{"id":586927,"date":"2025-11-22T14:20:32","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T14:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/586927\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T14:20:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T14:20:32","slug":"samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-vs-s25-ultra-an-upgrade-worth-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/586927\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: An upgrade worth making?"},"content":{"rendered":"

With December fast approaching, there aren\u2019t many more big tech releases expected for 2025. That means it\u2019s time to start focusing on 2026, and Samsung is likely to be one of the first out the gate with the Galaxy S26<\/a> series.<\/p>\n

There are expected to be three handsets \u2014 or perhaps four if the Galaxy S26 Edge<\/a> isn\u2019t cancelled<\/a> and arrives alongside its siblings this time around \u2014 and top of the tree will be the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/a>, with a price tag to match.<\/p>\n

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Just how much better will it be than Samsung\u2019s current flagship, the Galaxy S25 Ultra<\/a>? Here\u2019s what we know so far.<\/p>\n

Best picks for you<\/p>\n

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: SpecificationsSwipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n\nRow 0 – Cell 0 <\/td>\n\n

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (rumored)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Display size<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

6.9 inches (3,120 x 1,440)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

6.9 inches (3,120 x 1,440)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Refresh rate<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

120Hz<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

120Hz<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Chipset<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Memory<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

12 or 16GB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

12GB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Storage<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

256GB, 512GB, 1TB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

256GB, 512GB, 1TB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Rear cameras<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP periscope telephoto (5x zoom), 12MP telephoto (3x zoom)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP periscope telephoto (5x zoom), 10MP telephoto (3x zoom)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Front camera<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

12MP <\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

12MP <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n

Battery size<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

5,400mAh<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

5,000mAh<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: Release date and price<\/p>\n

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\"SmartPrix\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: SmartPrix \/ Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the one we know for sure. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra was released on February 7 2025, with a starting price of $1,299 for the 256GB model, rising to $1,659 if you want to quadruple that storage to 1TB.<\/p>\n

Nine months later, and that price has come down considerably, as you might expect. You can now get one on Amazon for \u2018just\u2019 $759 if you\u2019re happy with refurbished units<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While Samsung has announced its latest \u2018S\u2019 series phones in January or early February in recent years, reports out of Korea suggest it may be a little bit later this time around, with a Galaxy Unpacked event tipped for February 25<\/a>. That would push the phone\u2019s actual release to the first week of March, 2026.<\/p>\n

The last two Ultras have started at $1,299 \u2014 a $100 price increase on the year before. While some think we\u2019ll see a price hike<\/a>, we\u2019re hopeful that Samsung will maintain this for another year to remain competitive with the $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: Design and screen<\/p>\n

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\"reported\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Redditor Direct-Till-2680)<\/p>\n

As with recent previous \u2018S\u2019 releases, it sounds like Samsung will be looking at subtle design shifts, rather than a wholesale change in 2026. We\u2019re expecting the same 6.9-inch, 120Hz, 3,120 x 1,440 display on the S26 Ultra as on the S25 Ultra, ensuring that this remains best suited to those with large hands.<\/p>\n

The leaker Ice Universe claims that the phone will be getting thinner, measuring somewhere between 7 and 8mm thick<\/a>, compared to the 8.1mm thickness of the current model. This, the leaker claims, will be accompanied by \u201cslightly increased width and height\u201d. He later listed actual measurements<\/a>: 6.44 x 3.07 x 0.31 inches, compared to 6.41 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches on the S25 Ultra.<\/p>\n

Concerningly for fans of the S Pen, the leaker PandaFlashPro claimed that this added thinness will come thanks to removing the stylus\u2019 digitizer<\/a>. If true \u2014 and the leaker later claimed Samsung was dissatisfied with test results<\/a> \u2014 that could spell the end of advanced functions like pressure sensitivity and hover functions.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss these<\/p>\n

Renders from Smartprix<\/a> suggest the phone will be a little less angular and a little more curved, while an advert shared by the leaker Tarun Vats on X <\/a>seems to show a considerably more raised rear camera array.<\/p>\n

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Galaxy S26 Ultra \u2014 first real-life look via case maker leak \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/IcSw2GuU1aOctober 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: Performance<\/p>\n

