Comparison of Galaxy S26 Ultra with S25 Ultra

With the official unveiling of the new generation of Samsung flagships, now is the time to compare the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra. Two products that are both at the highest level of the Android market. In the new generation, Samsung has focused on optimizing the design, improving the processing power, improving the camera optics and increasing the charging speed. However, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is still one of the most powerful Android phones on the market.

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Galaxy S26 Ultra is not yet officially available in the Iranian market. But in the article about the price of Galaxy S26 Ultra, we have estimated the price of this phone in the Iranian market. A topic that can be useful in planning to buy this phone.

Comparison of Galaxy S26 Ultra with S25 Ultra; Design and dimensions

In the design department, Samsung has continued the path of gradual evolution. Reducing thickness and weight are the most important changes of the new generation. A topic that helped the Korean company to define new standards again.

Last year, the Galaxy S25 Ultra saw a significant reduction in thickness and weight compared to its predecessor, which became one of its main strengths. However, Samsung is not satisfied with the same achievement in the new generation.

Comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra, we see that the new model is 0.3 mm thinner and 4 grams lighter. The design of the camera module has also been changed and its arrangement seems simpler and more integrated.

These numbers may seem insignificant at first glance, but in a phone with a 6.9-inch screen and a metal-glass body, these small differences can have a noticeable effect on the experience of holding the device. This reduction in weight and thickness has also helped to improve the balance of the device during long-term use, especially in landscape mode for watching videos or playing games.

Rear panel and camera module redesign

The most important difference in appearance when comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra comes back to the back design.

In the S25 Ultra, the cameras were placed separately and so-called “floating” on the panel. But in the S26 Ultra, the design of the back panel is simpler and more uniform, and there is no more island structure or a separate visual protrusion for the cameras. This change has helped to make the back of the device look more minimal and modern.

In addition to aesthetics, this redesign has also helped to reduce visual confusion in the arrangement of lenses and has created more harmony between design elements.

Comparison of Galaxy S26 Ultra with S25 Ultra; Materials and build quality

In the previous generation, the use of a titanium frame was one of the luxury features of the S25 Ultra. In contrast, the S26 Ultra uses the second generation of Armor Aluminum. Although titanium looks more attractive in terms of marketing, Samsung’s new aluminum is still highly resistant to pressure and impact, while also helping to reduce the weight of the device. Both models use the IP68 standard. This means that they are completely resistant to dust and can survive in water up to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

Comparison of Galaxy S26 Ultra display with S25 Ultra

In this section of comparing Galaxy S26 Ultra with S25 Ultra, we are facing one of the most important practical changes of the new generation. A change that makes sense not in big advertising numbers, but in the actual user experience.

Unlike some competitors, Samsung has not increased the nominal brightness and still declares the maximum brightness of 2600 nits for both models. However, the Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a new hardware feature called Privacy Display, which effectively acts as a built-in privacy filter.

As seen in the table, in terms of basic hardware, the panel of the two devices is very similar. Both use LTPO technology, which allows dynamic change of the refresh rate between 1 and 120 Hz. A topic that helps both the fluency of the image and the optimization of energy consumption.

The resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels means a very high detail display, a density of nearly 500ppi and a resolution up to professional standards.

Privacy Display; The key difference of the new generation

The main difference between Galaxy S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra in the display department is Privacy Display. This technology:

• Limits the side view angle
• It preserves the legibility of the image from the front
• Prevents the page content from being seen by people nearby
• It’s hardware, not just software

The user can:

• Adjust the intensity of the filter
• enable it for certain conditions (eg when entering a PIN)
• Define automatic activation for specific applications

This feature can be useful in public environments such as subways, airplanes or business meetings and creates an additional layer of security.

Laboratory results of brightness and color accuracy

In the following, you can see the data related to the display of two models, which of course is in laboratory conditions. It means that you may not notice many differences in practice.

Comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra, the new model looks a little brighter, but the difference is not really noticeable and revolutionary.

Description of parameters

• color temperature: Closer to 6500 Kelvin means a more natural display of white.
• gamma: controlling the brightness of midtones; A number close to 2.2 is considered standard.
• Delta E: color error index; The lower it is, the higher the color accuracy (below 3 is considered very good).

In this part of the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra comparison, the new model shows slightly better color accuracy in the RGB color space, but the overall difference is very minor.

In summing up this part of the comparison between Galaxy S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra, we can say that the basic quality of the panel in both models is at an excellent level, the actual brightness is almost the same, with the slight advantage of S26 Ultra, the color accuracy in both models is very good and professional, and most importantly, Privacy Display is considered the best innovation of this generation.

In this generation, instead of increasing advertising numbers, Samsung has focused on adding a functional and different feature. An approach that focuses above all else on security and user experience, not just numerical competition.

Comparing the hardware performance of the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra

In the new generation, Samsung has used the Snapdragon 8 Elite 5th generation chip, which is an upgrade from the previous generation. This chip has a very high processing power and can perform the heaviest processing and graphics tasks in a short period of time without any problems. Samsung also announced that the processor has improved by 19%, the graphics processor by 24% and the neural processing unit by 39%. In the following, you can see the statistical differences in the benchmarks compared to the previous generation, i.e. Snapdragon 8 Elite.

CPU and graphics benchmark

Comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra to the S25 Ultra, the performance upgrade is quite noticeable, especially in AI and heavy graphics processing. But the S25 Ultra is still capable of handling the heaviest tasks with ease.

