Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Table of Contents
Samsung’s Galaxy Ultra phones are usually about refinement, not reinvention, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra seems ready to follow that exact playbook, with a few spicy twists.
From a redesigned camera island that finally breaks Samsung’s long-running “floating lenses” tradition, to a brighter, more efficient M14 display, faster 60W charging, and a possible rethink of premium materials, the S26 Ultra appears focused on meaningful usability upgrades rather than flashy gimmicks.
Add a Snapdragon-powered performance bump, smarter Galaxy AI features, and a likely price hike thanks to rising memory costs, and you have a phone that doesn’t scream revolution
Also Read: A first look at the Galaxy S26 Ultra and S26 Pro Renders Suggests Samsung is playing it safe
Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Design
Most recently, the protective case manufacturer Thinborne has published a listing for a Galaxy S26 Ultra case (costs Rs. 6,400), which sort of confirms the ongoing rumors about the redesigned camera bump.
As seen in the protective case’s listing, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could feature a unified, raised camera island (a vertically shaped pill toward the left edge of the frame) that houses three of the four camera sensors.
This is a departure from the individual camera-lens cutouts the company has used so far. The fourth sensor and the flash module are to the right, seemingly lying flat as cutouts in the back panel.
In addition to the new camera island design, the listing also shows what appears to be a new Galaxy S26 Ultra in a vibrant orange, similar to the one we’ve seen on the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Elsewhere, rumors claim that Samsung, like Apple, could do away with the titanium frame for its S26 Ultra. Instead, the company could reintroduce the tried-and-tested aluminum frame to improve heat dissipation.
The leaked color names no longer use the “Titanium” branding, fueling speculation that the S26 Ultra will drop the premium material. Otherwise, the handset should use Corning’s Gorilla Armor 2 for the back panel and Victus 2 glass for the front.
Speaking of the leaked colors, there are four: Black Shadow, White Shadow, Galactial Blue, and Ultraviolet. Regarding shape, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is said to have more rounded corners than the outgoing model, which could make it more comfortable to hold.
Reports also suggest that the phone will have a 7.9mm side profile at the thinnest point, making it ever-so-slightly thinner than the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, the upcoming flagship could weigh the same as the outgoing version.
Also Read: The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Gets Leaked Again
Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Display
Samsung’s next flagship handset could sport a 6.9-inch display, similar in size to the S25 Ultra. However, the significant change could lie in the underlying panel technology. Instead of the M13 OLED panel, the S26 Ultra could use Samsung’s M14 OLED panel.
The new panel is said to be thinner and lighter than the current one. Further, it is said to be around 20% (or more) more power-efficient than the M13 panel, contributing to longer battery life. Although sources seem divided on the display’s peak brightness, the S26 Ultra could feature 3,000 nits.
We could also see a new “Anti-Reflective Coating 2.0,” which could further improve the phone’s outdoor visibility by reducing reflections and glare beyond what’s already available on the current model.
A very ambitious rumor claims the Ultra has a “Privacy Display” that limits viewing angles when you’re using the phone in a cramped space and need to enter passwords, PINs, or other sensitive information on the screen.
Other features, such as QHD+ resolution, an adaptive refresh rate of 1-120Hz, an always-on display, and an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, should be carried over from the S25 Ultra. The S26 Ultra should also retain support for the S-Pen, though it may be slightly redesigned (especially the tip) to be compatible with the new display.
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Specs Surface Online: Major Overhaul Tipped
Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Processor
In most markets, the Galaxy S26 Ultra should be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm) SoC, which delivers top-tier CPU and GPU performance for virtually anything you’d want to do on a smartphone.
However, reports from December 2025 indicate that the Galaxy S26 Ultra in South Korea will feature Samsung’s Exynos 2600 chipset. Although it’s touted to be the world’s first 2nm chipset, the Exynos 2600 reportedly isn’t as powerful as the Snapdragon flagship.
Currently, all the phones in the Galaxy S25 lineup feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset in most markets (including India and the United States). While Samsung could continue using the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the United States, Japan, and China, it could test the Exynos 2600 in other markets, such as South Korea, Europe, and India.
However, we believe the company will launch the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC; otherwise, numerous Android flagships will be on the market with better CPU/GPU performance (such as the iQOO 15, OnePlus 15, or realme GT 8 Pro).
