📱 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Our Review

In short

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is aimed at demanding Android users who want a single device that can do it all: versatile photography, S Pen productivity, and enough power to last several years. It's the go-to choice for anyone who refuses to compromise — provided they're willing to pay for it.

Strengths

Zoom that actually helps day to day. Unlike many flagships that rely on a single telephoto lens, the S26 Ultra packs two, which genuinely changes what you can capture — a concert, a sports match, or simply a child playing in the distance — without having to physically move closer.

The S Pen is included, not optional. Many high-end smartphones have dropped the stylus altogether. Here it stays built into the chassis, ready to annotate a document or jot down a quick note without opening a dedicated app — a real time-saver for anyone who actually uses it.

Rare photo versatility. The very high-resolution main sensor, paired with the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, covers almost every situation without switching devices, from landscapes to portraits to macro shots.

Trade-offs to know about

Still a large device. With its big screen and the S Pen housing, the phone remains wide and heavy in hand — worth checking in person if you have small hands or prefer compact formats.

Not every AI feature is immediately useful to everyone. Some features highlighted at launch take time to get used to, or never find a real use case for the average user — don't treat them as a core reason to buy.

The price is still that of a premium flagship. It sits clearly at the top of the market, with no real discount compared to the previous generation at launch.

Value-for-money verdict

For someone who genuinely uses the zoom and the S Pen day to day, the S26 Ultra justifies its price with a level of versatility few Android competitors match. For more everyday use (social media, browsing, occasional photos), a mid-range Samsung model covers most needs for a fraction of the price — the S26 Ultra is a specialist's choice, not a default purchase.