Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review: Samsung Innovates Where Others Don’t

The point is very simple: when you talk about Samsung’s Ultra series you are effectively talking about one of the most important smartphones in the entire Android market. And, above all, when a smartphone manages to ignite lively discussions on social media even before official launches, it means only one thing: we are talking about one of the year’s most significant products.

And Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is exactly this: a device that divides opinion among enthusiasts, generates crazy hype, and, for better or worse, doesn’t leave anyone who has even a basic handle on technology indifferent.

But as we often see, truth is rarely at the extremes. And let’s be clear: on one hand there are a few small missed opportunities, while on the other there is a package of concrete upgrades that is decidedly more substantial than expected. The final result? For many, without mincing words, the most complete, mature and intelligent device currently in circulation. And this, whether you like it or not, is a fact.

This year the South Korean company decided to pull the handbrake on the banal race to “big numbers” on spec sheets. It chose to reuse its proven formula, to experiment and refine intelligently to improve the user experience 360 degrees. In short, there is really a lot going on. We’ve been testing it essentially since its official San Francisco unveiling, and we now have all the cards in hand to tell you about its pros and cons: get comfortable and let’s dive into this review.

Complete review Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: design, display, performance, 200 MP camera, battery and price. In-depth test and opinions after use.

Video review Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Design and materials: goodbye titanium, but ergonomics improve

From an aesthetic standpoint, Samsung’s new flagship doesn’t completely overturn its design, but evolves it intelligently. We’re looking at dimensions of 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm for a weight that drops to 214 grams. Some might say that 4 grams lighter than the S25 Ultra is negligible, yet I can assure you that on a device of this size, in daily use, the difference is felt. The edges have been further softened, translating into noticeably better ergonomics: holding it in the hand is now much more comfortable, natural, and considerably less tiring.

On the back, Samsung has decided to standardize the device’s look. The company doubled down on a camera module in an even more protruding and pronounced “traffic light” style. Of course, the Ultra loses that touch of exclusive design, becoming much more similar to its smaller S26 siblings, but on the other hand it gains strong aesthetic coherence. There is, however, a caveat as big as a house tied to desk ergonomics: due to the new rear step, if you lay the phone flat on a table it literally starts to wobble. Trying to type a message with the phone resting flat on a surface is a truly frustrating task: in short, folks, accept that the only way to solve the “problem” is to buy a case.

Then the move back to aluminum. The company has bid farewell to titanium in favor of Armor Aluminum of the third generation. Bold move? Critics were not lacking, but in practice it makes sense. It’s true that aluminum tends to scratch more easily than titanium, but it has the huge advantage of absorbing impact vibrations far better. And I can confirm this without beating around the bush, since my sample took a decent tumble while I was in the airport returning from San Francisco (on its way to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona): the paint picked up a micro-scratch, but structurally and functionally nothing happened.

To close a package of the highest level, we have Gorilla Armor 2 glass protecting the front display and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back, all sealed with the usual reassuring IP68 certification.

Display: focus on privacy

Let’s move to the display. We’re looking at a crazy panel: a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X 6.9 inches, QHD+ resolution, a refresh rate that goes from 1 to 120 Hz and a declared peak brightness of 2600 nits, naturally with HDR10+ support. But the real killer feature this year is the Privacy Display.

The company literally redesigned the panel’s physical structure by inserting two types of pixels: “narrow” ones that shoot light straight to your eyes, and “wide” ones that diffuse it laterally. When you enable the feature, the narrow pixels push to the max and the wide ones “shut off.” The result? The person sitting next to you on the train or in the office will only see a black screen. We put it to the test, and it’s a stroke of genius that makes privacy films obsolete. No more perpetual brightness drops or that ugly fixed pixelated effect: here you decide when to darken curious eyes and when to enjoy the screen at 100%.

Let’s be clear, however: there are a couple of downsides. When privacy mode is active, overall brightness drops a little, and under bright sun it becomes noticeable. Also, even with the feature off, if you tilt the phone to an extreme angle colors look a bit washed out compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra: a physical limit of this new technology. The software lets you choose between two intensity levels, but I strongly advise against the most aggressive one, especially when viewing photos in the gallery, because it kills contrast and detail. Practical tip: map the function to the power button’s double-click and use it intelligently, enabling it on-demand only when you open the bank app or enter passwords, and don’t forget to enable the option that darkens notifications.

