Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Unveiled: Privacy, Performance, and Titanium Refinements

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy S26 series, comprising three models: the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. The lineup introduces a unified design language, enhanced performance, and a groundbreaking privacy feature with the S26 Ultra.

Design and Build Quality

This year, Samsung has adopted a consistent design across the Galaxy S26 series, with all models featuring rounded edges. This marks a departure from previous years where the Ultra model had a more angular design reminiscent of the Galaxy Note series. The S26 Ultra is distinguished by its quad-camera setup, while the S26 and S26+ have triple-camera arrangements.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra transitions from titanium to Aluminum 3.0, making it lighter and thinner – at 7.9mm, it’s the slimmest Ultra model to date. The S26 and S26+ retain aluminum frames with durable glass covering both the front and back. The S26 Ultra features Gorilla Glass Armor 2 with an anti-reflective coating.

Performance and Processors

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 “For Galaxy” processor, featuring a higher clock speed and an enhanced image co-processor. The Galaxy S26 and S26+ utilize the novel Exynos 2600, a 10-core chipset designed to rival the Snapdragon in performance and thermal efficiency. Samsung claims the Exynos 2600 meets similar performance and temperature standards as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. All models benefit from improved cooling efficiency, up to 20% better than previous generations.

Storage options include 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The base model starts with 256GB of storage, and all models come with 12GB of RAM, except for the 1TB S26 Ultra, which has 16GB of RAM.

Key Feature: Privacy Display

The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a unique feature called Privacy Display, designed to protect visual privacy. This combines software and hardware to limit viewing angles, making the screen appear black from the sides while remaining clear when viewed directly. The Privacy Display offers two intensity levels and can be automatically activated for specific applications, notifications, or when entering passwords.

While the maximum brightness is reduced by approximately 10% and the display gains a slight gray tint in maximum privacy mode, the feature provides a significant improvement in preventing shoulder surfing.

Cameras

The Galaxy S26 and S26+ maintain the camera system from the previous generation, featuring a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP wide-angle lens, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The S26 Ultra features a 200MP main sensor with an improved f/1.4 aperture, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom (f/2.9), a 50MP wide-angle lens, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x zoom. All lenses, except the wide-angle, offer optical image stabilization.

Samsung promises improved low-light image quality thanks to the brighter sensors. The Super Stable video mode allows horizon stabilization up to 4K resolution at 60fps, and video recording supports up to 8K resolution with a new APV codec, allowing for 2GB of recording in 15 seconds at the highest quality, directly to external storage.

Software and Battery

The Galaxy S26 series runs Android 16 with One UI 8.5, and Samsung guarantees seven years of software support. The software includes AI-powered features, whereas Czech language support for some features, like automatic call reception and Now Nudge, is currently limited. The new photo editor allows for text-prompted edits and object insertion.

Battery capacities have been increased. The Galaxy S26 now has a 4,300 mAh battery, while the S26+ and S26 Ultra retain 4,900 mAh and 5,000 mAh batteries, respectively. The S26 Ultra supports 60W Super Fast Charging 3.0, capable of charging from 0 to 75% in 30 minutes. The S26 and S26+ support 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. The S26 Ultra supports 25W Qi2 wireless charging, but lacks built-in magnets for accessories.

Pricing and Availability

The Galaxy S26 series will be available for purchase starting March 11, 2026, in Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, and White. Additional colors, Silver Shadow and Pink Gold, will be available exclusively on Samsung.com.

• Galaxy S26: 12GB + 256GB (CZK 23,999), 12GB + 512GB (CZK 29,499)
• Galaxy S26+: 12GB + 256GB (CZK 30,699), 12GB + 512GB (CZK 35,699)
• Galaxy S26 Ultra: 12GB + 256GB (CZK 35,699), 12GB + 512GB (CZK 40,599), 16GB + 1TB (CZK 47,999)