New Decision i25 Ultra Review: A $200 Phone That Looks Premium But Falls Short

Introduction

Finding a new phone with flagship-level specs for a fraction of the price sounds like a dream. Scrolling through online listings, you might spot an unlocked smartphone that looks almost identical to a premium flagship, with a large screen, multiple cameras, and a massive battery, all for around $200. It seems too good to be true. The New Decision i25 Ultra is exactly that kind of device, and it raises an important question: can a budget phone that mimics a flagship design actually deliver a usable experience?

This review puts the i25 Ultra to the test, comparing it directly against a modern flagship to see where the compromises really are. The goal is to give you a clear picture of what this phone does well, where it falls apart, and whether it deserves a place in your pocket.

First Impressions and Unboxing

The i25 Ultra arrives in a box with an AI-generated image on the front, and the phone itself feels surprisingly hefty in the hand. The unboxing experience is actually quite generous. Inside the box, you get a power brick and a cable, something that has become rare even in premium smartphones. There are also included headphones with a USB-C port and a protective case. For a budget device, this level of inclusion is unexpected and gives the phone an early advantage.

The phone itself is undeniably attractive. The sky blue version looks remarkably similar to a certain flagship model, and in some lighting, it can even look better. The aluminum frame mimics the look of a titanium frame, and on the bottom edge, there is a slot for a built-in pen. The rear panel features a camera module with multiple lenses, giving it a premium appearance that is hard to distinguish from much more expensive devices at a glance.

Display and Build Quality

The screen on the i25 Ultra is vibrant and colorful, which makes a strong first impression. However, the initial excitement fades quickly. The display is not full HD, nor is it 1440p or 4K. It is a 720p panel with a pixel density of only 160. This means text and images lack the sharpness you would expect from a modern smartphone.

The refresh rate is also a major letdown. Swiping through the interface feels sluggish, and the phone is definitely not running at 120Hz. Even basic animations stutter, making the phone feel dated right out of the box. While the colors are pleasant, the overall display experience is far below what the design suggests.

Camera Performance

The rear camera setup is one of the most misleading aspects of the i25 Ultra. The listing claims a 108-megapixel main sensor, but the actual photo resolution is reminiscent of a phone from 2007. More importantly, only one of the visible lenses is a real camera. Covering any of the other lenses at any zoom level produces no change in the image, meaning the multiple cameras are essentially decorative.

The selfie camera, on the other hand, is a pleasant surprise. It can take decent selfies that are comparable to many other smartphones on the market. There are also several different shooting modes, though they do not change the final image much. If you primarily use the front camera for video calls and quick self-portraits, this part of the phone is acceptable, but the rear camera is a major disappointment.

Performance and Benchmarks

The i25 Ultra is marketed as a fast Android phone for gaming, but real-world performance tells a completely different story. The phone takes about 38 seconds to boot up, and even simple tasks like opening basic apps cause it to slow down significantly. The interface is laggy, and the overall experience feels like using a phone from a decade ago.

Running benchmarks reveals the truth behind the advertised specs. The CPU has only eight cores, not the 12-core processor that was promised. In Geekbench, the phone scores a single-core result of 141 and a multi-core result of 686. For context, a modern flagship scores around 2,852 on single-core and 9,433 on multi-core. These numbers show a massive performance gap that is impossible to ignore.

The built-in speakers are also quite poor, producing thin and tinny audio. Video playback is sluggish, and the phone struggles to handle even basic streaming content smoothly.

The Built-in Pen

One of the standout features on paper is the built-in pen. The phone even opens a note-taking app when you pull the pen out, which is a nice touch. However, the writing experience is the worst I have ever encountered. The pen fails to register half of your strokes, making it borderline unusable for any serious note-taking or drawing.

Even compared to older stylus-based devices, the pen on the i25 Ultra falls far short. It feels like a gimmick rather than a functional tool, and the fidget-like action of the pen does not work well either. If you were hoping for a budget alternative to a flagship stylus experience, this is not it.

Battery Life and Charging

The i25 Ultra claims to have a massive 7,000 milliamp battery, which sounds impressive on paper. In practice, the battery drains faster than any phone I have ever used. Even with light usage, the charge level drops rapidly, and the phone struggles to last through a full day. The included power brick is a nice addition, but it does not compensate for the poor battery efficiency.

The rapid drain is likely a result of inefficient hardware and poor software optimization. While the phone charges reasonably quickly with the included brick, you will find yourself reaching for the charger far more often than you would with a more reputable budget phone.

Who This Phone Is For

The i25 Ultra is not suitable as a daily driver for anyone. The sluggish performance, poor camera quality, and terrible battery life make it nearly unusable for basic tasks like browsing the web, checking email, or making calls. Even the most basic apps cause the phone to slow down to a halt, and the overall experience is frustrating.

If you are looking for a budget phone, there are far better options from more reputable brands that offer significantly better performance and a more reliable experience. The i25 Ultra might look the part, but it fails to deliver on almost every promise made in its product listing.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Before you are tempted by the low price and premium looks, there are several important factors to consider. The advertised specs are misleading, with the phone having only 4GB of RAM instead of the promised 16GB. The screen is 720p, not full HD or higher. The multiple rear cameras are fake, with only one functional lens. The battery life is abysmal despite the large capacity claim.

The phone also comes with a concerning number of positive reviews on the listing, which appear to be fake. This is a systemic problem with some online marketplaces, where products with openly false claims can accumulate misleading reviews. If you do decide to purchase, be prepared for the possibility of returning the device.

Buying Advice

If you are in the market for a budget smartphone, the i25 Ultra is not the answer. The phone is essentially a $200 scam that looks premium but delivers a subpar experience in every meaningful way. The performance is worse than phones from a decade ago, the cameras are mostly fake, and the battery drains faster than any phone I have tested.

Instead, look for budget offerings from established brands. Even at a similar price point, these phones will provide significantly better performance, a more reliable camera, and a battery that lasts through the day. The i25 Ultra might catch your eye with its design, but it will only lead to disappointment.

Conclusion

The New Decision i25 Ultra is a beautiful phone that fails where it matters most. It mimics the design of a premium flagship, but the internal hardware and software are far below even budget standards. The sluggish performance, misleading camera setup, and terrible battery life make it unusable as a daily driver.

While the included accessories and attractive design are nice touches, they do not make up for the fundamental flaws. If you see this phone on a listing with an unbelievably low price, remember that it is too good to be true. Save your money and invest in a phone from a brand that delivers on its promises.