Why I don't want the Galaxy S26 Ultra

In just a month or so, we expect to get a first official glimpse at the new Galaxy S26 series. And while all eyes are on the Galaxy S26 Ultra as the spec monster, the zoom king, the phone that does everything, I’m more focused on a different device.

After years of using Samsung flagships, I’ve finally accepted this simple truth: I don’t need Samsung’s most expensive phone. Also, I’m kind of sick of Samsung pulling off an Apple every year with minimal upgrades. A little rage and a lot of practicality have now led me to a happy place: Samsung’s most balanced phone that it almost killed.

Price and value-for-money

Let’s start with the elephant in the room — the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s price. As all the previous Samsung flagships, the new Ultra will likely cost you $1,300, which is a whopping $300 on top of the Galaxy S26 Plus model.

And for what? A 5X telephoto camera that you will barely use? A 2% bigger battery? Roughly the same screen size?

The fact is that the Plus version has everything except for a few niche features. The Plus undercuts the Ultra in price by a huge margin, all while delivering 90% of the day-to-day experience.

Ergonomics, size, and pocketability

Apart from the unjustified price difference, another hidden advantage of the S26 Plus over the Ultra is its way more sensible size (all while keeping the display almost as big).

The current Galaxy S25 Plus weighs just 190 grams! That is less than some compact phones, including the latest Pixels and iPhones. It’s 15% lighter than its Ultra sibling and it’s also impressively thin at just 7.3mm, compared to the 8.2mm thickness of the Ultra.

Using the iPhone Air for a few months has really opened my eyes up to the importance of portability and ergonomics in daily use. And honestly, I’m a bit tired of excessively big and heavy phones.

The Plus model strikes that perfect balance, being thinner, narrower and shorter. And I expect a similar size and weight difference in the S26 series.

Battery and S Pen tradeoffs

The Ultra historically integrates an S Pen, which in my opinion remains such a tremendous waste of space on a flagship! I’ve ranted multiple times against it. I’m sure some people love it, but I’m also quite convinced that those people are a vocal minority, and the rest of us should have the option to pick an Ultra without an S Pen.

It’s simple physics — not having an S Pen on the Plus model allows it to be way more efficient with its parts.

And yes, that is exactly why the Plus has roughly the same battery size as the Ultra (4,900 mAh vs 5,000 mAh), while being much thinner and lighter.

The only "Plus" flagship

It’s also pretty remarkable how Samsung is shaping to be the only company to offer a sub-premium flagship with a big screen in 2026.

Both Apple and Google are doing their best to push customers towards its Pro XL or Pro Max phones, aka the most expensive devices.

There used to be an iPhone Plus at a lower price point, but with the iPhone 17 series the company killed it. The only way to get a big screen flagship is to pay the full price of a premium flagship. You can get a cheaper Pro phone with Google and Apple, but those cheaper phones will also be small phones.

Not Samsung — it’s keeping the Plus model, a big-screen flagship phone at a reasonable price. I think that goes underappreciated.

Consider that common $100 discounts on the Plus model, and it’s one of the best value flagships around.

The lack of compromise

While other sub-premium flagships often make some bigger compromises, the S Plus flagships have very little compromise in them:

• They have a telephoto camera (the iPhone Plus models did not have that)
• They start at 256GB storage (even the more expensive Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at 128GB)
• They have the same high brightness as the Ultra
• They have fast charging (again missing at that speed on Pixel rivals)
• They have better thermals (thanks to larger size)
• They arguably have better speakers (again, a size benefit)

The stumbling block

There is one compromise, however, that I feel has to be mentioned. The 3X telephoto camera on Samsung phones is decidedly mediocre and very much due for upgrade.

A bigger sensor would be much appreciated here as Samsung has used this very sensor for years, while others have advanced.

Some rumors claim that upgrade is indeed happening in 2026, while others suggest that Samsung might once again play it safe with this mediocre 3X tele camera.

What do you think about the S26 Plus? Is this the low-key value flagship you are looking for too?