Latest and greatest
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the most exciting Samsung phone, packing an all-new Privacy Display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and two new camera sensors. It's also the only Galaxy S26 model to not receive a price increase for 2026.
Pros
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 for Galaxy
- Revamped 200MP main camera sensor with wider aperture
- Privacy Display feature that safeguards your content from prying eyes
- Fast 60W wired charging
Cons
- Same general design
- 16GB RAM requires 1TB storage
- No inbuilt Qi2 magnets
"Old" faithful
The Galaxy S25 Ultra isn't old by any means. It's still at the top of its class in a variety of categories, and will continue to receive regular OS updates for another six years. Not to mention that the price is about to get a lot more enticing.
Pros
- Has many of the same features
- Updatable for six more years of OS and security support
- Still pretty sleek and slim
Cons
- Slightly slower processor
- A tad thicker and heavier
- Slower to charge
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is official, and it replaces the Galaxy S25 Ultra as the most premium traditional flagship in Samsung's smartphone lineup. The device is available for pre-order as of today and will start shipping March 11, so the clock is ticking to take advantage of pre-order and trade-in promotions. With that in mind, should you upgrade your Galaxy S25 Ultra while you can? It's worth considering, especially since the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only 2026 model priced the same as its predecessor.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra look similar on the surface, but there are more differences than you may expect. The newer model has the usual upgraded processor, a few camera tweaks, and a slight redesign. It also has an all-new Privacy Display feature that's sure to captivate tech enthusiasts. Here are all the differences between the new and old Ultra models.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design and display
Over the past couple of years, Samsung has been ditching the curved edges and flattening out its flagship smartphone. This resulted in the Galaxy S25 Ultra being more rectangular than before, leading many to complain about the sharper edges making the phone uncomfortable to hold.
That won't be as much of a problem with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, as all four corners are more rounded than before. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit slimmer and taller, while still retaining the same 6.9-inch screen size. This year's model measures just 7.9mm thick and weighs only 214 grams, making it slimmer and lighter than other Pro XL- or Pro Max-branded devices.
The highlight of this year's redesign is the new-look camera housing. It puts three Galaxy S26 Ultra cameras on a pedestal similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy S25 Edge. The other two sensors and the flash sit outside this main camera housing. It's an attractive design that brings unity to the Galaxy phone lineup.
Although the screen sizes remain the same for yet another year, that's not to say Samsung doesn't have an ace up its sleeve. Samsung Display introduced its "Flex Magic Panel OLED" screen at MWC 2024, which uses software and AI to prevent wandering eyes from seeing what's on your phone. Essentially, when the phone is seen from certain angles, the contents of the screen won't be discernible, keeping your private conversations private.
This "Privacy Display" feature is available on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and it could spell the end of needing a dedicated privacy screen protector, as the phone just handles things itself.
The S Pen now matches the curvature of the phone. Samsung removed the Bluetooth features from the Galaxy S25 Ultra's S Pen, and they're nowhere to be found here, either. Still, it's good to see the siloed S Pen remain for at least another year.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Performance and specs
What really is there to say when it comes to a flagship phone getting updated to a newer version? The Galaxy S25 Ultra remains at the top of its class in performance, largely thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. This is paired with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. The new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra takes this to another level with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, which is even faster with deeper optimizations for Galaxy phones.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra keeps memory and storage options the same for another year, and the 16GB memory configuration is still tied to the highest 1TB storage model. Notably, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset is only available in North America, China, and Japan. All other regions globally will get Samsung's Exynos 2600 processor instead.
Category |
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
Display |
6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate |
6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate |
Processor |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy |
RAM |
12GB / 16GB |
12GB |
Storage |
256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
Rear Camera 1 |
200MP wide |
200MP wide |
Rear Camera 2 |
50MP ultrawide |
50MP ultrawide |
Rear Camera 3 |
12MP 3x telephoto |
10MP 3x telephoto |
Rear Camera 4 |
50MP 5x telephoto |
50MP 5x telephoto |
Front Camera |
12MP wide |
12MP wide |
Ingress Protection |
IP68 |
IP68 |
Connectivity |
5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, Bluetooth 6.0 |
5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, Bluetooth 5.4 |
Battery |
5,000mAh |
5,000mAh |
Charging |
60W wired, Qi 2.2 w/ 25W wireless speeds, 4.5 reverse wireless |
45W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless |
Dimensions |
163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9mm |
162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm |
Weight |
214 grams |
218 grams |
OS |
One UI 8.5 w/ Android 16 QPR2 |
One UI 8 w/ Android 16 |
Although the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Ultra are Qi2 compatible, they aren't equipped with faster wireless charging speeds or built-in magnets. Instead, you still currently need to rely on a case (or adapter) if you want to enjoy magnetic accessories.
While charging speed is improved to 60W with a cable and Qi2 25W is supported wirelessly, there are still no internal magnets on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. So, neither model fully supports Qi2 magnets, and they each have the same 5,000mAh battery capacity.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Cameras
More changes come to the Galaxy S26 Ultra's camera system, and not just in the slight differences in the rear camera alignment. On paper, the S26 Ultra shares a similar quad rear-camera setup, with a 200MP main wide-angle lens, a 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x telephoto, and 50MP ultrawide sensors.
However, Samsung implemented the latest version of its 200MP main lens, which it is calling its brightest ever thanks to a wider aperture. There's also a new 50MP, 5x optical telephoto camera, but the other cameras remain the same.
It's not all disappointing news, however, as Samsung introduced its own APV codec. This stands for Advanced Professional Video, and is said to "preserve far better than existing options while keeping storage demands in check." If that sounds kind of familiar, it's not all that dissimilar to what Apple ProRes offers when recording video on the iPhone.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Is it worth buying?
Considering that we'll likely see a variety of deals for the Galaxy S25 Ultra that make it as cheap, if not cheaper, than the pre-order deals were available, it may be hard to justify an upgrade. Luckily, Samsung didn't hike the price of the already-expensive Galaxy S25 Ultra, keeping the Galaxy S26 Ultra pricing structure intact. It's still an outstanding phone for $1,300 — but so is the last-gen Galaxy S25 Ultra that costs far less.
Sure, you'll get slightly faster performance, slightly faster charging, and slightly better camera quality. But in terms of major, life-changing upgrades? There's just one, and it's the Privacy Display. If you're due for an upgrade and love the idea of using innovative display tech to keep your phone use private, go out and grab this new phone. Otherwise, there's no harm in sticking with the Galaxy S25 Ultra for another year.
Flagship features
To Samsung's credit, the Galaxy S26 Ultra packs a handful of exciting features, starting with the Privacy Display. Other perks include the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the revamped camera system. If these excite you, grab the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Getting cheaper
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra isn't a bad phone at the right price. There are more similarities between it and the Galaxy S26 Ultra than differences, so don't be afraid to grab the older model if you see a good deal.