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\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

According to Samsung\u2019s own executives<\/a>, the Galaxy S26 series\u2019 biggest improvements will come in raw performance, AI and the cameras.<\/p>\n

These improvements will largely fall on the figurative shoulders of Qualcomm<\/a>‘s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which should give a big boost over the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Galaxy S25 Ultra.<\/p>\n

We benchmarked a reference device<\/a>, and found it achieved Geekbench scores of 3,832 in single-core tests and 12,208 for the multi-core equivalent. That\u2019s a solid improvement over the Galaxy S25 Ultra\u2019s totals of 3,031 and 9,829.<\/p>\n

Graphically, it\u2019s a similar story. Qualcomm\u2019s reference device managed 55.31 fps in the intensive 3DMark Solar Bay test, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra \u2018only\u2019 got 42.36fps. For further reference, the iPhone 17 Pro Max reached 46.63fps.<\/p>\n

These scores are impressive, and they could be even better if Samsung announces a special \u201cfor Galaxy\u201d version of the chip with a slightly higher clock speed, as has happened in recent generations.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, this reference device did have 24GB RAM, which the Galaxy S26 Ultra certainly won\u2019t match. There\u2019s some talk of Samsung upping things to 16GB<\/a>, but the leaker Ice Universe thinks that won\u2019t be the case<\/a>, with 12GB remaining the norm in most regions, with a possible 16GB, 1TB version available in \u201cmore demanding\u201d countries, such as China.<\/p>\n

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Please look at the memory comparison between Samsung and Huawei. Samsung itself is a memory manufacturer, but Samsung is not willing to give users more memory at all because TM Roh wants to make money too much.S26\uff0cS26+12+256\uff0c12+512S26 Ultra12+256\uff0c12+512\uff0c12+1T\uff08In those\u2026November 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There may be good news on the battery front, however. While some believe Samsung will stick with 5,000mAh for another year<\/a>, others think this will be upped to 5,400mAh for the S26 Ultra<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It should charge faster, too. Code from One UI 8.5 shows charging speeds are set to hit 60W with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/a> \u2014 that\u2019s 15W faster than the 45W charging seen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Wireless charging could reach 25W, too<\/a> \u2014 a big improvement on the 15W wireless speeds the Galaxy S25 Ultra currently has.<\/p>\n

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: Cameras<\/p>\n

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\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The biggest rumored upgrade for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra over the S25 Ultra is now in doubt. Ice Universe once hinted that Samsung might be resurrecting the variable rate aperture for the new flagship device<\/a> \u2014 something the company hasn\u2019t had in its flagship phones since the Galaxy S10 in 2018.<\/p>\n

But in August, the leaker said that the main camera will actually use an f\/1.4 aperture<\/a> with the same 200MP sensor as its predecessor<\/a>. That wider aperture should let in 47% more light, however, enhancing low-light photography.<\/p>\n

Ice Universe also believes that the 50MP telephoto sensor is also set to be the same as last year\u2019s model<\/a> \u2014 and may be used in the Galaxy S27 Ultra too.<\/p>\n

But the 3x telephoto lens will apparently get an upgrade in 2026. FlashPandaPro suggests that the 10MP lens on the S25 Ultra will be replaced with a 12MP snapper for the S26 Ultra<\/a>. The leaker also mentions a new laser AF sensor for faster processing speeds and next-gen ProVisual Engine for speedier image processing.<\/p>\n

While these changes sound minor taken individually, they could add up to something greater than the sum of their parts \u2014 especially as the new Qualcomm chipset may allow for better image processing than ever before.<\/p>\n

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: Outlook<\/p>\n

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\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: SmartPrix)<\/p>\n

It would be very surprising if the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra wasn\u2019t one of the best phones<\/a> of 2026. With a super-fast processor, speedier charging and an improved camera array, it sounds like one of the best Android phones<\/a> will be getting even better.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s no denying that the suggested improvements are incremental rather than revolutionary, and with the expected high price of entry, it\u2019s unlikely that Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra users will see a pressing need to upgrade right away, if at all.<\/p>\n


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