Where the reviewers agree
- The built-in Privacy Display is the standout feature, hiding the screen from side viewing. — TechRadar, Digital Trends, The Verge, Tom's Guide, Tech Advisor, Wired, Pocket-lint, Android Police, Android Central, The Guardian, CNET, SmartWorld, Phonandroid, PC-Welt, PCMag, Trusted Reviews
- Performance is top-tier, driven by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. — TechRadar, Digital Trends, Pocket-lint, Android Police, Android Central, The Guardian, PC-Welt, Trusted Reviews
- The update is iterative, with few hardware changes over the S25 Ultra. — TechRadar, Tech Advisor, Wired, Pocket-lint, The Guardian, CNET, PC-Welt
- The phone lacks built-in Qi2 magnets, so magnetic wireless charging is missing. — TechRadar, Digital Trends, The Verge, Tom's Guide, Tech Advisor, Wired, Pocket-lint, Android Police, Android Central, CNET, Phonandroid, Trusted Reviews
Where they disagree
- Reviewers split on the camera bump and wobble, which Wired, Tom's Guide, PCMag and PC-Welt criticise, while the cameras themselves are praised as strong by TechRadar, PCMag and The Guardian. — Wired, Tom's Guide, PCMag, PC-Welt, TechRadar, The Guardian
- Android Central and SmartWorld say the 3x or telephoto camera is weak or downgraded, while The Guardian praises its 5x telephoto. — Android Central, SmartWorld, The Guardian
- Battery life is praised by CNET, The Guardian and Tom's Guide but called average or small by Android Police, Trusted Reviews and Phonandroid. — CNET, The Guardian, Tom's Guide, Android Police, Trusted Reviews, Phonandroid
Bottom line: Suits buyers who want the best Android software, performance and a useful privacy screen, and who can accept a large, heavy phone. Trade-offs include the lack of Qi2 magnets, an aluminium frame, and few upgrades over the S25 Ultra. Several reviewers note the price is…
Summarised with AI from the 16 reviews below — each one is linked in full.
What the reviewers said
Digital Trends US
9/10Jun 7, 2026A highly complete Android flagship with a clever built-in privacy display and best-in-class stylus, held back by a modest battery and no magnetic charging.
- Smooth day-to-day performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Built-in privacy display works well
- Excellent S Pen stylus latency and experience
- Improved low-light camera results
- Rounded aluminum frame is more comfortable in hand
- Battery capacity unchanged at 5,000 mAh
- No magnetic wireless charging
- Heat and throttling under sustained load
- AI features feel unconvincing
- Privacy display reduces screen brightness and image quality
CNET US
9.3/10CNET Editors' Choice AwardMay 18, 2026A practical, long-lasting flagship whose built-in Privacy Display and camera upgrades stand out, though many specs carry over from last year.
- Built-in Privacy Display works vertically and horizontally
- Outstanding battery life
- Useful, mostly practical AI features
- Consistently strong cameras and Horizontal Lock video stabilization
- Fastest wired charging in CNET lab testing
- Some AI features are inconsistent
- No magnetic wireless charging
- Many specs same as the S25 Ultra
- Still bulky for those preferring smaller phones
Pocket-lint UK
4/5Apr 10, 2026A strong upgrade for owners of older Samsung Ultras, with excellent performance, design and the new Privacy Display, though it is an iterative update and lacks Qi2 magnets.
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance
- Refined design with pill-shaped camera island
- Privacy Display works well and is customizable
- Excellent cameras with good detail and colors
- Same $1,300 starting price as last year
- No built-in magnets for full Qi2 support
- S Pen lacks Bluetooth
- 5,000mAh battery unchanged for three years
- Only an iterative update over S25 Ultra
Android Central US
4/5Mar 18, 2026Privacy Display is a genuinely useful standout and One UI is excellent, but the phone is underwhelming on hardware and overpriced, especially higher storage models.
- Privacy Display is unique and useful in practice
- Top-tier performance from Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Faster charging than previous Samsung phones
- Base model price unchanged from last year
- Seven years of software updates
- Privacy Display can cause discomfort for some users
- Low PWM rate and eye comfort issues
- Battery is small compared with rivals
- Camera improvements are modest; telephoto sensor downgraded
- S Pen design is poor and lacks Bluetooth
The Guardian UK
No scoreMar 16, 2026The most capable slab phone available, with a unique privacy display and strong cameras, though pricey and an incremental upgrade over predecessors.
- Privacy display blocks shoulder surfers effectively
- Versatile four-camera system with strong 5x telephoto
- Fastest Android chip with excellent performance
- Long battery life, around two days
- Bright, smooth 120Hz QHD+ screen
- Very large and heavy, needs two hands
- Extremely expensive
- Not much of an upgrade over predecessors
- AI features feel overhyped and hit-and-miss
- Aluminium sides scratch more easily than titanium
Android Police US
8/10Mar 14, 2026A strong flagship with a standout Privacy Display and much better ergonomics, held back by a middling camera, weak S Pen appeal, and average battery life.
- Much more comfortable, thinner and lighter body than S25 Ultra
- Privacy Display works well with real-world benefits
- Smooth software and top-tier performance
- Charging speed improvements are useful
- Bright, glorious screen
- Camera results lack impressive processing and telephoto quality
- S Pen has limited appeal
- No native Qi2 magnet support
- Battery life is average
- IP68 rating unchanged while rivals improved
The Verge US
8/10Mar 14, 2026A return to form for the Ultra, led by a genuinely useful Privacy Display and real camera gains, though it stays big and expensive.
