Samsung's Ultra line has always been about excess — more megapixels, more zoom, more features than any reasonable person needs. The Galaxy S26 Ultra continues that tradition, but this year Samsung has done something remarkable: it's made all that excess feel genuinely useful. After four weeks of daily use, including extensive camera testing across multiple environments, here is our comprehensive review.

Design & Build: Titanium Refinement

The S26 Ultra is a large phone — 6.9 inches, 218g — but Samsung's flat display design and titanium frame make it feel more manageable than its dimensions suggest. The titanium frame is lighter and stronger than the aluminium used in previous generations, and the matte glass back resists fingerprints better than the glossy finish of the S25 Ultra.

The integrated S Pen slot remains unique in the flagship market. The S Pen itself has been upgraded with 2.8ms latency — imperceptibly fast for handwriting and drawing — and AI-powered handwriting recognition that converts notes to formatted text in real time. Samsung Notes has been redesigned to take advantage of these capabilities, making the S26 Ultra a genuinely useful productivity tool for users who prefer writing to typing.

Display: The Brightest Smartphone Screen Available

The 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 2600×1200 resolution, 2,600 nits peak brightness, and Vision Booster technology is the brightest smartphone display available — genuinely usable in direct Australian sunlight, where most phones become difficult to read. The 1–120Hz adaptive refresh rate conserves battery during static content while delivering smooth scrolling and gaming.

Colour accuracy is excellent — the display covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour space with factory calibration — and the anti-reflective coating reduces glare significantly compared to the S25 Ultra. For content consumption, this is the best display on any smartphone.

Camera: 200MP and Galaxy AI

The camera system is extraordinary. The 200MP main sensor with Adaptive Pixel technology bins pixels for low-light shooting while preserving full resolution for daylight shots. The 50MP 5x periscope telephoto and 50MP ultrawide complete a system that covers every focal length with consistent quality. In our DxOMark-style testing, the S26 Ultra scored highest of any Android phone we've tested this year.

Galaxy AI's photo features are the most capable AI camera tools on any Android phone. Generative Edit removes objects and replaces backgrounds with AI-generated content that is indistinguishable from the original. Instant Slow-mo converts standard 30fps video to 120fps slow motion using AI frame interpolation. ProVisual Engine processes RAW files in real time, applying computational photography techniques that previously required desktop software.

The one area where the Pixel 10 Pro still leads: low-light photography. Google's Night Sight algorithm produces cleaner results at very low light levels. For everything else — zoom, video, AI features — the S26 Ultra is the best Android camera available.

Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite 2

The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 delivers performance that matches the A19 Pro in most benchmarks. In Geekbench 6 multi-core, it scores 8,200 — within 5% of the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The 12GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking, and Samsung's DeX mode — which turns the phone into a desktop when connected to a monitor — is more capable than ever with Galaxy AI integration.

Gaming performance is exceptional. The Adreno 840 GPU handles demanding titles at maximum settings with consistent frame rates. Samsung's Game Booster feature optimises performance and thermal management for gaming sessions, preventing the throttling that affects some competing devices.

Battery & Charging

The 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired and 15W wireless charging delivers a full day of heavy use. In our testing — a mix of camera use, social media, video streaming, and productivity — we consistently got 6–7 hours of screen-on time. Samsung's Adaptive Power Saving intelligently manages background processes, extending battery life by up to 20% compared to the S25 Ultra.

The 45W wired charging fills the battery from 0 to 65% in 30 minutes — fast, but not as fast as OnePlus's 100W charging. Wireless charging at 15W is slower than the 25W offered by some competitors. For most users, the battery life is sufficient for a full day without needing to charge during the day.

The Verdict

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the best Android phone available in 2026. Its camera system is unmatched for versatility, its S Pen integration is unique, and Galaxy AI features are genuinely useful rather than gimmicky. At $1,299, it's the most expensive Android phone Samsung has ever made — and worth every cent for power users who want the best Android experience available.

Sources & Further Reading