Image source: Samsung Newsroom

The forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is moving away from titanium and returning to an Armor Aluminium frame to bring in a subtle but meaningful design rethink ahead of its official release on March 11.

Despite the switch in build material, the device does not dramatically alter the established look of the series. The Ultra remains stylistically close to the previous generation, while becoming the slimmest Ultra variant so far at just 7.9mm thick, 0.3mm thinner than before. It weighs 214g and continues to feature Corning’s Gorilla Armor 2 protection on the front, along with the integrated S Pen. Buyers will be able to choose from White, Black, Cobalt, Violet and Sky Blue finishes.

Internally, Samsung is dividing its processor strategy across the range. The standard Samsung Galaxy S26 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus are powered by the new 2nm Exynos 2600 chip. According to the company, this brings improvements of 39 per cent in neural processing performance, 24 per cent in graphics capability and 19 per cent in CPU output. On the contrary, the Ultra model adopts the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy globally. Memory has also been increased, with 12GB of RAM now standard across the line-up, while the 1TB Ultra variant steps up to 16GB.

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Display sizes differ slightly between models. The Ultra carries a 6.9-inch screen, while the S26 and S26 Plus offer 6.3-inch and 6.7-inch panels, respectively. Samsung states that updated ProScaler technology, paired with a new mDNIe 10-bit processor, enhances upscaled content and significantly deepens colour reproduction on the Ultra, delivering up to four times greater colour depth. Cooling has also been addressed, with a redesigned vapour chamber said to improve heat dissipation by 21 per cent, although this enhancement is exclusive to the Ultra.

Battery charging speeds see an upgrade too. The Ultra now supports 60W wired charging, capable of reaching 75 per cent capacity in around 30 minutes, alongside faster 25W wireless charging.

Photography remains a central focus. The Ultra introduces an updated 200MP main camera with a wider f/1.4 aperture, making it 47 per cent brighter than its predecessor. The 50MP telephoto lens has also been refined, shifting from f/3.4 to f/2.9 for improved light capture. Video capabilities expand with enhanced Nightography recording, upgraded Super Steady stabilisation featuring 360-degree correction, and support for 8K recording at 30fps using the APV codec.

Software developments continue under Samsung’s Galaxy AI initiative. A feature known as “Now Nudge” delivers contextual suggestions based on on-screen activity, while Circle to Search can now detect multiple items simultaneously. The Ultra also debuts what Samsung describes as the world’s first pixel-level privacy display, restricting viewing angles and allowing specific sections of the screen to be masked on an app-by-app basis.

Pricing begins at GBP 879 (USD 1,186) for the S26, rises to GBP1,099 (USD 1,483) for the Plus, and reaches GBP 1,279 (USD 1,731) for the Ultra. The full range will be available from 11 March, following its official unveiling today.

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