{"id":4458,"date":"2026-03-29T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T06:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senses.se\/en\/review-samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T08:07:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T06:07:24","slug":"review-samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.senses.se\/en\/review-samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We tested the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra<\/a> just over a year ago and gave it a solid rating of 7 out of 10. It was a phone that performed really well in every aspect but lacked that “must-have” feeling. Now, the successor has arrived at the office. The big question is, of course, whether the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/strong> can succeed where its predecessor failed: namely, making us genuinely excited. Let’s find out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Design and build quality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first thing you notice when you pick up the Galaxy S26 Ultra is that it is actually thinner and lighter than its predecessor. We are talking about a thickness of 7.9 millimeters and a weight of 214 grams. That is a reduction from 8.2 millimeters and 218 grams for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It might not sound like a huge difference, but it is actually noticeable. Samsung has kept the rounded corners introduced with last year’s model. This makes the phone sit very comfortably in the hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big news regarding materials is that the titanium frame has been replaced with what Samsung calls Armor Aluminum 2. Samsung claims that this aluminum absorbs shocks better, though it is hard not to see it as a cost-saving measure. Apple, for that matter, did something similar with its latest iPhone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The front is protected by Corning Gorilla Armor 2 glass, which features an anti-reflective surface. The back, in turn, is covered in Gorilla Glass Victus 2. However, the camera module protrudes more this time, largely due to the thinner body of the phone. This causes the phone to wobble quite a bit when lying on a flat surface. This was something that annoyed us with the predecessor, and unfortunately, it hasn’t improved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Senses.se<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The built-in S Pen remains in its usual place. Just like with the previous generation, however, Bluetooth support is missing. This is now solely a pen in the most literal sense of the word. It is excellent for handwriting, sketching, and note-taking. On the other hand, it does not work as a remote shutter for the camera or for Air Actions gestures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samsung points to statistics showing that less than one percent of users utilized the features requiring Bluetooth. It is still disappointing for those who actually did, of course. However, the experience of writing with the pen is still fantastic. The screen reacts lightning-fast, and the phone’s ability to interpret handwriting works perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Display<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The display on the S26 Ultra is a 6.9-inch OLED panel with QHD+ resolution. On paper, it looks like an upgrade over last year’s model. In practice, however, you don’t notice much of a difference. It is extremely bright, colors are very accurate, and the contrast is excellent. LTPO technology and a 120 Hz refresh rate also make all movements incredibly smooth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The single biggest news is what the manufacturer calls Privacy Display<\/strong>. This is actually the most exciting feature on the entire phone. It is all based on Flex Magic Pixel, a technology where each individual pixel is divided into forward-facing Narrow Pixels and angle-based Wide Pixels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you activate Privacy Display, the light from your Wide Pixels is dimmed. This makes the screen content readable only to someone looking straight at it. Think of it as a built-in privacy screen at the pixel level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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