Samsung doesn’t really do surprises. Every year, like clockwork, we get a new batch of Galaxy S phones, and 2026 is no different. The rumors about a lineup shakeup turned out to be just that—rumors. So here we are with the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and the big daddy, the S26 Ultra.
The Ultra starts at a wallet-crushing $1,300. That’s more than a decent laptop. But apparently, that’s where the money is. Samsung sells more of these than the cheaper models combined, which tells you something about the market for premium smartphones. You can get a perfectly good phone for a third of that price, but the Ultra isn’t for people looking for a “good enough” experience.
It’s huge, it’s fast, and it’s absolutely stuffed with features. But here’s the thing: a lot of those features are AI-powered, and if you’re not on board with the whole mobile AI wave, the S26 Ultra might feel like overkill. Samsung has gone all-in on on-device AI processing—translation, photo editing, summarization, you name it. The hardware handles it well, but the question is whether you actually need any of it.
The Hardware Story
The design is iterative. Glass sandwich, metal frame, a camera bump that’s somehow even bigger than last year’s. The screen is gorgeous—Samsung always nails that part. 120Hz LTPO panel, insane brightness, HDR that actually pops. The S Pen slot is still there, though I wonder how many people actually use it beyond the first week.
Under the hood, you get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (or Exynos, depending on where you live—Samsung still can’t quit that split), paired with 12GB of RAM as standard. Performance is buttery smooth, no surprises there. The battery life is solid, easily getting through a full day of heavy use.
The AI Overlay
Samsung’s approach to AI feels like they took a shotgun to the feature list. There’s AI in the camera, AI in the gallery, AI in the keyboard, AI in the browser, AI in the voice recorder. Some of it is genuinely useful—real-time translation during calls works surprisingly well. The photo editing tools can remove objects without looking like a bad Photoshop job. But a lot of it feels like features added just to check a box.
Here’s my take: the AI is good, but it’s not a reason to buy this phone. If you’re upgrading from an S23 or S24, you’ll notice the speed bump and the better camera, but the AI stuff won’t change how you use your phone day to day. If you’re coming from an older phone, the AI might be a nice bonus, but it’s not the killer feature Samsung wants you to think it is.
The Camera
The camera system is absurd. 200MP main sensor, two telephoto lenses (3x and 5x optical), an ultrawide, and a laser autofocus system that locks on faster than I can blink. The photos are excellent in good light, and surprisingly usable in low light. Samsung’s processing has come a long way from the oversharpened mess of a few years ago.
But here’s the thing: the iPhone 17 Pro and Pixel 10 take photos that are just as good, sometimes better, for less money. The Ultra’s camera advantage is in versatility—that 5x optical zoom is genuinely useful for travel and sports. But unless you’re a zoom junkie, you’re paying for hardware you might not fully use.
The Price Problem
$1,300 is a lot. Even for a phone that will get seven years of updates and has more features than you can shake a stick at. Samsung is betting that people will keep paying more for the “best” Android phone, even as component prices rise and other manufacturers pull back on premium models.
I think that bet will pay off for Samsung, but I’m not sure it’s the right choice for most buyers. The S26 Plus gives you 90% of the experience for $300 less. And if you don’t care about the S Pen or the zoom camera, the regular S26 is even more sensible.
The Verdict
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is an impressive piece of hardware. It’s fast, well-built, and has a camera that can do almost anything. But it’s also expensive and loaded with AI features that feel more like a roadmap for the future than something you need right now.
If you have the money and want the best Android phone money can buy, this is it. But if you’re looking for value, look elsewhere. Samsung has made a great phone for a niche that’s willing to pay a premium, and that’s fine. Just know what you’re getting into.
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