Samsung · Electronics · Reviewed by Marques Brownlee · Published 2026-03-06
Based on a review by Marques Brownlee (accessed 2026-03-06).
This page converts Marques Brownlee'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.
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Brand relationship disclosed as: gifted
The reviewer concludes that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a "really good phone with some clever new features," especially the unique Privacy Display. However, he feels that "the price is probably the most ultra thing about this phone," noting that it lacks several advanced features found in competitors, making it feel more like an "S26 Plus Plus Pro Max" than a truly 'Ultra' device.
This review evaluates the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra after about a week of use, focusing on its new Privacy Display, design changes, processor performance, battery life, camera enhancements, and integrated AI features. It highlights the trade-offs involved with the new features and provides a critical perspective on the device's overall value.
The S26 Ultra is a good phone overall, but its key new Privacy Display feature comes with significant trade-offs, making it less "Ultra" in certain aspects. The innovative display, while genuinely useful for privacy, literally cuts resolution in half and lowers peak brightness when active, and also slightly degrades viewing angles in normal use. Additionally, the new design causes the phone to rock viciously on a flat surface without a case due to the camera plateau, and the S Pen can only be inserted one way. If you prioritize innovative privacy features and top-tier performance, this phone delivers on those fronts. However, if display quality, Qi2 magnets, or a silicon carbon battery are crucial for you, other devices might offer a better experience.
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reviewer_claimneutralt=0:26–0:33
The reviewer has been using the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra for about a week. His initial positive impressions, based on footage before holding the phone, largely held up, but he emphasizes the trade-offs involved.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
hands_on_demopositivet=1:02–1:32
The new Privacy Display can be toggled on or off to instantly and dramatically limit viewing angles, preventing others from snooping. Because it's built into the display, it can be turned on for specific pixels, apps, or even just incoming notifications.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
comparisonpositivet=1:17–1:21
Unlike a cheap $20-$30 polarized screen protector, the S26 Ultra's built-in Privacy Display blocks all viewing angles, both horizontal and vertical, off-axis, making it more comprehensive.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
visual_inspectionnegativet=1:50–2:06
Activating the Privacy Display literally cuts the screen's resolution in half by turning off wide-angle pixels, which is visible as blockier edges around text and reduced fine details. A microscope demo clearly showed pixels turning off.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
reviewer_claimmixedt=2:07–2:16
When the Privacy Display is turned on, the peak brightness is lower. While the phone cleverly adjusts the output of the remaining pixels to maintain perceived brightness, at high enough brightness levels, a slight dimming is noticeable.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
expert_opinionnegativet=2:19–2:29
Due to the narrow-focusing lenses on half the pixels, the display's viewing angles are permanently slightly worse, even in regular use. Additionally, the anti-reflective coating on the display is not as good as that of the S25 Ultra.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
specification_claimnegativet=2:30–2:33
The display is still an 8-bit panel that simulates 10-bit color, rather than a full native 10-bit display, a feature already present in many competing smartphones.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
hands_on_demonegativet=3:13–3:35
The new design, which is slightly thinner, lighter, and rounder, introduces downsides. The S Pen now only goes into its slot one specific way due to a curved cap, and the larger camera 'plateau' combined with a thinner body causes the phone to rock 'viciously' on a table without a case.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
measurement_testpositivet=3:47–3:55
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip achieved similar, slightly higher benchmark scores compared to the OnePlus 15 (which uses the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5), aligning with the expected yearly 20-30% CPU improvements.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
reviewer_claimpositivet=4:10–4:21
Battery life is slightly better despite having the same 5,000 mAh battery, attributed to a more efficient chip and software. The phone also charges slightly faster, reaching a peak of 60 watts.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
reviewer_claimnegativet=4:24–4:32
The S26 Ultra surprisingly lacks Qi2 magnets and a silicon-carbon battery, features that could have significantly enhanced its battery and charging capabilities and are present in some competing devices.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
specification_claimpositivet=4:55–5:04
The main camera and the 5X telephoto camera both feature bigger apertures, allowing more light to enter. This results in benefits such as slightly softer bokeh with close-up subjects.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
reviewer_claimnegativet=5:06–5:10
The minimum focus distance on the main camera has noticeably gotten worse, although the phone still retains a macro mode for close-up shots.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
hands_on_demopositivet=5:16–5:24
The new super aggressive stabilization feature, Horizon Lock, is one of the best implementations seen. It utilizes the 200-megapixel sensor to crop in and shoot 'ridiculously stable' Quad HD video up to 60 frames per second.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
hands_on_demomixedt=5:39–6:16
The phone includes many AI features like useful call screening, an effective Audio Eraser, and Photo Assist for editing. However, the 'Now Nudge' feature didn't work, and the reviewer is not convinced these AI additions are a compelling reason to buy the phone, as many might come to older Samsung devices via software updates.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHRMqqO578
Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra features a new 'Privacy Display' that can be activated on demand to dramatically limit viewing angles, effectively preventing unwanted glances. This built-in feature is more comprehensive than aftermarket screen protectors, blocking both horizontal and vertical off-axis views. It's also highly versatile, allowing users to apply the privacy filter only to certain apps or even just incoming notifications.
