Samsung Galaxy S26
Samsung New

Samsung Galaxy S26

B
Ranked #4 in Smartphones
609 LP on the category ladder what's LP?
Announced February 2026 by Samsung

Being part of the “Ultra” category suggests a premium experience, though its specific merits aren’t detailed beyond that.

Consolidated from 128 cited sources across 92 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

  • 3 enthusiastic sources
  • 44 positive sources
  • 48 neutral sources
  • 22 unconvinced sources
See the sources
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Pros & cons

  • Premium experience
  • Part of Ultra lineup
  • Solid performance
  • Long battery life
  • Good camera

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

44 positive sources

B BGR Christian de Looper · reviewer · Mar 2026
The Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ are excellent phones. There's no way around the fact that they're iterative — Samsung hasn't reinvented the wheel here, and last year's owners have very little reason to upgrade. But judged on their own merits, these are fast, capable, well-constructed smartphones with outstanding cameras, gorgeous displays, and solid battery life.
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T Trakin Tech Trakin Tech · 15.5M subscribers · Mar 2026
The in-hand feel of the S26 is amazing. Even now, these small phones invoke a different feeling. It's really like this & it's lightweight too. In fact, I think it's thinner & lighter than last year. The S26 is only 7.2mm thin & according to me, it shouldn't be more than 170g. So 168g. 168.7g, perfect! Perfect! And this is 176g. 178g. No, it must be more. 183g.
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C CNET David Lumb · reviewer · Mar 2026
The Galaxy S26 remains a good-looking handset, though its design hasn’t changed much over the years. The phone’s dimensions have barely shifted from its predecessor, yet the display has increased to 6.3 inches, ever so slightly over its predecessor’s 6.2-inch screen, suggesting the bezels have gotten smaller — to be almost invisible.
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P Prasadtechintelugu Prasadtechintelugu · 5.2M subscribers · May 2026
The S26 is the best and present phone now. Many people asked me which phone I want to switch to . Nothingphone 4a Pro So Present I have been using this phone for over 10 days now .
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R Rokform David Whitaker · reviewer · Dec 2025
The Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra comparison really favors the newcomer if you want a phone that doesn't hurt to hold and charges faster. We remember when we used to wonder if the S23 was waterproof , but now we just wonder if the S26 will finally be the most comfortable Ultra yet.
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H Hayls World Hayls World · 2.7M subscribers · Apr 2026
Let's go. Okay, let's start with some top new features on this bad boy.
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R Reviews.org Fergus Halliday · reviewer · Mar 2026
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra might be one of the most expensive devices on the market, but it checks every box you could want. The combination of a new processor on the inside, a capable camera system on the back, and a nifty privacy-oriented display proves to be a winning one.
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S SuperSaf SuperSaf · 2.3M subscribers · Mar 2026
It's the best that we have from Samsung. How does it compare to the best from Apple, the iPhone 17 Pro Max? Well, let's put these head-to-head SuperSaf style and find out. Now, initially taking a look at the design, I think both devices look really good. The iPhone does have more of a glow-up compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max from the previous year.
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S Subscribers Matt Swider · reviewer · Mar 2026
My primary recommendation for buying the Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung – it offers every storage configuration (256GB, 512GB, and 1TB), every color, including the online exclusive colors, and buying here means you get an unlocked phone that works with any carrier.
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S SuperSaf SuperSaf · 2.3M subscribers · Feb 2026
and I quite like the look. We've also got more rounded edges, in particular on the S26 Ultra. The colors are also exactly the same across all three devices. A cobalt violet, a sky blue, a black, as well as a white. Now, there will be two exclusive colors available from samsung.com. A silver shadow, and a pink gold.
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H HotHardware Myriam Joire · reviewer · Mar 2026
Samsung was able to give the S26 Ultra’s 50MP 5x telephoto a larger aperture in a smaller footprint by using ALoP (All Lenses on Prism) folded optics, which it developed in-house, instead of the W-shaped tri-prism or L-shaped periscope telephoto setup.
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S sakitech sakitech · 1.4M subscribers · Mar 2026
Now, this is going to be a premium build quality. On the back, you have a nice matte finish in any color that you get. And this is all Gorilla Glass Victus 2. And I'm going to bring in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, that is also Gorilla Glass Victus 2. so it's the same build quality. And also on the sides, it's all going to be armor aluminum, too, okay? This is the same.