- Privacy Display works well and is useful in public
- Wider apertures improve low-light camera performance
- Sleeker, more comfortable design than the S25 Ultra
- Privacy Display can be turned off at home
- Still a very big phone
- Expensive at $1,300 launch price
- Still no Qi2 magnets built in
- Generative AI photo editing feels unsettling
A strong flagship whose built-in Privacy Display is a standout feature, though it is a modest upgrade over prior Ultras and has annoying design and AI quirks.
- Built-in Privacy Display works well without dimming the screen much
- Horizon Lock video stabilization is excellent
- Excellent performance and good battery life
- Versatile quad-camera system with multiple zoom options
- Long software support
- Camera bump makes the phone rock on tables
- No native Qi2 magnets
- Some AI features are useless or barely work
- Samsung keyboard and voice typing are frustrating
- Only a modest upgrade over the S25 Ultra
Phonandroid FR
No scoreMar 13, 2026A very good flagship with a useful privacy screen and strong design, but rising prices on higher storage tiers and some weaknesses make it less essential than rivals.
- Privacy Display works instantly and effectively to hide the screen
- 256 GB version keeps the same launch price
- Cleaner, more rounded design closer to the S26 line
- Powerful Qualcomm chipset and fast wired charging
- Complete and high-quality photo experience
- 512 GB and 1 TB prices increased notably
- Bass from speakers crackles below 80 Hz
- Battery life trails competitors
- Titanium replaced by aluminium, feels less premium
- No magnet for Qi 2.2 charging; night photos have cool colours
PCMag US
4/5Editors' ChoiceMar 13, 2026A strong flagship with a useful privacy display, excellent cameras and S Pen, though viewing angles, glare and battery life hold it back.
- Privacy Display blocks side viewing and can hide notifications
- Excellent cameras and comfortable, rounded design
- Strong connectivity and capable all-around performance
- S Pen remains useful for notes and drawing
- IP68 rating and Corning Gorilla Armor 2 screen
- Privacy Display worsens viewing angles and mutes screen contrast
- Glass is more reflective, causing more glare
- Battery life and display trade-offs hold it back
- High starting price of $1,299.99
- Large camera bump makes phone wobble on flat surfaces
PC-Welt DE
4.5/5Mar 13, 2026Not a groundbreaking update, but meaningful improvements like the Privacy Display, faster charging, video features and strong software keep it compelling.
- Privacy Display works well for hiding content from side angles
- Excellent display with anti-reflective coating
- Very fast performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Seven years of OS and security updates
- Strong AI features and video capabilities
- Few hardware upgrades over predecessor
- S-Pen position makes it prone to falling out
- Aluminum frame replaces titanium, a downgrade
- Wobbles noticeably when lying face-up
- 10 MP telephoto camera unchanged
Tech Advisor UK
4.5/5Mar 10, 2026Not a game-changing update, but Samsung adds enough new tricks, like the Privacy Display, faster charging and strong software, to keep it compelling.
- Novel Privacy Display blocks side viewing
- Some of the best software available
- Faster charging than predecessor
- Advanced video features and strong video quality
- Excellent bright, crisp display with anti-reflective glass
- Barely any hardware upgrades over last year
- S Pen sits awkwardly and falls out easily
- Titanium frame replaced by aluminium
- Privacy Display lowers resolution and brightness
- Expensive, with no Qi2 magnets
Trusted Reviews UK
4.5/5Mar 10, 2026A polished, safe Samsung upgrade with a standout privacy screen and strong performance, but cameras and battery life lag rivals.
- Privacy Display is genuinely impressive and useful
- Lighter and thinner than the S25 Ultra
- Great performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Excellent 6.9-inch screen
- Strong zoom and reliable image processing
- Camera hardware is familiar and starting to lag
- Battery life is only average for the class
- No magnetic Qi2 charging
- Privacy mode dims blacks noticeably
- S Pen redesign sits awkwardly in the frame
Tom's Guide US
4.5/5Mar 6, 2026Best Android phone yet, with an innovative Privacy Display and useful AI features, though the oversized camera bump and dimmer screen are drawbacks.
- Privacy Display is innovative and customizable per app
- Helpful agentic AI features like Now Brief
- Strong battery life
- Improved low-light cameras
- Horizon Lock video stabilization is very effective
- Camera bump is very large and makes phone wobble
- Screen dimmer than S25 Ultra, especially off-angle
- Narrower viewing angles than S25 Ultra
- No built-in Qi2 magnets
- Still no silicon carbon battery
TechRadar UK
4.75/5Mar 2, 2026Samsung's best Galaxy S phone yet: an iterative but polished flagship with a Privacy display, strong cameras and unchanged price, though AI features are overwhelming.
- Winning design, slimmer and lighter than predecessor
- Powerful Snapdragon chip with better heat management
- Privacy display is a unique hardware innovation
- Excellent cameras including 360-degree Super Steady video
- Same US starting price as last year
- Iterative update with few major changes
- Titanium replaced by Armor Aluminum
- No MagSafe-style wireless charging
- Some AI features do not work as promised
- Too many AI options on board
SmartWorld IT
9/10Mar 2, 2026Still the Android reference: best software, excellent display with privacy mode and strong hardware, though pricing is high and the 3x camera lags.
- Excellent display with genuine privacy mode
- Fast charging
- Best Android software experience
- Strong hardware with efficient vapor chamber cooling
- Improved low-light main camera and video
- Battery could have been larger
- 3x telephoto camera feels outdated and low resolution
- Very high price
- Magnetic charging only works with a case
- Downgraded to aluminum frame from titanium
Verdicts, pros and cons are short summaries in our words of each publisher's review; scores are as the publisher gave them. Specs are taken from the reviews' spec boxes — where they differ, we show the value most of them give; price is the US launch price of the base model. Read the originals for the full picture.
