Don’t bother with the S25 Ultra when the Galaxy S23 Ultra is this affordable

Even though the Galaxy S25 Ultra has now hit the scene, I think you’re better off making use of this incredible Galaxy S23 Ultra deal instead.

While it’s certainly tempting to always opt for the latest and greatest bit of kit, the S25 Ultra does come with a starting price of £1249 which, unless you’re going to break it down via a contract, is just far too expensive for most people. By comparison, the once similarly priced S23 Ultra is now much cheaper.

In fact, you can grab a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in ‘like new’ condition for just £649 right now from Giffgaff. While you can bring the price down even further, with units in ‘good’ condition going for just £479, I recommend opting for the ‘like new’ version as it also comes with a two-year warranty as standard.

Anyone who’s been paying close attention to Samsung phones over the last couple of years probably already knows that the company hasn’t done that much to update its range. Don’t get me wrong, the phones themselves are still great handsets, but they haven’t undergone massive changes. The S25 Ultra is similar to the S24 Ultra, which in turn wasn’t all that different from the S23 Ultra, and even though it’s now two generations removed from Samsung’s latest wares, the S23 Ultra is still a great handset in 2025.

For starters, you’re still getting all of the Ultra’s flagship level features but at a price that more closely matches mid-range handsets. At this price, it’s even £150 cheaper than the entry-level Galaxy S25, but you’re getting a lot more bang for your buck.

The most obvious allure of the S23 Ultra is its gorgeous 6.8-inch AMOLED display which is incredibly bright and perfect for gaming, streaming content and general app usability. Having that added real estate where the screen is concerned allows the S23 Ultra to pair wonderfully with the included S Pen, as you can use the phone for digital notetaking or drawing when the mood strikes.

Where the S23 Ultra really excels though is in the camera department. In his 4.5-star review for the phone, Mobiles Editor Lewis Painter wrote: “If there’s one main reason to buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra… it’s the camera setup – and more specifically, the main 200MP camera Samsung has stuck on the rear alongside the already-capable 12MP ultrawide and dual 10MP telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zoom respectively.”

The detail that this phone can capture is truly incredible, and it’s only really been bested by a handful of devices, so your photos will still stand out today.

Just be aware that you need to add a £10 rolling SIM to your purchase in order to get the deal, but this can be cancelled immediately after to avoid paying any extra costs.