The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the most powerful smartphone Samsung will announce as part of the Galaxy S26 flagship smartphone series. It will be a direct successor to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which was announced in January 2025. In this article, we’ll essentially show you what you can expect from this smartphone, based on the rumors and leaks that have surfaced thus far, as we’re waiting for Samsung to announce it.
Quite a bit of information surfaced thus far, including some of our exclusive information, too. So, there’s plenty to talk about. As we usually do in our previews, we’ll talk about what you can expect from the design standpoint, the device’s specifications, its price tag, launch date, and more. So, let’s get down to it, shall we?
This article will be regularly updated with new information on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (this is a preview article) — both official teasers and credible leaks, rumors, and insider claims — as it becomes available in the run-up to the release of the upcoming Android smartphone. The article has been updated on February 2 , 2026 .
- When will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra be released?
- What models are coming?
- How much will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra cost?
- What will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra look like?
- What specs will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra have?
- Should you wait to buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
When will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra be released?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra was first expected to launch in January 2026. The Galaxy S25 series arrived in January 2025, so everyone assumed that the Galaxy S26 series will follow a year later. One rumor then mentioned that the launch event is coming in March 2026 , while another mentioned February 25 launch date . The latter is probably accurate , however, as Evan Blass doubled down on that date. In a separate report, March 11 was mentioned as the release date .
What models are coming?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to arrive in both 12GB and 16GB LPDDR5X RAM options, with up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 or UFS 4.1 flash storage. Samsung will likely offer 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options once again, as it did with the Galaxy S25 Ultra . That storage will not be expandable, and the availability of units will be market-dependent. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is coming with two siblings, the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ .
How much will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra cost?
When it comes to the phone’s price, well, things are quite interesting. At first, rumors were saying that Samsung plans to retain the same price tags as last year. Then rumors regarding a later launch date started appearing, and ultimately, a rumor mentioning a price bump for all three Samsung Galaxy S26 series models. That includes the Galaxy S26 Ultra. In all honesty, the price tags will likely remain the same for all three phones, as Samsung is prioritizing the right pricing this time around, and not a lot of upgrades are coming to the phones. Considering the number of conflicting reports , however, who knows.
What will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra look like?
We already know what the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will look like, as we’ve exclusively shared the phone’s design . We’ve shared its CAD-based renders, which show a similar look to its predecessor, but with some changes. Following that, we also shared official renders of the phone , which you can check out below as well. The new model’s corners will be curved a bit more in comparison, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra will also have a dedicated camera island on the back. Three of its four cameras will be placed inside of that camera island, while the fourth one will sit to the right, along with an LED flash.
CAD-based renders:
Official renders:
The phone will have a camera island on the back this time around
The placement of the phone’s cameras will be basically the same as on the predecessor. Samsung is sticking to a 3+2 setup in terms of cutouts on the back. The display will once again be flat, with thin, uniform bezels around it. A display camera hole will be included once again, and it will be centered up top. The power/lock button and the volume rocker keys will be the only physical buttons on the phone once again. They’ll once again sit on the right-hand side.
The build materials have not been mentioned just yet. However, Samsung could end up sticking with titanium for the phone’s frame, or it may jump back to aluminum for better heat dissipation. Glass will be used on the back, definitely, we’re just not sure what glass exactly. On the front, we’re expecting either the Gorilla Armor 2 from the last-gen model, or something new of a similar nature. One thing is for sure, whatever glass Samsung goes with it will fight off glare like a champ. The Gorilla Armor 2 did just that.
It will be slightly larger than its predecessor
Based on the leaked specifications, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be slightly larger than its predecessor. It’s expected to measure 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (12.4 mm with the camera bump ). The Galaxy S25 Ultra measures 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm. It will be a couple of grams lighter, though, at 214 grams, presuming that the rumors are accurate, of course. The phone will once again be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.
Do note that the phone’s design was also pictured in a third-party case leak, which you can see below. It seems to be based on our leak, though we can’t be sure.
