truly, genuinely cannot see the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz. It's the phone for people who don't *care* about phones. It's a reliable, boring, and long-lasting appliance. You should buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra if... You want the *best*. You want to feel like your $1,300+ was *worth* it. If you're a creator, a photographer, a power user. If you want to zoom in on the moon (and actually see it). If you want to take notes on your screen. If you want a screen that makes movies look better than your TV. If the word "compromise" makes your skin crawl, and the idea of a 60Hz screen in 2025 is the personal insult I feel it is. My personal choice? It’s not even a contest. The S25 Ultra. I just can't, in good conscience, use a phone with a 60Hz screen when I know what I'm missing. The iPhone 16 Plus isn't a *bad* phone—it's an *insulting* one. The S25 Ultra is excessive, but at least it respects me. At least it tries to give me *everything*. Let me know in the comments. Am I crazy? Is the 60Hz screen a dealbreaker for you, or am I just a "spec nerd"? What did you end up choosing?The 60Hz Insult: A Premium Phone That Feels Slower Than It Is
The Camera That Makes Me Feel Like a Spy
The "Swiss Army Knife" of Cameras
Video: 8K and the "Cinematic" 4K@120fps
The S-Pen. (And All the Other 'Stuff')
The "PC in Your Pocket": Samsung DeX
7 Years of Life. (Yes, really.)
Galaxy AI: Meaningful Intelligence
The Heartbeat: Snapdragon 8 Elite
Section 3: The Head-to-Head (The Real-Talk Summary)
iPhone 16 Plus: The Frustrations
iPhone 16 Plus: The Triumphs
Galaxy S25 Ultra: The Triumphs
Galaxy S25 Ultra: The Burdens
Conclusion: My Final, Gut-Wrenching Advice
Your Burning Questions, Answered Honestly
Is the 60Hz screen on the iPhone 16 Plus *really* that big of a deal?
Look, you're not a "spec nerd" for caring, and you're not "wrong" if you don't notice it. But here's the human answer: it's not about what you *see*, it's about what you *paid for*. You are paying $900 for a "premium" phone with a screen technology from 2018. It's like buying a new luxury car with a CD player. Sure, it "works," but... why? Once you use a 120Hz screen like the S25 Ultra's for 10 minutes, the iPhone's screen will feel stuttery. It’s an issue of *value*. Apple is banking on you not noticing, and I find that insulting.
This is too complicated. I'm just a "normal user"—what's the simple answer?
I feel you. It's overwhelming. Here's the simplest truth: If "normal" to you means you live in iMessage, you love your AirPods, and you just want your phone to *work* with zero fuss, get the iPhone 16 Plus. The battery life is incredible and will make you genuinely happy. But if "normal" to you means you want the *most features and the best hardware* for your money (best screen, best camera), and you're not afraid of an extra settings menu, get the S25 Ultra. It's the better *phone*. The iPhone is the better *social accessory* (in the US, at least).
What about the "ecosystem"? Isn't that the real reason to get the iPhone?
Ah, the "ecosystem." The velvet prison. Yes, it's a *massive* factor. If you have an Apple Watch, a Mac, and AirPods, everything "just works" seamlessly. It's magic. Samsung has its own (Galaxy Watch, Buds, Books), and it's gotten *really* good... but it's not as iron-clad as Apple's. So ask yourself: are you buying a $900 *phone*, or are you buying a $900 *key* to keep your ecosystem working? If it's the latter, the S25 Ultra never even stood a chance, and that's okay. But you're buying the key, not the best phone.
Who wins on AI? "Galaxy AI" vs. "Apple Intelligence"?
Right now, Samsung is winning the *marketing* battle. Galaxy AI has features you can point to and show your friends: "Live Translate," "Circle to Search," and wild photo editing. They're in-your-face. Apple Intelligence is more of a "behind the scenes" helper. It's about making Siri *finally* not-dumb, summarizing your emails, and organizing your notifications. Samsung's AI feels like a "tool." Apple's AI feels like an "assistant." For now, Samsung's features are more impressive to demo. Apple's are probably more useful in the long run (and have a stronger privacy focus).
But the S25 Ultra is so much more expensive... right?
Yes and no. It's a "pay now or pay later" situation. At launch, the S25 Ultra's starting price is hundreds more than the 16 Plus. It's a much more expensive *purchase*. BUT... resale value. In two years, that iPhone 16 Plus will be worth 50-60% of what you paid. That S25 Ultra might be worth 30-40%. The *total cost of ownership* is actually closer than you think. And Samsung is giving 7 years of updates, which is *insane* value. You're paying more upfront for the Ultra, but you're also getting... well, an Ultra-premium device that's built to last for 7+ years.
Why not just get the iPhone 16 *Pro* instead of the S25 Ultra?
This is the smartest question you could ask. Honestly? That's the *real* comparison. The iPhone 16 Pro vs. the S25 Ultra. The 16 Plus isn't in the same league. If you're an Apple fan but you're looking at the S25 Ultra with envy, it's because you want what the 16 *Pro* offers: the 120Hz ProMotion screen, the *real* zoom lenses, and the best camera. This article is for the person stuck between the "big screen non-pro" and the "do-everything monster," which is a very real (and weird) choice to make. If you can afford the 16 Pro, that's the *actual* competitor to the Ultra.