Samsung has introduced three new S26 handsets at the first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year: the S26, the S26 Plus and the uber premium S26 Ultra. The S26 Ultra continues the company's tradition of Ultra handsets that offer top-of-the-line features that are lacking from the rest of their respective series. And this year, the Ultra's Privacy Display is the clear highlight feature, allowing you to customize how visible your phone is to others around you.
Aside from that, the S26 Ultra's other improvements are somewhat marginal. Yes, it's now made out of aluminum, the screen is a touch bigger, a 16GB RAM option is available, the processor is improved and the charging speeds are faster, but the rest of the S26 Ultra's features are similar to that of the S25 Ultra and the S24 Ultra. Even the price remains the same at $1,300.
Here is how the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra compares with the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the S24 Ultra.
Watch this: First Look at the Galaxy S26 Ultra: Camera, Battery and AI Updates 02:56
Design and display
The Galaxy S26 Ultra only has a marginally larger screen compared to the S25 Ultra and the S24 Ultra. Both the S24 Ultra and the S25 Ultra have 6.8-inch AMOLED screens with 3,120 by 1,440 pixel resolution, while the new S26 Ultra has a 6.9-inch AMOLED display also with a 3,120 by 1,440 pixel resolution. All three screens have a 1 to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
But it's the pixel-level Privacy Display that's particularly impressive with the S26 Ultra. When activated, the display will remain visible when looking directly at the phone while making it difficult to impossible to see what's on screen from the side. In addition to letting you turn the feature on and off for different apps, you can even have the Privacy Display activate exclusively for notifications while keeping the rest of the screen plainly visible.
The S26 Ultra's screen uses Gorilla Glass Armor 2 cover glass, while the S25 Ultra and the S24 Ultra both use Gorilla Glass Armor. Gorilla Glass Armor 2 is said to be more scratch and drop resistant compared to its earlier version.
Size-wise, the S26 Ultra is a touch bigger but also a touch thinner compared to its predecessors. CNET Senior Reporter Abrar Al-Heeti describes the new design as feeling thinner and lighter than prior Ultra phones during her hands-on time. It measures 6.44 by 3.07 by 0.31 inches, while the S25 Ultra's dimensions are 6.41 by 3.06 by 0.32 inches and the S24 Ultra measures 6.4 by 3.11 by 0.34 inches. Also, the S26 Ultra has an aluminum frame. That's a departure from the titanium frame found on both the S25 Ultra and the S24 Ultra.
The cameras on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Celso Bulgatti/CNET
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