Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra sits comfortably among the most recognizable premium Android phones of 2025. It blends top-tier hardware with long-term software support, a refined One UI experience, and wide global availability—advantages that few rivals can match. For many buyers, it represents the “safe” flagship choice: powerful, polished, and backed by seven years of updates.
Yet the Android ecosystem has never been short on ambition. Beneath Samsung’s dominance lies a growing list of devices that push performance, thermals, charging speeds, and raw benchmarks beyond what the Galaxy S25 Ultra currently delivers. While Samsung’s Snapdragon 8 Elite “for Galaxy” chipset is slightly overclocked, real-world testing shows that phones with newer silicon or more aggressive cooling solutions can extract greater peak performance.
For users who prioritize benchmark supremacy, sustained gaming power, or ultra-fast charging over brand familiarity, several alternatives stand out. Below are five Android smartphones that outperform the Galaxy S25 Ultra in key performance metrics, based on benchmark data, thermal design, and power efficiency.
OnePlus 15: Performance Without the Ultra-Premium Price
The OnePlus 15 reinforces the brand’s long-standing reputation for balancing power with practicality. Even before its wider global rollout, the device has drawn attention in markets like India for delivering flagship-level performance without Samsung’s premium pricing.
A major differentiator is battery technology. The OnePlus 15 houses a massive 7,300 mAh battery, dwarfing the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5,000 mAh cell. Charging is equally aggressive, with support for 120W wired and 50W wireless charging—far ahead of Samsung’s 45W wired and 15W wireless limits.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset gives the OnePlus 15 a measurable edge. Benchmark results show it outperforming the Galaxy S25 Ultra in both Geekbench 6 and AnTuTu tests, with a particularly wide margin in sustained workloads. Extras like USB 4.1, Bluetooth 6.0, and an infrared blaster further enhance its appeal as an all-round flagship.
ZTE Nubia Red Magic 11 Pro: Built for Maximum Gaming Power
For users who view smartphones primarily as gaming machines, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Pro plays in a different league altogether. ZTE has doubled down on performance-first design, equipping every variant with a functional liquid cooling system alongside its signature active cooling fan.
This thermal setup allows the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 to run at full throttle for extended periods—something traditional flagship phones struggle to maintain. The result is chart-topping benchmark performance, with AnTuTu scores that currently lead the 2025 flagship segment.
The gaming focus extends beyond raw power. A 7,500 mAh battery, 80W fast charging, and 520Hz shoulder triggers with 4D vibration create a console-like experience. While its camera system can’t rival Samsung’s versatility, the Red Magic 11 Pro clearly outclasses the Galaxy S25 Ultra where gaming performance is concerned.
iQOO 15: A Gaming Powerhouse That Doubles as a Daily Driver
iQOO’s rise has been closely tied to performance-driven devices, and the iQOO 15 continues that trend. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, it immediately leapfrogs the Galaxy S25 Ultra in raw processing capability.
The phone pairs its chipset with a Samsung-sourced M14 2K OLED display and a dedicated Supercomputing Chip Q3, designed to enhance graphics during gameplay. Features like ray tracing, PC-grade upscaling, and frame interpolation underline its gaming ambitions.
Thermals are handled by iQOO’s largest vapor chamber to date, ensuring stable performance under heavy load. Benchmark numbers reflect this focus, with AnTuTu and Geekbench scores comfortably exceeding those of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Despite its gaming lean, the iQOO 15 remains well-rounded enough for everyday use.
Vivo X300 Pro: Power Meets Camera Excellence
The Vivo X300 Pro has emerged as one of the most talked-about flagships of the year, largely due to its camera performance. While Vivo’s upgrades may appear incremental on paper, the refinements add up to a device that competes at the very top of the market.
Powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500 chipset, the X300 Pro outperforms the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 4 in both Geekbench and AnTuTu tests. This makes it a strong performer not just in gaming, but also in sustained multitasking.
Where the X300 Pro truly shines is imaging—particularly video recording, where it often edges past Samsung’s already capable camera system. Combined with its strong processing performance, Vivo’s flagship presents a compelling alternative to the Galaxy S25 Ultra for users who want power without compromising photography.
OPPO Find X9 Pro: Battery and Benchmarks in One Package
Although unavailable in the U.S., the OPPO Find X9 Pro deserves attention for its performance credentials. Equipped with the Dimensity 9500 chipset, it consistently posts higher AnTuTu scores than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and edges ahead in single-core Geekbench tests.
Camera hardware is equally competitive, with a 200MP primary sensor and a 50MP ultrawide lens delivering vibrant, detail-rich images. While OPPO’s image processing can lean toward the sharp and saturated side, the results remain impressive.
Battery life is another area where the Find X9 Pro pulls ahead. Its 7,500 mAh battery offers endurance well beyond what Samsung’s flagship can provide, making it an attractive choice for power users.
How This List Was Compiled
This comparison draws on benchmark data from platforms such as NanoReview, AnTuTu, and 91Mobiles. While benchmarks offer insight into peak performance, they don’t always reflect everyday usage. Factors like thermal design, charging speed, and battery capacity were also considered to provide a broader view of what “power” means in real-world scenarios.
