As much as the Galaxy S26 Ultra annoys me, one camera feature keeps me coming back

Megan Ellis / Android Authority

I feel like all I’ve done lately is complain about the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — from its low PWM dimming rate to its high price tag. This might lead some to think I don’t see any redeeming factors in the device.

However, that’s not true. Not only does the S26 Ultra have some great features, but one of them has become part of my essential smartphone photography rotation: its 5x optical zoom.

How much does optical zoom matter to you when it comes to a smartphone's camera? 16 votes It doesn't matter at all. 0 % I want some flexibility when it comes to optical zoom. 38 % It matters a lot. 63 %

There’s a lot I don’t love about the S26 Ultra

Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority

Don’t get me wrong, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a great phone — but it’s also a symbol of the flagship stagnation that we’ve been seeing with some brands sold in Western markets. Despite the $1,300 price tag, the device isn’t really an example of hardware innovation.

It still carries a 5,000mAh battery — the same capacity as the S20 Ultra launched back in 2020. Samsung does use some software tricks to make this battery go further, but a capacity upgrade is long overdue. Though the S26 Ultra did get a boost to 60W wired charging, it’s still lagging behind competitors like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, which supports 90W PPS charging.

The S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display is at least something that makes the device stand out from others. At the same time, its use cases are relatively limited. Some users have also reported eye strain from the S26 Ultra screen. Overall, though, it definitely needs refinement. I enabled the feature for specific notifications, and it keeps them so private that I can’t even see them when the phone is sitting directly in front of me.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is a good phone, but so is the Galaxy S25 Ultra. And the slight changes between generations make it difficult to really motivate an upgrade with its price tag. But even with all that being true, the 5x telephoto camera keeps me coming back.

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