Three reasons to preorder the Galaxy S25 Ultra through Samsung — and one reason why you shouldn’t

Samsung’s new flagship lineup finally hits stores next week, which means you’re almost out of time to take advantage of all the great Galaxy S25 preorder deals. I’ve been monitoring these offers since preorders went live last week, and I’ve come to the conclusion that buying the Galaxy S25 Ultra directly through Samsung might be the best move for most folks. Of course, the deals on display may not be for everyone, so let’s break down the pros and cons of preordering through Samsung. 

Reason #1: The trade-in credit

Samsung is offering up to $900 of trade-in credit when you preorder the Galaxy S25 Ultra through the official site, and it’s being pretty generous with the devices it accepts. Both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Z Fold 5 will get you the full discount, while slightly older phones like the Galaxy S23 Plus and even the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will land you $600 of credit to apply to your purchase. 

Sure, some Galaxy S25 preorder deals may offer a bigger trade-in discount, but they’re typically coming from phone companies that require you to add a line to your wireless service. That may work for some folks, but if you want a simple, no-strings discount, Samsung has those other retailers beat. Play your cards right and you could get this premium smartphone for as little as $399.99. 

Reason #2: The free stuff

Preordering the Galaxy S25 Ultra directly from Samsung gets you a free storage boost at no additional cost. That means that you could get the 512GB phone for the price of the 256GB model, or 1TB of storage for the price of the 512GB. You’ll also get a free Samsung credit worth up to $110 (depending on whether or not you signed up for the Galaxy Reserve program before preorders went live). 

This bit of cash can be used at Samsung.com to buy Galaxy S25 Ultra cases and other cool accessories, and it’s just automatically added to your purchase with zero hassle. If you buy the 256GB version of the phone, you’ll also be eligible to get a free pair of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds (usually $249.99) when you bundle, but more on that below. 

As if those rewards weren’t enough, Samsung will also hook you up with three free months of Peacock Premium and SiriusXM streaming, plus two months of Adobe Lightroom. 

Bonus: this isn’t exactly a free thing, but it’s worth mentioning that buying through Samsung is also the only way to get access to the exclusive Titanium color variants. 

Reason #3: The bundles

If you were hoping to get a few Galaxy devices in one fell swoop, Samsung’s preorder deals should not be missed. In the market for a new Android smartwatch? Add the Galaxy Watch 7 or Galaxy Watch Ultra to your preorder and you’ll get a 61% or 69% discount, respectively, when you buy the 512GB phone. 

Like I mentioned above, preordering the 256GB device will get you a free pair of Samsung earbuds, but you can also get up to 92% off the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro if you opt for a different storage configuration. The exact discounts will always depend on the amount of storage you buy, so play around with the different options to find the deal that works for you. 

On the other hand..

I would only recommend buying the Galaxy S25 Ultra through Samsung if you’re prepared to do a trade-in. If you simply want to buy the phone unlocked, skip Samsung and check out the preorder deals from Amazon or Best Buy (where you can get a free $200 gift card).

It’s also worth checking with your wireless carrier to see if they can get you a better deal. Preordering through Verizon, for instance, could save you some serious cash, while AT&T’s deals might even get you the phone for free with an eligible trade-in and new line. 

Buying a new phone can be a tricky business, and with the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s steep price tag, it’s reasonable to be a little cautious. My advice would be to look around before you commit to a single deal, but if you’re planning to ditch an old device, Samsung deserves a closer look than most.