The term "Ultra" has traditionally meant the best in smartphone performance and design. The top-tier Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra costs over USD 1,000, making it unaffordable. POCO is joining the Ultra competition with its first "Ultra" device, the POCO F7 Ultra, this year. This groundbreaking flagship has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset as the Samsung S25 Ultra and competes with Samsung in performance, battery life, fast charging, and display.
Can POCO's first high-end flagship, the F7 Ultra, compete with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra? Can this "Hardcore All-Round True Flagship" break the high-end market's pricing standards and challenge the class? Let us break it down across dimensions to see which is most cost-effective.
Top-Tier Chipsets: Powerful Performance That Can Match (or Beat) Samsung
The POCO F7 Ultra fundamentally alters the existing "performance hierarchy" in the smartphone industry.
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, the POCO F7 Ultra surpasses the Samsung S25 Ultra's 2.42 million AnTuTu points by nearly 17%, and it obtains an astonishing 2.84 million points. This is more than a mere triumph on paper; it is a testament to the superiority of thermal management and processor architecture.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU's dual-core 4.32GHz design competes with desktop CPUs, while TSMC's 2nd-gen 3nm process improves performance by 45% and conserves power by 52%. Graphics performance improves by 44%, power consumption drops by 46%, and dedicated RAM expands by 300% with the Adreno 830 GPU. The SD 8 Elite's 80 TOPS NPU boosts AI performance by 105% for quicker and more efficient task management. With WildBoost Optimization 4.0, the POCO F7 Ultra phone dynamically allocates performance for gaming and daily tasks, providing peak power when needed and preserving energy when not.
The D7 independent graphics chip, debuting on the POCO F7 Ultra, provides a superior gaming experience for gaming enthusiasts. For instance, in PUBG Mobile, "Smart Frame Rate" and "Super Resolution" modes boost frame rates from 60FPS to 120FPS and optimize jagged edges and dark details to the point that you forget you're playing on a phone. Game HDR improves contrast and depth, making Genshin Impact's sceneries and CODM's futuristic surroundings cinematic.
POCO's thermal design emphasizes sustained performance. The F6 Pro has established a standard for its price range with its single-layer graphene and liquid cooling, but the F7 Ultra surpasses this with its 3D dual-channel loop cooling system. This innovation employs "human-centric thermal architecture" to transport heat from the SoC and telephoto lens to the phone's top, lowering heat where users hold it.
True All-Round Flagship Experience
The POCO F7 Ultra demonstrates that "pixel wars" are of the past, despite the fact that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's 200MP main camera may sound formidable.
The F7 Ultra's 50MP triple camera system, OIS, floating telephoto lens, and POCO's AI-powered computational photography provide unequaled adaptability in real-world situations. With its 60mm equivalent portrait lens and 10cm-to-infinity floating focus mechanism, it can capture insect eyes in macro and detailed architecture in the distance. This unparalleled versatility shows the limitations of Samsung's 5x periscope telephoto lens, which is solely intended for long-range photography.
The CPU, GPU, NPU, and ISP are perfectly integrated into POCO's AI LM Computational Photography Platform for quicker image processing. Distance textures remain sharp and detailed in 20X UltraZoom Beta Mode, while UltraSnap offers continuous shooting at up to 150 frames per second (FPS) for clear shots of sports or fast-moving subjects.
Telephoto macros change things for creators. The 10cm focus distance reduces light blocking in smartphone cameras, while POCO's background blur algorithms create breathtaking depth-of-field effects. The Samsung S25 Ultra's 50MP telephoto lens has trouble "focus hunting" at close range, showing the limits of hardware-only photography.
The Samsung S25 Ultra's 6.9-inch display is amazing, while the POCO F7 Ultra's 6.7-inch 2K Flow AMOLED screen offers "immersion and comfort." This 120Hz adaptive refresh rate display with circular polarization reduces blue light emissions by 34% and maintains a Delta E < 0.8 for precise color accuracy. Its triple TÜV Rheinland certifications provide excellent eye protection and bright visuals.
Durability-wise, POCO Shield Glass outlasts Samsung's Victus 3 with its industry-leading drop resistance. The F7 Ultra's 3200 nits maximal brightness guarantees visibility in direct sunlight, while its reduced touch response latency is advantageous in fast-paced games such as Call of Duty Mobile.
Meanwhile, the F7 Ultra's 5300mAh battery charges in 34 minutes with 120W wired fast charging. Its 50W wireless charging is also convenient in any situation. The battery retains over 80 percent of its capacity after 1600 full charge cycles, exceeding industry standards.
The two brands' design languages show their different definitions of "premium." The Samsung S25 Ultra maintains its family design, while the POCO F7 Ultra redefines "elegant performance" with its quad-curved glass body and aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame. The dual-texture matte-and-glossy rear panel and smooth R-corner transitions add elegance. Real luxury is about paying attention to detail, and the hidden top microphone and infrared sensor slim the bezels and avoid dust buildup in Samsung devices.
A New Choice for High-End Flagship Phones: Price is Expected to Be Halved
The POCO F7 Ultra's 2.84 million benchmark points prove performance doesn't require compromises. The floating telephoto camera and AI-powered computational photography show that image isn't about pixels. Its 120W quick charging and huge battery indicate that luxury branding shouldn't compromise user experience. The F7 Ultra might demolish Samsung's flagship if its pricing is half that of the S25 Ultra.
Although the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra may be the "safe choice" for some, the POCO F7 Ultra challenges our expectations of a flagship phone. Are we paying for cutting-edge tech or brand inertia?
This launch event on March 27, 2025, might be a turning point—not everyone needs a USD 1,200 phone, but everyone deserves a premium experience without compromise.
Here are the POCO F7 series product links:
What are your thoughts about the latest POCO F7 Ultra and your price prediction? Comment below.
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