Another novelty that will please many is the drop of the polarizer filter. Finally you can use the phone with sunglasses without going crazy trying to read the screen. Of course, this implies automatic brightness management a touch less aggressive at full blast and an anti-reflective treatment slightly less magical than last year. But hold on: we’re still talking about the only Android smartphone with an anti-reflective coating of this level, which still pushes the bar ahead of the newer iPhone models. Visual comfort remains top-tier and the new glass should provide even greater scratch resistance.

All in all, don’t tell me the display has worsened compared to the S25 Ultra, because in everyday use it’s hard to spot negative differences. The only true, major criticism I have for Samsung—especially when looking at the competition—is the stubborn absence of high-frequency PWM dimming. For those with sensitive eyes or who spend hours scrolling feeds in the dark before bed, this translates to more eye strain. And on a flagship like this, it’s a missing feature that is noticeable.

Cameras: improves across the board, except for the 3x

Although it may not seem so, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s cameras represent a real leap forward, aside from a small stylistic misstep that will surely spark discussion. On the back there are still four sensors. We have a 200 MP main sensor (f/1.4, 24mm, OIS), paired with a 10 MP 3x tele (f/2.4, OIS), a 50 MP 5x periscope tele (f/2.9, 111mm, OIS) and, to close the circle, a 50 MP ultra-wide (f/1.9, 120°). On the front, a solid 12 MP camera (f/2.2).

My take is that the real “meat” this year lies in the aperture. Moving to f/1.4 on the main sensor and widening the 5x periscope also means the lenses get a lot more light, especially at night. The practical result? Significantly better digital noise handling and a natural-looking blur in portraits that’s very pleasing. Beware, though: the close-focus distance has lengthened on both sensors. In short, forget about sticking the telephoto close to subjects for macro shots with the same ease as on the S25 Ultra.

Storage is top-tier too. You can opt for 256 GB or 512 GB UFS 4.1, both with 12 GB of RAM, or go for the monstrous 1 TB variant with 16 GB of RAM.

Anyway, on the hardware front there is literally everything you could want today in a flagship smartphone. We have an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader that works incredibly well: lightning fast, precise, and doesn’t miss a beat. The vibration motor has also taken another step forward, delivering a tactile feedback that is solid, crisp, and super premium.

Connectivity is class-leading: Wi‑Fi 7 tri-band, the new Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, UWB, and a USB Type‑C 3.2 port complete with video output. There’s also the Satellite SOS chip, though here in Italy we still have to be patient to see it active.

Reception: it’s the standard Samsung has trained us to expect. It grabs well, is super reliable and won’t leave you stranded, but don’t expect miracles in genuinely poor-signal zones; some competitors still do a tiny bit better.

And the audio? The stereo speakers sound loud, clean, and offer solid spatiality thanks to Dolby Atmos support. They may lack a touch of warmth, but for binge-watching a TV show on the go they’re excellent.

Software: One UI is Samsung’s real secret weapon

The Galaxy S26 Ultra lands with Android 16 and the brand-new One UI 8.5 interface that will be updated for a full 7 years, both in terms of the OS and security patches.

The user experience is the usual, richly-featured “treasure chest” Samsung has trained us to expect, but this time AI is woven into the OS more fluidly and naturally. At first boot you’re greeted by the Now Brief widget, a kind of virtual assistant that provides a contextual day summary by lining up appointments and relevant messages. Let’s be honest: it still needs time to mature and may not be the most indispensable feature today, but the direction is definitely the right one.

Much more convenient and immediate is the new handling of the notification shade. The system now intelligently separates priority communications from standard ones. And the real highlight comes with WhatsApp groups or chatty friends: if they swarm you with consecutive messages, One UI prepares a neat automatic summary to help you quickly grasp what’s being discussed.

We also have Now Nudge, an intelligent “pill” positioned above the keyboard that suggests quick actions while you type, such as attaching a relevant photo or checking whether you’re free on the calendar. It still has a few small uncertainties, but the core idea is very strong.

