The galaxy S26 Ultra Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra Expected Differences:
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|
| A 200MP sensor or a wider f/1.4 lens for the main camera | 200 amp mains at ~1/1.3″ sensor (still very good) |
| 6.9″ OLED with new M14/COE stack; strong anti-reflection | 6.8″ dynamic AMOLED 2x; anti-reflective layer |
| ~3,000 nits maxo brightness | 6 2,600-nits |
| Display anti-reflection improvements | Anti-reflective Gorilla Coach |
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) with big GPU/NPU advantages | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (for Galaxy) |
| Possible 60W wired charging | 45W wired |
| Possible QI2 magnetic wireless charging | 15W wireless; “QI2-ready” without magnets |
| A UI 8/Android 16 with extended Galaxy AI and 7 years support | A UI 6.1 (launch), now on A UI 7/Android 15; 7-year support |
| A slightly thinner body and possible return of the camera island | Titanium frame, flat display, separate “floating” lens ring |
*Rumor/expectation
Table of Contents:
Design and size
Thinner and lighter
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Thickness ~ 8.1 mm | Thickness 8.6 mm |
| Dimensions Approximately 162.8 x 77.6 mm | Dimensions 162.3 x 79 mm |
| The weight About 218 grams, or slightly lighter | The weight 232 grams |
*Rumor/expectation
S26 Ultra No drastic changes are expected to be introduced. Rumors point to a body that is slightly thinner than the current generation (around 0.4mm), but the overall body design will likely remain the same. There were rumors that the S Pen would not be offered this time around, but that was quickly dispelled.
One area that could change is the camera module on the back. The S24 Ultra’s separate “floating” lens ring looks neat, but this design might not be sufficient for the rumored upcoming changes. S26 Ultra. To accommodate thick optics, S26 Ultra A unified camera can return to the island.
Materials and durability should remain flagship-grade (titanium-style frame, IP68), and Samsung’s more subtle color palette is likely to continue.
Point out the differences
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|
| size 6.9″ | size 6.8″ |
| shine 3000 nits (peak) | shine 2600 nits (peak) |
*Rumor/expectation
There’s also talk of a “Privacy Display” toggle linked to Samsung’s FlexMagic Pixel tech that will tighten at viewing angles to protect against shoulder surfing without dimming the screen. Otherwise, you can expect to carry the familiar QHD+ resolution, 1-120 Hz LTPO refresh rate, and ultrasonic fingerprint reader.
Performance and software
A huge difference in performance
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|
| shut up Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) | shut up Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (for Galaxy) |
| The process 3 nm | The process 4nm |
| RAM, storage 12/256 GB 12/512GB 12/1tb 16/1 TB Faster LPDDR5X RAM | RAM, storage 12/256 GB 12/512GB 12/1tb 16/1 TB LPDDR5X RAM |
*Rumor/expectation
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is built on an improved 3nm process with improved GPU (~30%) and NPU (~40%) performance compared to the current latest Qualcomm chipset.
Some reports also claim that Samsung will include a new 5G modem, the Qualcomm X85. If so, we expect it to bring faster data transfer, better battery performance, and AI enhancements. Reports list peak download speeds of 12.5 Gbps and upload speeds of 3.7 Gbps. Memory and storage should be familiar: 12GB of LPDDR5X is expected again (with faster, more efficient modules), and the 256GB/512GB/1TB tier should return. Note that Samsung often offers “free storage upgrades” at launch.
on software, S26 Ultra Should debut A UI 8 on Android 16 comes with Samsung’s seven-year OS/security commitment, which is the same promise that keeps the S24 Ultra deep into the 2030s.
Camera
A familiar formula with a potentially game-changing main sensor
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|
| important 200 MP, f/1.7 (or f/1.4) 24 mm ~ 1/1.1″ sensor size | important 50 MP, f/1.7 24 mm 1/1.3″ sensor size |
| Ultra wide 50 MP, f/1.9 13 mm 1/2.5″ sensor size | Ultra wide 12 MP, f/2.2 13 mm 1/2.55″ 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 |
*Rumor/expectation
Samsung made a smart move with the S24 Ultra by going for a high-res 5x zoom and dialing down aggressive sharpening across the board, relying on processing at long ranges. for S26 Ultrarumor has it that we might finally see an upgrade to the camera hardware.
We’re expecting either the larger ~1/1.1-inch 200MP Sony sensor or Samsung’s HP2 with a wider f/1.4 lens to remain. Either way the low-light performance of the main camera and its high dynamic range should improve. Plus, we’ll have the added benefit of a more natural background blur without turning on portrait mode.
The selfie camera is expected to remain 12MP, with the long-rumored under-display version unlikely to appear this year.
Video may be where Samsung focuses most of its focus this time around. With Apple still leading in cinematic video and stabilization, Samsung is expected to close the gap with smarter HDR, better mic audio, and possibly some new shooting modes.
Battery life and charging
Same capacity, possibly faster charging
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Battery size 5000 Mah | Battery size 5000 Mah |
Charging speed 15W wireless charging Possible QI2 magnetic support USB-C 3.2 | Charging speed 45W wired 15W wireless charging Does not support QI2 USB-C 3.2 |
*Rumor/expectation
Comparison of Specs
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.1 mm, 218 g | Size, weight 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm, 232 g |
| Screen 6.9″ OLED 120Hz | Screen 6.9″ OLED 120Hz |
| The processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy) 3 nm | The processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (for Galaxy) 4nm |
| Version: 12/256 GB 12/512GB 12/1tb 16/1 TB lpddr5x | Version: 12/256 GB 12/512GB 12/1tb 16/1 TB lpddr5x |
| Camera: 200 amp mains 50MP Ultra Wide 50mp 5x zoom 10MP 3x zoom 12 MP front | Camera: 200 amp mains 12MP Ultra Wide 50mp 5x zoom 10MP 3x zoom 12 MP front |
| Battery: 5000 Mah | Battery: 5000 Mah |
| Charging: USB-C 60W wired 15W wireless | Charging: USB-C 45W wired 15W wireless |
*Rumor/expectation
Summary
If you’re looking to upgrade from the S24 Ultra, S26 Ultra Looks like a good time to do it. In addition to the thinner body and more durable, anti-reflective display introduced on this year’s model, you’ll also get a much more capable chip, an improved main camera, and (finally) a true flagship.
Still, the S24 Ultra is a fantastic phone, even today. It has a titanium build, a bright and smooth display, reliable battery life, and a versatile camera system. In addition, it has Samsung’s seven-year support, which means you continue to support it for 4 more years before you stop receiving new features and security updates.
