Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Expected differences
Slight design changes, faster charging, and an improved main image sensor could make the Galaxy S26 Ultra feel surprisingly different.
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The Galaxy Ultra series has always been Samsung’s ultimate showpiece — the one that blends power, camera prowess, and productivity in a single package. The current Galaxy S25 Ultra continues to hold that crown well into late 2025, but the next in line is fast approaching. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to debut around January 2026, and from what we’re hearing, it will be more of an evolution than a revolution — a refinement focused on efficiency, display technology, and camera fundamentals.
This preliminary comparison looks at how the Galaxy S26 Ultra might build upon the solid foundation of the S25 Ultra, and whether the expected upgrades — from a new camera sensor to a smarter OLED display and faster charging — will make it worth the wait.
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra expected differences:
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Larger 200MP sensor or wider f/1.4 lens for the main camera | 200MP main on a ~1/1.3" sensor (still very good) |
| Brighter, more efficient OLED display | Excellent 6.9" OLED |
| ~3,000-nits maximu brightness | ~2,600-nits |
| Display anti-reflection improvements | Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor |
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) with bigger GPU/NPU gains | Snapdragon 8 Elite (for Galaxy) already very fast; can throttle under extreme load |
| Potential 60W wired charging | 45W wired |
| Potential Qi2 magnetic wireless charging | 15W wireless; “Qi2-ready” without magnets |
| One UI 8/Android 16 with expanded Galaxy AI and 7-year support | One UI 7/Android 15; 7-year support already promised |
| Slightly slimmer body and possible return of a camera island | Flat-sided design with “floating” lens rings that collect lint |
Table of Contents:
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Design and Size
The Ultra may get slimmer and get a new look for the camera system
Samsung has been carefully sculpting the Ultra’s design over the years, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra finally introduced flat sides with subtly rounded corners — a look that’s sleek, serious, and reminiscent of the old Galaxy Note days. The Galaxy S26 Ultra isn’t expected to deviate far from that, though there are whispers of a slightly slimmer frame, around 0.4 mm thinner than before, while keeping the same hefty, titanium-style body.
The general layout of buttons, ports, and the S Pen silo should remain identical. Early rumors suggesting the stylus might disappear have since been debunked, and leaked CADs confirm it’s still there — though Samsung reportedly had to rework its internal layout to maintain Qi2 wireless charging readiness without magnetic interference from the pen’s digitizer.
The general layout of buttons, ports, and the S Pen silo should remain identical. Early rumors suggesting the stylus might disappear have since been debunked, and leaked CADs confirm it’s still there — though Samsung reportedly had to rework its internal layout to maintain Qi2 wireless charging readiness without magnetic interference from the pen’s digitizer.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Thickness Slightly thinner than S25 Ultra (around 0.4 mm) | Thickness 8.2 mm |
| Dimensions Around 162.8 x 77.6 mm | Dimensions 162.8 x 77.6 mm |
| Weight Around 218 grams | Weight 218 grams |
Color options are likely to stay within Samsung’s familiar palette of restrained, professional hues, so we can safely expect a black, silver, gray, and blue variants, alongside Samsung.com exclusives for those who want something a bit different.
One thing to keep note when getting one of those Samsung.com exclusive colors is that they often take longer to repair if you have Samsung Care Plus. That's because spare parts for those special models are not as mass-produced, which means some regions might have limited quantities, if at all.
Display Differences
Samsung’s displays have long been an industry benchmark, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel already impressed with excellent visibility and color accuracy. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to refine that formula, not reinvent it.
The screen size will stay roughly the same, but Samsung is reportedly switching to its new M14 OLED material stack with CoE (Color-on-Encapsulation) technology. This approach reduces internal reflections, lowers power consumption, and helps deliver higher peak brightness — up to 3,000 nits, compared to the S25 Ultra’s 2,600-nit ceiling. On top of that, the next Gorilla Armor layer is rumored to be even less reflective, improving outdoor visibility further.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Size 6.9" | Size 6.9" |
| Brightness 3000 nits (peak) | Brightness 2600 nits (peak) |
*Rumored/expected
Another interesting feature floating around the rumor mill is “Flex Magic Pixel”, a system that can subtly limit viewing angles to enhance privacy without dimming the screen. Early firmware leaks mention a “Privacy Display” toggle, suggesting the feature might be software-controlled if it ships.
