Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra arrives as the definitive refinement of the Android flagship formula, but does it offer enough to warrant an upgrade over the still-formidable S25 Ultra? We’ve pitted these two titans against each other to see if the generational leap justifies the premium. Is it time to trade in, or should you hold on?

Check out this HEAD-TO-HEAD for the COMPLETE BREAKDOWN of how these two phones compare in terms of screen quality, battery life, charging speed, chipset performance, and camera image quality, all based on our extensive reviews.

▶ Read our detailed text comparison
gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s26_ultra_vs_galaxy_s25_ultra_review_battery_camera_price_compared-news-72034.php

▶ Check the phone's prices
gsmarena.com/where-to-buy.php3?p=14320
gsmarena.com/where-to-buy.php3?p=13322
Note: This is an unbiased, non-sponsored review, but sales commissions may be earned if you make a purchase through the link above.

▶ Check out the full phone's specs
gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s26_ultra_5g-14320.php
gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_ultra-13322.php

▶ Check out how the phones sound
gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s26_ultra_vs_galaxy_s25_ultra_review_battery_camera_price_compared-news-72034.php#lt

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Timestamps:
00:00 - S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra Comparison
00:33 - Design & Build Quality Comparison
00:45 - Privacy Display: New S26 Ultra Tech
01:14 - 6.9" LTPO OLED Screen Comparison
01:49 - Stereo Speaker Loudness & Quality
02:17 - Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Speed
02:35 - AnTuTu & Geekbench 6 Benchmarks
02:59 - Battery Life Test: Active Use Score
03:20 - 45W Charging Speed Comparison
03:45 - One UI 8.0 & Android 16 Features
04:09 - 200MP Camera Specs & Hardware
04:42 - Main Camera: Photo Quality Test
04:56 - 3x Telephoto Zoom Performance
05:05 - 5x Telephoto Zoom Quality
05:12 - 10x Periscope Zoom Samples
05:15 - Ultrawide Camera: Field of View
05:25 - Macro Mode & Close-up Samples
05:45 - Low Light: Main Camera Samples
06:01 - Low Light: 3x Zoom Quality
06:08 - Low Light: 5x Zoom Quality
06:14 - Low Light: 10x Zoom Quality
06:19 - Low Light: Ultrawide Samples
06:23 - 12MP Selfie Camera Test
06:33 - 4K Selfie Video Stabilization
06:37 - New Video features: Horizon Lock
06:37 - Video Quality Comparison
06:59 - Low-light Video Samples
07:13 - Wrap-up
07:40 - Galaxy S26 Ultra Pros
07:55 - Galaxy S25 Ultra Pros
08:08 - Verdict