Updated 12 Nov 2026
Is the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra worth it?
Yes, if you want the best Android phone and can pay for it.
Its 6.9-inch anti-glare screen has a new Privacy Display that blanks it for anyone looking from the side, for the apps you choose. It comes with the S Pen, a 200 MP main camera with 3x and 5x zoom, a Snapdragon chip in every country and 60W charging that fills most of the battery in half an hour. It's thinner and lighter than the S25 Ultra and the battery lasts longer, though phones with bigger batteries now last longer still. The big camera bump makes it rock on a table, the privacy mode dims the screen while it's on, and few phones cost more.
94%of 483 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Privacy Display hides your screen from onlookers
- S Pen and a 5x zoom
- 60W charging
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What owners say
Owners love the camera and how fast it is. Most of the unhappy ones are upgraders from an older Ultra who see too little change, plus a few camera faults.
Good to know
- The camera bump makes it wobble when it's flat on a table.
- Privacy Display dims the screen while it's on.
- No charger in the box, and only a 60W charger gets the fastest speed.
- No magnets for Qi2 chargers built in: that needs a magnetic case.
From 483 buyer ratings at Currys, every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Excellent cameraMentioned a lot
- Fast and smoothMentioned often
- Great screenAlso mentioned
- Battery lasts wellAlso mentioned
- Comfortable size and weightAlso mentioned
What they complain about
- Not an upgrade on their older UltraRare
- Camera fault or disappointing photosVery rare
- Lags, freezes or apps crashVery rare
Get it if…
- You want the best Android phone there is.
- You'd use the S Pen for notes or photo edits.
- You open banking or work apps in public.
Skip it if…
- You want a phone for a small hand: the S26 is far smaller.
- You want the longest battery life: phones with bigger batteries go further.
More on the Galaxy S26 Ultra
How we reached this verdict
TechRadar calls it Samsung's best Galaxy S phone yet and one of the best phones of the year, with the Privacy Display and steadier video as the stand-outs. Tom's Guide calls it the best Android phone yet; it lasted nearly two hours longer than the S25 Ultra in its battery test, but it dislikes the huge camera bump and the lack of a bigger silicon-carbon battery. Expert Reviews finds it as polished as flagships get, with battery life among the best it has recorded (though the iPhone 17 Pro Max went further) and 60W charging that reached 80% in 30 minutes. GSMArena calls it an unexciting but well-balanced upgrade, noting camera hardware behind the best Android camera phones and heavy throttling under long loads. Of the 483 verified owners we read, 29 gave 3 stars or less, most of them upgraders from an older Ultra who see too little change. Specs from Samsung UK.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Expert Reviews, GSMArena, Samsung, Expert Reviews, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 12 Nov 2026How we decide