The Galaxy S26 Ultra is pronounced DOA by thousands already: should we expect a flop?

Galaxy S26 Ultra: the next best thing! Or is that so?

We conducted several PhoneArena polls and the results swung in one direction. A direction that could make some Samsung executives frown, since thousands of respondents made it clear they’re largely unimpressed.

Which feature is the best?

Naturally, the Ultra model draws the most attention each year – that's because of the advanced cameras, the largest battery, the best display tech, the most advanced chipset… and everything in between.

As it turns out, however, the Galaxy S26 Ultra simply fails to impress you and there isn't a single feature that draws your attention.



A staggering majority of respondents, 54.02%, said none of the rumored upgrades matter to them, pointing to widespread disappointment with Samsung's current approach. Faster 60W charging ranked highest among the listed features, but still attracted below 15% of the total vote.

The new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip followed at 12%, while Qi2 charging and magnetic accessories drew 10.34%. Satellite connectivity and the redesigned look barely registered, with under 7% and under 3%, respectively.

It's clear that incremental upgrades are no longer enough to impress users who expect more meaningful changes from the upcoming Ultra.

The rumored battery stagnation and the eventual camera downgrade shocked me, too.

AI isn't that popular, too

Then, we conducted a poll about on-device AI. This feature alone is unlikely to convince most readers to upgrade to the Galaxy S26 family.



Nearly half of respondents, ~47%, said AI is overhyped and not a strong enough reason to buy a new phone. Another ~31% said they would only consider upgrading if the AI features are genuinely useful in everyday tasks. A sizable ~23% went even further, saying no amount of AI can make up for weak or missing hardware upgrades.

Again: the results suggest skepticism toward AI-heavy marketing and reinforce the idea that meaningful hardware improvements still matter most.

And, no matter the software gimmicks that Samsung pulls to prolong the battery life, the fact is that a flagship with 5,000 mAh in 2026 can't outdo Chinese rivals with 7,000 mAh batteries.

Once again: few are impressed with the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Another poll clearly spells is out – enthusiasm for the Galaxy S26 Ultra is limited.



Nearly half of respondents, just under 50%, said none of the announced features are enough to convince them to buy the phone. About 30% were already planning to get it and now feel even more excited, while only 12% said the new features have swayed them to choose it over their original 2026 pick. A smaller segment indicated they aren't upgrading soon or aren't Galaxy users at all.

As I see it, only loyal fans remain engaged, but the majority of potential buyers are unimpressed with the current upgrades.

OK, but what to get?

Look, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be a fine phone by any means – it's just that it'll be hard for me to recommend it, given Samsung's unwillingness to introduce real, substantial upgrades.

After all, the Ultra is among the priciest phones one can get. Even if it keeps its predecessors' price, it'll start at $1,300, which is a lot. If the company introduces price hikes, the Ultra model would be even harder to recommend.

For the record, I'd still advise anyone looking for a high-end Galaxy to get the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Sure, it'll soon be two years old (which is ancient by flagship standards), but this beast sees some amazing discounts right now and it's super capable. You've got the 7-year support promise by Samsung, too!

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