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R Root-Nation.com Article
The main advantage of the flagship hardware is the absence of noticeable performance limitations. The combination of a powerful, well-optimized processor and 12 GB of RAM allows the device to handle demanding applications and games without signs of strain.
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G Gadgets 360 Gadgets 360 · 850K subscribers · Jun 2026
Gaming performance is equally strong. I have played many games like BGMI, Genshin Impact, and Asphalt, and the experience was good. While playing Genshin Impact, I set the graphic settings to max, and the gameplay was outstanding. But yes, the device got a little warm, but the good part is that it cools down even faster.
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R r/samsung u/SanCar_red · owner
The improvement in photo and video quality feels like a genuine generational leap. The new Galaxy AI features — which will even allow you to order food or request an Uber using voice commands — are genuinely impressive, as is the generative image editing.
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M Mike O'Brien Mike O'Brien · 658K subscribers · Feb 2026
I'm very happy with that. You have the increen fingerprint sensor as always. So, it is really convenient and fast and just a good experience that you'd expect from a flagship phone. And this phone comes in six different colors. Fortunately, the six colors are actually the same on the Plus, the Ultra, and the base model here.
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T Tech Advisor Adam Smith · reviewer · Mar 2026
This makes it more expensive than the iPhone 17 , and the same as the Google Pixel 10 and Xiaomi 17 (in 256GB sizes) – a high price for people likely aiming to save money and avoid the larger price tag of the superior S26 Ultra.
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S Simple Alpaca Simple Alpaca · 636K subscribers · Mar 2026
And it's a very, very good panel. This thing looks very good. I'm a very big fan of it, and I do think from the outside it looks very nice. The iPhone 17's display is slightly smaller, you know, but I still think it is still a really good size display for the most part. And I think it looks very, very good. Both are 120-Hz displays.
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P PCMag UK Article · Mar 2026
It's no accident that the Galaxy S26 and its two main competitors share screen sizes and have approximately the same resolutions and brightness. Really, you can't go wrong with any of them.
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W WhatGear WhatGear · 466K subscribers · Mar 2026
Galaxy S26 is AMAZING - Try These 17 Things First
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P Pcmag Iyaz Akhtar · reviewer
The top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra offers all the perks of its smaller siblings but adds better cameras, more storage and RAM options, and even a stylus for versatility.
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S Shane Symonds Shane Symonds · 339K subscribers · Mar 2026
So, this is definitely a well-worthwhile trade-off here. And here is our first look at the 6.3-in display. There's actually a slightly larger screen on this S26 this year compared to 6.2 on the S25 on the right.
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P Pcmag Eric Zeman · reviewer
The S26's screen looks terrific. It's bright, sharp, and has great viewing angles. I was able to use it indoors and out with no problem. It easily warded off direct sunlight.
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T Tech By Akram Tech By Akram · 170K subscribers · Aug 2026
I chose the Samsung S26 Ultra with a budget of 115 and keeping the price bracket in mind. And if I think about the intact phone, I will get iPhone 15 Prox from iPhoneOne World. The price of which is also new but close to 130 when bought. And the iPhone 15 Pro Max is in no way comparable to this. So what I did was instead of finding a new one, I bought one second hand. iPhone 16 Pro Max.
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B Back Market Haziq · reviewer
With new design features, powerful AI integration, and faster charging, the S26 line promises to be bigger and better than any line of S phones that came before.
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U Ultra Value Tech Ultra Value Tech · 64.3K subscribers · Feb 2026
When it comes to the style and design, this really has to be one of the best Samsung phones you can get. Not only it looks incredibly nice, but also it has got very very premium feel when you actually use the phone and hold it. So, again, we have full metal build quality, also with very premium glass back. And this new camera design as well looks very stunning indeed.
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D Digitec Michelle Brändle · reviewer · Mar 2026
This new display feature keeps the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra safe from prying eyes. Other than that, Samsung’s mostly gone for evolution instead of revolution.
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U Ultra Value Tech Ultra Value Tech · 64.3K subscribers · Mar 2026
So yeah, if you can get this phone for around this price, then obviously it's a no-brainer. When it comes to design and build quality, both of these phones are absolutely absolutely superb. So we get a full glass back on both of the phones. Uh so it's kind of matte on both of them. So it's not reflective and it doesn't attract any fingerprints at all. So very good finish overall on the back.
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P Pendium.ai Pendium Research · reviewer · Jun 2026
2 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — Best Premium Android : The top-tier choice for creators needing raw hardware capability and guaranteed software longevity.