In terms of RAM memory and internal memory, Samsung has kept the same simple and clear formula of last year in the new generation.

As can be seen in the table, there is no change in the amount of RAM or storage capacities when comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra to the S25 Ultra. 256 and 512 GB models with 12 GB of RAM are also available. The 1 TB version is the only model that uses 16 GB of RAM.

The type of storage memory in S25 Ultra is officially UFS 4.0. But the S26 Ultra uses its more optimized standard, UFS 4.X. The technology is a bit newer and relatively faster. But the difference in speed is not so drastic that it transforms the user experience.

Galaxy S26 Ultra software comparison with S25 Ultra

One of the most important differences between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the S25 Ultra is the default operating system version. Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with Android 16 and One UI 8.5. While the S25 Ultra uses Android 15 at the time of release. Both devices benefit from Samsung’s 7-year OS update policy and security patches. The issue that places them among the most stable Android phones in the market.

Artificial intelligence and software capabilities

In terms of AI-based capabilities, Samsung has taken a different approach. Unlike some previous generations that used exclusive software features, in this generation there is no serious functional difference between the two models.

Comparing the software features of the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra, it should be noted that there are no AI features exclusive to the S26 Ultra that are not available on the S25 Ultra. Both phones benefit from the Now Brief and Now Bar experiences, and the new Now Nudge behaviors are also active on both models.

In addition, Samsung has officially mentioned the integration of its AI tools with Gemini and Perplexity services. This integration is present in both devices and is part of the wider Galaxy AI ecosystem.

Comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra in the camera department

Comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra in the camera department, we are faced with an evolutionary approach from Samsung. Both models have a similar structure in terms of camera layout, but the optical improvements and more advanced video capabilities in the new generation make this part one of the most important points of differentiation.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra still uses the familiar combination of a 200-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x zoom, and a 50-megapixel periscope with 5x zoom. However, when comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra, it should be noted that in the new model, the main and telephoto camera lenses look 5 times more optimized and absorb more light. This will significantly improve image quality in low light conditions, especially at 5x zoom.

Comparison of sample images of Galaxy S26 Ultra with S25 Ultra

(The first image is related to S26 and the second is related to S25 Ultra)

As shown in the table above, the aperture in the main camera has increased from f/1.7 to f/1.4, and in the 5x periscope camera, the aperture has changed from f/3.4 to f/2.9. These numbers are important when comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra to the S25 Ultra, as a wider aperture means more light intake and better nighttime performance.

Video recording capabilities

In the area of ​​video, comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra shows that Samsung has focused specifically on professional users and content creators. Both devices support 8K video recording at 24 and 30 fps and 4K at various rates, but the S26 Ultra provides users with more advanced features.

The addition of the APV or Advanced Professional Video format in the new model is one of the key differences in comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra. This format allows for more professional editing in post-production by preserving more detail, wider dynamic range and more accurate color information. As a result, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a more serious option for video content producers.

selfie camera

All in all, comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra to the S25 Ultra in the camera department, although the basic hardware remains the same, improvements in lenses and a focus on professional video capabilities have made the new generation offer a more complete and advanced experience.

Comparison of Galaxy S26 Ultra with S25 Ultra in terms of battery and charging

Continuing the comparison between Galaxy S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra, we will go to the battery and charging speed. In this section, Samsung has kept the battery capacity unchanged, but has significantly increased the charging speed.

Both devices are equipped with a 5000 mAh battery. Therefore, there is no difference in terms of nominal capacity and any possible improvement in charging will be more related to software optimizations and new chipset.

Comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the S25 Ultra, it can be seen that the new model supports Super Fast Charging 3.0 technology with a power of 60 watts. According to Samsung, this power can bring the phone to 75% in ideal conditions in about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the S25 Ultra reaches about 65% in the same period of time with a 45-watt charge.

Also, wireless charging has been upgraded from 15 watts to 25 watts, which is a significant improvement. Of course, the internal magnetic alignment system is still missing in this generation, and users must resort to compatible frames to use magnetic accessories. As a result, although the capacity remains unchanged, the increase in the speed of wired and wireless charging has helped make the user experience faster and more efficient in everyday use.

Summing up the comparison of Galaxy S26 Ultra with S25 Ultra

At the end of the comparison between Galaxy S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra, it can be said that Samsung has continued the path of gradual but targeted improvement in the new generation. The Galaxy S26 Ultra offers a more complete experience with improved wired and wireless charging speeds, a faster processor with a special focus on artificial intelligence, as well as a distinctive new security feature. In the camera department, despite keeping the sensors, improving the optics of the main and telephoto lens has resulted in a 5-fold improvement in light absorption performance and recording of higher quality images, especially in low light conditions.

However, one must be realistic when comparing the Galaxy S26 Ultra to the S25 Ultra. If you’re a Galaxy S25 Ultra user, the new changes aren’t radical enough to fully justify an immediate, year-to-year upgrade. The market of flagship phones is no longer in a period where each generation has a revolutionary leap compared to the previous generation. Therefore, worrying about being left behind in this upgrade does not make much sense.

Nevertheless, in the final summary of the comparison between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the S25 Ultra, it should be emphasized that the S26 Ultra is a worthy and logical successor to the previous generation. For users looking to enter the Ultra family, this model is the most complete and mature version of Samsung’s 2026 flagship vision. More importantly, this phone comes with the same base price of $1299, which is one of the most attractive points of this generation compared to the available features.

Source: PhoneArena