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Samsung’s latest premium smartphone Galaxy S26 UltraIt may have a lot in common with its predecessor, but how does it compare to a device two generations older – especially when it has the same camera megapixels and battery capacity?
Also: Samsung Unpacked 2026 live blog: Update on Galaxy S26 Ultra, privacy display, preorder deals
If you have a Galaxy S24 Ultra and are wondering how it compares to the new Galaxy S26 Ultra, there are some key differences worth noting. Not surprisingly, the new Samsung phone isn’t any cheaper – but it does bring some quality upgrades that could be beneficial for many users. let’s take a look.
Specifications
| SAMSUNG galaxy S26 extremely | SAMSUNG galaxy S24 Ultra | |
| Display | 6.9″ AMOLED with 120Hz and Privacy Display | 6.8″ QHD AMOLED 120Hz |
| weight | 214 grams | 232 grams |
| processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 for Galaxy |
| DIMENSIONS | 78.1 x 163.6 x 7.9 mm | 79 x 162.3 x 8.6 mm |
| storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 5,000mah with 60W wired charging | 5,000mAh with 45 wired charging |
| camera | 200MP wide / 50MP telephoto (5x) / 10MP telephoto (3x) / 50 MP ultrawide / 12MP front | 200MP wide / 50MP telephoto (5x) / 10MP telephoto (3x) / 50 MP ultrawide / 12MP front |
| price | N/A | N/A |
You should buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if…
1. You want a better overall experience
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a big step up from Galaxy S24 Ultra In terms of overall phone experience. It has a new privacy display feature for safer usability in public, it brings agentic AI that actually works, and the new redesign is easy to get hold of.
Also: If these Samsung Galaxy S26 specs are true, I may finally ditch my Google Pixel
Compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the new generation Samsung flagship is lighter and thinner. I miss the rounded edges of the S24 Ultra, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra does a good job of maintaining its personality while still being ergonomic. Both have the same battery capacity but the new phone charges at 60 watts, which charges the battery up to 75% in about 30 minutes.
2. You need more power on your phone
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. Paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, the hardware delivers faster AI performance and improves sustained workload performance.
If you love gaming on your smartphone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better option. Samsung says it has improved performance by redesigning the vapor cooling chamber around its processors. As a result, it is said to provide better gaming performance for longer periods.
Also: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: My concerns as a long-time Galaxy user
I’ll test this when I do an in-depth review of the phone, but looking at the new chip’s performance on other phones, it should outperform the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
3. You want better cameras and editing capabilities
Both Samsung phones have a quad-rear camera setup that houses a 200MP primary camera, a 10MP 3x telephoto sensor, a 50MP 5x telephoto camera, and a 50MP ultrawide-angle lens. However, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has a larger aperture on the primary camera and a 5x tele lens. As a result, you can expect better night-time photos and videos.
Also: I changed 7 settings on my Samsung phone to improve battery life
You may have noticed noisy results in Galaxy S24 Ultra videos at night. In my demo before the Galaxy Unpacked, I saw a big improvement in that use case and no light leakage when capturing neon light signals. Samsung has also introduced a GoPro-like horizon lock feature for action shots, which you won’t find on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
You should keep your Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra if…
1. You like Bluetooth S Pen features
Samsung downgraded the S Pen last year with its Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it’s the same on the latest flagship. I miss the S Pen that also worked as a remote shutter button – this was useful for me when I was traveling alone in Europe.
Also: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: Still the flagship of Android flagships
If you use such Bluetooth S Pen features, it is better to stick to your Galaxy S24 Ultra than upgrading to this year’s flagship model. The current generation S Pen is primarily used for writing notes.
2. You don’t want to spend $1,000+ on a phone
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expensive at a starting price of $1,300. You may get double the storage on offer, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that that’s a lot of cash upfront.
If your Galaxy S24 Ultra is working fine, you shouldn’t upgrade to the new-gen model, especially when it’s going to get upgrades for a few more years. I suggest waiting another year for major changes to the camera (hopefully) and then upgrading your Samsung phone in 2027.
author’s choice
Personally, I would upgrade to the Galaxy S26 Ultra for its lightweight design and privacy display feature. I also found some of the agentive AI features useful and it will take some time for them to reach the S24 Ultra (if they do). This third generation of Samsung’s AI phones is the first time I will actually use AI in daily life.
