Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: What’s new and should you upgrade?

Deciding whether to upgrade to the latest flagship usually comes down to whether the new features actually change your daily experience. With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung is focusing on two main areas: a massive hardware upgrade for the camera and new Galaxy AI^[1] developments designed to make your everyday even easier.

While the Galaxy S25 Ultra remains a powerful device, the Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces physical changes — like a much wider lens and the world’s first built-in Privacy Display on mobile — that set it apart from previous generations.

Here’s a key summary of the upgrades the Galaxy S26 Ultra offers:

The most visible difference between these two phones is how they handle light. The Galaxy S26 Ultra features an f/1.4 aperture on its main 200MP sensor, which lets in 47 percent more light than the f/1.7 lens on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This makes a massive difference in nighttime photography, resulting in less grain and more detail in dim settings.

The zoom lens has also been upgraded. The 50MP 5x telephoto lens now has an f/2.9 aperture, making it 37 percent brighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s equivalent. Whether you are taking photos at a concert or recording 8K video at night, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is simply more capable of capturing detail in the dark.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra introduced Galaxy AI features for things like editing photos and translating text. The Galaxy S26 Ultra builds on that with new developments designed to make everyday tasks easier, surfacing useful information and suggestions without you having to go looking.

Now Brief^[2] and Now Bar^[3] have been updated on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, surfacing your schedule, reservations, and daily updates more intelligently so you spend less time checking multiple apps.

Yes, but in a way you might not expect. The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces the world’s first built-in Privacy Display^[4] on mobile. This technology uses narrow-angle pixels to make the screen much harder to see from the side.

If you frequently use your phone on public transport or in crowded areas, this is a significant upgrade over the standard display on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, as it helps keep your messages and banking apps private from shoulder surfers.

The Privacy Display is extremely customizable as well. You can have it turned on at all times or set it to automatically turn on when certain conditions are met, like when you’re entering a PIN or password or get a pop-up notification.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a larger vapor chamber compared to its predecessor, which helps keep temperatures under control during demanding tasks. Whether you’re gaming, recording high-resolution video, or using multiple apps at once, this improved cooling system allows the phone to maintain its performance for longer periods.

In practical terms, this means the Galaxy S26 Ultra is less likely to slow down due to heat build-up. It can sustain higher performance levels without noticeable lag, especially during extended use.

Samsung has also improved charging speeds on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, increasing from 45W on the Galaxy S25 Ultra to 60W. With the 60W charger, the phone can reach 75% in just 30 minutes, which makes a real difference when you are short on time.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s wireless charging speed is also the fastest yet of any Galaxy smartphone. It can charge at 25W wirelessly, the same speed at which Samsung phones charged with a wired connection just a few years back.

While both devices deliver solid battery life, the Galaxy S26 Ultra reduces the time you need to spend plugged in.

The decision to upgrade depends on what matters most in your day-to-day use.

If you often take photos or videos in low light, the brighter lenses on the Galaxy S26 Ultra can make a noticeable difference. The improvements to zoom and video processing also help in situations where lighting isn’t ideal.

The updated Galaxy AI features may also appeal if you want your phone to handle more tasks automatically, such as organizing notifications or surfacing useful information throughout the day.

At the same time, upgrades like faster charging and improved cooling make the phone more convenient to use over longer periods, especially if you regularly game, record videos, or multitask.

^{[1] Galaxy AI: Samsung account login is required for certain AI features.}

^{[2] Now Brief: Samsung account login and network connection required.}

^{[3] Now Bar: Samsung account login and network connection required.}

^{[4] Privacy Display: Requires manual activation in settings to function. Privacy Display feature is not AI-powered.}