Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Is the upgrade worth waiting for?

There is a familiar moment every January for Samsung loyalists. Samsung’s Ultra sits at the top of the food chain, prices soften slightly, and the leaks begin to hint at what is coming next. Right now, that moment belongs to last year’s Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the yet-to-be-announced Galaxy S26 Ultra.

On one side is a discounted flagship that remains deeply capable and easy to recommend. On the other is an upcoming phone that will do many of the same things, just a little better. So, should you wait or go for what’s tried and tested? Let’s break it down.

The display: Same spectacle, smarter power use

The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 6.85-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel is already about as good as smartphone screens get. It is bright enough to fight the sun, sharp enough to embarrass laptops, and tuned exceptionally well.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is not expected to rewrite that formula. Leaks suggest the S26 Ultra will chase efficiency with a shift to a newer M14 OLED panel, claimed to be 20 to 30 per cent more power-efficient than the M13 panel used in the S25 Ultra.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Everything known so far about its design, camera, and launch

In practice, this means the two phones may look virtually identical when you turn them on. The difference shows up later, when you realise your battery percentage is dropping a little more slowly than expected.

Performance: More headroom, less waste

The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12GB of RAM, and it flies. Games run smoothly, apps refuse to stutter, and One UI 7 feels confident rather than cluttered. For most users, this is already more performance than they strictly need.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, however, looks set to widen the gap between “fast enough” and “future-proof”. Samsung is expected to adopt the souped-up version of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset which is built “for Galaxy”. And reportedly, it could be a 2nm SoC. That points to better performance paired with lower power draw, rather than brute force alone.

More intriguingly, leaks suggest 16GB of RAM could become standard. That extra memory is less about today’s apps and more about what Samsung is clearly leaning into next. On-device AI, heavier multitasking, and increasingly complex photo processing all benefit from having room to breathe.

Cameras: Same headline numbers, better results

On paper, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera setup already sounds excessive. A 200MP main sensor, multiple telephoto lenses, and reliable low-light performance make it one of the most versatile camera phones around.

Samsung does not appear to be going for bigger numbers with the S26 Ultra. Instead, the focus is on refinement. The main camera is expected to retain its 200MP sensor but gain a wider f/1.4 aperture, allowing more light to hit the sensor and improving night photography without leaning as hard on computational tricks.

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Zoom photography may also see subtle but meaningful upgrades, with improved 3x and 5x telephoto lenses aimed at delivering cleaner results at higher magnifications.

Battery and charging: Finally moving the needle

The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5,000mAh battery is dependable rather than exciting. It comfortably gets through a day, but charging speeds remain stuck at 45W, which now feels conservative next to rival flagships.

This is where the Galaxy S26 Ultra could make its strongest case. Samsung is reportedly testing 60W wired charging, with internal benchmarks suggesting up to 75 per cent charge in around 30 minutes under controlled conditions.

Battery capacity could also creep upward into the 5,100mAh to 5,400mAh range. Combine that with a more efficient display and chipset, and the result is not just faster top-ups, but fewer anxious glances at the battery icon before dinner.

Software and longevity: Playing the long game

The Galaxy S25 Ultra launched with Android 15 and One UI 7, and Samsung’s software support remains among the best in the Android world.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to debut with Android 16 and One UI 8, bringing further refinements to AI features, productivity tools, and personalisation. Software alone rarely justifies waiting, but starting a device’s life cycle one Android version ahead does matter when you plan to keep a phone for several years.

So, should you wait?

If you need a new phone today, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is still an excellent choice. It is powerful, polished, and increasingly affordable, with very few compromises that genuinely affect daily use.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may not ditch the S Pen, after all

But this year, waiting makes an unusually strong case. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is shaping up to address the S25 Ultra’s flaws rather than chasing new flashy specs. Better efficiency, faster charging, and more hardware headroom are not the kind of upgrades that wow in a shop demo, but they are the ones you notice months later.

If your current phone is holding up, patience may pay off. The Galaxy S26 Ultra does not look like a reinvention. It looks like Samsung tightening the screws in all the right places.