Samsung · Reviewed by Shane Symonds · Published 2026-02-28
Based on a review by Shane Symonds (accessed 2026-02-28).
Based on this review alone: buy it if you care about completely rounded design and softened edges for a comfortable feel in hand — just accept s pen no longer has bluetooth functionalities.
The reviewer is very impressed with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, stating that some of the changes made are "honestly really appreciated," including faster charging speeds, extra camera functionality, a more comfortable feel in hand, the privacy screen feature, and the new Galaxy AI features.
This video provides an unboxing and initial impressions review of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, focusing on its physical design, display features, camera capabilities, new Galaxy AI features, gaming performance, battery life, and charging speeds.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra delivers a compelling upgrade despite generational subtleties, primarily due to its enhanced comfort and useful new features. It introduces a privacy screen that significantly dims the display from side angles, and its camera system features a "gimbal mode" with horizontal lock for stable video, a noticeable improvement over previous models. The charging speed has dramatically increased, reaching 90% in 38 minutes with a 60W charger. If you prioritize comfort, faster charging, and innovative privacy/AI features in a flagship phone, this model is a strong contender. However, if you're seeking a drastically larger battery capacity or MagSafe-like magnetic phone features without a specific case, you might be slightly disappointed.
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The S26 Ultra features a completely rounded design, a departure from the S24 Ultra and older, with softened edges that make it feel less 'ultra' but more enjoyable to hold.
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The S26 Ultra weighs 213g, while the S25 Ultra weighed 214g, indicating a negligible difference in weight between the two models.
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The S26 Ultra is 7.9mm thick, which is slightly thinner than the S25 Ultra's 8.2mm.
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The reviewer appreciates Samsung reverting to a simple camera layout with frosted glass, finding the previous black camera ring design looked cheap and plasticky.
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The S Pen has been slightly redesigned to match the phone's corner, and the reviewer confirms it is slimmer this year after a quick inspection.
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The new privacy screen feature, activated by a double press, significantly dims the display from side angles, making it nearly invisible to others. It can also be configured for specific apps.
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The 10x zoom now offers "optical quality" due to a higher megapixel count, demonstrated with a test photo of the Rocky Mountains.
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The "super steady with horizontal lock" feature holds a steady video image even when the phone is drastically twisted, effectively acting as a built-in gimbal.
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The Galaxy AI image generation feature can enhance low-light photos and transform images into various styles like retro anime, crayon, or oil painting, taking a few seconds to generate.
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Galaxy AI allows altering images with text prompts, demonstrated by changing a puppy's face orientation towards the camera while maintaining realism, including shadows.
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The new stickers feature allows users to hold down on any subject in an image to save it as a sticker, which can then be accessed via the keyboard and sent to any device.
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The phone delivers very smooth gaming performance with increased CPU and GPU, using an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, as demonstrated with both a controller and the S Pen for precise inputs.
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The reviewer achieved nearly 8 hours of screen-on time with the highest resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, maximum brightness, and heavy usage, indicating satisfactory battery life despite the 5,000 mAh capacity.
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The S26 Ultra charged from 0 to 100% in 51 minutes and 59 seconds using a 60W Samsung charger, reaching 20% in 5 min, 46% in 15 min, 70% in 25 min, and 90% in 38 min, which is noticeably faster than previous Samsung phones.
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To achieve 25W wireless charging with the new Qi2 magnetic puck, a case with a magnet is required because the S26 Ultra itself does not have built-in magnets due to the S Pen. The reviewer demonstrates with a silicone magnetic case.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a completely rounded design, a significant departure from previous square-edged models, and all edges have been softened for improved comfort. The camera layout has also been simplified, with the reviewer preferring this over previous designs.
The new privacy screen feature on the S26 Ultra significantly dims the display when viewed from side angles, offering peace of mind in public by making the screen content almost vanish. It can be manually activated or configured to turn on automatically for sensitive apps like banking.
The S26 Ultra features "super steady with horizontal lock," which acts as a built-in gimbal, maintaining a steady video image even when the phone is twisted drastically. Additionally, the 10x zoom now offers "optical quality" due to a higher megapixel count, and video zoom is improved up to 25x.
The new Galaxy AI features enable users to transform low-light photos into lighter versions or apply different artistic styles like anime or oil painting. Users can also alter elements within an image using text prompts, such as changing a subject's orientation, and the AI maintains the realism of shadows and details.
The reviewer found the gaming performance on the S26 Ultra to be very smooth, attributing it to the increased CPU and GPU performance from an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. The large display and S Pen also contribute to an enjoyable gaming experience, particularly for precise inputs.
The S26 Ultra's new 60W wired charging is significantly faster, completing a full 0% to 100% charge in 51 minutes and 59 seconds. It reaches 20% in 5 minutes, 46% in 15 minutes, 70% in 25 minutes, and 90% in 38 minutes.
The S26 Ultra supports 25W wireless charging with the new Qi2 magnetic puck. However, because the phone does not have built-in magnets (due to the integrated S Pen), users must acquire a Qi2-ready case with a magnetic backing to utilize this faster wireless charging speed.
75/100 source quality
The video offers an unboxing and first impressions review of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. The reviewer highlights the phone's new completely rounded design and softened edges, the innovative privacy screen feature, and the enhanced camera capabilities including improved zoom and a "super steady with horizontal lock" video mode. New Galaxy AI features for image generation and alteration, as well as a stickers feature, are demonstrated. The review also covers smooth gaming performance, satisfactory battery life (nearly 8 hours screen-on time), and noticeably faster 60W wired charging, completing a full charge in under 52 minutes.
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This page converts Shane Symonds's review of the Samsung Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra into structured evidence — timestamped claims, pros & cons, and buyer questions. It is not the original review and does not replace watching or reading the full source.
Brand relationship disclosed as: gifted