Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review — Privacy First

Unboxing

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra arrives in a familiar Samsung box, containing the handset, USB‑C cable, SIM ejector tool, and documentation. As with recent models, Samsung has kept packaging minimal, focusing on essentials rather than extras.

Walkaround

The Galaxy S26 Ultra feels both familiar and subtly refreshed. Its design borrows cues from the S25 Edge, with a thinner profile (7.9mm vs 8.2mm) and lighter weight (214g vs 218g). The corners are slightly more curved, giving it a softer look compared to the squarer S25 Ultra.

Samsung has swapped titanium for Armor Aluminum, which allows for richer color options like Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold. The front is protected by Corning Gorilla Armor 2, while the back uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The phone retains IP68 water and dust resistance.

The 6.9‑inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display remains stunning, with QHD+ resolution (3120 × 1440), adaptive refresh from 1Hz to 120Hz, and excellent brightness. The standout innovation is the Privacy Display, which uses alternating pixel types to limit viewing angles. In “Maximum Privacy Protection” mode, the screen appears almost black from off‑angles, and it can be applied per app or for specific conditions like PIN entry.

Cameras look unchanged at first glance, but wider apertures on the 200MP main and 50MP telephoto lenses improve low‑light performance. The selfie camera now has an 85‑degree field of view, fitting more people into shots. The raised camera array is more pronounced, echoing the Edge design language. The S Pen remains hidden at the bottom, slightly thinner than before, but still responsive and versatile for note‑taking, sketching, and creative tasks.

Samsung has also packed the phone with AI features: Galaxy AI for photo editing and creative tasks, Bixby with Perplexity integration for general queries, and Google Gemini for agentic tasks like booking rides or identifying objects. While powerful, the sheer number of overlapping AI systems can feel overwhelming.

Specifications

Category	Specifications
Body	163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm · 214g · Gorilla Armor 2 and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front/back) · Aluminum frame · IP68 water/dust resistant · Built-in S Pen
Display	6.9″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X · 1440 x 3120 pixels · 120Hz adaptive refresh · HDR10+ · Peak brightness 2600 nits
Platform	Android 16 · One UI 9 · 7 years of OS/security updates
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm) · Adreno 840 GPU
Memory	12GB / 16GB RAM · 256GB / 512GB / 1TB storage · No microSD slot
Main Camera	Quad setup: 200MP f/1.4 (wide) + 10MP f/2.4 (telephoto, 3x optical) + 50MP f/2.9 (periscope telephoto, 5x optical) + 50MP f/1.9 (ultrawide, 120˚) · 8K video recording
Front Camera	12MP f/2.2 (wide) · 4K video recording
Battery	Li-Ion 5000mAh · 60W wired charging · 25W wireless charging (Qi2.2) · 4.5W reverse wireless charging
Connectivity	5G · Wi-Fi 7 · Bluetooth 6.0 · USB Type-C 3.2 · GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS
Colors	Cobalt Violet · Sky Blue · Black · White · Silver Shadow · Pink Gold
Special Features	Agentic AI · Privacy Display · S Pen · Samsung Knox security

Performance

System

As many of you may know by now, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, with the latter part indicating that it’s a specially binned version of the chip. In Antutu v10, it does show a decent improvement over its predecessor but it’s lower than the other Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 device we reviewed before. Specifically, the S26 Ultra does noticeably better in CPU performance but is weaker in GPU. The difference is more notable in Antutu v11, as it’s lower in all 4 areas. I suspect that its thermal may be the cause of the lower score.

We’ll be having a better breakdown of performance here compared to the S25 Ultra in the near future so stay tuned for that.

In PCMark Work 3.0 test, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is essentially on par with its predecessor, which is rather odd. After all, the other Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 device, which is the realme GT 8 Pro, performed significantly better. This again makes me think that its thermals may be the reason why it received the score it did but we’ll find out more in a later section.

CPU

Moving on the CPU test with Geekbench 6, this is where the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra truly shined as it took the top spot. To be precise, it had the best multi-core performance, but the single core performance is pretty much par for the course. In fact, it only lost to Apple’s A19 Pro chip in single core performance.

GPU

Now for the GPU test with 3DMark, we got data that is more on par with what we saw earlier with the Antutu benchmarks as the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra seems to be underperforming here. The Adreno 840 GPU is not weak by any means, but we did expect better here since the realme GT 8 Pro has notably better performance across all tests. It is generally better than its predecessor but keep in mind that it did lose out in Wild Life Extreme and Solar Bay.

With the graphs, we can understand why the scores are lower than expected as the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra only has a stability rating of 56.6%, which means that thermal throttling does occur often. From a peak score of 24,031 in a Wild Life Stress Test, it dropped down to nearly half at 13,593 at the lowest. It seems that it will not go lower than the 13,000 mark, which is still something. If you’re planning to play games on this for long hours, you may want to consider some kind of external cooler, be it passive or active, for a better overall experience.

Battery

When I first learned that the battery capacity of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra remains unchanged at 5000mAh, I genuinely wanted to complain. After using it however, I did notice that the battery generally lasted longer compared to the S25 Ultra. Now, we have objective data to prove it as it lasted almost 3 hours longer compared to its predecessor in PCMark’s Work 3.0 endurance test. Keep in mind that we always set every phone to run at the same brightness with Auto Brightness disabled to keep an even playing field, and the S26 Ultra is on QHD+ resolution. If you were to dial it down to FHD+ or HD+, expect it to last even longer.

