My Honest Samsung Galaxy Experience

This article contains my personal opinion, thoughts, and experience – it’s not an ad or a review.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve tried different phones and even modified them (custom firmware, rooting, custom ROMs, etc.) – from Sony Ericsson to Huawei, Xiaomi, Apple, Samsung, and more. That’s why I choose my device based on price, hardware, and software.

Why Samsung?

I have nothing against Apple, but to me, it’s just not comfortable to use – especially when I compare my current S25 Ultra with iPhone Pro Max models. As a right-handed person, how am I supposed to reach the “swipe back” edge with one hand? Every time I use my wife’s iPhone, I have to hold it with both hands just to operate it. But that’s only one of the endless reasons I could mention (enough for a separate article), though today’s topic isn’t about that.

As for other brands (Xiaomi, Huawei, Sony, OnePlus, etc.), I have no complaints about the hardware, but I have plenty of questions about the software (those who know, know). That’s why I’ve stuck with Samsung – the perfect blend of all brands.

My First Samsung Galaxy

My first Samsung was the Galaxy Mini, which compared to other phones of its time cost “pocket change,” but could also do far less. Oh, Android 2.3.x… and half the apps wouldn’t run because the OS was too old. But then rooting and a custom ROM based on Android 4 came to the rescue. A little tinkering with CPU clocks, and I could already play the same games others played on “fancier” devices. The UI was also much nicer than 2.3.x.

It served me well for a long time but met its end with a broken bootloader – of course, thanks to my clumsy hands back then.

After that came other phones, then the Galaxy Ace, then more others, until I finally went back to Samsung around 2020.

Fold 2

My first flagship Samsung after using other brands (iPhone, Huawei, etc.). Despite its narrow outer screen, it was a magical experience. I used it for two years, maybe a little longer, until upgrade time came because I wanted the latest and greatest One UI, which never made it to the Fold 2.

After me, my younger daughter used the Fold 2, and surprisingly, it lasted a long time. I could still “revive” it now – all it needs is a battery replacement under the outer screen (I already replaced the one under the back glass). Yes, its batteries swell – oh, Samsung and their batteries…

Its condition now is terrible, but with a new battery, it could still work. Everything is scratched, a few dead pixels on the inner screen, cracks, etc. How does it look? Like this:

Thanks to this device for everything, but let’s move on…

Galaxy S23 Ultra

Yes, this beauty was my next flagship – I couldn’t go for anything else. In between, I tried an iPhone (can’t remember which) Pro Max, but my reaction was: “No way, absolutely not!” – and I got the S23 Ultra instead.

No comments – a perfect device, and I’d still be using it today if not for one thing. While I was sleeping, my wife dropped a small wax cartridge (it’s really light) from a short height onto the curved edge of the screen (thank God Samsung doesn’t make those anymore) – and it cracked.

I used it like that for a while, but I was worried it would crack further, so I had to get the next one – which I’ll talk about in a second. But in the meantime, here’s my S23 Ultra:

My Current Device

So, what do I have now? The best device on the market at the time of writing – the Galaxy S25 Ultra! I like Apple’s design, but I don’t like Apple’s software or its price, so I don’t care that others complain Samsung copies Apple — I actually think that’s a good thing.

The flat sides, flat display, and slightly rounded corners are exactly my ideal. If I were designing a phone, it would look exactly like the S25 Ultra.

I won’t go into details about the specs – you can find that elsewhere. Like I said, this isn’t a review. But if I had to mention pros and cons, there’s only one minor con – the S Pen is no longer Bluetooth. As for the pros:

• Gorgeous display;
• Perfect design;
• Flawless performance;
• One of the best cameras;
• One UI;
• The rest doesn’t matter much to me, but there are plenty of cool features this device can brag about.

If you want a solid flagship, I recommend getting the S25 Ultra.

Summary

There are people who are loyal fans of a specific brand (especially common among Apple users), there are those who simply don’t care, and then there are people like me – for whom the main thing is whether the device is worth the price, regardless of the brand.

What I’m trying to say is – to each their own. And if one day there’s a device better than Samsung flagships (in practice, not just on paper), I’ll definitely switch to that “new” device – no matter the brand.