Aside from that, you can expect the same sharp QHD+ resolution, buttery 1–120 Hz refresh rate, and vivid HDR output we’ve come to expect from the Ultra line. The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner should also remain as fast and accurate as before, with face recognition enabled by the front camera.
Aside from that, you can expect the same sharp QHD+ resolution, buttery 1–120 Hz refresh rate, and vivid HDR output we’ve come to expect from the Ultra line. The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner should also remain as fast and accurate as before, with face recognition enabled by the front camera.
Performance and Software
A new Snapdragon era, more AI smarts on board
Under the hood, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will almost certainly make the jump to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) chip. Built on a refined 3 nm process, it promises significant GPU and NPU gains (around 30% and 40% respectively) along with slightly faster CPU clocks compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite powering the S25 Ultra. On top of that, a new Adreno 840 GPU should bring better energy efficiency during graphic-intensive tasks.
Samsung is also expected to continue offering 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, potentially using a newer 1-gamma variant for higher speeds and lower power draw. Storage options should stay at 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB, with launch-day promos likely including a “free storage upgrade” for early buyers.
For most users, the performance leap from the S25 Ultra will be incremental in daily use.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) | Chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (for Galaxy) |
| Process 3nm | Process 3nm |
| RAM, Storage 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB 16/1TB nLPDDR5X RAM UFS 4.0 storage | RAM, Storage 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB 16/1TB LPDDR5X RAM UFS 4.0 storage |
On the software front, the S26 Ultra will debut with Android 16 and One UI 8, extending Samsung’s seven-year update promise all the way to 2033. We can also expect deeper integration with Google’s Gemini AI, as well as Samsung’s own generative tools like Live Translate, Note Assist, and AI-enhanced photo editing. Some rumors point to Samsung exploring partnerships with Perplexity AI, though Gemini remains the backbone of Galaxy AI for now.
Some reports claim that Samsung will be adding a new 5G modem, the Qualcomm X85. If so, we expect it to bring faster data transfers, better battery efficiency, and AI tuning. The exact specs in the reports state peak download speeds of 12.5 Gbps and upload speeds of 3.7 Gbps.
Camera
A familiar formula with a potentially game-changing main sensor
The Galaxy S25 Ultra brought modest camera changes, improving software tuning and toning down Samsung’s tendency to oversharpen the image. For the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the changes might finally come in the form of hardware.
According to the latest leaks, the main 200 MP sensor could be replaced by a larger 1/1.1-inch Sony sensor — or, alternatively, Samsung might retain its HP2 sensor but widen the aperture to f/1.4. Either path would significantly improve the ability to capture more light, which would result in an increased dynamic range and a shallower depth of field, giving photos a more natural bokeh without relying on portrait mode.
The rest of the setup is expected to remain the same: a 50 MP ultra-wide camera, a telephoto camera with 5x zoom, and likely a secondary zoom lens around 3x. Samsung’s color tuning will likely continue the “realistic” approach introduced with the S25 Ultra, favoring balanced tones over the overly vibrant look of older generations.
According to the latest leaks, the main 200 MP sensor could be replaced by a larger 1/1.1-inch Sony sensor — or, alternatively, Samsung might retain its HP2 sensor but widen the aperture to f/1.4. Either path would significantly improve the ability to capture more light, which would result in an increased dynamic range and a shallower depth of field, giving photos a more natural bokeh without relying on portrait mode.
The selfie camera is said to stay at 12 MP, with the long-rumored under-display version unlikely to appear this year.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Main 200 MP, f/1.7 (or f/1.4) 24 mm ~1/1.1" sensor size | Main 50 MP, f/1.7 24 mm 1/1.3" sensor size |
| Ultrawide 50 MP, f/1.9 13 mm 1/2.5" sensor size | Ultrawide 50 MP, f/1.9 13 mm 1/2.5" sensor size |
| 5x Telephoto 50 MP, f/3.4 5X zoom (111mm) 1/2.52" sensor size | 5x Telephoto 50 MP, f/3.4 5X zoom (111mm) 1/2.52" sensor size |
| 3x Telephoto 10 MP, f/2.4 3x zoom (67mm) 1/3.52" sensor size | 3x Telephoto 10 MP, f/2.4 3x zoom (67mm) 1/3.52" sensor size |
As for video, this might be where Samsung focuses most of its attention. With Apple still leading in cinematic recording and stabilization, we expect Samsung to close the gap through smarter HDR algorithms, improved mic audio, and refined exposure control.