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U Ultra Value Tech Ultra Value Tech · 64.3K subscribers · Feb 2026
So over here I have the new S26 which looks absolutely absolutely amazing. So we have nice glass back aluminum frame and the new camera design layout as well. And here I have the S25 in this icy blue color. Again we have glass back aluminum frame and the cameras. Yeah, obso different here. First, when it comes to price, there's actually quite a huge difference between these phones.
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Q Quora Article
If you need a phone now and plan to keep it for several years, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is absolutely worth buying.
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U Ultra Value Tech Ultra Value Tech · 64.3K subscribers · Mar 2026
So, inside the box, we get our phone, which looks absolutely stunning. I have the white version here. And also, inside the box, we get a bunch of manuals here, and also your charger cable. So, simply simply open this up. I see it also comes with a type-C charger cable. Also, inside the box, we have this uh SIM card ejector pin as well.
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C CNET Prakhar Khanna · reviewer · Apr 2026
That said, the Galaxy S26 will likely be a better choice if you regularly use your phone for 3D gaming.
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J Josh Quiñonez Josh Quiñonez · 59.9K subscribers · Aug 2026
I mean, I absolutely love the Galaxy S26 Ultra. When it comes to overall design, I am absolutely loving the design. And we do get that built-in S Pen as well. But then when it comes to Galaxy Zfold 8 right here, we're getting something a little bit different or a lot different, I should say. We're getting something shorter, but a little bit wider for that outer display.
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F Facebook Article
Is our deal on the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra the best in the universe? We think so.
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R Review Arena Review Arena · 5.8K subscribers · Aug 2026
Sure, there might be too many AI options on board, but overall the S26 Ultra is a winner and easily one of the best smartphones of the year. Nowadays, smartphone changes can usually be measured in millimeters and gram fractions. The era of sweeping hardware redesigns is all but done. Most of the updates we see seem to be in material swaps and growing and shrinking camera array plateaus.
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P Phonearena Article
The Galaxy S26 might not be a big upgrade, but it remains an easy recommendation.
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R Review Arena Review Arena · 5.8K subscribers · Aug 2026
Sure, there might be too many AI options on board, but overall the S26 Ultra is a winner and easily one of the best smartphones of the year. Nowadays, smartphone changes can easily be measured in millimeters and gram fractions. The era of sweeping hardware redesigns is all but done. Most of the updates we see seem to be in material swaps and growing and shrinking camera array plateaus.
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N Notebookcheck DeepL / Ninh Duy · reviewer · Mar 2026
Samsung Galaxy S26 trails Apple iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 8 in DxOMark cam.
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T TECH BY NETORA TECH BY NETORA · 5.3K subscribers · Aug 2026
For the display experience, Samsung has done an excellent job. Now, let's talk about power. >> The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Samsung has customized the processor for Galaxy with improvements to the CPU, GPU, and >> NPU. And for gamers, Samsung has also improved thermal management with a redesigned vapor chamber.
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A Android Authority Zac Kew-Denniss · reviewer · Feb 2026
The Galaxy S26 is fixing my biggest complaint from the S25
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S Swift Tech Swift Tech · 2.5K subscribers · Aug 2026
If all of these upgrades are accurate, the Galaxy S26 FE could be a much more interesting Fan Edition than the previous generation. Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE just showed up in another important database, and this time the new information comes from Google. The Galaxy S26 FE has now appeared on the Google Play Console under the code name R14s.
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E ESR-IN Jessica · reviewer
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a sophisticated machine.
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A Android Authority Android Authority · channel · Apr 2026
It feels like a flagship. It feels fast, takes good pictures, and still gives you the Samsung experience that people want. But somewhere along the line, flagship phones got very confusing. Bigger became better. The most expensive things became more serious, and more features became more complete.
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48 neutral sources

R r/samsunggalaxy u/GorgonzolaGuacamole · owner
If you want better creative tools and like taking videos, then the Galaxy S26 Ultra is worth checking out. I’m always on the move and my hands shake, so the new Horizon lock feature has really impressed me. If you don’t care about the Privacy Screen and mostly use your phone for basic tasks, the S25 Ultra is still a solid option and might be more cost-effective.
