Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review: A refinement-driven flagship rather than a radical one

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, the flag-bearer for the South Korean brand in 2026, has been launched with upgrades that seem necessary and natural. It expands the Galaxy AI ecosystem with more personal and customised features that make tasks much easier for a user. The Galaxy S26 Ultra uses the silicon from Qualcomm while retaining almost the same specs used in the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

So, is it wise to spend ₹1,39,999 on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, or is the predecessor a better option for both Samsung loyalists and new users?

Design

Samsung hasn’t made too many changes to the design of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. From the outset, it looks identical to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but when you hold it, you’ll notice a slight change in weight, around 4 grams lesser. However, the Galaxy S26 Ultra shifts to an aluminium frame from the titanium used in its predecessor. Other than that, you won’t notice any major design change. The phone still offers IP68 ratings for dust and water ingress while the industry has moved to IP69 and IP69K. The corners have been rounded and so has the S-Pen head, to make them seamless in design.

Importantly, Samsung has introduced ‘privacy display’ in the series. So, it basically restricts the shoulder surfing that onlookers usually do while commuting or when in public places. This feature reduces the pixel brightness to such an extent that the side-viewing angles become diminished for everyone apart from the user, and is thus non-readable. The good part is that you can customise it for apps and choose the level of privacy you want. However, it makes the screen dull in appearance. Quick suggestion: always keep the privacy setting off while using the camera or you will struggle with the image preview and might end up cleaning the lenses all the time.

Display

A huge 6.9-inch screen greets you in the Galaxy S26 Ultra, same as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It is a Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 2,600 nits peak brightness, same as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. No doubt, it is a gorgeous screen that produces brilliant colour accuracy and warmth. It is a treat to watch and engage with, even outside. The punch-hole display offers edge-to-edge viewing space, thanks to its diminishing bezels around all the corners. The HDR10+ panel is super responsive and that makes it fun to operate. Even the fingerprint scanner opens in a fraction of a second.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, paired with 12 GB of RAM, like its predecessor. The silicon from Qualcomm does its job brilliantly, and you will not find any hiccups in day-to-day usage. Whether you are multi-tasking between heavy applications, jumping in and out of social media, streaming, and using productivity tools simultaneously, or switching between tabs rapidly, the Galaxy S26 Ultra handles it all without breaking a sweat. The performance is snappy and responsive across the board; that consistency is what sets a true flagship apart from the rest.

Day-to-day tasks feel almost effortless on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. App launches are close to instant and animations are buttery smooth. There is no sign of stutter even when the device is pushed with multiple background processes running at once. The 12 GB of RAM complements the performance. It is the kind of seamless experience you expect at this price point, and Samsung delivers on that front without any compromise.

However, even clicking pictures on the camera (and even recording) generates heat. Personally, I would not expect a premium device to generate so much heat due to camera usage. However, the phone just takes seconds to return to a less distracting temperature. Overall, whether you are a casual user or a power user who pushes the device to its limits, the Galaxy S26 Ultra holds its ground convincingly and rarely gives you a reason to complain.

Software and AI

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra runs on One UI 8.5, and this is where the phone quietly makes its strongest case. The interface feels more personalised than ever, adapting itself based on how you use the device daily. Features like Now Brief and the new Now Nudge work subtly in the background, offering contextual reminders, shortcuts, and suggestions exactly when needed. Whether it’s surfacing travel details, reminding you about daily routines, or helping you quickly locate and share photos from a recent trip, the experience feels genuinely assistive rather than intrusive.

Galaxy AI takes a big leap forward with tools like Photo Assist and Creative Studio. Photo Assist makes advanced photo editing accessible to everyone—simple text prompts can add objects, fix imperfections, change backgrounds, or even restyle images entirely. The results are impressive for quick edits and social sharing, even though a visible watermark reminds you these are AI-generated. Creative Studio further expands the fun factor by letting users turn photos or sketches into custom sticker packs, wallpapers, or invitations, all with a few taps and descriptions. It’s creative, intuitive, and surprisingly addictive once you start using it.

Bixby also feels more useful this time around, acting as a smart device controller that helps users navigate features and settings with natural voice queries. Add Circle to Search with Google into the mix, and One UI 8.5 feels cohesive, smart, and well thought-out. Samsung’s AI approach here is about reducing steps and making everyday interactions faster and easier.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a 200 MP main camera, a 50 MP ultrawide lens, a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50 MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. No drastic changes when you compare it to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but there are some incremental changes in aperture size and thus greater light intake. The same 12 MP continues in the Galaxy S26 Ultra as the Galaxy S25 Ultra.