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Another Galaxy S26 Ultra just got unboxed early. | Image by Sam Zone
A tech YouTuber recently caused a stir in the industry when he managed to get his hands on a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra ahead of launch. Though Samsung has made him take down most of the pictures and clips, especially those showing off the new privacy display, another reviewer has taken up the mantle.
Hailing from Bangladesh, this YouTube channel has managed to get ahold of the Galaxy S26 Ultra before launch. A detailed review has gone up on the channel, though half of the video is a short action film. Hey, as long as we get to see the phone in the end, right?
This is the Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra gets shown off before launch. | Images by Sam Zone
And there it is, the Galaxy S26 Ultra that will be officially announced tomorrow and be available for purchase in a handful of weeks. The Galaxy S26 Ultra looks more modern than I had initially anticipated after the renders leaked. That camera bump on the back is a lot more elegantly designed than even official renders made it seem.
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According to the review, contrary to popular belief, the Galaxy S26 Ultra actually still has a titanium frame. Many early reports had claimed that Samsung was ditching titanium for an aluminum frame after Apple did the same with the iPhone 17 Pro last year.
The phone is ever so slightly lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra — 214 grams compared to 218 grams — and measures in at 7.9 mm compared to its predecessor's 8.2 mm. It is also powered by the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. All of the other specifications match what we’ve known from earlier leaks for a long time, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra camera improvements, the 60W charging, and the 5,000 mAh battery.
Of course, the star of the show is the new privacy display: a hardware-level implementation that gives you the option to make the screen appear dark for anyone trying to glance at it. The privacy display looks just as cool as expected and further solidifies my belief that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a fun phone in an industry full of slightly boring ones.
Privacy display in action alongside some of its settings. | Images by Sam Zone
However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Apparently, there are a few problems with the Galaxy S26 Ultra as well, and it’s not clear whether these can be fixed with software updates down the road.
Heating problems
The Galaxy S26 Ultra ran into some performance and heating issues. | Image by Sam Zone
The Galaxy S26 Ultra runs a bit hot when you’re using the camera and even when simply watching videos, according to the review.
It doesn’t seem to be a dealbreaker, but it is a bit odd to see a Snapdragon Galaxy flagship running into trouble managing its heat dissipation. This was an issue that people usually associated with Exynos phones instead. The base model and the Galaxy S26 Plus are likely going to be running the 2 nm Exynos 2600 in most regions, and it remains to be seen whether those models will also get hot.
Reserve your Galaxy S26 at the official store
Samsung has launched its much-awaited Galaxy S26 reservations. Pre-securing a unit straight away gives you a $30 Samsung credit, a chance to win a $5,000 sweepstake, and pre-order savings of up to $900.
In addition, the Galaxy S26 Ultra shown off in the video was also having problems with the WiFi connection, which makes me think that it’s most definitely an issue with the software for now. After the official launch, Samsung will most likely release an update that fixes most of these problems.
Will you wait before buying the S26 Ultra after hearing this?
Samsung won’t be happy
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra alongside the Galaxy S25 Ultra. | Image by Sam Zone
This is the second major Galaxy S26 Ultra leak in the last few days. Apparently, there is a supplier that has been shipping Galaxy S26 Ultra models meant for the African market to other vendors in certain regions.
All of the pictures, videos, photo samples, and reviews are already out on the internet now. There’s only so many takedown notices that Samsung can issue. And, honestly, would the company even bother anymore when there’s less than a day left until the official reveal?
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Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.
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