The way the Galaxy S27 Ultra looks in this early leak is making me question reality. Has somebody dropped a nuke and was there a fallout? Because, to what else, if not radioactive dust, can the alleged Galaxy S27 Ultra design be attributed?
Just take a look at the thing:
The Galaxy S27 Ultra dummy unit is so odd. | Image by Android Headlines.
Is that what a OnePlus 16 looks like when mixed with the iPhone 18 Pro by a hungover AI?! The Galaxy S27 Ultra dummy inhibits the camera alignment and position of the OnePlus, while the camera plateau itself screams iPhone.
I usually don't care but…
I often say that I don't care what a phone looks like. That, however, comes with a fat asterisk. I don't care that much when a phone comes with an original, exclusive design. I'm not a fan of brands getting lazy and ripping off fellow OEMs. For example, I don't like how the Galaxy S Ultra lost its boxy, sharp and boxy edges (think of the Galaxy S24 Ultra) for the rounded corners of the iPhone. Or the Pixel. Or… almost any flagship these days.
I've never ever bought a phone simply for its looks, but I know there are people out there who value design above everything else. And that's fine. But will people look at the Galaxy S27 Ultra—if the above rumored design holds true—and go, "Ahhhhhh! It's so beautiful, so special"?
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I'd say no, but only time will tell.
In the meantime, let me tell you what would make me excuse this inexcusable design.
Feature #1: A big battery!
That's a pipe dream alright, but I dream of a 7,000 mAh battery.
The Galaxy S Ultra phone is a large handset, there's plenty of space. For seven consecutive years, Samsung has installed the same 5,000 mAh capacity cell in its flagships. Yes, even the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a 5,000 mAh cell in 2026. That's great, but we all have the internet and we see how other brands are experimenting with 15,000 mAh cells already.
Okay, if I tone down my wild imagination, I'd accept a 6,000 mAh cell on the Galaxy S27 Ultra and call it a big improvement.
That, however, probably won't happen and we might get a 5,500–5,700 mAh battery per the latest rumors. Sorry, that doesn't fly.
Feature #2: Fast charging
You know what goes great with a large battery? Ultra-fast charging. Something all phones calling themselves "Ultra" (or "Pro Max", for that matter) should offer to their owners.
There are phones out there that support 200W charging speeds, but I'd argue that the golden number is actually 100W. Even if you're under 10%, you plug your phone in and by the time you're done with your shower and morning routine, you'll be at 80%, for example.
Again, in reality, the Galaxy S27 Ultra will likely retain the 65 W charging speed of its predecessor. 65W is way better than the previous 45W, but it's still slow for 2027 flagship standards.
Feature #3: A serious telephoto
The S26 Ultra for reference. | Image by PhoneArena
Something super important. The current Galaxy S26 Ultra offers a 1/3.94-inch sensor for its 3x telephoto and a 1/2.52-inch one for its 5x telephoto camera.
Both sensors are painfully small for a $1,400 device. The ideal variant would be Samsung to ditch both cameras and to come up with a single 4x telephoto with a much bigger sensor.
We've been hearing some rumors about exactly that; let's hope at least one of my three Galaxy S27 Ultra dreams comes to life.
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Sebastian is one of PhoneArena’s senior opinionators. A veteran news writer with almost 20 years of experience in media and technology, he not only covers all the hot news about Galaxies and iPhones, but often provides hot takes on industry trends. He’s fascinated with camera-focused flagships from the likes of Oppo and Vivo, as well as foldable phones.
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