Samsung has officially unveiled its latest flagship lineup at Galaxy Unpacked 2026 in San Francisco, introducing the Galaxy S26 series with enhanced performance, deeper AI integration, and a first-of-its-kind built-in Privacy Display on the Ultra model.
The Galaxy S26 lineup includes three models: Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The base S26 starts at $900, the S26 Plus at $1,100, and the S26 Ultra at $1,300. Both the S26 and S26 Plus see a $100 increase compared to their predecessors.
All three devices ship with Android 16 and One UI 8.5, forming the third generation of Samsung’s Galaxy AI phone strategy.
The design language remains consistent across the lineup, featuring rounded edges and a cohesive color palette that includes Black, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, and White. Samsung.com-exclusive Silver and Pink Gold options are also available.
Pre-orders for the phones have begun, with general availability starting March 11.
TL;DR
- Galaxy S26 series includes S26 at $900, S26 Plus at $1,100, and S26 Ultra at $1,300
- S26 and S26 Plus receive a $100 price increase
- S26 Ultra debuts built-in Privacy Display and 60W wired charging
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy powers the Ultra globally
- Pre-orders are open, sales start March 11
Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered globally by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset. Samsung reports up to 19% CPU improvement, 24% GPU gains, and a 39% boost in NPU performance. Thermal management has been redesigned with a larger vapor chamber to ensure sustained performance.
The device features a 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution, 1 to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and peak brightness of 2,600 nits. It is 0.3mm thinner than its predecessor and weighs 214 grams, replacing titanium with aluminum while retaining Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back and Gorilla Armor 2 protection on the front.
On the camera front, the 200MP main sensor now includes a wider f1.4 aperture, allowing it to capture 47% more light in low-light scenarios. The 50MP 5x telephoto lens receives a brighter f2.9 aperture, while the 50MP ultrawide remains unchanged.
The battery stays at 5,000mAh, but wired charging increases to 60W, enabling up to 75% charge in 30 minutes with a compatible adapter.
The Ultra introduces a built-in Privacy Display that limits side-angle visibility without requiring a separate screen protector. The technology selectively dims specific pixels so they appear black when viewed from the side, while maintaining full clarity from the front. Users can manually enable the feature or allow it to activate automatically in sensitive situations such as entering PINs or viewing notifications.
Galaxy S26
The standard Galaxy S26 features a 6.3-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
Depending on the market, it runs on either the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy or Exynos 2600 processor. It includes 12GB of RAM and offers 256GB or 512GB storage options.
The device houses a 4,300mAh battery and supports wired charging up to 55% in around 30 minutes using a 25W adapter. Its triple-camera system consists of a 50MP main sensor with 2x optical quality zoom, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP 3x telephoto camera.
AI-driven features such as Photo Assist, Audio Eraser with third-party app support, Call Screening, and Now Nudge are integrated across the experience.
Galaxy S26 Plus
The Galaxy S26 Plus sits between the base and Ultra models, offering a larger 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It is powered by the same processor variants as the S26 and includes 12GB of RAM with up to 512GB storage.
The S26 Plus carries a 4,900mAh battery and supports 45W wired charging, reaching up to 69% charge in approximately 30 minutes with a compatible adapter.
Its camera setup mirrors the standard S26, maintaining consistency while benefiting from Samsung’s expanded Galaxy AI tools for editing, content creation, and contextual assistance.
Topics For More Insights
Beyond the smartphones, Samsung also detailed separate advancements around Privacy Display technology, expanded Galaxy AI experiences, Gemini’s new agentic features, and the Galaxy Buds4 series.
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