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M Mrwhosetheboss Mrwhosetheboss · 22.8M subscribers · Mar 2026
The battery is already more than enough to last a day. We just confirmed that in our test, remember? People love Samsung cameras and no one's out here zooming 800% into their photos to compare micro details. Like, you just got to understand that Samsung isn't chasing numbers anymore. They're focusing on new ways to add value because they've already covered the basics.
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A Amateur Photographer Joshua Waller · reviewer · Jul 2026
One issue I have with Samsung phones, is that they don’t provide any kind of screen protection in the box, which means you need to be careful with the screen, unless you install your own screen protector. A lot of budget phones come with a thin screen protector in a box, that helps keep your phone scratch free for longer.
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M Mrwhosetheboss Mrwhosetheboss · 22.8M subscribers · Feb 2026
And honestly, it feels like a very mixed bag. There's a few things that I was really excited for that are actually quite underwhelming in person. But then also some things that I did not see coming that have ended up as the real highlights. Like one thing that I could not wait to get my mits on is this new privacy display that stops people snooping on you. But actually using it, I've got concerns.
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C Consumer Reports Courtney Lindwall Home · reviewer · Feb 2026
In my brief trial run, I found the latest Samsung flagships to be just as impressive as those in years past, though not enough of a leap to warrant rushing out for an upgrade. And while some of the AI features are fun enough or genuinely helpful, many will likely be rolled out to older Galaxy phones via software updates.
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M Marques Brownlee Marques Brownlee · 21.1M subscribers · Mar 2026
But. not a lot is actually new with this phone.
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R r/samsunggalaxy u/dynatrace · owner
Well about the reviews, that’s mostly because it’s not a massive jump over the S25, but it’s still a very good phone. And since your dad is on an S10, it’s going to feel like a huge upgrade. You’re getting top performance, strong battery, great cameras and long software support, so it’ll easily last him years.
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A Austin Evans Austin Evans · 5.8M subscribers · Feb 2026
The S26 is a tough sell this year.
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I International Business Times Daniel Lee Published · reviewer · Mar 2026
Critics point to incremental camera changes and the lack of a major redesign as minor drawbacks in a competitive field. Yet consensus holds that the S26 Ultra excels in refinement: lighter build, privacy innovation, brighter display and robust AI make it a compelling upgrade for power users.
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A Android Authority Android Authority · 3.4M subscribers · Aug 2026
So, the real question isn't whether the Pixel 11 improved, it is how many of these upgrades the S26 still can't match. We're talking about the design, the display, the camera, battery life, and AI features. That is my breakdown for today. Starting with the design because I think this is very very important.
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A Android Central Article · Apr 2026
Annoyingly, that isn't the case. While the S26 Ultra has a few cool new features, the underlying foundation hasn't changed much at all from previous years, and you get a phone that isn't quite as good as other Android flagships when it comes to the cameras and battery tech.
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H Hayls World Hayls World · 2.7M subscribers · Feb 2026
Honestly, this is probably one of the most advanced Android phones in the world, but with a few flaws. So, let's start with the cameras. So, the camera module is basically the same. Although, the 200 megapixel and 50 megapixel sensors are brighter. And compared to the S25 Ultra, I did see a bit of a difference.
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N Notebookcheck DeepL / Ninh Duy · reviewer · Mar 2026
The Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26 Plus and S26 are here - now more powerful thanks to the latest silicon and smarter, with even mode AI features. The hardware upgrades, however, are few and far between. Join us as we break things down and see what's new.
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S SuperSaf SuperSaf · 2.3M subscribers · Mar 2026
It is definitely an incremental update. You can see that we've got these thicker rings on the S25 Ultra. On the S26 Ultra, Samsung have opted for this ambient island, which looks very similar to what we've got on the Z Fold 7. I personally do quite like the refreshed look, and the corners are also a little bit more curved to give it a unified look alongside the S26 and the S26 Plus.
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A Android Authority Joe Maring · reviewer · Apr 2026
If you don't want to go all-out with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the baseline Galaxy S26 is a good compact and cheaper alternative. It has the same excellent Snapdragon chip, is wonderfully comfortable to use, and has more storage than before.
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G GSMArena Official GSMArena Official · 2.1M subscribers · May 2026
But the gains are very modest here. And we didn't feel any difference performance-wise when using these phones. The S26 did do better in our prolonged stress test than the S25. But even though the thermal management has improved, it's still nothing to write home about. Samsung has increased the battery capacity of the S26. It's 4300 mA hours versus 4000 on the S25.
