Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review: There's a Catch

MKBHD reviews the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and argues its $1,300 price tag is its most ‘ultra’ quality, with the privacy display being the one genuinely new hardware innovation but at a real resolution cost.

• Privacy display works by turning off half the pixels (wide-angle), literally halving resolution when active — visible blockiness confirmed under microscope.
• The display is still 8-bit simulating 10-bit, and ships at 1080p by default despite being a 1440p panel.
• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 delivers expected ~20-30% CPU gains; battery life slightly better despite same 5,000 mAh cell due to chip efficiency.
• No silicon carbon battery, no CH2/MagSafe magnets, no Bluetooth S Pen — MKBHD calls these missed opportunities for a true ‘ultra’ phone.
• Horizon lock stabilization crops the 200MP sensor to deliver quad-HD 60fps video with extreme stability — one of the best executions seen.
• Aluminum sides replace titanium from S25 Ultra; rounder corners mean S Pen can only insert one way and the phone rocks on flat surfaces.
• Base S26 and S26 Plus called poor value: unchanged design since S23, Exynos in most regions, 128GB SKU dropped, $900 starting price.
• AI features (call screening, audio eraser, photo recomposition) are extensive but MKBHD dismisses them as non-reasons to buy the phone.

2026-03-06 · Watch on YouTube