South Korean tech giant Samsung has unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, introducing several incremental but notable upgrades over the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, including a new privacy-focused display and a more powerful processor.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which delivers improved performance compared with the previous generation, Snapdragon 8 Elite. According to the company, users can expect gains of about 14% in single-core tasks and 29% in multi-core workloads, although day-to-day usage remains smooth on both devices.

One of the headline additions is the new Privacy Display technology. While both phones feature a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, the S26 Ultra limits side-angle visibility so that only the person directly in front can clearly view the screen. This built-in privacy layer was not available on the earlier model.

In terms of design, Samsung has opted for an evolutionary refresh. The phone retains the familiar flat display and curved frame but introduces an elliptical rear camera housing. The company has also made the device slightly slimmer and lighter, though it drops the Bluetooth-enabled S Pen seen in last year’s model.

Camera hardware largely remains similar on paper, with a 200MP primary sensor supported by ultra-wide and dual telephoto lenses. However, Samsung says the S26 Ultra benefits from wider apertures for better light capture, improved Super Steady stabilisation for smoother 4K video, and enhanced Nightography video for low-light recording.

Battery capacity stays at 5,000mAh, but charging speeds see a modest bump, with the handset capable of reaching roughly 75% charge in about 30 minutes. Wireless and reverse charging features continue unchanged, positioning the Galaxy S26 Ultra as a refinement-focused upgrade rather than a radical overhaul.