Head to head

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S25+

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra leads 8 to 5 on the 13 rankable specs and costs $100 less, which makes it the straightforward pick.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 224 g (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists 190 g (6.70 oz) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 6.78 inches (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists 6.7 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 16 GB LPDDR5X (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists 12 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom) (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists 3x optical zoom (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 8 to 5

Buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 8 of 13 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S25+ takes 5.
Size: 6.78 inches vs 6.7 inches
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 12 GB
It is also $100 cheaper.

Check first: the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra has under 5 years of OS updates. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

8 ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra13 rankable of 48 specsSamsung Galaxy S25+ 5

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Trips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Clear:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · Yes (3.5 mm Hi-Res audio output)Trips:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · No
Under 5 years of OS updatesrow
Security patches stop sooner and resale value falls faster.
Trips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · 2 major OS updates + 4 years security p…Clear:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · 7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years…
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

6 of 6 differ

Weight

ASUS

224 g

Samsung

190 g (6.70 oz)

Size

ASUS

6.78 inches

Samsung

6.7 inches

Chipset≠

ASUS

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)

Samsung

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)

RAM

ASUS

16 GB LPDDR5X

Samsung

12 GB

Max optical zoom≠

ASUS

3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom)

Samsung

3x optical zoom

Capacity

ASUS

5,500 mAh

Samsung

4,900 mAh

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

ASUS: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Samsung: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$8998 wins

Samsung Galaxy S25+$9995 wins

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

43 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Dimensions	163.8 × 76.8 × 8.9 mm	158.4 × 75.7 × 7.3 mm
Weight	224 g	190 g (6.70 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Build	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, matte glass back, aluminum frame	Enhanced Armor Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back
Water / dust rating	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)	IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
Colors	Skyline Blue, Eternal Black, Misty Grey, Desert Sand	Silver Shadow, Midnight Black, Moon Night Blue, Sparkling Green
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 3-1

Display specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Type	LTPO AMOLED, 144Hz for gaming	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Size	6.78 inches (wins this row: higher)	6.7 inches
Resolution	1080 × 2400 (FHD+)	3120 × 1440 (QHD+) (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density	~388 ppi	513 ppi (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz LTPO (up to 144 Hz in Game Genie)	120 Hz (1–120Hz LTPO)
Peak brightness	2,500 nits peak / 1,600 nits HBM	2,600 nits peak (wins this row: higher)
HDR	HDR10	HDR10+, HLG
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Operating system	Android 14 with ZenUI	Android 15 (One UI 7)
Software support	2 major OS updates + 4 years security patches	7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years security updates
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	8-core Oryon CPU (2× 4.47 GHz Prime + 6× 3.53 GHz Performance)
GPU	Adreno 750	Adreno 830

Memory

leads 2-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
RAM	16 GB LPDDR5X (wins this row: higher)	12 GB
Storage	512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)	256 GB
Storage options	256 GB / 512 GB	256 GB, 512 GB (UFS 4.0)
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

6 differences

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Main	50 MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 24 mm, 6-Axis Gimbal OIS 3.0	50 MP (f/1.8, 24mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS)
Ultrawide	13 MP, f/2.2, 120° free-form lens	50 MP (f/1.9, 120° FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF) (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto	32 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS (wins this row: higher)	10 MP (f/2.4, 67mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom)
Max optical zoom	3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom)	3x optical zoom
Stabilization	6-Axis Gimbal OIS on main + OIS on telephoto	OIS on main and 3x telephoto cameras
Video	8K 24 fps, 4K 30/60 fps with Gimbal Stabilization	8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60/120 fps, HDR10+

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Selfie camera	32 MP RGBW sensor, f/2.5 (wins this row: higher)	12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF)
Selfie video	1080p 30 fps	4K at 30/60 fps

Battery & charging

leads 2-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Capacity	5,500 mAh (wins this row: higher)	4,900 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	65 W HyperCharge (100% in 39 min) (wins this row: higher)	45W fast wired charging (up to 65% in 30 min)
Wireless charging	15 W Qi wireless	15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0
Reverse wireless	10 W reverse wired	4.5W Wireless PowerShare
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

leads 1-0

Audio specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Speakers	Dual stereo speakers with Dirac Virtuo audio	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Headphone jack	Yes (3.5 mm Hi-Res audio output) (wins this row: has it)	No

Connectivity

6 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Cellular	5G (sub-6)	5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be tri-band)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless	Bluetooth 5.4
NFC	Yes	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Pay)
USB	USB-C 2.0 (side display/charging)	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort video out)
SIM	Dual nano-SIM	Dual eSIM / Nano-SIM + eSIM

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Biometrics	In-display fingerprint sensor + Face unlock	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + 2D Face unlock
Extra controls	Game Genie gaming overlay toolbar	None
Standout features	6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal 3.0, 3.5mm jack, AI Call Translator, AI Transcript	Galaxy AI suite (Circle to Search, Now Brief, Live Translate, Note Assist), Samsung DeX desktop mode, UWB support

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra source Samsung Galaxy S25+ source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra

Large-screen flagship with 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0, 3.5mm audio jack, and 5500mAh battery.

Built-in 3.5mm headphone jack with Hi-Res Audio certification
6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0 for silky video recording
Massive 5,500 mAh battery with 65W HyperCharge

What you give up

Software support limited to 2 OS updates and 4 years security
Telephoto camera performance trails Samsung/Apple in low light

Full ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra specs →

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S25+

6.7-inch Galaxy S25+ featuring Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, QHD+ 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 12GB RAM standard, and upgraded 50MP ultrawide.

Snapdragon 8 Elite custom 3nm performance with 12GB RAM standard
Sharp QHD+ 120Hz LTPO screen with slim 7.3mm profile
7 years of full Android OS and security upgrades

What you give up

No built-in S Pen stylus like the Ultra
Telephoto zoom capped at 3x optical

Full Samsung Galaxy S25+ specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 2 of 3 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S25+ takes 1.
Telephoto: 32 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS vs 10 MP
Selfie camera: 32 MP RGBW sensor, f/2.5 vs 12 MP
It is also $100 cheaper.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

For battery & updates, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 5,500 mAh vs 4,900 mAh
Wired charging: 65 W HyperCharge vs 45W fast wired charging
It is also $100 cheaper.

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

For games & video, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 2 of 3 rankable games & video specs; Samsung Galaxy S25+ takes 1.
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 12 GB
Size: 6.78 inches vs 6.7 inches
It is also $100 cheaper.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra spec sheet Samsung Galaxy S25+ spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra ↗ · Samsung Galaxy S25+ ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S25+?

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra costs $100 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra or Samsung Galaxy S25+?

Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S25+?

For photos, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra. Leads 2 of 3 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S25+ takes 1. Telephoto: 32 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS vs 10 MP

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 35 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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