Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review: Private and performant Samsung is nothing if not consistent. Just as it has for many years, the company is starting the year with a new generation of Galaxy S phones. Rumors about remixing the lineup did not pan out, so there are still three versions of the phone—the [Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra][1]. It's the Ultra, with its whopping $1,300 price tag, that makes up the largest chunk of Samsung flagship sales, even though you can get a perfectly serviceable smartphone for a third of the price. The S26 Ultra serves a different market than a budget phone, though. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is big, powerful, and overflowing with features. It can be a bit too much at times, particularly if you don't care for mobile AI. It's expensive, but you get long support and just about everything you could want from a smartphone in 2026. Still, with other smartphone makers scaling back amid [skyrocketing component prices][2], the S26 Ultra may end up looking like a good value in hindsight. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/02/samsung-reveals-g… [2]: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/12/for-just-a-couple… [3]: https://arstechnica.com/reviews/2026/03/samsung-galaxy-s2… [4]: https://arstechnica.com/reviews/2026/03/samsung-galaxy-s2… The S26 Ultra is a monolithic phone. https://arstechnica.com/reviews/2026/03/samsung-galaxy-s2…