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F Forbes Janhoi McGregor · reviewer · Jun 2026
Profits are squeezed because of the RAM crisis and Samsung has responded with price increases and weaker deals. Except a couple of recent promotions show that the Korean company is fighting to stay competitive on Galaxy S26 Ultra pricing.
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T Tech Spurt Tech Spurt · 1.4M subscribers · Mar 2026
But, if you actually want one, you'll have to take the pliers to grand's gold teeth. And not everyone wants to spunk a fortune on an absolute mega Now, if you prefer more compact devices or just not having your savings account absolutely molested, well, there's always the regular Galaxy S26. This delightfully dinky handset boasts many of the same great new features.
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S SamMobile Abhijeet Mishra · reviewer · Apr 2026
Build quality is where Samsung has always delivered on all of its flagship phones, including the smallest Galaxy S models, and nothing has changed here. The materials feel premium, and the design is simple and clean, if a little boring.
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T Tech Spurt Tech Spurt · 1.4M subscribers · Apr 2026
And to be honest, I'm surprised this thing's not completely knackered cuz I've already lost count of the number of times I've dropped this thing onto a hard floor or table or desk or whatever. And I, that is partially because I like the occasional shandy or two. I'm not completely blameless in this situation. But it's also because the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a slippery, heavy bastard. But thankfully,
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U Uswitch Joe Svetlik · reviewer · Apr 2026
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a great phone, but is that enough? It speaks volumes that even an improvement on the excellent Galaxy S25 might struggle to stand out, such is the intensely competitive nature of the smartphone market.
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N Nick Ackerman Nick Ackerman · 897K subscribers · May 2026
So, I think the button layout is a little bit cleaner on the Galaxy, although I also find its power button location a little bit better. It's volume rocker is a bit high, but so is the iPhone's on the left over there. Day-to-day though, I have to say that the iPhone 17 after 3 months later just feels like the more comfortable to hold phone.
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S SammyGuru Article · Apr 2026
And depending on what you want from a smartphone in 2026, that can either be exactly what you need or deeply underwhelming. In this review, I’ll share my honest thoughts about the phone, discussing its real-world performance.
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T TechTalkTV TechTalkTV · 885K subscribers · Mar 2026
The privacy display is easily one of my favorite features on this phone. The fact that you can hide parts of the screen from side angles is actually very cool.
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Q Quora Article
😞 No OIS: It just has EIS. The Optical Image Stabilization preserves full resolution and detail when filming or photographing, while the Electronic one crops and shifts the recorded material.
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M Mike O'Brien Mike O'Brien · 658K subscribers · Mar 2026
There are some situations where the cheaper model is actually better. So, let's start off with the obvious difference being the display. This display size, of course, is going to be the huge one where the S26 Ultra is a 6.9-in display. The S26 Plus is 6.7 in, which is not that far behind. The S26 is 6.3 in, which I'm sad that 6.3 in is now considered a small phone.
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S Stuff Tom Morgan-Freelander · reviewer · Mar 2026
Still the compact Android pick in the US, but middling annual updates make the Galaxy S26 easier to miss elsewhere when rivals have it so soundly beaten for power, battery and camera quality.
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9 91Tech 91Tech · 368K subscribers · Apr 2026
Now, to be clear, I do quite like this phone thus far. Not every phone is going to be the most exciting in the world. And the cameras here in particular are quite impressive. I'm a little late to talking about this phone as I was in South Korea when they were sending out review models here, so I missed the first wave. But at least I got to poke around Samsung Town in Seoul featuring a few of their
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A Android Police Tom Bedford · reviewer · Mar 2026
I’m going to stand behind what Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra reviews have been saying: It’s an impressive, expensive Android phone that has a few quirks which might put people off.
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J JSL Review JSL Review · 282K subscribers · Apr 2026
This phone is great, but seriously, no one cares. And it kind of feels as though the regular Galaxy S device has been in that weird category for quite some time now, mainly because it's usually overshadowed both figuratively and literally by the Galaxy Ultra, and it's no different going into 2026. That said, I've been using the regular Galaxy S26 for about a month now, even comparing it to the Gal
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Q Quora Article
Neither is objectively superior in every area anymore. Apple focuses more on refinement and ecosystem stability, while Samsung focuses on feature richness and flexibility.
