Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. Both launched at roughly the same price ($1,300 vs $1,300), so cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra stands out for class-leading 200 mp main camera with 5x periscope zoom, while Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is praised for 200mp main + 50mp 5x periscope telephoto. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if…
- →Class-leading 200 MP main camera with 5x periscope zoom
- →Built-in S Pen for note-taking and productivity
- →Bright 2600-nit display with Gorilla Glass Armor 2
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if…
- →200MP main + 50MP 5x periscope telephoto
- →Privacy Display limits side-angle viewing
- →S Pen built in
Pros & Cons
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Pros
- Class-leading 200 MP main camera with 5x periscope zoom
- Built-in S Pen for note-taking and productivity
- Bright 2600-nit display with Gorilla Glass Armor 2
- Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers top-tier performance
- 7 years of OS and security updates
Cons
- Very expensive at $1299 starting price
- S Pen lost Bluetooth remote features
- Charging speed still capped at 45W
- Large and heavy for one-handed use
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Pros
- 200MP main + 50MP 5x periscope telephoto
- Privacy Display limits side-angle viewing
- S Pen built in
- 0.3mm thinner than S25 Ultra at 214g
- 16GB RAM with up to 1TB
Cons
- $1300 starting price
- Same 45W charging as S25 Ultra
- Marginal upgrade if coming from S25 Ultra
Full Specifications
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 15, One UI 7 | Android 16, One UI 8 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 218 g | 214 g |
| Material | Titanium frame, Gorilla Glass Armor 2 | Titanium frame, Gorilla Armor 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm | 162 x 77 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 200 MP, f/1.7, OIS | 200 MP, f/1.7, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@120fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@120fps |
| Telephoto | 50 MP 5x periscope + 10 MP 3x | 50 MP, f/2.6, 5x optical zoom, 10x optical-quality zoom |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP, f/1.9 | 50 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W Qi2 | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.9 inches | 6.9 inches |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X LTPO | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 3120 x 1440 | 1440 x 3120 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2600 | 2600 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (2x4.47 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Adreno 830 | Adreno |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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