Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a technically mature device, but by no means a disruptive upgrade: Samsung has combined the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, Wi-Fi 7, USB 3.2, 60-watt charging, and a 5,000-mAh battery inside its new phone, which, while it doesn't set any new records, delivers amazing battery life.
The real added value comes from its new Privacy Display, which reliably reduces side-view visibility but, depending on the mode, greatly comes at the expense of screen brightness and color stability. This makes it technically intriguing, but during everyday use, it will likely prove to be situationally advantageous rather than a permanent operating mode.
In addition to this, the phone offers long update support, powerfully versatile cameras, as well as an integrated S Pen—but its overall impression is dampened slightly due to its only moderate battery and camera improvements compared to the the competition. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S26 Ultra remains an extremely powerful flagship for users who are looking for maximum specs, high performance and a real privacy advantage on their phone's display. On the other hand, it may not be the best deal for price conscious buyers or those who still own the predecessor model and aren't in immediate need of an upgrade.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
You can purchase all variants of the Galaxy S26 Ultra directly from Samsung's online store.
Alternatively, some configurations are available to order via Amazon.
- $997.49Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Unlocked Android Smartphone, 256GB, Privacy Display, Galaxy AI, AI Camera, Super Fast Charging 3.0, Durable Battery, 2026, US 1 Year Warranty, Black
- $1,187.49Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Unlocked Android Smartphone, 512GB, Privacy Display, Galaxy AI, AI Camera, Super Fast Charging 3.0, Durable Battery, 2026, US 1 Year Warranty, Black
- $997.49Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Unlocked Android Smartphone, 256GB, Privacy Display, Galaxy AI, AI Camera, Super Fast Charging 3.0, Durable Battery, 2026, US 1 Year Warranty, Cobalt Violet
Table of Contents
- Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Specifications: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Case - The Galaxy S26 Ultra is slimmer, but wobbles more
- Connectivity - Up to 1 TB of storage for the Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Software - Samsung delivers seven years of updates
- Communication and GNSS - Speedy WLAN and 5G Sub-6
- Telephone functions and call quality
- Cameras - The Galaxy S26 Ultra features a good and versatile setup
- Accessories and warranty - Care+ focuses more on a mothly subscription model
- Input devices and operation - Slimmer S Pen
- Display - The Galaxy S26 Ultra with a new privacy panel
- Performance - The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy inside the S26 Ultra
- Games - The Galaxy S26 Ultra has lots of gaming power
- Emissions - Cool, but throttled performance
- Battery life - Fast-charging now at 60 watts
- Notebookcheck total rating
- Possible alternatives compared
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's goal is to further raise the bar among the Android flagships. Our test quickly revealed that Samsung hasn't aimed for radical change—instead, the manufacturer has made targeted updates to the phone's performance, display and everyday use functionality. Plus, it now benefits from new security and comfort features such as its Privacy Display.
Among the most significant improvements over its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, are further-optimized peak performance, the aforementioned Privacy Display, and a refined user experience that goes down to the finest details. The Privacy Display in particular gives the S26 Ultra a unique character and is designed to provide greater protection from prying eyes during everyday use. At the same time, it remains to be seen whether these small but plentiful improvements are enough to justify the Ultra model’s high price tag.
Specifications: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Case - The Galaxy S26 Ultra is slimmer, but wobbles more
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra comes in the color variants Cobalt Violet, Black, Sky Blue and White. In addition, there are two colors exclusively available via Samsung's online store, namely Pink Gold and Silver Shadow. The phone's frame is matte, however, the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back of the black and purple variants is quite the fingerprint magnet.
Its finish is great. All gaps are tight and even, and the phone doesn't give or creak at all when you try to twist its Armor aluminum frame. Its 91% display-to-surface ratio is exemplary. With a nominal build height of only 7.9 millimeters (we measured 7.95 millimeters), the device also feels nice and slim to hold—despite its size. However, the cameras jut out of the back by up to 4.5 millimeters, making the Galaxy S26 Ultra a very wobbly device when it's set down on a table. This gets in the way when trying to type, and especially so when using the S Pen. The use of a case only marginally helps with this.
The Samsung smartphone is IP68 certified, making it both dustproof and waterproof. Despite switching back to aluminum—rather than titanium, as used in the S25 Ultra—the S26 Ultra is four grams lighter.