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T TechnicallyAlex TechnicallyAlex · 279K subscribers · Jul 2026
Now, yes, Samsung did play it safe in some areas, but they also took risks in places where it actually paid off. And I don't think we should ignore how good this phone actually is just because some tech enthusiasts on Twitter are mad that it doesn't have a 10,000 mA battery. But, let's talk about some of these controversies of the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
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T The Mobile Indian Abhishek Malhotra · reviewer · Mar 2026
Pros Build Quality & Design Performance & Software Display Battery backup Speakers Haptics Cons Cameras aren’t on par with competition Charging speeds are quite slow
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D Dion Schuddeboom Dion Schuddeboom · 193K subscribers · Mar 2026
Today, we're comparing the new Samsung Galaxy S26 versus the Samsung Galaxy S25. I've been using both phones extensively, and while they do look very similar, there are also a few key differences that could make a big impact depending on which you choose.
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G Goji Mobile Cami Shimp · reviewer · Mar 2026
Still, when your phone is slowing down, its trade-in value is still solid, and the right deal lines up, upgrading to the Galaxy S26 can be a smart buy.
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T TechnoProz TechnoProz · 92K subscribers · Aug 2026
There are a few hiccups here and there, but hopefully they'll get addressed with a final stable update. This isn't going to be much of a big update. There will be some minor new visual enhancements and features.
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T the Guardian Article · Apr 2026
Small top-tier Android is great to use, being fast, AI-loaded and with reasonable battery life, but falls short of rivals on camera
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T Techtics Techtics · 65.4K subscribers · Aug 2026
Now, the cameras. And this is where things start falling apart. The 50-megapixel main sensor is already 3 years old, and that 8-megapixel telephoto has been hanging around since 2020. So, at least Samsung upgraded the ultrawide, right? Well, technically they changed it. But instead of giving it a higher resolution sensor, Samsung reportedly swapped its own ISOCELL sensor for a more budget-focused
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9 91Mobiles Article
That said, the handset’s images may not be the sharpest and may struggle to preserve fine details, especially in shadowy areas.
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U Upwards. Upwards. · 52.5K subscribers · Apr 2026
Overall, it's a really nice display, but it's basically the same as last year with no major changes. It doesn't have anything that's special or stands out like the Ultra, such as the privacy display. So, altogether, the S26 display gets an A grade. >> So, it's currently now 1:44, our battery percentage is at 40%. It's dropped quite a bit, but I have been pretty active on my phone.
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M Mozillion Resources josh · reviewer · Mar 2026
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a strong all-round device, but there are a few areas where it falls behind competitors.
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D Demon's Tech Demon's Tech · 48.3K subscribers · Aug 2026
Samsung does have one feature that Google can't match, though, privacy display. Turn it on, and the screen becomes much harder for people around you to see. So, whether you're checking your bank account, reading private messages, or just watching something embarrassing in public, the person sitting next to you is going to have a much harder time snooping.
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R r/samsunggalaxy u/moyersteven · owner
I think it's a QC issue. Samsung still owes everyone a statement on this part.
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T Tech Doctor Tech Doctor · 6.4K subscribers · Aug 2026
However, there are some things I don't like about the S26 Ultra, including its oversized camera bump and that its screen is dimmer than the previous S25 Ultra. In our previous iPhone 17 Pro Max versus Galaxy S25 Ultra camera shootout, Samsung lost points for mediocre low-light performance. But, Samsung is firing back with a wider aperture on its main 200 MP camera and 50 MP telephoto lens.
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G Gadgets 360 Shaurya Tomer · reviewer · Apr 2026
Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ Design: Refined, Yet Stagnant
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T Tech Doctor Tech Doctor · 6.4K subscribers · Aug 2026
However, there is some things I don't like about the S26 Ultra, including its oversized camera bump, and that its screen is dimmer than the previous S25 Ultra.
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R r/samsunggalaxy u/Suspicious-Cable-72 · owner
No battery improvements? That's the biggest thing I've noticed.
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Z Zineddine Zineddine · 594 subscribers · Aug 2026
Although, with the introduction of the privacy display feature, I feel like it's easier to notice individual pixels when the phone is close to your eyes. But when it comes to watching high-quality videos, editing photos, or gaming, this 6.9-in LTPO 120-Hz AMOLED display is a beautiful experience. And that anti-reflective coating is the cherry on top for the outdoor usage.
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22 unconvinced sources

R r/samsunggalaxy u/AccomplishedSpray866 · owner
I am heavily disappointed in the s26. I feel like the camera quality is a downgrade from my S23. The photos come out over-processed, blurred, dull and lacking detail? Like it's gone over with an air brush, losing finer details. especially animals, fur and nature pics. My battery life can only give me max 4 hours screen time. I am a bit shocked. I got this phone last Friday.