In addition to the chipset, the phone could retain the 12GB LPDDR5X memory, especially on the base variant, as rising memory costs are already affecting the smartphone industry. The higher trims could come with 16GB of memory. The phone could still provide up to 1TB of storage (including 256GB and 512GB variants), though.
If based on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm), the Galaxy S26 Ultra should deliver noticeable performance improvements across single- and multi-core CPU tests and day-to-day tasks.
Also Read: Samsung’s 2nm Exynos 2600 Leak Looks Like a Real Threat to Snapdragon Supremacy
Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Operating System
The S26 Ultra, like the other phones in the Galaxy S26 series, is expected to debut with Samsung’s One UI 8.5 based on Android 16 QPR2. Since the user interface has long been rumored and Samsung is already testing it in beta, the company could release it alongside the Galaxy S26 series.
The One UI 8.5 could include an improved AI notification summary, enhanced privacy protection, upgraded Photo Assist, and a couple of other Galaxy AI features. The built-in privacy display, pro-grade video tools with the new APV codec (for smaller 8K videos), and other system-wide refinements could also follow.
Also Read: One UI 8.5 New Features Leak Ahead of 2026 Release
Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Camera
Various sources suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature the same 200MP primary sensor but with a potentially larger f/1.4 aperture (vs. f/1.7 on the Galaxy S25 Ultra). Furthermore, the 3x telephoto camera could feature a new 12MP sensor (up from 10MP on the outgoing model).
The 50MP ultrawide camera could remain the same, but the 50MP 5x periscope telephoto camera could get a larger f/2.9 aperture (vs. f/3.4). With a larger aperture, the primary and 5x zoom camera could let in more light, resulting in brighter, sharper low-light photos and better depth-of-field control.
The front camera’s resolution could remain at 12MP. Despite sharing most of its camera sensors with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could benefit from the improved image signal processor in the new chip (whether it is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or the Exynos 2600).
Samsung could also equip the S26 series with Advanced Professional Video (APV), similar to Apple’s ProRes format, enabling higher-quality video at smaller file sizes. Finally, the handset could get a new 24MP non-default resolution option (identical to the latest iPhones), resulting in higher picture detail.
Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Battery Capacity & Charging Speed
The Galaxy S25 Ultra ships with a 5,000 mAh battery, which, although it sounds smaller than modern Android flagships that have crossed the 7,000 mAh threshold, provides around seven to nine hours of screen-on time, depending on usage.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra, with a slightly more efficient display panel and chipset, is also rumored to feature a 5,200 mAh battery, which could further improve the overall battery life.
With a larger battery, the phone could also support up to 60W wired fast charging, a notable upgrade from the current 45W maximum. Samsung’s internal testing showed the device could charge from 0% to 75% in about 30 minutes.
What’s even more exciting is that the S26 Ultra could come with a built-in magnetic profile, which would upgrade its status from “Qi2-ready” to Qi2, possibly increasing the charging speed from 15W to 25W. This also means that Ultra’s buyers would not need to purchase magnetic protective cases.
Also Read: Galaxy S26 Ultra to Get 60W Charging; S26 Pro Might Be Limited to 45W
Galaxy S26 Ultra Roundup: Pricing & Availability
Samsung could unveil the Galaxy S26 Ultra at its first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year on February 25, 2026 (global launch coinciding with the Indian launch). Further, we published a report indicating that the smartphone, along with the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, may not be available until mid-March.
The pricing for the Galaxy S25 Ultra is given below.
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB |
| Price (India) | Rs. 1,29,999 | Rs. 1,41,999 | Rs. 1,65,999 |
| Price (USA) | $1,299.99 | $1,419.99 | $1,659.99 |
Given the ongoing memory shortage, which has driven up smartphone memory prices, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be slightly more expensive than the S25 Ultra.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB |
| Price (India) | Rs. 1,29,999 (~Rs. 5,000) | Rs. 1,41,999 (~Rs. 10,000) | Rs. 1,65,999 (~Rs. 10,000) |
| Price (USA) | $1,299.99 (~$50) | $1,419.99 (~$50) | $1,659.99 (~$50) |
- Galaxy Unpacked (announcement): February 25, 2026
- Pre-orders: February 26, 2026
- Early deliveries: March 10 – 11, 2026
- General Availability: March 13, 2026
Also Read: Samsung May Raise Galaxy S26 Prices as Memory Costs Spiral Out of Control
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