Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: A Showcase of Innovation

“Is someone peeking at my screen right now?” I often wonder in public spaces. Even during mundane activities like playing Wordle, that nagging feeling lingers. While I usually reserve sensitive tasks like banking for the comfort of home, I’ve come to realize this unease creeps in whenever I’m on my phone in crowded areas. However, using the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra over the past couple of weeks has eased that anxiety; it addresses a concern I didn’t fully recognize until I integrated it into my daily routine.

I’ve used the S26 Ultra in various bustling environments—airplanes, airports, and crowded conventions. The phone’s new Privacy Display feature significantly alleviated my discomfort. While it’s not completely foolproof—someone could still decipher my Wordle guesses with enough effort—the mere assurance that a casual glance wouldn’t expose my repeated blunders was comforting. Plus, the ability to disable it at home is a nice touch.

The real question is: how much is that peace of mind worth? And how reliable is the display in protecting sensitive information like passwords, rather than just game scores? Those are the $1,300 questions.

I see the S26 Ultra as a standout in its category. Can you name another phone with four rear cameras and a built-in stylus? Its performance specs are impressive, attracting a dedicated fanbase. If you’re intrigued by the Privacy Display but uncertain about the overall package, consider your interest in the S26 Ultra as a whole. It’s a phone enthusiast’s dream—large, premium, and packed with features, including this unique display technology that could eventually become standard across other brands.

Beyond the Privacy Display, the S26 Ultra offers a versatile camera system, an all-day battery, and a mix of Galaxy AI features. Samsung has introduced some smart AI tools that seem to take cues from Google’s Pixel phones. While they may not be groundbreaking yet, they’re definitely moving in the right direction. For instance, the Nudge feature provides contextual suggestions during text conversations, which I found genuinely helpful for managing my calendar, even if it only appeared sporadically.

Just as I was wrapping up this review, a new AI feature called Gemini task automation rolled out via a software update. Currently limited to food ordering and rideshare apps, Gemini allows you to give simple commands like “Get me an Uber to the airport.” It opens the app in a virtual window and handles the request, stopping just before finalizing the order so you can review it. This approach feels reassuring and could signify a significant step toward AI assistants that genuinely assist us.

In the gallery app, Samsung has integrated generative AI features to help you creatively edit your photos, but I found them a bit unsettling. The company seems to be moving away from the idea that “photos are memories” to “photos can be anything you want.” With the S26 series, you can use natural language prompts to edit images, changing outfits or adding makeup, which can lead to some bizarre results. While there are some limitations—like not being able to completely remove clothing—there are still oddities, such as pasting a celebrity into your selfie. This raises concerns about the trustworthiness of images as generative AI tools become more prevalent.

On the hardware side, the S26 Ultra’s camera system has seen notable upgrades. Two of its cameras now feature brighter apertures, with the main 200-megapixel camera using an f/1.4 lens instead of f/1.7, and the 5x telephoto shifting from f/3.4 to f/2.9. These wider apertures theoretically enhance low-light performance, and my side-by-side tests confirm that the main camera consistently uses a lower ISO than its predecessor while maintaining the same shutter speed.

I observed similar improvements with the 5x telephoto camera in moderate lighting. In dim conditions, both phones raised the ISO to 1250, but the S26 Ultra managed a faster shutter speed of 1/60th compared to 1/30th on the S25. Faster shutter speeds reduce noise and increase the chances of capturing sharp images, making these enhancements to the camera system significant.

The S26 Ultra is still a substantial device, though it feels sleeker than its predecessor. It has traded the boxy corners of the Note series for softer curves, and the aluminum frame feels smoother than before. The S Pen silo is conveniently located on the corner, ensuring the stylus fits snugly.

While the dimensions are similar to last year’s model, the S26 Ultra has a more refined appearance. However, I’m disappointed to see the absence of Qi2 magnets, which would have been useful for magnetic chargers and accessories. Samsung still relies on cases for that feature, which isn’t ideal for those who prefer to go caseless. The display remains a massive 6.9 inches, and while it feels slightly more comfortable to hold, it’s still a large phone.

The Privacy Display is the standout feature. It employs Samsung’s Flex Magic Pixel technology to limit viewing angles when activated. When comparing it to the S25 Ultra, the screens look similar from the front, but I noticed a color shift from the S26 Ultra at lower angles. This didn’t bother me during use, but it might be an issue for some.

When Privacy Display is enabled, the screen dims slightly and appears flatter. While this might not be ideal for everyone, I found it manageable. You can even set it to activate only for notification banners, which is a neat feature that makes notifications appear dim and ghostly.

I kept Privacy Display on for days, only realizing it when I tried to show someone something on my screen, which they had to squint to see. At its default setting, it does make it harder to view content from an angle, but it’s not impossible—especially with white text on a black background.

Activating the “maximum” privacy option significantly reduces visibility from an angle, but it also lowers contrast when viewed straight on. It would be great if you could keep the default setting for general use and switch to maximum privacy for specific apps; given Samsung’s customization options, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re working on that for future updates.

In recent years, the Ultra seemed to lose its identity without meaningful improvements. While the transition from a 10x to a 5x zoom was likely a wise choice, it felt like Samsung was uncertain about the direction of this flagship phone. A name like “Ultra” sets high expectations.

This year, however, things feel different. The S26 Ultra genuinely introduces features I haven’t seen elsewhere, and that’s a refreshing change. The Privacy Display is effective, with no significant downsides, and it’s incredibly useful. Even my husband, who usually isn’t into tech, was impressed. The camera upgrades are substantial, with faster lenses allowing for better low-light performance. This isn’t just AI gimmickry; it’s grounded in physics.

The S26 Ultra marks a return to form, though it remains a premium device and undeniably a lot of phone. But that’s the essence of the Ultra promise: unapologetically large and packed with every imaginable feature. This phone is still tailored for a specific audience, but it’s great to see fans of the series finally receiving an update that lives up to the name.