But in my view the most convenient novelty is the spam-call filter. If you receive a call from an annoying or suspicious number, the system answers for you, asks who the caller is and what they want, and transcribes their words to the screen in real time. Then you decide whether to take the call or ignore it. You can even record calls (the system automatically notifies the other party for privacy reasons) and extract a textual summary to mark your commitments directly in the calendar. An incredibly handy feature.

Rounding out the package are a set of small but tasty features: Creative Studio for generating birthday messages with AI on the fly, a sensible screenshot management that remembers the original webpage link from which you captured the image, and a spectacular photo editor that lets you modify images using simple textual commands directly from the Gallery.

Obviously the big classics are still there. Samsung DeX to use the phone as a real desktop PC (wired or wireless), and Good Lock, which remains the ultimate playground for tinkers allowing you to customize even system animations.

Battery and charging: 60W arrives, but could have been more

Under the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s chassis lies the usual 5,000 mAh Li‑Ion battery: the same nominal capacity as the previous model. No revolution with silicon-carbon batteries and no jump in energy density. It’s a very conservative choice that, let’s be honest, will raise a few eyebrows. Also imagine how this device would fare with a 6,000 or 6,500 mAh module… it would have genuinely dominated the competition.

In practice, how does it perform? It does its job, delivering between roughly 5 hours 30 minutes and 5 hours 30 minutes of screen-on time in mixed use. If you lead a classic office life, mostly under Wi‑Fi and with brightness kept moderate, you’ll easily exceed 6 to 7 hours of display. The scenario changes with heavier use: a day outdoors, brightness cranked to max, a fixed data connection, and the camera running non-stop will drain the battery in about 4.5 hours. All in all, you reach the evening most days, but if you know you’ll face a truly heavy day, pack a power bank or charger in your backpack so you don’t sweat it in the late afternoon.

On wired charging, the speed has moved from 45W to 60W. The 0–100% can be completed in around an hour: a small step forward indeed. Wireless charging remains, reaching 25W with the new Qi2.2 standard, and reverse wireless charging at 4.5W to juice up your earbuds. And here’s another little gripe for Samsung: integrated magnets in the chassis are still missing. No MagSafe-style magnetic attachment like Apple or PixelSnap from Google. In 2026, for a device of this caliber, that’s a pity.

To close with a technical detail that will surely spark debate: Samsung guarantees this battery for 1,200 charge cycles before noticeable degradation. On the S25 Ultra it was 2,000. A sharp and drastic drop that we’ll need to observe over time, and it somewhat clashes with the many years of updates promised by the brand.

Retail price and considerations

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra lands in our country officially with a starting price of €1,499 for the base 256 GB version paired with 12 GB of RAM. If you need more space you go up to €1,699 for the 512 GB tier and reach the stratospheric €1,999 for the monstrous 1 TB variant with 16 GB of RAM.

But beware, promotions at launch (valid until tomorrow, March 10, 2026) are the real chance to seize. On Samsung Shop you’ll find a direct page discount of 200 euros on the higher-capacity versions (512 GB and 1 TB). Plus, adding the coupon FLASHVIPUP to your cart will knock another 100 euros off the total. Not bad. If you’re an Amazon loyalist, check the product page to see if there’s a checkbox to apply an extra coupon right before purchase.

So, the bottom line is this: the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a device that manages to improve over an already excellent predecessor in many more areas than we would have expected at first glance. You’ll take away very good cameras (certainly not at Xiaomi 17 Ultra level, but quality is there), a Privacy Display that is a pure brilliant idea when used wisely, and a Snapdragon that pushes hard. All wrapped in a chassis that is noticeably more comfortable and easier to hold.

Of course, let’s be frank: there were opportunities squandered. Adopting a silicon-carbon battery would have been the real killer feature this year, the 3x tele should have made a bigger leap rather than a step back, and Samsung could have pushed the photography department a bit further overall.

So, what’s the verdict? If you already own a Galaxy S25 Ultra or an S24 Ultra, hold onto them with few regrets, unless you can pull off a strong resale value with a trade-in. If you’re jumping from a Galaxy S23 Ultra or older devices, then the upgrade makes enormous sense and you’ll feel the differences from the first use to the last.

For all other users, those who simply want to drop money on the table to own the most complete, balanced, and “smart” Android smartphone of 2026… come to terms with it. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra remains, undeniably, the rival to beat.