Connectivity - Up to 1 TB of storage for the Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is available in three storage variants:
- 12 / 256 GB for $1,299.99 (MRSP)
- 12 / 512 GB for $1,499.99 (MRSP)
- 16 / 1.024 GB for $1,799.99 (MRSP)
This means that although the introductory model hasn't gotten more expensive, the price of the 512 GB model has increased by $80. The price of the model with 1 TB has even risen by $140, but it at least comes with more RAM.
Furthermore, Samsung has equipped its new phone with modern Bluetooth 6.0 including Auracast support, NFC, UWB and superfast USB 3.2. The latter achieved speeds of almost 402 MB/s during our copying test attached to the Samsung Portable SSD T7—plus, it supports wired image output. The supported file systems include NTFS in addition to common formats such as FAT32 and exFAT. However, a connected storage device which uses the Windows file system can only be read by the phone, not written to.
The S Pen is once again integrated into the phone's case.
Software - Samsung delivers seven years of updates
The Galaxy S26 Ultra ships with Google Android 16 and Samsung’s One UI 8.5 and is expected to receive updates for seven years (until February 28, 2033).
As in previous years, third-party apps from Spotify, Netflix, Facebook, and Microsoft come pre-installed on the smartphone, though they can all be uninstalled. A new addition to this is Perplexity. Galaxy AI is also back, enhanced with exciting new features such as Now Nudge. Also highly commendable is the option to use AI functions entirely locally, however, this massively decreases their speed and may limit their functionality.
Sustainability
In addition to long-term software updates, Samsung offers a repair program for its smartphones. Detailed repair instructions are provided, and replacement parts can be purchased directly from Samsung. However, the device is rated only a C for repairability in the EPREL database.
Information on the smartphone's CO2e emissions and its use of recycled materials is comparatively detailed and can be viewed in a sustainability report for the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Communication and GNSS - Speedy WLAN and 5G Sub-6
As expected, the Samsung smartphone supports Wi-Fi 7 across all three bands and delivered impressive, stable transfer speeds during our tests using our reference router, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000.
In addition, the Galaxy S26 Ultra supports all current mobile network standards, including 5G Sub-6, with broad frequency band support. This should ensure seamless connectivity in all countries, even if its list of supported bands isn't exhaustive. For example, the 5G band N79 is missing, but this shouldn't prove to be detrimental.
| Networking | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Average 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Average of class Smartphone | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra supports all global satellite communication systems with at least two frequency bands. It acquires a satellite signal quickly and accurately outdoors, but indoors, this takes a little longer, and the smartphone sometimes needs some time to lock onto the user's exact location.
We compared the location services of the S26 Ultra with those of the Garmin Venu 2 on a bike ride. In open areas, the smartwatch tracked our route more accurately and updated its location more frequently. In urban areas, on the other hand, the smartphone performed better. Either way, the Galaxy phone offers very good location tracking.
Telephone functions and call quality
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra can use either two nano-SIM cards or two eSIMs, with mixed use also being possible. Standards such as Wi-Fi calling, VoLTE, and Vo5G are all supported and worked reliably during our tests.
When held up to your ear, the device's call quality is very good and features effective noise suppression, meaning users of the S26 Ultra can be understood even in noisy environments. The phone's loudspeaker delivers decent quality, however, it sounds a little tinny and, as a result, the user's voice can be a little muffled.
In addition to live AI translation of phone calls, transcription is now also available on the Samsung phone.
Cameras - The Galaxy S26 Ultra features a good and versatile setup
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's front-facing camera once again has a 12-megapixel resolution and features autofocus. Videos can be recorded in Ultra HD at best and at up to 60fps. Photos taken using this lens depict colors well, however, they are a little too oversharpened.
The main setup on the back of the phone uses the same 200-megapixel sensor as in previous years, but with better light sensitivity thanks to its f/1.4 aperture. The changes to its 5x optical zoom are bigger than expected: Although the camera still has a resolution of 50 megapixels, it now features a larger aperture (f/2.9) and no longer uses a traditional periscope zoom. Instead, Samsung has gone for an ALoP zoom. With this technology, the lenses are positioned in front of the mirror that redirects the light onto the sensor; in a traditional periscope zoom, the arrangement is reversed. This enables a more compact design and allows for larger lenses in slimmer smartphones. The least noticeable change concerns the device's 3x optical zoom, which is said to have been equipped with a new sensor but still operates at only 10 megapixels.
