The Galaxy S26 Ultra has become the most discussed Android device of the moment. While the newly launched Galaxy Z TriFold has wowed with its 10-inch triple-folding display, its ultra-premium price tag makes it a niche product for a select few.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S Ultra series remains the go-to choice for Android users worldwide  -  those willing to spend big for Samsung’s most reliable, powerful, and durable flagship.

But the question arises: Is Samsung now disappointing even its most loyal fans? The latest leaks suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra may be missing two of the few truly significant upgrades over its predecessor, the S25 Ultra.

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A true flagship must deliver a sense of luxury the moment it's held: refined design, premium materials, stunning display, and effortlessly smooth performance.

Apps should launch instantly, games should run without a hitch, and the display, camera, and audio should clearly outperform mid-range competitors.

Ironically, it’s mid-range devices that are now challenging that standard  -  with some offering battery life of up to two to three days.

Rumors suggest the Honor Power 2 may carry a massive 10,000mAh battery, doubling that of the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Of course, it can’t match the S25 Ultra’s performance, but the gap in battery life makes the flagship feel less compelling.

Samsung understood this concern, which is why expectations were high for the Galaxy S26 Ultra to finally break free from the 5,000mAh limitation that has persisted for six generations.

Galaxy S26 Ultra: Still stuck at 5,000mAh after seven years?

From the Galaxy S20 Ultra through the S25 Ultra, Samsung has continuously reused the 5,000mAh battery. Early leaks suggested the S26 Ultra might bump it slightly to 5,200mAh  -  not a huge leap, but potentially meaningful when paired with a new chip and more energy-efficient display.

But that hope has just been dashed, thanks to reliable leaker Ice Universe. In his detailed comparison chart between the S26 and S25 Ultra, he confirmed that the S26 Ultra would still feature the same 5,000mAh battery  -  for the seventh year in a row.

He recently reiterated this claim, making a battery increase seem highly unlikely.

The only good news? The S26 Ultra is expected to boost its charging speed from 45W to 60W  -  a welcome upgrade, but hardly enough to offset the disappointment around battery capacity.

Chip, RAM, design: Some upgrades, but not exciting enough

According to PhoneArena, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely run the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, an upgrade over the previous Elite version. However, both the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 already offer more than enough performance for everyday users. The real-world speed difference will be barely noticeable.

In terms of RAM, Samsung plans to retain a maximum of 16GB, but upgrade the standard to LPDDR5X for faster data rates. However, with current RAM prices soaring, this could lead to a price increase for the S26 series in 2026.

As for design, the S26 Ultra is rumored to be 0.3mm thinner and 4 grams lighter than its predecessor. These numbers look good on paper, but in reality, few will notice the difference between 214g and 218g.

No camera breakthroughs, M14 display held back by battery strategy

Samsung is expected to stick with its familiar ISOCELL HP2 200MP sensor for the main camera. The remaining cameras are likely to carry over the same specifications from the S25 Ultra. There are even rumors that the 3x telephoto lens may use a smaller sensor.

Expectations were high for Samsung’s new M14 OLED panel. However, Ice Universe warns that Samsung won't fully exploit its potential.

That’s because Samsung is prioritizing power efficiency to compensate for sticking with the 5,000mAh battery. As a result, the display may be capped at a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits (unchanged), limited to 8-bit color, use low-frequency PWM, and avoid unlocking the full wide color gamut of the M14.

Meanwhile, competitors like the iQOO 15, using the same panel, are pushing for higher brightness, broader color coverage, and more advanced display controls.

Thus, the M14 panel on the Galaxy S26 Ultra is likely being used primarily to save power  -  not to enhance the visual experience.

If the leaks are true, the Galaxy S26 Ultra risks being seen as a minor refresh of the S25 Ultra, rather than a true evolution.

The two features users care about most  -  battery life and display quality  -  offer no significant improvements over last year.

Of course, the device will still introduce a few exciting features, such as a rumored new screen security function. But will that be enough to convince users to upgrade?

Samsung may need to do more to ensure the Galaxy S26 Ultra truly lives up to its “top-tier flagship” reputation.

Hai Phong