Realme GT 7 Pro

Four OS upgrades and six years of security patches from its November 2024 release, so security support runs to November 2030 — around four and a half years from now. Six years is well above what Realme historically offered and is competitive with Samsung's mid-range commitment.

Meaningfully, yes. A periscope design folds the optical path sideways inside the phone, which allows a longer focal length than a conventional module. At 3x with a 50MP sensor you get genuinely usable shots of distant subjects and clean portraits, and cropping further still produces acceptable results. A 2x telephoto covers portraits but little else.

Cost. Realme spent its camera budget on the 50MP main and the 50MP periscope, and the ultra-wide is where the saving was taken. In practice that means noticeably softer, noisier wide shots, particularly indoors or after dark. If ultra-wide photography matters to you, the Oppo Find X8 at a similar price fits a 50MP ultra-wide instead.

The GT 7 Pro gives you far more hardware for the money — a bigger battery, much faster charging, a periscope telephoto and IP69. The S25 gives you seven years of updates against six, official US warranty and carrier support, better resale value, and a considerably better ultra-wide. If you keep phones until they stop updating, the Samsung is the safer buy.