Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Debuts $1,300 Privacy Display as Solid Upgrades Fail to Wow
Updated
Updated · Gizmodo · Jun 25
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Debuts $1,300 Privacy Display as Solid Upgrades Fail to Wow
3 articles · Updated · Gizmodo · Jun 25
Summary
$1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra stands out mainly for Samsung’s new Privacy display, which effectively blocks side glances but does not make the phone itself feel essential.
Two privacy modes trade secrecy for screen quality: the standard setting dims the display, while maximum protection adds haze, weakens blacks and can strain the eyes.
6.9-inch flagship hardware remains strong elsewhere, with smooth Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance, 6 to 8 hours of screen-on battery life and generally solid cameras.
Samsung also made the phone slimmer and 4 grams lighter, but missing built-in Qi2 magnets, forgettable AI features and only modest camera gains reinforce the sense of a safe refresh.
The review calls the S26 Ultra Samsung’s best non-folding Android phone of 2026 so far, yet says buyers upgrading from recent flagships may find little reason to switch.