I can understand that Snapdragon’s new flagship chip would be more efficient than the previous one but the difference in battery life is much bigger than anyone would have anticipated. Perhaps the device itself is running in a more efficient manner as opposed to using as power as possible, thus aiding in this improved battery figures. This would at least explain why some of the earlier benchmarks had a lower score than expected because even at those performance levels, it’s still pretty solid.

It’s also worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra saw an improvement in charging speed to 60W wired and 25W wireless, up from 45W and 15W respectively from its predecessor. From 2% battery life, I managed to get it to 83% battery life in 30 minutes, while a full charge takes 42 minutes. Sure, it’s a nice upgrade to have but it’s still lagging behind the competition, which you’ll often see with 90W and beyond.

Editor’s Note: You may see some minor differences in charging time depending on the charger you use but as long as it can support the full 60W speed, it should be practically the same. Keep in mind that with multi-port GAN chargers, the power you get will be reduced by the number of ports being used.

Camera

While the camera array looks unchanged, the wider apertures on the main and telephoto lenses significantly improve low‑light performance. Night shots are clearer, with less grain, and the selfie camera’s expanded field of view makes group shots easier. I am emphasizing on low-light because for daylight and well-lit shots, you’d be hard pressed to notice a difference between this and the S25 Ultra. This isn’t a bad thing as both devices are capable of taking stellar shots with excellent colors and detail.

If you’re wondering about the blurry shots, that’s because I tried taking shots beyond 30x zoom while the subject isn’t far, so it doesn’t work well. It’s worth noting that video capture benefits from the new Super Steady horizontal lock, which keeps footage level even during 360‑degree movement. Together, these upgrades make the S26 Ultra one of the most versatile camera phones available. However, do keep in mind that pictures can come out looking overly processed or unnatural in an effort to make it look as good as possible.

The Good

Excellent design refinement

Samsung has managed to make the S26 Ultra slimmer, lighter, and more visually appealing without sacrificing durability. The softer corners give it a more comfortable feel in hand, while the new Armor Aluminum frame allows for richer color options. Combined with Gorilla Glass Armor 2 on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back, the phone feels premium and resilient. It’s a subtle but meaningful evolution of the Ultra design language.

Privacy Display innovation

The Privacy Display is one of the most impressive hardware innovations in recent smartphone history. By controlling alternating pixel types, Samsung has created a screen that can limit visibility from off‑angles, protecting sensitive information. The ability to apply this feature per app or for specific conditions like PIN entry makes it practical in everyday use. It’s not just a gimmick — it genuinely changes how you can use your phone in public spaces.

Integrated S Pen

The S Pen remains a defining feature of the Ultra line. Slightly thinner and redesigned to fit the new housing, it continues to deliver excellent precision for note‑taking, sketching, and creative tasks. Pressure sensitivity and orientation recognition make it useful for artists, while everyday users benefit from quick annotations and productivity shortcuts. Its seamless integration into the phone ensures it’s always ready when you need it. If you’re hoping that Bluetooth functionality makes a return, that is unfortunately not present yet again.

Strong AI capabilities

Samsung has gone all‑in on AI with the S26 Ultra, offering a suite of overlapping but powerful tools. Galaxy AI excels at photo editing and creative generation, turning sketches into art or modifying images with realistic results. Google Gemini brings agentic capabilities, handling tasks like booking rides or identifying objects in real time. Bixby, now enhanced with Perplexity integration, provides conversational assistance and general knowledge queries. While the redundancy can be confusing, the sheer breadth of AI options means the phone can adapt to a wide range of user needs — from productivity to creativity. This makes the S26 Ultra not just a smartphone, but a genuine AI‑powered assistant in your pocket.

Cons

Overloaded AI ecosystem

While the AI capabilities are impressive, the sheer number of overlapping systems — Galaxy AI, Gemini, Bixby, and Perplexity — can feel excessive. Each has strengths, but the lack of consolidation means users may struggle to know which assistant to use for a given task. This redundancy risks creating confusion rather than convenience, and Samsung will need to streamline the experience to make it more intuitive.

No MagSafe‑style support

Despite excellent wireless charging, the absence of magnetic accessory support is disappointing. Competitors like Apple and Google have embraced magnet‑based ecosystems that make attaching chargers and accessories seamless. Samsung’s reliance on case‑based magnets feels like a half‑measure, leaving the Ultra behind in this area of convenience. One possible reason here is that the magnets may interfere with the use of the S Pen, so they may need more time to figure that one out.

Premium price

At RM5,999, the S26 Ultra is undeniably expensive. While it matches last year’s pricing and offers significant improvements, it remains out of reach for budget‑conscious buyers. The cost is justified by its features, but with strong mid‑range options available, the Ultra’s premium positioning may limit its appeal to enthusiasts and professionals.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a refined flagship that blends subtle design improvements with standout innovations like the Privacy Display and enhanced camera performance. With its slimmer build, durable materials, and integrated S Pen, it remains one of the most versatile smartphones available. What truly sets the S26 Ultra apart is its expansive AI ecosystem. Galaxy AI, Gemini, Bixby, and Perplexity combine to offer creative tools, productivity enhancements, and agentic capabilities that push the boundaries of what a smartphone can do.

While the overlap between these assistants can feel excessive, the sheer breadth of features makes the Ultra a powerful AI‑driven companion. What I would have loved to see is a bigger battery capacity but given the excellent improvement in battery life, it’s hard to complain. S25 Ultra users might not find it a compelling upgrade but looking at it on its own, it is an excellent flagship Android smartphone.

At the end of our Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review, I award this flagship smartphone with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Samsung Malaysia for sending us this smartphone for the purpose of this review.