Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review: No Snooping Around This One!

Samsung’s flagship Ultra series has always been about excess. More cameras, more power, more screen real estate, etc. The Galaxy S26 Ultra continues that tradition with gusto, arriving as the most comprehensively equipped Android smartphone you can buy right now. At ₹139,999, it demands a serious commitment, but for those who want the absolute pinnacle of what Android can offer, this phone makes a compelling case for itself. The headline addition this year is a world-first built-in privacy display, but there’s plenty more under the hood worth talking about, despite the fact that hardware-wise, not much has changed, and the triple camera set-up remains the same as the previous two generations.

Design

The S26 Ultra marks a design pivot for Samsung. Gone are the sharp, angular edges that gave previous Ultra models their distinctive monolithic character, replaced here with softer, more rounded corners that bring it visually closer to the rest of the S26 family. The result is a phone that looks more refined but perhaps less boldly individual than its predecessors.

Another notable change is the shift from titanium to aluminium for the frame. It still looks premium and sits comfortably in the hand, but titanium’s exceptional hardness makes it more resistant to everyday scuffs and marks. The aluminium frame, while lighter and arguably more elegant, is softer and will show wear more readily over time. The phone has also shed 4 gms compared to the previous generation and gained a slight reduction in thickness, though the rear camera module continues to protrude quite dramatically from the back.

At 214g and 163.6 x 78.1mm, this is undeniably a large phone. Two-handed use is essentially mandatory for most tasks, and smaller-handed users may find it unwieldy. The integrated S Pen stylus that’s tucked neatly into the base continues to justify its place, proving genuinely useful for note-taking, sketching, and form-filling rather than existing as a mere novelty. Build quality is rounded out by IP68 water resistance, which is exactly what you’d expect at this price point.

Display

The 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is, frankly, stunning. Running at a fluid 120Hz with a peak density of 500ppi, it delivers the kind of sharp, vibrant, and responsive visual experience that makes watching video or gaming an absolute pleasure. Brightness is exceptional, making outdoor viewing in Mumbai’s harsh summer sun genuinely manageable.

The standout feature, though, is the display’s integrated privacy mode, a genuine first for smartphones. Most privacy screens on laptops require an additional physical film to narrow viewing angles; Samsung has baked this capability directly into the panel. It can be toggled on via quick settings, comes in two intensity levels, and can be set to activate automatically for sensitive tasks like banking apps or PIN entry. You can even apply it exclusively to notifications while leaving the rest of the screen fully visible. This is something an aftermarket privacy protector can’t offer.

At its lowest setting, it already makes reading from an angle remarkably difficult. It won’t stop someone peering directly over your shoulder, but it eliminates casual snooping almost entirely. But not all is peachy here. Privacy Display leads to a very visible drop in resolution as well as brightness on the screen, severely hindering the overall experience.

Performance

The S26 Ultra runs on a custom variant of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and performance is simply beyond reproach. Apps open instantly, multitasking is seamless, and demanding games run without a hint of compromise. Whether you’re editing video, running multiple apps simultaneously, or pushing graphically intensive titles, this chip handles it all with composure. The AI modules work like a powerhouse, changing images and backgrounds now works like a breeze.

Camera

Photography is where the S26 Ultra has long set itself apart, and this year the story is one of meaningful refinement rather than wholesale reinvention. The four-camera array, which includes a 200MP main, a 50MP ultrawide, a 10MP 3x telephoto, and a 50MP 5x telephoto, gives it more versatility than almost any rival. Samsung has upgraded the optics on the main and 5x telephoto cameras, allowing significantly more light to reach the sensor. In practice, this translates to brighter, sharper low-light images and faster shutter speeds that capture moving subjects more cleanly.

The main camera defaults to 12MP shots that are beautifully detailed, with the option to shoot at 50MP or the full 200MP when needed. The 5x telephoto now produces gorgeous background blur in portraits naturally, without leaning on Samsung’s artificial portrait mode. Digital zoom remains usable up to around 30x, after which degradation becomes apparent. The 10MP 3x lens remains the weakest of the four, though it still performs adequately. Video quality is class-leading, with a new horizontal lock stabilisation feature that mimics the steadiness of a dedicated action camera.

Software

The S26 Ultra ships with One UI 8.5 on top of Android 16, and day-to-day usability is polished throughout. A host of AI-powered tools are integrated across the system, including transcription, smart image editing, and spam call filtering. The “Now Brief” home screen widget aggregates calendar events, weather, step counts, and more into personalised summaries. “Now Nudge” surfaces contextually relevant suggestions above the keyboard in messaging apps, recent photos, locations, and calendar items and shows genuine promise, though it trails Google’s competing Magic Cue feature in maturity.

Three AI assistants are built in: Google Gemini, Samsung’s upgraded Bixby, and Perplexity. Gemini remains the most capable and the most natural choice for most users, which makes the persistence of Bixby feel redundant.

Battery Life

With eight hours of active screen use across a mix of Wi-Fi and 5G, the S26 Ultra consistently stretches to two full days before needing a charge. Even the most intensive users who are into heavy gaming, streaming, and constant camera use should have no trouble making it through a long day. Charging is fast too: a compatible 60W USB-C adapter (sold separately) gets the phone to 80% in just 30 minutes and a full charge in under an hour. Wireless Qi2 charging at 25W is also supported, though a compatible case is needed to add the requisite magnets.