Samsung’s latest flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphone will set you back $2199 for the entry-level model with 256GB of storage, and goes as high as $2949 if you choose a full 1TB of storage. So the question is: is it worth it?
For those in the Samsung ecosystem – just like those Apple fanboys out there – you’re likely wedded on, and you love your phone, and while Samsung does sell a smaller entry-level S26 model, the Ultra model is reported to account for well over 60 per cent of the total range sales, and this year it has a feature you can’t get on any other S26 – Privacy Display.
While all the AI features and enhancements are spread across the S26 range, only the Ultra gives you the chance to stop those prying side-eyes from seeing what you’re looking at on your phone.
Not to get too technical, but in simple terms, Samsung has set the deep pixel-level display technology up in such a way that 50 per cent of all the pixels are only aiming their light directly out of the screen, while the rest of the pixels emit their light at a wider angle.
When Privacy Display is on, only those narrow direct pixels are on, so at an angle, you see far less light, and it’s much harder to sneak a peek at what is on screen when you’re at an obtuse angle to the screen.
Is it perfect? No. Is it amazing? Yes. Why? Because you can activate it to stay on at all times, or, as I’ve been using it, whenever my banking or e-mail apps open up, we’re automatically in Privacy Display mode.
Plus, because of the pixel-level controls, it can also be enabled for notifications. So even when the prying eyes next to you can plainly see the website you’re viewing, when a notification comes through, that specific area of the screen is darkened. It’s like magic, and I love it.
This felt like a gimmick, but I’ve left it on for the entire two weeks I’ve been using this phone. Outstanding. When Privacy Display is on, the screen is a bit duller (fewer pixels working), and the resolution is down, but the average eye won’t notice.
As a core phone feature, it’s a game-changer.
Outside of that, there are improvements to the camera, which you’ll primarily notice in low-light situations. Just more detail and more colour coming through, thanks to a wider aperture on the lens.
Samsung’s 100x zoom remains in place, and while it’s a fun gimmick, those 100x photos are never really that amazing. Day-to-day basic zoom images are sensational as always.
For those who take a lot of videos, particularly if you’re holding the phone with one shaky hand, the new Horizontal Lock feature is crazy, amazing, and cool – I just don’t know in what real-world scenarios it comes into play. Basically, it’s a super-charged stabilisation.
However, it’s not a mode you want on for basic videos because sometimes the movement you make for your video is cancelled out, so only turn it on when you think your shaky hand is going to ruin what you’re trying to film.
It wasn’t until I was taking photos for this review that I remembered the S-Pen stuck inside the Ultra.
Look, some people love their stylus for writing on the screen and taking notes. That’s not me. Frankly, I’d prefer that Samsung take all the Ultra features, minus the S-Pen, and make that the Plus model. I think it would boost that mid-level flagship device. Anyway, it has the Pen.
Side by side with last year’s S25, there’s very little difference. The S26 Ultra is slightly taller, but the real worry for me is the camera. They’ve added an island for the lenses to sit on, and that’s not just for show; it’s added thickness. This thing is noticeably thicker than last year, and we’ve got to get away from that soon.
Having really kicked off the “AI phone” revolution a few years ago, Samsung seemingly toned that language down a little this year. Not off, just back a bit. There’s still all the same AI and more here; I just think they’ve realised it’s perhaps not selling phones like they might have hoped.
On the S26, there are new AI Photo Assist features, allowing you to add and remove things from photos with just a few words— fun, but not a deal breaker.
Samsung also talked about their Now Nudge feature, which essentially is meant to bring AI suggestions to you, rather than you having to think about it. I never saw it, not once. I even tested with messages asking me if I’m free on a certain date – there was no quick link to a calendar suggested.
It’s a great idea, but perhaps it’s a software update away.
Samsung’s biggest failure here, though, is that their best phones, with their best features, still lack support for Qi2 Wireless Charging.
Yes, you can wirelessly charge the S26, but you can’t do it on a magnetic attach charger. This was originally an Apple feature (called MagSafe), then adopted by the standards body for the industry and called Qi2. Samsung will say it works, but that’s only if you buy a Qi2 case for your phone.
This beast of a phone has to be thick enough to fit an extra magnet. Whatever they need to do to change the design, they really need to do it because for the biggest-selling Android phone on the planet not to support Qi2 is crazy.
I’m most impressed this year because we didn’t have to talk about AI from the get-go. Yes, this is one of the most advanced AI-featured smartphones you can buy, but it’s also got a great new camera, an outstanding new Privacy Display, and is one of the most powerful devices on the market.
A worthy upgrade from the S20 or 21, but for those on newer phones, keep your powder dry, there’ll be another one early next year too.
READ MORE: Is the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 series worth the upgrade?
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