GoKawiilSamsung Galaxy S26 Ultra The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a powerful flagship that brings a little spark back to the venerable king of Android. Samsung's updated design and all-new Privacy Display are big wins for the hardware lovers, while One UI 8.5 adds new customization options and even more Galaxy AI features than ever before.
Just over a year ago, I sat here and declared the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to be a big, powerful phone that no longer felt special. Yes, it offered a big battery, flexible cameras, and a built-in S Pen, but so did the Galaxy S24 Ultra before it, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra before that, and… you get the picture. So, when leaks of the Galaxy S26 Ultra began to flow, showing off a big battery, flexible cameras, and yes, a built-in S Pen, I decided to exercise caution rather than excitement.
After all, I’ve been fooled by hope before. I’ve seen one flagship launch after another promise new levels of power and clever AI features that I’ll definitely actually use this time, only to find myself in the same usage patterns as before. But now that I’ve had the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra for a few weeks, I can confidently say it’s no mere clone of the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Is it special again? Maybe not quite yet, and there’s still more I’d like to see from the series in the future, but I know it’s a good enough iteration of Samsung’s ever-popular, super-premium flagship to keep its place in my pocket a while longer — here’s why.
A little personality (and some privacy) goes a long way
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Now, I don’t want to sit here and keep bashing the previous Galaxy S25 Ultra — that phone is done, settled, and complaining about it won’t do me any good. However, I do feel like it’s worth reminding you just how boring it was, at least from a design perspective. I described it as belonging as far as possible from our list of the best-looking smartphones, and I stand by it. There just wasn’t anything to get excited about from a slab of titanium and glass with a few cameras dotted on the back. Would it have killed Samsung to keep a curve around the frame or try a texture other than satin glass? I guess we’ll never know.
Anyway, back to the present. Make it make sense that I think the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s design is a breath of fresh air — or at least an open window in a stuffy room. It’s not a major overhaul, but it looks and feels just a little better because Samsung finally brought back the camera bump. Honestly, I think that’s all it took — breaking up the rear glass just a bit. The simple change has taken Samsung’s top-end flagship from being Apple’s generic point of comparison to one that looks like it belongs alongside the Galaxy Z TriFold (RIP). I have no reason to be this impressed by something so simple, but here we are.
Finally, Samsung gave us a little bit to look at.
Of course, the design updates aren’t all good news, because the Galaxy S26 Ultra remains massive. Seriously, I have no idea who can hold this phone comfortably in one hand. I mean, I didn’t think that Samsung was gearing up to offer a smaller Ultra a la Google with its Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL, but it actually made the Galaxy S26 Ultra even larger. It swelled to 163.3mm tall and 78.1mm wide, and has planted itself firmly in my two-handed camp. And, if you’ve read any of my past reviews, you know that I’d much rather be wrangling a smartphone with just one hand.
Thankfully, though, there’s at least one reason beyond size to use the Galaxy S26 Ultra with two hands: The S Pen. Yes, it’s back, along with the usual slate of buttons and the SIM tray spread around Samsung’s now-aluminum frame. This time, however, you’ll have to get used to inserting the S Pen correctly. After years of flexibility, the design team moved the built-in stylus a bit closer to the edge of the frame, giving it a slightly rounded cap that only fits in one direction. It’s not that big of a deal — the pen is small enough that you can twirl it in your hand to get the right orientation — but it feels like an odd choice to add when Samsung is mostly focused on removing features.
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