Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy S26 Ultra at Unpacked 2026. On paper, it brings improvements across performance, charging, camera tuning and AI capabilities. But the Galaxy S25 Ultra remains widely available in India at significantly lower prices than its original launch cost.
For buyers deciding whether to buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra or the S25 Ultra, the question is simple: are the upgrades meaningful enough to justify the price gap? Here’s which one you should buy.
The most immediate physical change in the Galaxy S26 Ultra is its profile. The Galaxy S26 Ultra measures 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9mm and weighs 214 grams, which makes it 0.3mm slimmer than the S25 Ultra (8.2mm) and also marginally lighter at 214g.
Both phones carry IP68 certification for dust and water resistance. The S25 Ultra introduced a grade 5 titanium frame and flatter edges. The S26 Ultra continues the premium glass-and-metal construction, using Gorilla Armor 2 protection with an anti-reflective coating.
On the front, both devices feature a 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel with QHD+ resolution and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Peak brightness is rated at 2600 nits on both models with HDR10+ support.
The S26 Ultra uses Vision Booster enhancements and introduces a Privacy Display which is not available on the S25 Ultra or the non-Ultra S26 phones. This hardware-integrated feature operates at the pixel level to limit side-angle viewing, effectively acting as a built-in privacy screen to prevent bystanders from seeing on-screen content. Resolution and pixel density remain effectively unchanged.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, built on a 3nm process. The S25 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite, also 3nm-based.
CPU clock speeds increase from 4.47GHz (performance cores) on the S25 Ultra to 4.74GHz on the S26 Ultra. GPU moves from Adreno 830 to Adreno 840.
RAM and storage configurations remain similar:
Both devices use UFS 4.X storage.
According to Samsung, this provides a 19% increase in CPU performance and a 39% boost in NPU (Neural Processing Unit) capabilities over the Snapdragon 8 Elite found in the S25 Ultra. To manage the increased power, the S26 Ultra features a redesigned vapour chamber.
In day-to-day use, the S25 Ultra already delivers flagship-level performance. The S26 Ultra’s chip upgrade will benefit heavy gaming, AI workloads, and long-term futureproofing, but casual users are unlikely to notice a dramatic jump.
Both phones feature a 200MP primary sensor, but the S26 Ultra widens the aperture from f/1.7 to f/1.4. A wider aperture allows more light to enter the sensor, which should improve low-light photography and subject separation.
The zoom capabilities remain consistent with a dual-telephoto setup (3x and 5x optical zoom), though Samsung has introduced Super Steady 9, which adds a horizontal lock feature for more stable video recording during fast movement.
The telephoto setup remains dual-lens on both devices, ultra-wide remains 50MP f/1.9 on both and selfie camera remains 12MP f/2.2 on both.
Video capabilities are also similar, supporting 8K recording at up to 30fps, 4K at up to 120fps, 10-bit HDR and stereo sound recording.
The headline improvement is the brighter main aperture. If you frequently shoot in dim environments, the S26 Ultra has a technical advantage. Otherwise, the hardware differences are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
Both phones carry a 5,000mAh battery. The S26 Ultra increases wired charging to 60W, claiming up to 75 percent charge in around 30 minutes. The S25 Ultra supports 45W wired charging, reaching about 65 percent in the same timeframe.
Wireless charging improves from 15W on the S25 Ultra to 25W (Qi2.2) on the S26 Ultra and reverse wireless charging remains 4.5W.
If charging speed matters to you, the S26 Ultra offers a practical improvement, but battery capacity itself remains unchanged.
The software experience marks the biggest functional divide. While the S25 Ultra introduced “Galaxy AI,” the S26 Ultra moves toward “Agentic AI.”
The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces:
Both phones promise seven years of security updates, but the S26 Ultra ships with Android 16 and One UI 8.5, while the S25 Ultra launched with Android 15 and One UI 8.
For buyers invested in AI tools and long-term software evolution, the S26 Ultra offers more advanced on-device and cloud-assisted features.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at Rs 1,39,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant. The Galaxy S25 Ultra launched at around Rs 1,29,999, but is currently available in sales for close to Rs 1,00,000 depending on offers.
That roughly Rs 40,000 gap changes the equation significantly.
If you want the absolute latest processor, faster charging, enhanced AI features, pixel-level privacy display and the best possible low-light performance from Samsung’s current lineup, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the more future-proof choice.
If you prioritise value, the Galaxy S25 Ultra remains a powerful flagship with a nearly identical display, similar camera hardware, the same battery capacity and flagship performance that is unlikely to feel outdated anytime soon.
Your decision ultimately depends on whether those refinements are worth paying a premium for today.
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