Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S23 Ultra: One is great, the other gets by

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is no dud even in 2026, but it’s starting to show its age. Some features later introduced by its successors will never reach it. So even though Samsung hasn’t dropped firmware support yet, the phone is, in a sense, stuck in the past.

How does the Galaxy S23 Ultra compare to the brand-new Galaxy S26 Ultra? How much difference can three years make, and is it worth upgrading now? Let’s try to find out.

The S26 Ultra naturally delivers better raw performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip and 4GB extra RAM. But improved performance every year is par for the course.

Beyond raw performance, the S26 Ultra boasts many exclusive upgrades. Here are the best features you can enjoy if you decide to upgrade:

None of these features will come to the S23 Ultra via updates. If they sound appealing, an actual phone upgrade is the only way to get them.

The S26 Ultra also ships with One UI 8.5 and promises seven OS upgrades. The S23 Ultra has already received three of its expected four major updates. That is to say, the Galaxy S26 Ultra provides better support for longer.

Both phones support the S Pen and have similar camera cutouts, but the designs are distinct. You could say they follow different design languages.

Build quality is solid on both, but the S26 Ultra edges ahead with a stronger Armor Aluminum 2 frame and anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2 protection. The S23 Ultra’s slightly curved edges look sleek but are more vulnerable to drops.

Unless you’re attached to the S23 Ultra’s sharp-cornered design with a slightly curved screen, the S26 Ultra is the winner. It uses better materials, it's thinner, and has a design language that's more consistent with the rest of the S series.

It’s a close call. The S23 Ultra remains a capable phone with plenty of life left. But the S26 Ultra represents a new generation of Ultra devices, building on steps taken by the previous two Ultra models toward a more advanced flagship formula.

If any of the S26 Ultra’s exclusive features appeal, upgrading can make sense — especially if you can leverage Samsung’s trade-in program. In the U.S., swapping an S23 Ultra could save around $400.

Do keep in mind that trade-in values decline quickly: The S22 Ultra, just one year older than the S23, now fetches only $160 via trade-in. It's no guarantee, but your S23 Ultra could lose similar value a year from now.

Weigh the S26 Ultra’s upgrades against your S23 Ultra’s remaining life, consider trade-in timing, and you’ll be a lot closer to deciding whether 2026 is the year to upgrade your flagship.