Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review: finally a real competitor
After years of incremental updates, Samsung delivered something that feels genuinely new.
Samsung has been coasting for years, releasing Galaxy phones that were good but never great. The S26 Ultra changes that. This is the first Samsung phone in years that makes you stop and think about switching from iPhone.
The display
The 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display is the best screen on any smartphone. Period. 3000 nits peak brightness, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh, and colors so accurate it could replace a reference monitor for quick edits.
Camera system
The 200MP main sensor gets a new pixel-binning algorithm that produces cleaner 50MP shots. Low-light performance is exceptional, often matching or exceeding the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The 10x optical zoom remains unmatched.
The AI features
Samsung's Galaxy AI is the most useful implementation of on-device AI we have seen. Live Translate works in real-time during phone calls. Photo editing suggestions are genuinely helpful rather than gimmicky.
AI Reporter
Senior AI reporter covering research breakthroughs, industry trends, and the people building the future of intelligent systems. Previously at Wired and MIT Technology Review.
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