Battery Life and Charging
Same capacity, possibly faster charging at last
Samsung’s conservative approach to batteries continues, and all signs point to another 5,000 mAh cell in the Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, even without an increase in capacity, efficiency gains from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the new OLED panel could result in slightly better battery life.
Battery life on the S25 Ultra was already solid, scoring eight hours in our custom benchmark. That's not class-leading, but reliable for a full day and then some. The S26 Ultra will likely follow suit, aiming for consistency rather than record-breaking runtime.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Battery size 5,000 mAh | Battery size 5,000 mAh |
Charging speeds 60W wired 15W wireless charging Possible Qi2 magnetic support USB-C 3.2 | Charging speeds 45W wired 15W wireless charging Supports Qi2 but not magnets USB-C 3.2 |
What may finally change are the charging speeds. For the first time in years, Samsung is rumored to upgrade its wired charging to 60 W, a welcome bump from the S25 Ultra’s 45 W cap. If true, the S26 Ultra could reach 50% charge in about 25 minutes, which would be noticeably faster than the roughly 35 minutes the S25 Ultra needs to hit the same mark.
Wireless charging will likely remain at 15 W, but this time with full Qi2 magnetic compatibility if Samsung’s engineers successfully isolate the S Pen digitizer from magnetic interference.
Wireless charging will likely remain at 15 W, but this time with full Qi2 magnetic compatibility if Samsung’s engineers successfully isolate the S Pen digitizer from magnetic interference.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick overview of the expected Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra specs:
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.1 mm, 218 g | Size, weight 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm, 218 g |
| Screen 6.9" OLED 120Hz | Screen 6.9" OLED 120Hz |
| Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) 3nm | Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite (for Galaxy) 3nm |
| Versions: 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB 16/1TB nLPDDR5X | Versions: 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB 16/1TB LPDDR5X |
| Cameras: 200MP main 50MP ultrawide 50MP 5X zoom 10MP 3X zoom 12MP front | Cameras: 200MP main 50MP ultrawide 50MP 5X zoom 10MP 3X zoom 12MP front |
| Battery: 5,000 mAh | Battery: 5,000 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 60W wired 15W wireless | Charging: USB-C 450W wired 15W wireless |
*Rumored/expected
Summary
If the leaks and early reports hold true, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be yet another careful refinement of Samsung’s powerhouse model, and not a dramatic overhaul. The biggest upgrade will likely come from the camera, which is expected to deliver a higher quality image thanks to a larger sensor or wider aperture. The display could also make headlines with its new OLED materials.
Performance will see its usual generational gains, and faster 60 W charging would finally address one of the few lingering complaints about the Ultra series. That said, the overall experience will likely feel very familiar to current S25 Ultra owners.
Pricing is expected to stay unchanged, around the $1,200 mark, with Samsung offering the usual enhanced trade-ins and storage upgrade promos. The official reveal should land in January 2026, though some reports hint at pre-orders opening as early as December 2025.
In short, if you already own a Galaxy S25 Ultra, you may not feel compelled to rush for an upgrade. But if you’re still holding onto an older Ultra or simply want the most refined Android flagship Samsung can make, the Galaxy S26 Ultra might offer some interesting perks that would make you buy it.
Performance will see its usual generational gains, and faster 60 W charging would finally address one of the few lingering complaints about the Ultra series. That said, the overall experience will likely feel very familiar to current S25 Ultra owners.
Pricing is expected to stay unchanged, around the $1,200 mark, with Samsung offering the usual enhanced trade-ins and storage upgrade promos. The official reveal should land in January 2026, though some reports hint at pre-orders opening as early as December 2025.
In short, if you already own a Galaxy S25 Ultra, you may not feel compelled to rush for an upgrade. But if you’re still holding onto an older Ultra or simply want the most refined Android flagship Samsung can make, the Galaxy S26 Ultra might offer some interesting perks that would make you buy it.
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