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P Pratima Adhikari Pratima Adhikari · 794K subscribers · Apr 2026
If you look at this table right here, the only meaningful upgrade Samsung has brought to the S26 is the chipset, no other meaningful upgrade. And don't even get me started on the Galaxy S26 Plus. It honestly feels like that awkward middle child in the family nobody really asked for.
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H How-To Geek Cory Gunther · reviewer · Jun 2026
At the end of the day, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra just didn't offer enough changes, improvements, or camera enhancements to keep. Other phones have better camera designs, faster wired or wireless charging, huge silicon-carbon battery tech, etc. Samsung's Ultra is nearly identical to the last 3–4 Ultras.
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T Techisode TV Techisode TV · 434K subscribers · Mar 2026
When I started my S25 versus S26 deep dive comparison trying to figure out whether or not the S26 is worth the upgrade from the S25, I quickly realized that no, no, it's not. This is a very incremental upgrade.
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F Facebook Neal Hotham · owner
I strongly advise against buying the S26 Ultra. I have had connectivity issues that seem to have started after the software update a couple of days after receiving the phone a couple of weeks ago. I've had samsung since the S1 and never had the problems I am having now.
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T Techisode TV Techisode TV · 434K subscribers · Jun 2026
For some strange reason, Samsung disabled the best Galaxy S26 Ultra camera features right out of the box. So, if you felt like your S26 Ultra cameras are broken, you're not crazy, and here's how to fix it. Let's start with some of the core settings before we get into the advanced features.
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B but there’s a catch😏 Article
RESALE & LONGEVITY: An iPhone 14 holds more resale value after years of use than an S26 will after 6 months on store shelves. Apple builds liquid gold hardware; Samsung drops 50% of its value before the next launch cycle even begins.
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9 9to5Google 9to5Google · 428K subscribers · Feb 2026
There is no change to the camera hardware on the S26 series, there's zero. It is identical and it has been since the S22 right through to this device. And it's absolutely shocking for Samsung's premier smartphone lineup, even if these are considered the base models. Yes, we're getting an enhanced chip. Only the S26 Ultra gets a privacy screen.
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S Sammyfans Article
Some Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra users are unhappy with the phone’s document scanning feature. They say the scan mode does not create accurate copies of documents, mainly when scanning reports or tables.
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G GadgetRevNow GadgetRevNow · 177K subscribers · Jun 2026
It's been a month now since I purchased and tested Samsung Galaxy S26 compared to the leading brands like iPhone, Xiaomi, and even the bigger brother Galaxy S16 Ultra. And as a reviewer at the back of my mind, I hold up the things I know from the previous model. So, jumping in is a bit critical for me, but also fascinated by the things this phone offers.
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S Stop to Fix Stop to Fix · reviewer · Jun 2026
But within weeks of launch, widespread display complaints started surfacing: fuzzy text, unexpected dimming, eye discomfort during normal use, and inconsistent brightness behavior.
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N Naseem Speach Naseem Speach · 91K subscribers · Mar 2026
It feels like Samsung made the absolute minimum effort necessary to call this a new phone, gave it a higher price than last year, and put it on the shelf knowing that most people who walk into the store and compare it to the Galaxy S26 Plus or the S26 Ultra will immediately think, "Why would I buy this when I can spend a little more and get something way better?" Really, I've been using the UPDF 2
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B Back Market Haziq · reviewer
No, the Galaxy S26 brings better performance and AI features, but hardware upgrades are modest, making the higher price harder to justify.
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T Tech Fans Tech Fans · 8.2K subscribers · Aug 2026
Samsung just reused last year's flagship chip, quietly cut the battery's charge cycle life almost in half, and still raised the price. And I'm not exaggerating. This is straight out of the leaked spec sheet. The full Galaxy S26 FE details just dropped, and the numbers have caught a lot of people off guard.
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A autoevolution Article · Mar 2026
New smartphone, new problems: the just-launched Samsung Galaxy S26 is already struggling with Android Auto connection issues
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P Promo Tech Promo Tech · 2.7K subscribers · Aug 2026
If you keep a phone for 3 or 4 years, your battery health could degrade noticeably faster than it did on the S25 FE. And that's a real cost, even if the price stayed the same. Except the price didn't stay the same, and that's the second thing hiding in plain sight.
