Galaxy S26 Ultra Leak Confirms Subtle Refinements and Powerful Upgrades
Sleeker design, better cooling, and camera improvements aim to perfect Samsung’s flagship
Galaxy S26 Ultra Prioritizes Refinement Over Radical Changes
Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, has seen a major leak, revealing its key specifications and design changes. Unlike previous Ultra launches that focused on bold shifts, this time the company appears to be polishing the formula, offering meaningful upgrades in camera hardware, thermal management, and design aesthetics.
Familiar Display with Even Slimmer Bezels
The Galaxy S26 Ultra will retain its 6.9-inch display, identical to its predecessor, the S25 Ultra.
- However, Samsung is reportedly trimming down the bezels, pushing the screen-to-body ratio further for a more immersive look.
- The S Pen experience will remain unchanged after internal tests with a non-digitizer version yielded disappointing results.
- Expect the same reliable, pressure-sensitive stylus functionality that Ultra fans appreciate.
Sleeker Design with Controversial Camera Rings Removed
In terms of aesthetics, the design largely echoes the S25 Ultra, but with one crucial refinement.
- Samsung is finally eliminating the unpopular protruding camera rings, which previously appeared “glued on” and drew user criticism.
- The device will maintain its IP68 rating, ensuring robust water and dust resistance, essential for premium smartphones.
Camera Upgrades Focus on Practical Improvements
Samsung’s commitment to photography excellence continues with a refined camera setup:
- A 200MP ISOCELL HP2 main sensor, paired with a new lens, promises improved clarity and detail.
- The 50MP ultra-wide and 50MP periscope (5x optical zoom) cameras return, building on proven strengths.
- Notably, Samsung is testing a 12MP 3x telephoto sensor, marking an upgrade over the previous 10MP unit.
- A new laser autofocus (AF) sensor and the ProVisual Engine will enhance focusing speed and computational image processing.
- For selfie enthusiasts, a new front camera is in development, though detailed specifications remain unknown.
Powerful Internals with Improved Cooling
Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 processor, built on TSMC’s 3nm process, will power the Galaxy S26 Ultra globally.
- Samsung has reportedly scrapped plans for an in-house 2nm chip, focusing entirely on the more efficient 3nm version.
- This version could include a special “For Galaxy” overclock, enhancing performance for Samsung devices.
Thermal management gets a significant boost:
- The vapor chamber cooling system is set to be 1.2 times larger than the one found in the S25 Ultra, offering improved heat dissipation.
- This upgrade should deliver better sustained performance and may also positively impact battery life, addressing a common user concern.
16GB RAM Across All Variants
Memory and storage configurations will reflect Samsung’s commitment to premium performance:
- All variants — 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB — will reportedly ship with 16GB of RAM as standard.
- This uniform RAM upgrade will support power users, multitaskers, and gamers alike.