Activating the Privacy Display directly compromises screen quality by literally cutting the resolution in half, which can be visibly seen as blockier text and reduced fine details. Peak brightness is also lower when the feature is active, though perceived brightness is often maintained. Furthermore, the inherent design means overall viewing angles are slightly worse even in normal use, and the anti-reflective coating is a downgrade from the S25 Ultra. The display also remains an 8-bit panel simulating 10-bit color, unlike some competitors.
The S26 Ultra's refreshed design, making it slightly thinner, lighter, and rounder, comes with practical drawbacks. The new rounded corners mean the S Pen's slot is curved, forcing the pen to be inserted only one specific way. Additionally, the phone's thinner profile combined with a larger camera plateau results in it rocking 'viciously' and unstably when laid flat on a surface without a protective case.
The S26 Ultra, equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, delivers excellent performance. Benchmarking against the OnePlus 15 (which uses the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) showed similar, slightly higher scores for the Samsung version, consistent with expected yearly CPU improvements. The phone provides smooth animations, handles heavy multitasking and gaming effortlessly, and its redesigned vapor chamber effectively manages thermals.
The S26 Ultra shows slightly improved battery life compared to the previous generation, despite retaining the same 5,000 mAh battery, thanks to efficiencies in the new chip and software. It also supports faster charging at a peak of 60 watts. However, its standby time is not as exceptional as some rivals, and critically, the phone lacks modern features like Qi2 magnets for advanced wireless charging and a silicon-carbon battery, which could have significantly boosted its battery performance and user experience.
The S26 Ultra's camera system sees improvements with larger apertures on both the main and 5X telephoto cameras, allowing more light in and producing slightly softer bokeh with close-up subjects. A significant enhancement is the new Horizon Lock stabilization, which leverages the 200-megapixel sensor to crop in and deliver 'ridiculously stable' Quad HD video up to 60 frames per second. However, a notable drawback is the worsening of the minimum focus distance on the main camera, though a macro mode is still available.
The S26 Ultra is packed with various AI features, some of which are genuinely useful, such as effective call screening and an Audio Eraser for background noise in videos, as well as Photo Assist for advanced image editing. However, the reviewer found their overall utility to be mixed, noting that certain features like 'Now Nudge' did not work reliably. Crucially, many of these AI functionalities are expected to eventually become available on older Samsung devices through software updates, diminishing their unique appeal as a reason to buy the S26 Ultra specifically.
100/100 source quality
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a unique Privacy Display, which offers significant privacy benefits by limiting viewing angles, but comes with trade-offs like reduced resolution and brightness. While the phone delivers excellent performance with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and slightly improved battery life, it disappoints by lacking features such as Qi2 magnets and a silicon-carbon battery. Camera improvements include larger apertures and an impressive Horizon Lock stabilization, but the main camera's minimum focus distance has worsened. The new AI features are present but offer mixed utility, with many potentially arriving on older devices. Overall, the phone is good, but its high price and omitted advancements make it a questionable value proposition.
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