Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Top-tier smartphone with unique features reviewed

In our comprehensive review, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (available on Amazon) comes across as a very refined overall package. Samsung made some targeted improvements in key areas without radically changing the device. The smartphone is slimmer than its predecessor, exceptionally well built, and still feels good in the hand despite its size. The S Pen is still included, but it is even slimmer and offers only limited everyday benefits because the large camera module makes the device wobble noticeably on a table. Other positives include the IP68 rating, strong connectivity with WiFi 7, sub-6GHz 5G, UWB, and fast USB 3.2, along with Samsung's seven-year software update commitment.

The new Privacy Display is especially interesting. It reliably shields content from side views, making it genuinely useful in everyday situations such as on a train, at the office, or in a cafe. However, the feature comes with a visible drop in brightness and some loss of color accuracy, so it makes more sense for occasional use than as a permanent setting. Even without Privacy mode, the AMOLED panel remains very bright, high-contrast, and well suited for outdoor use, although it still flickers at relatively low PWM frequencies.

In terms of performance, the Galaxy S26 Ultra ranks near the top. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy delivers very strong everyday and gaming performance while staying comparatively cool, though it does throttle noticeably under sustained load. The camera system is also very convincing overall, with very good image quality, strong versatility, and substantial zoom range, even if Samsung has focused more on refinement than reinvention. Battery life is solid, but it no longer quite matches the level of the previous model. At least 60W charging makes recharging pleasantly quick.

All in all, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a technically impressive flagship with a clear focus on security, display quality, and everyday usability.