After trying the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, I became curious about the experience of using the top-end model in the series. So, I decided to borrow the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra from Samsung Philippines to try and review it.
I’ve been using it for a few days now, and I’m excited to explore more of its features. I didn’t expect such a noticeable difference in my daily experience. This is only my first impressions piece, not an in-depth review. I still have plenty of things to test, especially its performance and camera.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Specifications
- Display: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, QHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Armor 2, Privacy Display
- CPU: 4.74GHz 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 octa-core processor
- GPU: Adreno 840
- RAM: 12GB, 16GB RAM
- ROM: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Rear Camera: 200MP + 50MP ultra-wide lens + 10MP telephoto lens + 50MP periscope telephoto lens + LED flash
- Front Camera: 12MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh, 60W wired charging, 25W wireless charging
- OS: One UI 9, Android 17
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 6, GPS, Dual SIM (nano), eSIM, NFC
- Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
- Colors: Black, Blue, White, Pink, Violet, Silver
- Weight: 214g
- Dimensions: 163.6mm (H) × 78.1mm (W) x 7.9mm (D)
Design and Display
Despite its “Ultra” features, the Galaxy S26 Ultra still maintains a slimmer and lighter design. I never liked the thicker, heavier build of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. So, I felt genuinely surprised when I first saw the S26 Ultra at the media preview. Its slimmer profile makes me consider switching to it as my main phone.
In fact, it’s even lighter than my iPhone 18 Pro Max. I also like its back design because it looks like frosted glass and doesn’t easily attract smudges and fingerprints. It’s also nice that there are several color options available.
I already appreciate the display of the Galaxy S26 FE, and given that the Galaxy S26 Ultra has a bigger and boxier display, I’m also loving it. I set its display resolution to QHD+ to maximize the experience.
I’m looking forward to using its Privacy Display feature when typing passwords or confidential messages in public. It works like privacy tempered glass but comes built into the phone.
Camera
I’m also expecting flagship image quality from this phone, especially since it features a 200MP main camera. It should also be great for ultra-wide and zoom photography, thanks to its 50MP ultra-wide lens, 50MP periscope lens, and 10MP telephoto lens. Although I find it a bit disappointing that it only has a 12MP selfie camera, we’ll see if it can still deliver good selfies.
Performance and Software
Meanwhile, I’m also surprised by its performance and software. Samsung equipped the Galaxy S26 Ultra with a 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy octa-core chipset and an Adreno 840 GPU.
I’ve reviewed several flagship smartphones from other brands this year, but the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the smoothest and best-optimized performance so far. I think One UI 9.0, based on Android 17, helps a lot with the experience.
Battery
I’m just a bit concerned about its battery life because it only has a 5,000mAh battery, and I’m used to Android phones with batteries over 6,000mAh. I just hope Samsung increases the battery capacity in its next series to provide longer battery life.
Initial Thoughts
So far, I’m loving the experience with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra after using it for a few days. It really does feel like a flagship smartphone. I’m happy with its design, display, performance, and software, but I’ll continue testing it for now. We’ll see in our full review if it really lives up to expectations and if I’ll enjoy using it as my daily Android phone.
