Galaxy S26 Ultra design: What's changing from the S25 Ultra?

Samsung is sticking with its flagship design trajectory for now, but that doesn’t mean the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra will be a carbon copy of its predecessor. Thankfully, the 2026 model will still have an identity of its own.

Yes, the formula remains largely familiar, but the S26 Ultra introduces a handful of polished design cues that Galaxy S fans might actually appreciate.

That’s what the latest leaks suggest, and there’s little reason to doubt them. If you’re curious about what’s changing, here’s the rundown.

According to leaks, the Galaxy S26 Ultra measures 163.6 x 78.1, making it both taller and wider than the S25 Ultra. The difference isn’t dramatic, but it’s still an interesting shift.

Thickness is where things get more noticeable. Samsung is clearly chasing slimmer profiles, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to come in at 7.9mm, down from 8.2mm.

Beyond dimensions, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is said to feature rounder corners than the 2025 model.

This should make it look more like a proper Galaxy S flagship rather than a Galaxy Note in disguise. It should also help with comfort, especially when using the phone one-handed.

Up until now, most S Pens have featured an almost flat clicker button at the top. That’s reportedly changing.

Leaks suggest Samsung has pushed the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s S Pen holster so close to the side frame that the entry hole overlaps with the phone’s corner.

As a result, the S Pen clicker will follow the contour of that corner. It’ll be taller on one side and shorter on the other.

It’s a minor detail, but a noteworthy departure from every standard S Pen design that came before it.

The most noticeable design change may be the camera housing, which recently appeared in a leaked Samsung teaser image.

Since the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung has relied entirely on individual camera rings. The S21 Ultra was the last model to feature a proper camera housing.

That design element is making a comeback with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, though it’s far subtler than the camera bumps Samsung used back in 2021 and earlier.

Finally, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Infinity-O display cutout is also expected to grow slightly wider.

This isn’t really a stylistic decision as much as a byproduct of the hardware. Rumor has it the selfie camera offers a wider field of view, which necessitates a slightly larger cutout.

Either way, it’s a subtle change that most people probably won’t notice.

As usual, Samsung will launch its new flagship in a fresh set of colors. How different they’ll actually look remains to be seen.

For now, the leaked list of Galaxy S26 Ultra finishes includes Black, Cobalt Violet, Pink Gold, Silver Shadow, SkyBlue, and White. That last one is said to be particularly charming.

It’s still unclear whether any of these will be online exclusives. If they aren’t, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could end up offering two additional standard color options compared to its predecessor.

Samsung should unveil the Galaxy S26 Ultra on February 25 at Unpacked. Until then, here's where you can read more about what we can expect regarding the S26 series.