The Samsung cameras' picture quality is awesome and is still one of the best camera qualities you can find in a smartphone. Especially in terms of versatility, the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes well-equipped. It starts with an ultra-wide-angle lens with macro capability at a 13-millimeter focal length and extends to up to 2,300 millimeters in the digital zoom range. In between, the phone's optical range includes 23, 69, and 115 millimeters, as well as 46 and 230 millimeters via sensor crop with virtually no loss of quality. Even though the resolution of its 3x zoom is still very low, the image quality has visibly improved compared to the sensor used in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The image composition itself is well-balanced with great color balance. That being said, in low-light conditions, subjects often appear too cool and sometimes have a slight yellow cast. Additionally, Samsung tends to over-sharpen objects and contours, while occasionally losing some detail in the process.
The Camera Assistant and Expert RAW apps from the Galaxy Store further expand the cameras' capabilities and settings options. Samsung is similarly well-positioned when it comes to video capabilities, offering a wide range of resolutions from 720p to 8K. While 8K is only available at 30fps and comes with limitations when it comes to optics and stabilization, Ultra HD is significantly more flexible, allowing users to record at up to 120fps. Samsung's proprietary APV format also provides uncompressed LOG video recording. Since this requires more storage space, videos can be saved directly to a connected storage device.
Image comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main cameraMain cameraUltra-wide angle5x zoomLow light
In controlled lighting conditions, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra reproduces colors accurately, confirming our subjective impression of the phone.
Even so, the image of the test chart was noticeably sharpened toward the center of the frame, and minimal aberrations are visible at the edges.
Accessories and warranty - Care+ focuses more on a mothly subscription model
As expected, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with very few accessories: The slim box contains only a USB cable and a SIM ejector tool. Cases, chargers, and other accessories are available as optional extras directly from Samsung or third-party vendors.
The phone is covered by a standard 12-month warranty. Those who wish to purchase additional insurance for their Samsung smartphone can opt for Samsung Care+. Depending on the coverage, this costs either around $10 or $15 per month. The more expensive plan covers not only damage to the smartphone but also theft. Alternatively, Care+ can be purchased as a two-year contract at a fixed price of $199 or $279.
Input devices and operation - Slimmer S Pen
The Galaxy S26 Ultra's capacitive touchscreen allows for precise input and feels smooth and responsive to use. It doesn't come pre-installed with a screen protector. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor built into the display responds very quickly and reliably. Alternatively, users can opt for less secure facial recognition using the front-facing camera. Personal data is protected by Samsung's dedicated security platform, Knox.
The phone's linear vibration motor provides pleasant haptic feedback and can be heavily customized in the settings. This applies not only to the intensity but also to the areas you want to be activated. The function button on the side is easily accessible for both left- and right-handed users, and it's also nice and customizable.
Once again, the S Pen is directly integrated into the Ultra and offers the same range of features as the S25 Ultra model. So anyone hoping that the stylus would once again feature Bluetooth support is unfortunately in for a disappointment. Because the S Pen has become even slimmer, it doesn’t fit quite as comfortably in the user's hand, but it still works great for writing—provided the wobbling smartphone underneath doesn’t get in the way too much.
Display - The Galaxy S26 Ultra with a new privacy panel
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's AMOLED display measures in at 6.9 inches (17.5 centimeters) and offers a high WQHD+ resolution, however, this must first be activated in the settings. Thanks to LTPO technology, its refresh rate automatically adjusts between 1 Hz and 120 Hz. HDR is also supported, though without Dolby Vision support.
