Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra picks up right where last year’s S25 Ultra left off as the 2026 Ultra flagship, embracing an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy, polishing the proven formula with steady, year-over-year improvements since the S22 Ultra era.
Both have the same 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, so screen size and sharpness stay the same. The materials differ though: the S25 Ultra uses a titanium frame and Gorilla Glass Armor 2, while the S26 Ultra switches to Armor Aluminum with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and a more rounded body design. It also adds a Privacy Display feature that limits side viewing angles, working like a built-in privacy filter for use in public spaces.
Under the hood, both devices are in flagship territory, but the S26 Ultra leans further into AI. The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs on a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy that is more than capable for gaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking. The Galaxy S26 Ultra upgrades this to a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 “again for Galaxy”, bringing better efficiency, stronger GPU performance, and a more powerful NPU that’s designed to handle on‑device AI workloads. RAM and storage options are familiar up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage depending on the variant so the main performance story isn’t about raw speed jumps, but about how much smarter and more efficient the newer chip is when running Samsung’s growing list of AI features.
The camera setup tells a similar story of refinement rather than overhaul. Both phones use a 200MP main camera, flanked by a 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x telephoto, and a 12MP selfie shooter, so the basic layout and versatility stay the same. The S26 Ultra, however, tweaks the main camera with a wider aperture (from f/1.7 to f/1.4) to let in more light, which should help with brighter, cleaner shots in low‑light scenes and indoor environments. On top of that, Samsung layers in upgraded AI‑powered zoom and a more capable Photo Assist system on the S26 Ultra, letting you apply more advanced, natural‑language edits and refinements directly from the gallery without offloading to a PC.
Battery capacity is unchanged at 5,000mAh on both the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra, but charging speeds and thermals are where the newer model pulls ahead. The Galaxy S25 Ultra supports up to 45W wired Super Fast Charging, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra bumps this to 60W Super Fast Charging 3.0, cutting down charging times when you need a quick top‑up before heading out. Wireless charging remains supported on both, with the S26 Ultra also benefiting from a redesigned cooling system with a larger vapor chamber. This improved thermal management is meant to keep performance more stable during extended gaming, 4K video recording, or long camera sessions.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is now running Android 16 with One UI 8, after its update from the original Android 15 and One UI 7 it came with. The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts with Android 16 and One UI 8.5, including better photo editing tools and AI features built into the camera, photo gallery, and other apps.
Both phones include Galaxy AI options like Circle to Search (draw a circle around something on screen to look it up) and ways to remove background noise from videos or edit photos easily. The S26 Ultra adds more detailed privacy options and uses AI in more places throughout the phone.
Samsung promises years of free software and security updates for both, but the S26 Ultra will get the latest AI updates first.
In the Philippines, the Galaxy S25 Ultra launched in 2025 with an SRP of ₱84,990 for the 256GB variant, ₱93,990 for 512GB, and ₱110,990 for the 1TB model. The Galaxy S26 Ultra follows in 2026 with slightly higher pricing: ₱86,990 for 12GB + 256GB, ₱100,990 for 12GB + 512GB, and ₱121,990 for the top‑end 16GB + 1TB configuration.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Advantages
- Faster charging at 60W Super Fast Charging 3.0. (vs 45W on S25 Ultra).
- Privacy Display Technology
- Wider aperture on main camera (e.g., f/1.4 vs f/1.7) for better low-light shots.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Advantages
- Titanium frame (vs Armor Aluminum on S26 Ultra) for potentially better premium feel and durability.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra specs:
6.9-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
120Hz Dynamic refresh rate
Gorilla Glass Armor (front)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC
12GB RAM
256GB, 512GB, 1TB storage
Quad-rear cameras:
• 200MP Phase Detection F1.7 (wide)
• 50MP Dual Pixel F2.0 (ultrawide)
• 50MP Dual Pixel F3.4 (5x tele, 100x Space Zoom)
• 10MP Dual Pixel F2.4 (3x tele)
12MP Dual Pixel F2.2 front camera
Dual-SIM
5G, 4G LTE
WiFi 7
Bluetooth 5.3
NFC
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo
USB Type-C
Fingerprint scanner (in-display)
Face Unlock
AKG Stereo Speakers
IP68 water and dust resistance
S-Pen
OneUI 7 (Android 15) with 7-year OS support
5,000mAh Li-Ion battery w/ 45W fast charging, 25W wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
77.6 x 162.8 x 8.2mm (dimensions)
219 grams (weight)
Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Blue, Titanium Silver
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs:
6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
120Hz Dynamic refresh rate
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
12GB,16GB RAM
256GB, 512GB, 1TB Storage
Quad Rear Cameras:
200MP main
50MP ultrawide
10MP telephoto 3x optical zoom
50MP telephoto 5x optical zoom
12MP front camera
5,000mAh battery
Super Fast Charging 3.0 (60W)
Super Fast Wireless Charging
Wireless PowerShare
S-Pen
78.1 x 163.6 x 7.9mm
214g
Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold
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