Head to head

Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S25+

Xiaomi 14 Ultra leads 11 to 2 on the 13 rankable specs, but Samsung Galaxy S25+ costs $400 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 219.8 g (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists 190 g (6.70 oz) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 6.73 inches (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists 6.7 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 16 GB LPDDR5X (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25+ lists 12 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 5x optical (up to 120x digital) (Xiaomi 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: 11 to 2

Buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 11 of 13 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S25+ takes 2.
Size: 6.73 inches vs 6.7 inches
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 12 GB
Samsung Galaxy S25+ is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

Check first: the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has under 5 years of OS updates. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

11 Xiaomi 14 Ultra13 rankable of 48 specsSamsung Galaxy S25+ 2

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Clear:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · Yes (90W adapter in box)Trips:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · No
Under 5 years of OS updatesrow
Security patches stop sooner and resale value falls faster.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · 4 major Android OS updates + 5 years se…Clear:Samsung Galaxy S25+ · 7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years…
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 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

Xiaomi

219.8 g

Samsung

190 g (6.70 oz)

Size

Xiaomi

6.73 inches

Samsung

6.7 inches

Chipset≠

Xiaomi

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)

Samsung

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)

RAM

Xiaomi

16 GB LPDDR5X

Samsung

12 GB

Max optical zoom

Xiaomi

5x optical (up to 120x digital)

Samsung

3x optical zoom

Capacity

Xiaomi

5,000 mAh (5,300 mAh CN model)

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

Xiaomi: 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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,39911 wins

Samsung Galaxy S25+$9992 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 Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Dimensions	161.4 × 75.3 × 9.2 mm	158.4 × 75.7 × 7.3 mm
Weight	219.8 g	190 g (6.70 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Build	Xiaomi Shield Glass front, vegan leather 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	Black, White	Silver Shadow, Midnight Black, Moon Night Blue, Sparkling Green
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 3-1

Display specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Type	LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Size	6.73 inches (wins this row: higher)	6.7 inches
Resolution	1440 × 3200 (WQHD+)	3120 × 1440 (QHD+) (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density	~522 ppi (wins this row: higher)	513 ppi
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz dynamic	120 Hz (1–120Hz LTPO)
Peak brightness	3,000 nits peak (wins this row: higher)	2,600 nits peak
HDR	Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG	HDR10+, HLG
Protection	Xiaomi Shield Glass	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Operating system	HyperOS based on Android 14	Android 15 (One UI 7)
Software support	4 major Android OS updates + 5 years security	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 Xiaomi 14 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	512 GB / 1 TB	256 GB, 512 GB (UFS 4.0)
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 2-0

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Main	50 MP 1-inch Sony LYT-900, f/1.63–f/4.0 variable aperture, 23 mm, OIS	50 MP (f/1.8, 24mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS)
Ultrawide	50 MP Leica, f/1.8, 12 mm, 122° FOV	50 MP (f/1.9, 120° FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF)
Telephoto	50 MP 3.2x optical (75 mm, f/1.8, OIS) + 50 MP 5x periscope (120 mm, f/2.5, OIS) (wins this row: higher)	10 MP (f/2.4, 67mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom)
Max optical zoom	5x optical (up to 120x digital) (wins this row: higher)	3x optical zoom
Stabilization	OIS on main and both telephoto cameras	OIS on main and 3x telephoto cameras
Video	8K 24/30 fps, 4K 24/30/60/120 fps, 10-bit Log, Dolby Vision	8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60/120 fps, HDR10+

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Selfie camera	32 MP, f/2.0, 22 mm (wins this row: higher)	12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF)
Selfie video	4K 60 fps	4K at 30/60 fps

Battery & charging

leads 3-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Capacity	5,000 mAh (5,300 mAh CN model) (wins this row: higher)	4,900 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	90 W HyperCharge (100% in ~33 min) (wins this row: higher)	45W fast wired charging (up to 65% in 30 min)
Wireless charging	80 W wireless HyperCharge (100% in ~46 min)	15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0
Reverse wireless	10 W reverse wireless	4.5W Wireless PowerShare
Charger in box	Yes (90W adapter in box) (wins this row: has it)	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Speakers	Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

5 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 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	Bluetooth 5.4
NFC	Yes	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Pay)
USB	USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)	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 Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25+.
Biometrics	Optical in-display fingerprint + AI Face Unlock	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + 2D Face unlock
Extra controls	Optional Leica Photography Kit with physical shutter button	None
Standout features	Leica Summilux lenses, 1-inch sensor, Stepless variable aperture	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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra source Samsung Galaxy S25+ source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Grey import in the US; official in other regions. Photography juggernaut with 1-inch LYT-900 sensor, stepless variable aperture, and quad Leica camera array.

Quad 50MP Leica cameras with 1-inch stepless variable aperture
Exceptional manual photography and 8K log video controls
Bright C8 AMOLED display with 90W fast charging

What you give up

Bulky camera bump affects flat tabletop resting
HyperOS software has more bloatware than stock Android

Full Xiaomi 14 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 Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable photos specs.
Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical zoom
Telephoto: 50 MP 3.2x optical vs 10 MP
Samsung Galaxy S25+ is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if max optical zoom matters to you.

Battery & updates

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

For battery & updates, buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 5,000 mAh vs 4,900 mAh
Wired charging: 90 W HyperCharge vs 45W fast wired charging
Samsung Galaxy S25+ is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if capacity matters to you.

Games & video

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

For games & video, buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 12 GB
Size: 6.73 inches vs 6.7 inches
Samsung Galaxy S25+ is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if ram matters to you.

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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra spec sheet Samsung Galaxy S25+ spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Xiaomi 14 Ultra ↗ · Samsung Galaxy S25+ ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S25+?

Samsung Galaxy S25+ costs $400 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Xiaomi 14 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 Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S25+?

For photos, buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Leads 3 of 3 rankable photos specs. Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical zoom

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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