The brightness of the phone's display is about on par with that of its predecessor. Although this is partly lower than the competition, it's still positioned on a potentially extremely high level. A positive feature worth noting is its lowest brightness, which can go as low as 0.46 cd/m² using the extra dimming function. Samsung has made no changes when it comes to PWM dimming, so the panel still flickers at relatively low frequencies. This may cause discomfort for sensitive users.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 1339 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE ColorChecker Calman: 2.5 | ∀{0.5-29.43 Ø4.73}
ΔE Greyscale Calman: 1.7 | ∀{0.09-98 Ø4.98}
97.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.05
CCT: 6498 K
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 6.9" | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max OLED, 2868x1320, 6.9" | Xiaomi 17 Ultra AMOLED, 2608x1200, 6.9" | Honor Magic8 Pro OLED, 2808x1256, 6.7" | Vivo X300 Pro AMOLED, 2800x1260, 6.8" | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 6.9" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 3% | 15% | 23% | 15% | -13% | |
| Brightness middle (cd/m²) | 1339 | 1054 -21% | 1303 -3% | 1809 35% | 1574 18% | 1357 1% |
| Brightness (cd/m²) | 1381 | 1059 -23% | 1300 -6% | 1821 32% | 1562 13% | 1350 -2% |
| Brightness Distribution (%) | 94 | 93 -1% | 98 4% | 95 1% | 93 -1% | 94 0% |
| Black Level * (cd/m²) | ||||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.5 | 1.57 37% | 1.12 55% | 1.2 52% | 1.3 48% | 3.1 -24% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.8 | 2.8 26% | 2.25 41% | 2.9 24% | 2.7 29% | 4.7 -24% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.7 | 1.7 -0% | 1.7 -0% | 1.8 -6% | 2 -18% | 2.2 -29% |
| Gamma | 2.05 107% | 2.32 95% | 2.242 98% | 2.22 99% | 2.26 97% | 2 110% |
| CCT | 6498 100% | 6993 93% | 6404 101% | 6446 101% | 6709 97% | 6391 102% |
* ... smaller is better
| Display / APL18 Peak Brightness | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Display / HDR Peak Brightness | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 240 Hz Amplitude: 13.99 % Secondary Frequency: 480 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 240 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 240 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 52 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 7822 (minimum: 1.31 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Series of measurements with a fixed zoom level and different brightness settings (Although the amplitude curve appears flat at minimum brightness, this is due to the scaling. The info box shows a magnified version of the amplitude at minimum brightness.)
The major new feature in the Galaxy S26 Ultra is its Privacy Display function, which dims pixels on the edges of the screen so that onlookers can't see the content on the display. This can be adjusted using two levels and doesn't have to apply to the entire display; instead, it can be limited to notifications or password entries, for example.
During everyday use, this usually works very well. The Privacy Display reduces the contrast and lowers the brightness. For example, if the display operates at 1,000 cd/m² during normal use, it drops to just 645 cd/m² (max: 636 cd/m²) when the Privacy function is enabled. Using it all the time doesn’t make much sense, but in certain situations, it’s a real asset.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra's color reproduction is excellent with the profile Natural selected, and is better than that of its predecessor. If you stick with the default settings, the display appears slightly cooler.
With Privacy Display enabled, the screen's color accuracy decreases and the display appears slightly milky.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1.25 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.5915 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.6615 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 7 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (19.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 0.84 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.451 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.3885 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 3 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (31.1 ms). | ||
Outdoors, the Galaxy S26 Ultra makes a great impression. The Gorilla Glass isn't reflective, and the screen's peak brightness is maintained even in direct sunlight.
Even with manual brightness control activated, the display remains mostly easy to read. Although its brightness of 411 cd/m² is comparatively low, this can be boosted to 652 cd/m² using the Extra Brightness option.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's viewing angle stability is really good under normal conditions, however, at wider viewing angles, we noted a loss of brightness and the display takes on a significantly cooler tone.
Performance - The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy inside the S26 Ultra
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by a for Galaxy version version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This version features a slightly higher maximum CPU clock speed, and the GPU also runs at a slightly higher speed.
Unfortunately, Samsung hasn't been able to translate this into a performance advantage, which is due to the phone's cooling system, as Samsung clearly focuses more on keeping surface temperatures low.
| UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (n=1) | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Average of class Smartphone (3769 - 81594, n=114, last 2 years) | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
Graphics processing is handled by the Adreno 840 integrated into the SoC, which supports all modern APIs and delivers excellent performance.
