Alright, folks, settle in because we’re diving deep into Samsung’s latest flagship, and let me tell you, it’s a whole vibe. Last year, it felt like Samsung was leaning a bit too hard on AI to sell its top-tier phone. And while AI is still very much in the mix for the new Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung has highkey stepped up its hardware game, delivering a much more balanced and frankly, a more appealing package.
The price tag remains a hefty $1,300, which, no cap, is a significant chunk of change. However, given the current tech landscape and component costs, keeping the price flat year-over-year is a pretty sweet deal. This move, combined with some seriously meaningful tweaks across the board, makes the **Galaxy S26 Ultra** a genuinely attractive upgrade, especially if you’re rocking an older device.
Let’s talk design and display, because that’s where some of the most noticeable improvements hit different. Samsung’s Ultra phones have always been a bit on the boxy side, and for some, that’s just how they like it. But for the S26 Ultra, we’re seeing a slightly curvier silhouette with more rounded corners. It’s a subtle shift, but it makes the phone feel a bit more refined and less like a brick in your hand. And while Samsung claims it’s the thinnest and lightest Ultra yet, shaving off a few grams and millimeters isn’t something you’re going to feel for real, even if you’re looking for it. The biggest aesthetic change? Samsung ditched the titanium frame from last year for an Armor Aluminum chassis, flanked by Corning Gorilla Armor 2 panels. This isn’t just a cost-saving measure; Samsung says it helps with color matching and gives the phone a more cohesive look with its siblings. And speaking of colors, the new hero shade, cobalt violet, is straight-up gorgeous.
But the real showstopper, for me, is the brand-new Privacy Display. Dude, this feature is legit! It’s like having HP’s Sure View tech, but on your phone. It actively prevents nosy park-bench neighbors or subway seatmates from peeking at your screen from an angle. Whether someone’s trying to glance from the side or over your shoulder, your sensitive info stays private. What’s even better is the customization: it can automatically kick in for passwords, specific apps, or even when notifications pop up. And here’s the kicker: there’s barely any impact on image quality. You might notice a minor dip in brightness, but from the front, it’s virtually invisible. This is a game-changer for anyone who values their digital privacy in public spaces. The 6.9-inch AMOLED screen maintains its 120Hz variable refresh rate and a blinding 2,600 nit peak brightness, so you’re getting all that functionality with zero trade-offs in visual experience. That’s on point.
Under the hood, the S26 Ultra is packing some serious heat with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip. This isn’t just a slight bump; Samsung is touting a 39 percent jump in NPU performance, which is huge for AI tasks, making the phone smarter and more efficient. The CPU and GPU also see respectable increases, meaning your apps will fly, games will look smoother, and multitasking will be a breeze. You’ve got options for 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage, so storage anxiety is a thing of the past.
Charging speeds also got a much-needed boost, which is fire. Wired charging now supports up to 60 watts, up from 45, meaning you’ll be juiced up way faster. Wireless charging also sees a significant leap to 25 watts, thanks to Qi2 compatibility, which brings MagSafe-like magnetic alignment to the Android world. Samsung even throws in a three-amp cable, so you just need the right adapter to hit those peak wired speeds. However, a minor bummer: still no built-in magnetic ring for accessories. That means you’ll need a case for that sweet magnetic attachment, which feels a bit misguided when they’re bragging about slimming down the phone by a fraction of a millimeter.
Now, let’s talk cameras, because for many, that’s where the Ultra really shines. Last year’s camera updates felt a little underwhelming, focusing on the ultra-wide lens, which honestly, isn’t most people’s daily driver. Samsung listened, for real. While the mega-pixel count for the main 200MP, 10MP 3x telephoto, and 50MP 5x telephoto lenses remains the same, the main and 5x zoom lenses now boast significantly wider apertures (f/1.4 for the main and f/2.9 for the 5x zoom). This translates to up to 47 percent more light hitting the primary sensor and 37 percent for the 5x telephoto. What does that mean for you? Better low-light photos, less noise, and richer detail. We couldn’t fully test this during the hands-on, but the promise of improved nightography is definitely exciting.
For videographers, the S26 Ultra introduces support for the APV codec at up to 8K/30 fps, which is professional-grade stuff. But the feature that truly blew my mind was the new horizon lock. I mean, you can spin this phone a full 360 degrees while recording, and the footage stays perfectly level. It’s like having a built-in gimbal, and it’s mind-blowing how stable the video remains. On the AI front for photos, there’s a new Photo Assist tool that lets you edit with natural language prompts, which works as expected, but feels more like Samsung catching up than leading the pack.
Speaking of AI, the S26 Ultra gets the same suite of new and improved AI features as the rest of the S26 family. So, if AI is your main jam, you don’t necessarily need the Ultra. Many of these are smart refinements, like the Gallery app automatically sorting screenshots into categories, which is super helpful. There’s also Now Nudge, built into the Samsung keyboard, that suggests relevant photos based on your conversations. But the Automated App Actions feature is highkey the most impressive AI advancement. You can ask the phone to perform complex tasks, like ordering an Uber to a specific spot, and Gemini will handle it in the background while you go about your business. Right now, it’s just Uber, but Samsung is working to expand it to other apps like Instacart, which could be a total game-changer for convenience.
Look, spending $1,300 on a phone is no small feat. However, when you stack up the refined design, the beefed-up chip, that slick Privacy Display, faster charging, and a genuinely improved camera system, all while keeping the price stable, the S26 Ultra feels like a much better value than its predecessor. The S-Pen, while still there and functional, is starting to feel a bit like a relic, a nod to the old Note series rather than a must-have innovation. If you’re rocking an S25 Ultra or even an S24 Ultra, you might not need to jump on this immediately. But for anyone with an older phone looking for a true do-everything device that’s on the cutting edge, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has a ton to offer.
If you enjoyed this article, share it with your friends or leave us a comment!
