The dark side of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Privacy Display
20/3/2026
Translation: Natalie McKay
Pictures: Michelle Brändle
This new display feature keeps the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra safe from prying eyes. Other than that, Samsung’s mostly gone for evolution instead of revolution.
In recent years, Samsung’s flagship smartphones have been somewhat lacking in the innovation department. But it’s a different story with the new Galaxy S26 Ultra. It boasts exciting new features like the Privacy Display and an impressive image stabiliser for videos. Having said that, the phone’s not without its faults.
New display for privacy at the touch of a button
The standout feature of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the Privacy Display, which I can activate via the Quick panel. The technology behind it only emits light directly to the front. This means it blocks viewing angles over 45 degrees, preventing the person sitting next to me on the train from seeing what I’m doing on my phone.
I can adjust the mode in the Display settings. That’s where I can configure how difficult the screen is to view. I can also choose certain apps or a certain area where I want the mode to be activated. For example, I can set it to only conceal push notifications, or activate it automatically when I open my e-mails.
With a resolution of 3120 × 1440 pixels and a refresh rate of 1 to 120 hertz, the AMOLED offers sharp contrasts. All this comes in the quality I expect from a top-of-the-range model. What strikes me is the change in privacy mode. If this mode’s activated across the entire display, I have to look at it directly from the front. The colours soon appear grey and flickery when I’m looking only slightly from the side. And in the dark, the people sitting next to me can see the display almost in its entirety. This is the drawback of Samsung’s chosen technology.
Samsung remains true to its design language. You can’t miss the new camera bump, with its unified island design. Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s only slightly thinner and lighter: 7.9 instead of 8 millimetres, and 214 instead of 218 grammes with the same display size of 6.9 inches. Samsung’s also adapted the corners to the rest of its lineup, giving the Ultra the same curves as the Standard and Plus models. The design used to be a bit more angular.
Fast chip, but no Qi2
Samsung could’ve gone further when it came to hardware innovation. The most important feature’s the new chip. Samsung’s installed the most powerful one on the market: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, in an exclusive «for Galaxy» version which boasts a slightly higher clock speed. In the benchmarks, it performs a little better than the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That aside, the features remain almost identical to the S25 Ultra:
The powerful chip ensures a smooth experience and makes multitasking a breeze. Thanks to the 12 gigabytes of RAM, AI functions also run quickly. I can easily use several apps at the same time with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. I’m also treated to good graphics when gaming: I experience no issues when playing Genshin Impact at high resolution. PUBG also looks great and runs smoothly.
Nothing’s changed in terms of battery size, with the phone boasting the same 5,000 mAh as its predecessor. But the 18-hour battery life’s two hours longer than the S25 Ultra.
Samsung’s made improvements to the charging: the Ultra charges from 0 to 75 per cent in 30 minutes with 60 watts and super fast charging. The device draws 25 watts wirelessly. Although this is enough to meet the Qi2 standard, Samsung still chooses not to integrate magnets. This means you need a special case to attach the phone to the charging station.
S Pen still lacks Bluetooth
The Galaxy S26 Ultra S Pen’s still conveniently stored in the case. Since the S25 Ultra, it no longer has a Bluetooth connection, but runs passively. This means it only works when it’s positioned close to the display, so it no longer offers features like the remote shutter release for selfies. The stylus now has an asymmetrically rounded end, so I have to turn the S Pen the right way round to store it away, otherwise one corner sticks out.
I find the stylus practical for sketching and taking notes, and I’m glad Samsung hasn’t got rid of it. Ultimately, it’s still a unique selling point of the Ultra model, and competitors don’t offer anything like it either.
Better photos in low light? Meh…
Samsung’s introduced brighter wide-angle and telephoto cameras in the latest Galaxy series. The idea was they’d take better photos in low light. So it’s a pity that the manufacturer still only uses a 10 MP sensor for the shorter telephoto camera. A flagship model of this calibre could do better.
There’s no denying that the main camera takes great pictures. But the autofocus is occasionally a little shaky, and I find myself having to tap to readjust it. I don’t notice any differences compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The telephoto lens is decent until it gets to 5x optical zoom. Beyond that, the image resolution’s poor, and too many details are lost. So the maximum 100x zoom’s only good for using the phone as binoculars.
The wide-angle camera takes good pictures. But its results in low light are nothing to write home about. The smartphone applies too much of a yellow tint to all the photos. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to images of interiors.
The new video function impressed me. Thanks to the horizontal lock, I can turn the smartphone any way I want and the subject automatically remains straight – even in 4K resolution. When I’m not using it, the S26 Ultra records in up to 8K.
Software still designed for long-term use
As in previous years, Samsung supplies the S26 smartphones with new Android versions and security updates for seven years. The phones come with the latest Android 16 and the One UI 8.5 interface.
Samsung’s adding more and more AI functions, but not all of them are successful. Let me explain why.
Samsung Photo Assist now works using prompts. For example, when I’m editing images, I write that I want it to optimise light and shadows. My tests show that this never works reliably. While Photo Assist often goes too far when darkening the background, making the image almost black, brightening’s usually so subtle that it’s barely noticeable. Although the AI removes unwanted objects, it also edits the photo in other areas. In the example below, an orange jacket suddenly turns black, and some of the text looks wrong.
The Creative Studio for producing AI images and stickers isn’t a new addition. But Samsung’s added new features here too. I can now create entire sets of stickers. First, I generate my chosen subject as a single sticker. Then, I choose a theme such as «Special occasions» or «The daily grind», and save my favourite suggestions as a set. The images are extremely generic, so I wouldn’t use them.
Google’s search function, Circle-to-Search, available since the Galaxy S24, now recognises multiple items in one image. For example, it can search for every piece in an outfit. It takes the AI no time at all to find my look, made up of an Aquaman t-shirt, sports leggings and Pokémon socks.
In a nutshell
An underwhelming update
With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung delivers a smartphone that does almost everything right technically, but doesn’t blow me away.
Although the battery has the same capacity as before, it lasts longer, and Samsung’s finally increased the charging speed. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is lightning-fast, whether I’m multitasking or gaming. The integrated privacy feature’s a game changer, but it reaches its limits in the dark. The team behind the camera have faced criticism – the fact that Samsung continues to rely on an outdated telephoto camera seems incomprehensible given how strong its competitors are. There’s no need for many of the AI functions, but at least they can be ignored.
The S26 Ultra’s one of the most powerful smartphones on the market – and also one of the most future-proof thanks to the seven-year update intervals. If you’re looking for a flagship model that’ll go the distance, you can’t go wrong with this one. Thinking about getting your hands on the S26 Ultra? I’d at least wait for prices to come down, probably in a few weeks’ time. If you can do without the Privacy Display, the S25 Ultra’s a decent alternative with a lower price tag to boot.
Fancy a smartphone with a top-of-the-range camera? I’d look at the competition and go for a device like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.
Pro
- Long update intervals
- Good battery life
- Unique display technology for privacy
Contra
- Cameras are starting to lag behind
- New display technology’s not up to scratch in the dark
- Many of the AI functions are unhelpful or inadequate
Header image: Michelle Brändle
Ever since I learned how to hold a pen, I've been doodling away in bright colours. Thanks to my iPad, digital art has also become part of my life. That's why I love testing tablets – from the graphic design range to the regular kind. When I feel the urge to express my creativity without lugging lots of equipment, I go for the latest smartphones and start snapping away.
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