Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, a welcome evolution

Samsung recently unveiled its new annual Galaxy S26 smartphone lineup, the three usual models topped by the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra, which we'll introduce right now. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Screen: Privacy Display Function. Let's start with the main new feature of this version: the Privacy Display function, a digital filter integrated into the screen that protects its content from prying eyes. In other words, you have to be directly in front of the screen to see it; otherwise, it appears obscured. This is a feature previously limited to physical screen protectors. The advantage of this digital filter is that it can be activated or deactivated depending on the application, and can even be applied to a portion of the screen, for example, to hide passwords. Other new features include compatibility with the lossless APV codec, ideal for capturing and processing professional-quality video.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Screen: Main Specifications££££

The screen remains similar to that of the S25 Ultra: 6.9" (17.52 cm) Dynamic AMOLED with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and 2,600 nits peak brightness. It is also HDR10/HDR10+ compatible and features Corning Gorilla Armor 2 protection. The battery capacity is 5,000 mAh, and charging speeds are improved compared to the previous model: from 45W to 60W wired and from 15W to 25W wirelessly (Qi 2.2). Note that the device still does not have a magnet for attaching Qi 2.0 accessories.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra screen: photo/video equipment££££

To get back to the changes, a quick design note: three of the cameras are now arranged in a vertical oval cluster on the back. There are four main lenses: a 50 MP ultra-wide-angle lens (120°, f/1.9, 0.7 µm pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF, stabilized), a 50 MP telephoto lens (111 mm, f/1.9, 0.7 µm pixel size, 5x optical zoom, stabilized), a 10 MP telephoto lens (67 mm, f/2.4, 1 µm pixel size, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, stabilized), and a 200 MP wide-angle lens (24 mm, f/1.4, 0.6 µm pixel size, PDAF, (stabilized). The selfie camera is still a 12 MP wide-angle lens (26 mm, 1.12 µm pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF). For video, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra can naturally record footage in 4320p (Ultra HD 8K) resolution up to 30 fps, 2160p (Ultra HD 4K) up to 120 fps, and 1080p (Full HD) up to 240 fps. For the selfie camera: 2160p up to 60 fps or 1080p up to 30 fps. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra screen, the processor... The processor at the heart of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (2 x 4.74 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6 x 3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M) and manufactured using a 3 nm process, supported by an Adreno 840 GPU, 12 GB of RAM for the 256 GB and 512 GB storage versions, and 16 GB for the 1 TB version. Note that the storage uses UFS 4.1, which is faster than the 4.0 protocol of previous models.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: specifications in bulk££££

Back to the design, with titanium giving way to Armor Aluminum, which Samsung claims is stronger and allows for better heat dissipation. The edges are more rounded, for a more comfortable grip and to save your pockets. The index IP68 is still the standard for water and dust resistance, and connectivity includes Bluetooth 6.0 (5.4 last year), 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Ultra Wideband, NFC, GPS (with multiple satellites), and USB-C 3.2. A word from TM Roh, CEO, President and Head of Device eXperience (DX) at Samsung Electronics: "We believe users should be able to rely on AI in their daily lives, designed to work efficiently for everyone, without requiring any special expertise," said TM Roh, CEO, President and Head of Device eXperience (DX) at Samsung Electronics. "With the Galaxy S26 Series, we've made AI simpler to use: by running in the background, users can focus on what matters most." Availability announced for March 11. Suggested retail prices: • €1,969 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 16GB/1TB; • €1,669 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 12GB/512GB; • €1,469 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 12GB/256GB; ; Key features of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: • OS: Android 16 + One UI 8.5; • Network: 5G, 4G/LTE, HSPA, GSM; • Screen: 6.9" (17.52 cm) OLED, 120Hz; • Coating: Gorilla Glass Armor 2; • Resolution: 1440 x 3120 pixels (500 ppi) • Aspect Ratio: 19.5:9 • Peak Brightness: 2,600 nits • Processor: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (2 x 4.77 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6 x 3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M) and 3nm process • Graphics Chip: Adreno 840 • RAM: 12 GB or 16 GB • Storage: 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB (non-expandable) • Camera: 50 MP ultra-wide (120°, f/1.9, 0.7 µm pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF, stabilized), 50 MP telephoto (111 mm, f/1.9, 0.7 µm pixel size, stabilized, 5x optical zoom, stabilized), 10 12 MP telephoto lens (67 mm, f/2.4, 1 µm pixel size, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, stabilized) and 200 MP wide-angle lens (24 mm, f/1.4, 0.6 µm pixel size, PDAF, stabilized)

• Selfie camera: 12 MP (26 mm, 1.12 µm pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF)

• Wi-Fi Direct compatibility

• NFC compatibility

• HDR10+ compatibility

• Wi-Fi 7 compatibility

• Bluetooth 6 compatibility

• Other: GPS, A-GPA, Glonass, 65W Quick Charge, wireless charging Qi2.1 (25W), Reverse Charging (4.5W)

• Video recording: up to 4320p at up to 30 fps, 2160p at up to 120 fps, 1080p at 240 fps; 2160p up to 60 fps on the Selfie camera

• Fingerprint sensor: yes, under the screen

• Certification: IP68, Hi-Res Audio

• Sound section: 384 kHz/32-bit DAC

• Connector: USB-C port

• 3.5 mm headphone jack: no

• Battery: 5000 mAh (non-removable)

• Dimensions: 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm

• Weight: 214 g