It's that time of year when Samsung launches its new Galaxy S series flagships, and in 2026, it feels like it took a leaf out of Google's playbook for the Pixel 10a, which is unfortunate. Much like the 10a, it looks like Samsung phoned it in, especially where the Galaxy S26 Ultra is concerned.
With the dumbing down of the S Pen and the focus on positioning the S26 Ultra as an ‘AI Phone' with software features that will come to older models, it's difficult to find a reason to upgrade from last year's S25 Ultra, and perhaps the S24 Ultra as well.
Let's take a look at the specifications of the S26 Ultra compared to its predecessor:
| Category | Galaxy S26 Ultra | Galaxy S25 Ultra (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (3nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 4 for Galaxy |
| Display Size | 6.9″ | 6.9″ (6.8″ rounded) |
| Display Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 3120 × 1440 (QHD+) | 3120 × 1440 (QHD+) |
| Refresh Rate | 1–120 Hz LTPO | 120 Hz |
| Pixel Density | 500ppi | 498ppi |
| S Pen | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Cameras | 200 MP wide (f/1.4) 50 MP ultra-wide (f/1.9) 10 MP 3× tele (f/2.4) 50 MP 5× tele (f/2.9) | 200 MP wide (f/1.7) 50 MP ultra-wide (f/1.9) 50 MP telephoto (5×) 10 MP telephoto (3×) |
| Zoom | 3×, 5× optical 2× & 10× optical quality | 3× & 5× optical 2× & 10× optical quality Up to 100× digital |
| Front Camera | 12MP f/2.2 | 12MP f/2.2 |
| RAM | 12/16GB | 12GB |
| Storage Options | 256GB/512GB/1TB | 256GB/512GB/1TB |
| MicroSD | No | No |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging | Super Fast Charging 3.0 (60W) Fast Wireless (25W) PowerShare | Fast wired Charging 2.0 (45W) Wireless (15W) PowerShare |
| Dimensions | 163.6 × 78.1 × 7.9mm | 162.8 × 77.6 × 8.2mm |
| Weight | 214g | 218g |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, UWB, 5G | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, UWB, 5G |
| Operating System | Android 16, One UI 8.5 | Android 16, One UI 8 (v8.5 beta) |
| Colours | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White (+ online exclusives) | Titanium Jetblack, Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Grey, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver, (+ online exclusives) |
Key Upgrades (S26 Ultra over S25 Ultra)
- New Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (major generational silicon jump)
- Brighter/lower-power LTPO panel tuning (1–120 Hz explicitly stated)
- New 50 MP 5× telephoto sensor (replaces 50 MP f/3.4 style module)
- Faster charging generation (Super Fast Charging 3.0)
- Thinner and lighter chassis
- Wider aperture 200 MP main camera (f/1.4 vs f/1.7)
What Stayed the Same
- Same display resolution
- Same 5,000 mAh battery capacity
- Same core camera layout philosophy (200 MP + dual tele)
- Same S Pen integration
- Same storage tiers
Upgrade verdict — should Galaxy S25 Ultra owners move to the S26 Ultra?
Short answer: probably not. At least, not for most people.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra was already a mature device, and this year, Samsung chose to offer more slight refinements rather than substantive upgrades. Does the Galaxy S26 Ultra match up to rivals' flagships such as the Oppo Find X9 Pro and Honor Magic 8 Pro? Not really. Sure, Samsung is positioning the S26 Ultra as an ‘AI Phone', but so are other brands, and much of the new phone's AI abilities will trickle down to the S25 Ultra in due course.
The main feature that excites me is the privacy screen, which helps shield your phone's display from people looking over your shoulder by narrowing the viewing angle. But it's something that other brands are already testing, with devices likely launching from September onwards.
Performance
The new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the biggest real upgrade. Expect better sustained performance, stronger on-device AI workloads, and improved efficiency under load. But outside gaming, video editing, or heavy Galaxy AI features, day-to-day use won’t feel dramatically different — the S25 Ultra was already overpowered for normal tasks.
If your current phone is fast today, it’ll still feel fast tomorrow.
Upgrade value: noticeable only for true power users
Cameras
This is Samsung’s classic “sensor tuning” year. The headline change is the wider-aperture 200 MP main camera and the refreshed 5× telephoto sensor.
You’ll likely get:
- better night detail
- cleaner indoor zoom shots
- improved HDR consistency
What you won’t get is a totally new photographic look. Daylight shots will look extremely similar. Social media compression will erase most differences.
Upgrade value: meaningful for zoom/night photographers, minimal for casual shooters
Battery & charging
Capacity didn’t change – it's still just 5,000mAh, which pales in comparison to most other smartphone brands. And we aren't even talking about the headline limits of Realme's P4 Power, which packs twice the capacity. 2025's OnePlus 15 packs a massive 7,300mAh unit, and Motorola's Edge 60 Pro sports a big 6,000mAh battery. In my view, for 2026, 6,000mAh is the minimum threshold for upcoming Android flagships.
Efficiency gains from the new chip should add a smidge more endurance to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and charging moves up a generation, but this is optimisation, not transformation. You won’t suddenly get a two-day Ultra. Unless the battery has deteriorated markedly, upgrading from the S25 Ultra won't bring a noticeable difference in battery longevity.
Upgrade value: small but welcome
Design & feel
The S26 Ultra is thinner and slightly lighter. You’ll notice it in hand, but only side-by-side, and only when you look at the camera housing. This is ergonomics polish, not a redesign.
Upgrade value: nice, not compelling
The real decision
Upgrade if you:
- shoot lots of zoom or night photos
- game heavily on mobile
- want the newest AI features first
- are coming from S23 Ultra or older
Skip if you:
- Already own the S25 Ultra
- Mostly use social media, messaging, and browsing
- Expected a camera revolution
- Care about value for money
Bottom line
The S26 Ultra is a better phone.
The S25 Ultra is still the smarter purchase and offers better value, unless you can find an incredible trade-in offer.
So, unless you specifically need the new silicon or camera tuning, there's very little reason to upgrade from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, or even the S24 Ultra.