Some real-life images of the Galaxy S26 Ultra surfaced as well. In one of them, it poses next to the Galaxy S26, while the others show the Galaxy S26 Ultra only. You can see those images in the gallery below.
What specs will the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra have?
What about the phone’s specs? Well, let’s start things off with its processor. Samsung is expected to go back to a dual chip strategy for the Galaxy S26 series, as half of all Galaxy S26 series units are expected to use the Exynos 2600 chip . The Galaxy S26 Ultra will run the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 only , though. The Galaxy S25 Ultra was fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy worldwide, by the way.
The display will remain unchanged, it seems
The display will remain unchanged in terms of size, though the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s panel will bring some improvements to the table . It will utilize a 6.89-inch display , which will be marketed as a 6.9-inch panel. This display will likely be a QHD+ panel once again, with an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz). It will feature CoE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) technology, however. That tech will enable ti to be thinner, reduce glare, and improve light transmission all at the same time. The panel will once again be flat. It won’t bring a brightness upgrade , unfortunately. It will also get a built-in privacy screen , essentially, thanks to a combination of both software and hardware.
Samsung is expected to offer both 12GB and 16GB LPDDR5X RAM variants of the phone, though the reports are claiming it will stick with a 12GB RAM variant in most markets . Either way, if both end up being offered, their availability will be market-dependent. UFS 4.0 or UFS 4.1 flash storage will be used by the company. You will not be able to expand that storage via a microSD card, though. The good news is that 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage models are rumored yet again, so you’ll be able to get an ample amount of storage.
Faster charging could be on offer
A 5,000mAh battery will sit inside the phone, the same battery pack as inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung is sticking to a lithium-ion battery, despite the fact that the competition switched over to silicon-carbon batteries quite some time ago. What about charging? Well, 60W wired charging is rumored, but 45W wired charging is also mentioned. It’s anyone’s guess at this point, but based on the latest report, 60W charging could happen . The phone will also include magnets on the inside, so we’re hoping for proper Qi2.2 charging aka 25W wireless charging. Let’s hope it will be 25W wireless charging and not 15W wireless charging. Considering the magnets, Samsung likely won’t be able to offer reverse wireless charging, but we’ll likely get 5W reverse wired charging.
Just to be clear, 60W wired and 25W wireless charging are almost certainly happening. The company’s 60W charger has surfaced recently, as has the company’s 25W charger for wireless charging.
What about the phone’s colors ? Well, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is allegedly coming in Sky Blue, Cobalt Violet, Pink Gold, and Silver Shadow colors. Those will not be the only colors, but they could be the base colors.
Android 16 is expected out of the box, with minimal (if any) camera improvements
Android 16 is expected to come out of the box, with either One UI 8 or 8.5. What about the cameras? Well, that’s where Samsung won’t make many changes, unfortunately. The same 200-megapixel 1/1.3-inch main camera will be included, but it’s tipped to get a boost in lens aperture. It will allegedly have an f/1.4 aperture lens, instead of an f/1.7 one.
The same 50-megapixel ultrawide camera is tipped (1/2.52-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV). We may even get a worse 10-megapixel telephoto camera than last year, based on one report, while the other claims that won’t be the case . Samsung is tipped to use a 1/3.94-inch sensor instead of a 1/3.52-inch one. It will still be a 3x optical zoom camera.
The last camera on the back will be a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto unit . That will still be a 1/2.52-inch camera with 5x optical zoom. A tipster even said that the phone will aim to provide true-to-life skin tones .
We still don’t know in what color options the phone will be available, but we do know something. The regular black variant of the phone, which will be widely available, will have a black frame , unlike the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Should you wait to buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
In some ways, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be an improvement. It will be more powerful, thanks mainly to a new chip (or chips), and it will finally include magnets on the inside. You’ll be able to use your favorite MagSafe accessories, and hopefully charge faster both via a wire and wirelessly. A slightly better display is expected too. On the downside, the cameras won’t really see a (big) boost here, at least based on rumors. The battery remains the same as well, and so on. If Samsung ends up keeping the same price tag, however, this could prove to be a solid option for those of you who want a Samsung flagship.
