I’ve been using an iPhone for years, and there’s no denying that it’s going to take an impressive device for me to even consider switching from Apple to Android. The new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is one of those devices. As a product tester and tech reviewer at the Good Housekeeping Institute, I’ve come across all types of smartphones. I recently had the opportunity to test the new S26 Series while exploring and navigating a European city, and it surprised me in the best way possible.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra comes loaded with an impressive set of features. From the all-new privacy display to the phone’s cameras and intuitive AI tools, here’s everything you need to know about the latest Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the features I loved most.
Pros
- Impressive battery life and performance
- High-quality cameras
- Features new Privacy display
- Excellent photo editing and AI tools
- Slim, sleek design
- S-Pen included
Cons
- Expensive
- Android ecosystem may not be as intuitive to Apple users
Features at a Glance
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Colors | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, White, Black, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold |
| Screen size | 6.9" |
| Cameras | Rear: 200MP Wide, 50MP Ultra Wide, 50MP Tele 5x Optical Zoom, 10MP Tele 3x Optical Zoom, 100x Digital Zoom; Front: 12MP |
A privacy feature every smartphone should have
If there’s one thing I hate, it’s feeling like someone is looking over my shoulder and staring at my screen—especially when I’m Googling something private. Though I’ve used several privacy screen protectors in the past, they all have one flaw: You can’t just remove them. They’re stuck on your phone until you force them off, which is why I was so excited when Samsung announced its all-new Privacy display that's exclusive to the S26 Ultra.
Samsung’s Privacy display is a setting that you can access right from the home screen. All it takes is a simple toggle of the “Turn on Privacy display” option, and your phone will be instantly shielded from curious eyes or nosy coworkers. You can even select “Maximum privacy protection,” which makes your screen even more difficult to view from a side angle. Though your screen will be slightly less bright, it’s a trade-off worth making, if you ask me.
I also love that you don’t have to use Privacy display for everything if you don’t want to. Not only is it easy to switch on and off, but you can customize what gets Samsung’s privacy treatment and what doesn’t. For instance, you can turn on Privacy display for apps you’d like to keep private—i.e., Instagram, Gmail, and Dr. Google—or you can apply Privacy display to notification pop-ups, which can be embarrassing when seen by the wrong person. It’s honestly one of my favorite new features, and one I hope to see soon on other smartphones.
A powerful camera with impressive zoom and editing tools
Samsung Galaxy devices are renowned for their cameras, and this one is no exception. One of the main upgrades for the S26 Ultra is a wider aperture on its main 200MP camera, allowing more light to reach the sensor and producing better photos and videos in low-light and dim settings. Meanwhile, zooming remains impressive as always, with a 5X optical zoom lens (50MP) and a 3X optical zoom lens (10MP). The phone also supports 100X Space Zoom, in case you want to capture planets in the sky (literally).
I was already impressed with the photos and selfies I took on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra on my trip to Barcelona, but what blew me away was the photo editing. While available on some other Galaxy devices like the S25 Series, Samsung improved its Photo Assist suite for the S26 Series, meaning that you now have a lot more freedom with your photos and can use text prompts directly in the Gallery app to make advanced edits. Thanks to generative AI, you can move things around in an image or add in items like a bird or sunglasses, erase tourists from the background, change your outfit, restyle photos, transform scenes from daytime or nighttime, and so much more. Photo editing isn’t something that comes naturally to me, so I appreciate how easy (and fun) Samsung makes it.
Another new video feature is called Super Steady with horizontal lock. I tested it out when at a soccer game, moving my phone around to mimic filming with shaky hands and motion. When I reviewed the footage, you could barely even tell that I had been moving my phone. The video was extremely stable, and I can definitely see horizontal lock coming in handy when trying to film while chasing after my toddler or biking, when it’s really hard to hold your phone still.
AI tools that help you search, translate, and get things done
AI is everywhere, and the S26 Ultra has a lot of it. What I liked most was that it always felt intuitive and seamless to use. For starters, the S26 now enables you to use Google’s Gemini, which is by far my favorite AI assistant. Soon, Gemini will be able to do complete multi-step tasks like ordering you an Uber from the airport, which I haven’t been able to do on any other smartphone.
Another Gemini feature that I'm not sure I can continue without: Circle to Search. I used it a few times when I was in Spain to help me identify items I wanted more information on, like a pastry I had during a food tour. I couldn’t remember the name of it for the life of me, but Google found it immediately. With the S26 Series, Circle to Search has improved further and now has multi-object image recognition, meaning it can help you find information on multiple items at once. When I circled a few sweaters I liked in H&M, it immediately identified each one online for me.
Other cool features include Now Nudge, a Galaxy AI feature, which is meant to make life easier for you with useful suggestions. For instance, if a friend asks you to hang out, your phone will prompt you to create a calendar event. I personally haven’t witnessed Now Nudge in action, but I expect to as I continue to use my new Android.
Another feature that I found helpful when in Spain was real-time translation via the Camera app. I was able to hold my phone up to menus, and it would automatically translate them from Spanish to English by overlaying the translated text so I could decide what to order. It's similar to Google Lens, but I appreciate that it can be done directly from Samsung's Camera app.
Bottom line: Is the S26 Ultra worth it?
Beyond the phone’s impressive camera, zippy performance, and user-friendly AI features, the S26 Ultra is gorgeous. It’s sleek, slim, and nice to hold, and I actually love being able to use the built-in S pen to edit photos, sign documents, and jot down notes. The phone is fairly lightweight, and battery life didn’t disappoint me, even when traveling abroad and heavily relying on data throughout the day. I’m also quite fond of the search bar at the bottom of the home screen, which makes it way easier to search the phone and find what app or tool I’m looking for on an unfamiliar Android device.
The S26 Ultra strikes me as a fantastic device that I’d be happy to continue using. While the $1,299.99 starting price tag is high, it’s not far from the $1,199 Apple charges for an iPhone 17 Pro Max with equal storage. The extra $100 is worth it if superior, integrated AI tools like advanced photo editing and multi-step tasks execution via Gemini are a top priority for you, or if you want access to the S26 Ultra's exclusive Privacy display. The real question is whether you're ready to switch over to Android, but the S26 Ultra certainly makes a good case.
