Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra hands-on: Meaningful tweaks plus a slick new Privacy Display

Source: Engadget

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review – First‑Impression Summary

Last year, Samsung leaned heavily on AI to persuade users to upgrade to its flagship. The new Galaxy S26 Ultra still packs plenty of machine‑learning‑driven features, but Samsung has done a much better job of rounding out the phone with fresh hardware, faster charging, and a more cohesive design. The price remains flat year‑over‑year at $1,300, making the overall package considerably more attractive than its predecessor.

Design and Display

Samsung’s Ultra line has always been a bit boxy, and that’s fine. The Galaxy S26 Ultra gets a slightly curvier look thanks to rounder corners and a modest reduction in size, making it the thinnest and lightest Ultra to date:

Note: The difference is subtle enough that you’ll hardly notice it even when you’re looking for it.

Exterior Changes

• Rounded corners – a more ergonomic silhouette.
• Armor Aluminum chassis – replaces the previous titanium frame.
• Corning Gorilla Armor 2 front and back panels.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The new chassis lets Samsung better match the Ultra’s body to its lower‑priced siblings and expands color‑matching options. The flagship’s hero color is Cobalt Violet (a rich purple), with additional finishes in sky blue, white, black, silver‑shadow, and pink‑gold (the latter two are online exclusives).

Privacy Display

The S26 Ultra introduces a Privacy Display that works similarly to HP’s Sure View technology:

• Angle‑based privacy – blocks side‑viewers from seeing the screen.
• Custom triggers – can activate automatically when the phone requests a PIN/password, when specific apps are opened, or when a notification arrives.
• Minimal impact on image quality – only a slight dip in overall brightness; the 6.9‑inch AMOLED panel retains its 120 Hz variable refresh rate and 2,600 nit peak brightness.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Performance and Charging

The device ships with an included S‑Pen and a built‑in storage slot (but still lacks Bluetooth connectivity for the pen).

Core Specs

• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
• RAM: 12 GB or 16 GB
• Storage: Up to 1 TB

Samsung claims the new NPU is 39 % more powerful YoY, with the CPU 19 % faster and the GPU 24 % faster.

Charging

A 3 A USB‑C cable is included, so you’ll need a compatible charger to hit the full 60 W wired rate.

S‑Pen Quirks

• The stylus tip is curved to match the phone’s corner; if inserted incorrectly, it may protrude slightly.
• No magnetic ring inside the handset, meaning magnetic accessories require a compatible case. Samsung says this omission helps keep the phone thin, but the thickness difference between the S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra is only 0.3 mm, making the trade‑off feel questionable.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Cameras

The S25 Ultra’s only notable hardware change was a 50 MP ultra‑wide sensor—an upgrade many users rarely use. Samsung listened:

• Main sensor: 200 MP (unchanged resolution) – aperture widened from f/1.7 → f/1.4.
• 5× telephoto: 50 MP – aperture widened from f/3.4 → f/2.9.

These larger apertures let up to 47 % more light reach the main sensor (and 37 % for the 5× telephoto), promising better low‑light performance and overall image quality. (Hands‑on testing was limited, so final verdict awaits a full review.)

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Video

• Supports APV codec up to 8K / 30 fps.
• Introduces a Horizon Lock feature that keeps video level even when the phone tilts.

All images are credited to Sam Rutherford for Engadget.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra – Hands‑On Review

Camera & Nightography

“The footage stays level no matter how much you rotate the phone.”

I was skeptical at first, but after spinning the phone a full 360° while recording, the resulting video showed no hint of being whirled around. Samsung also claims the handset’s improved Nightography processing uses AI to recognise noise patterns in low‑light scenes and boost image quality. As with wider apertures that simply let in more light, I’ll believe it when I see it.

AI‑Powered Photo Assist

Samsung adds a new Photo Assist tool that lets you edit or adjust images using natural‑language prompts. In practice it works as advertised, but with many services and devices now offering similar functionality, it feels more like Samsung’s attempt to keep up with the Joneses.

AI Features

• Gallery AI – automatically sorts screenshots into eight categories for easier retrieval.
• Now Nudge – similar to Google’s Magic Cue, it’s built into the Samsung keyboard and can suggest relevant photos based on your conversations.
• Automated App Actions – lets the phone perform tasks (e.g., book an Uber ride) while you continue using other apps in the foreground.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The most impressive of these is Automated App Actions. After your initial prompt, Gemini can complete the task in the background, then send a notification for you to review and confirm. At launch, Uber is the only supported app, but Samsung says it will expand to services like Instacart.

Early Thoughts

The Galaxy S26 Ultra will be offered in four main colors:

• Sky Blue
• Black
• Cobalt Violet
• White

…and two online‑exclusive hues:

• Silver Shadow
• Pink Gold

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

There’s no denying that $1,300 is a steep price tag. However, given the current RAM shortage, keeping the S26 Ultra’s price the same as last year’s model feels like a small blessing. Coupled with a more refined design, a beefier chip, a Privacy Display, faster charging, and an updated generation of AI‑powered tools, Samsung’s latest flagship feels like a much better deal than its predecessor.

The only area that hasn’t seen a meaningful upgrade is the S‑Pen. Over time it’s becoming more of a consolation prize for Note‑line nostalgics than a true tentpole feature.

Should You Upgrade?

• No – if you already own an S25 Ultra or S24 Ultra.
• Yes – if you have a phone older than those and want a true “do‑everything” device.

Pre‑orders for the Galaxy S26 Ultra are live now, with official sales slated for March 11.