The Galaxy S25 Plus convinced me that Samsung should ditch the S Pen

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra is not a thin phone. It doesn’t have an especially ergonomic design, nor is it what I’d call sexy — but I didn’t expect it to be. I figured it would be enormous, blocky, and pack enough punch to keep Android power users happy while holding the built-in S Pen along its bottom edge like it always has. Throughout my Galaxy S25 Ultra review, I accepted that. I didn’t hate it for its design, but I didn’t fall in love with it like I have other recent Android flagships.

I appreciated its power, the flexibility of its cameras, and its choice of materials, but it always felt too cumbersome in my hands, and I seldom touched the S Pen that it was built around. And now that I’ve spent some time with the smaller Galaxy S25 Plus, I think that Samsung is defining its top-tier flagship based on the wrong features. I think it’s time for the S Pen to go, and here’s why.