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M Mashable SEA | Latest Entertainment & Trending Alex Perry July · reviewer · Jul 2026
Samsung's innovative new display technology might be causing problems on its latest flagship phone.
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H How-To Geek Bertel King · reviewer · Feb 2026
I just want the base model to stop being such an afterthought compared to its bigger siblings.
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A Android Police Stephen Radochia · reviewer · Feb 2026
Samsung went the other way with the Galaxy S26, and it’s the wrong choice for customers.
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T The Adventures of Vesper Article · Dec 2017
Samsung Galaxy S26+ Review: Flagship Price but Misses the Flagship Mojo
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A Android Authority Brady Snyder · reviewer · Apr 2026
I can’t accept the Galaxy S26’s puzzling downgrades
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P Phonearena Article
Some Galaxy S26 Ultra units have a rosy tint.
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11 stance not read sources

T Tech Advisor Jon Mundy · reviewer · Mar 2026
Tech Advisor reports Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra faces significant launch problems including difficult-to-achieve 25W wireless charging that requires specific first-party accessories.
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J JerryRigEverything JerryRigEverything · 10M subscribers · Mar 2026
Today we present Samsung's  pristine and premium S26 Ultra—a polished,   pocketized powerhouse packed with  potent processing, privacy pixels,   and plenty of prestige.
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Y Yahoo Tech Timi Cantisano · reviewer · Mar 2026
So, as you can imagine, not having Play Protect in place on your device could raise some flags, which is apparently what's happening with some Galaxy S26 users.
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F Flossy Carter Flossy Carter · 2.1M subscribers · Mar 2026
It's your boy Floss back again with another video and today we're going to do the real review for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5 Gangster Alpha Mega Supreme, aka the ultimate scumbag phone. Now, you can pick this one up online. I'll throw the link up in the description. The price on this one starts at 1,300 bucks. All right, so let's get right into it.
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G GSMArena Official GSMArena Official · 2.1M subscribers · Mar 2026
The Galaxy S26 is here. And Samsung calls it innovation. >> But they've used the same recipe and it's in danger of coming off a bit bland. The good news is we also discovered a couple of improvements on the S26 that you won't find on a spec sheet. So, let's dig into our full review and see what it's all about. The Galaxy S26 is the lowest-tier model of the flagship series.
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S Samuel Nam Samuel Nam · 255K subscribers · Mar 2026
After using the S26 for 2 weeks straight as my daily, I love using a smaller One UI 8.5 device. But, I hate how Samsung have put so much R&D into their folding phones and ultra lineup, but gave little to no love to their base S26 line. Because it keeps selling and people keep buying them. They clearly know their target market for this base S26.
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S Samuel Nam Samuel Nam · 255K subscribers · Mar 2026
After using the S26 for 2 weeks straight as my daily, I love using a smaller One UI 8.5 device. But, I hate how Samsung have put so much R&D into their folding phones and ultra lineup, but gave little to no love to their base S26 line. Because it keeps selling and people keep buying them. They clearly know their target market for this base S26.
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S SamMobile SamMobile · 218K subscribers · Mar 2026
This is the base model Galaxy S26. What's actually wrong with it? Here is our review of the base S26 model.
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T Techmo Techmo · 124K subscribers · Mar 2026
I wanted to see if the new Galaxy S26 base  model can rival the iPhone 17 in real life.   I’m going to spend a full day with them in the  beautiful city of Vienna together with Maria to   test the battery life, camera, and performance.  I started the test by having both phones charged   to 100% in the morning and connected to the same  5G and WiFi
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R RoidTech RoidTech · 14.6K subscribers · Aug 2026
So finally, Samsung has started rolling out One UI 9 beta 5 update for the Samsung Galaxy S26 series. And you know that Samsung recently launched One UI 9 official update with the Galaxy Fold 8 and Flip 8. And Samsung has added amazing new features like the call brief, my fan cam, now brief custom cards, new Google search, interact with this finder as you can see just like this.
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E EpicDroid EpicDroid · 12.9K subscribers · Aug 2026
Hey everybody, it's Robert from Mobile 12 and expert droid.com and I'm here today with Poetic Spartan case for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. I've been working with Poetic for a really long time and I really like their cases. And the Poetic Spartan is probably my favorite case that they make.
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It ranks #4 (B tier) on our consolidated smartphones board, drawn from 128 cited sources across 92 outlets.

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