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Score | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Unlimited Score | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Score | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
We already expected to see high performance when browsing the web, but for the first time, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is now faster than the iPhone, which attests to the software’s excellent optimization.
| Jetstream 2 - 2.0 Total | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (n=1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (Chrome 146) | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 26.0) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Chrome 132) | |
| Vivo X300 Pro (Chrome 142) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (59.7 - 423, n=131, last 2 years) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result 2.0 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (Chrome 146) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (n=1) | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 26.0) | |
| Vivo X300 Pro (Chrome 142) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Chrome 132) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (49.3 - 733, n=94, last 2 years) | |
| Speedometer 3 - Score 3.0 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (Chrome 146) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (n=1) | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 26.0) | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra (Chrome 143) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Chrome 132) | |
| Vivo X300 Pro (Chrome 142) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (3.06 - 45.5, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro (Chrome 143) | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 26.0) | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra (Chrome 143) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (Chrome 146) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (n=1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Chrome 132) | |
| Vivo X300 Pro (Chrome 142) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2800 - 126661, n=159, last 2 years) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Average of class Smartphone (257 - 28190, n=137, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Chrome 132) | |
| Vivo X300 Pro (Chrome 142) | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra (Chrome 143) | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro (Chrome 143) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (n=1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (Chrome 146) | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 26.0) | |
* ... smaller is better
Samsung has once again gone for UFS 4.0 storage, resulting in lower write speeds. During everyday use, however, this shouldn't be noticeable.
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | Xiaomi 17 Ultra | Honor Magic8 Pro | Vivo X300 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | Average 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 78% | 78% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 3% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB (MB/s) | 3626.09 | 3987.92 10% | 3942.69 9% | 2041.82 -44% | 3823.28 5% | 3631 ? 0% | 2238 ? -38% |
| Sequential Write 256KB (MB/s) | 1658.91 | 3974.23 140% | 3732.81 125% | 1981.85 19% | 3361.24 103% | 2660 ? 60% | 1919 ? 16% |
| Random Read 4KB (MB/s) | 513.44 | 547.56 7% | 488.67 -5% | 320.25 -38% | 287.85 -44% | 383 ? -25% | 307 ? -40% |
| Random Write 4KB (MB/s) | 207.16 | 524.05 153% | 587.11 183% | 593.74 187% | 331.61 60% | 391 ? 89% | 360 ? 74% |
Games - The Galaxy S26 Ultra has lots of gaming power
Games of all kinds are no challenge for the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Even PUBG runs at a steady 60fps using the Ultra setting, as we verified using GameBench.
Emissions - Cool, but throttled performance
Temperature
Under load, the surface temperatures of the Galaxy S26 Ultra only exceeded 41 °C in a few areas during our test, making it a comparatively cool device.
Still, this comes at the cost of a significant reduction in performance under sustained load, as our stress tests revealed.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 21.9 to 247 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.7 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 34 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.3 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.9 °C / 91 F.
3DMark stress tests
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Solar Bay Stress Test Stability | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Solar Bay Extreme Stress Test Stability | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability | |
| Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic8 Pro | |
| Vivo X300 Pro | |
Speakers
The speakers on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra produce a pleasant sound, but lack a bit of power, especially in the low-frequency range.
Audio can be output via USB, Auracast, or Bluetooth, with the latter only supporting a limited number of codecs.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (92 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.6% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (1.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 34%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 24% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 70% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 6.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 8.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 34%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 17% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 79% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Battery life - Fast-charging now at 60 watts
Power consumption
The phone's power consumption generally remains low in most scenarios. During our tests that ran at an adjusted brightness level, the effects of its temperature control sometimes became evident early on.
The S26 Ultra now supports wired charging at up to 60 watts. This means a full charge of its 5,000-mAh battery takes less than an hour. You can charge the smartphone wirelessly at up to 25 watts.
| Off / Standby |   0.05 / 0.21 Watt |
| Idle |  0.56 / 1.18 / 1.33 Watt |
| Load |
14.91 / 16.58 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5000 mAh | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 4823 mAh | Xiaomi 17 Ultra 6800 mAh | Honor Magic8 Pro 6270 mAh | Vivo X300 Pro 5440 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5000 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 13% | 8% | 26% | -30% | 15% | 0% | -4% | |
| Idle Minimum * (Watt) | 0.56 | 0.6 -7% | 0.8 -43% | 0.58 -4% | 0.86 -54% | 0.55 2% | 0.56 ? -0% | 0.872 ? -56% |
| Idle Average * (Watt) | 1.18 | 1.3 -10% | 1.1 7% | 0.74 37% | 1.8 -53% | 0.77 35% | 1.18 ? -0% | 1.463 ? -24% |
| Idle Maximum * (Watt) | 1.33 | 1.6 -20% | 1.2 10% | 0.75 44% | 1.86 -40% | 0.91 32% | 1.33 ? -0% | 1.65 ? -24% |
| Load Average * (Watt) | 14.91 | 4.1 73% | 6.1 59% | 11.35 24% | 10.63 29% | 13.81 7% | 14.9 ? -0% | 6.84 ? 54% |
| Load Maximum * (Watt) | 16.58 | 11.5 31% | 15.3 8% | 11.87 28% | 21.99 -33% | 16.69 -1% | 16.6 ? -0% | 11.3 ? 32% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power consumption: GFXbench (150 cd/m²)
Runtimes
Competitors often use larger batteries with silicon-carbon technology—we explained why Samsung hasn't adopted this yet in this article.
The device's runtimes are shorter than those of the previous model, but still a very good result overall.
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5000 mAh | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 4823 mAh | Xiaomi 17 Ultra 6800 mAh | Honor Magic8 Pro 6270 mAh | Vivo X300 Pro 5440 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery runtime | 60% | 32% | 50% | -15% | 5% | |
| Reader / Idle (h) | 50.9 | 52.1 2% | 39.8 -22% | 45.8 -10% | ||
| H.264 (h) | 30.9 | 35.2 14% | 32.3 5% | |||
| WiFi v1.3 (h) | 17.9 | 28.6 60% | 25.9 45% | 26.9 50% | 17.9 0% | 22.2 24% |
| Load (h) | 3.7 | 6.2 68% | 2.9 -22% | 3.7 0% |
Notebookcheck total rating
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is a technically advanced, extremely powerful flagship device that offers real added value thanks to its Privacy Display; however, its high price is only really justified for users who will truly make the most of this security feature and the device’s robust overall capabilities.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 04/19/2026 v8
Daniel Schmidt
Total Sustainability Score: Possible alternatives compared
Image | Model / Review | Price | Weight | Drive | Display |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. 89.8%  | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 840 ⎘ 12 GB Memory, 256 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: List Price: 1449€ | 214 g | 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.90" 3120x1440 498 PPI Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
2. 89.2%  | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Apple A19 Pro ⎘ Apple A19 Pro 6-Core GPU ⎘ 12 GB Memory, 256 GB NVMe | Amazon: List Price: 1449 Euro | 233 g | 256 GB NVMe | 6.90" 2868x1320 460 PPI OLED |
3. 90.4%  | Xiaomi 17 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 840 ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: 1. $1,187.49 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Un... 2. $929.99 XIAOMI 17 5G Ai (Compatible ... 3. $889.19 OnePlus 15, 16GB RAM + 512GB... List Price: 950€ | 224 g | 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash | 6.90" 2608x1200 416 PPI AMOLED |
4. 89.3%  | Honor Magic8 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 ⎘ Qualcomm Adreno 840 ⎘ 12 GB Memory, 512 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: 1. $990.00 HONOR Magic7 Pro Dual-SIM 51... 2. $1,150.00 HONOR Magic7 Pro Dual-SIM 1T... 3. $11.99 Ibywind for Honor Magic8 Pro... List Price: 1300€ | 219 g | 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash | 6.71" 2808x1256 458 PPI OLED |
5. 88.1%  | Vivo X300 Pro MediaTek Dimensity 9500 ⎘ Arm Mali G1- Ultra MC12 ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB UFS 4.x | Amazon: List Price: 1399€ | 226 g | 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash | 6.78" 2800x1260 453 PPI AMOLED |
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
This is how Notebookcheck is testing
Every year, Notebookcheck independently reviews hundreds of laptops and smartphones using standardized procedures to ensure that all results are comparable. We have continuously developed our test methods for around 20 years and set industry standards in the process. In our test labs, high-quality measuring equipment is utilized by experienced technicians and editors. These tests involve a multi-stage validation process. Our complex rating system is based on hundreds of well-founded measurements and benchmarks, which maintains objectivity. Further information on our test methods can be found here.
Add as a preferred source on Google
