The Galaxy S26 Ultra came out in March, which makes it the phone other flagships have been measured against all year. Seven months later the reviews have settled on one clear view: it's the most complete Android phone you can buy, and the smallest upgrade Samsung has made to the Ultra in a while.
Digital Trends said it couldn't part with it after four months of testing. GSMArena called it "mostly the same dish for another year". MKBHD called his review "There's a Catch". All three are right, and which of them matters depends on the phone you're coming from.
TL;DR
The S26 Ultra is thinner and lighter, charges much faster at 60W, lasts longer, and has one new trick nobody else has: a Privacy Display that makes your screen unreadable to anyone looking from the side. It still has the S Pen, the best zoom cameras on a Samsung, and seven years of updates. The catch: the battery is still 5,000 mAh, the camera hardware barely changed, and the price stays high. From an S23 Ultra or older, it's a great upgrade. From an S25 Ultra, it isn't worth it.
Galaxy S26 Ultra Price in Nigeria
| Model | US launch price | Ziggatech |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S26 Ultra, 12GB / 256GB | $1,299 | Order on request |
| Galaxy S25 Ultra, 12GB / 512GB | n/a | ₦1,356,800, in stock |
The S26 Ultra isn't on our shelves yet. We can source it for you. Message us on WhatsApp for today's price, which follows the exchange rate. The S25 Ultra price is our live store price at the time of writing. See every Samsung we sell in our Samsung phone price guide.
Privacy Display: The Feature Made for Lagos
You know the feeling. You're on the BRT, in a danfo or in a banking hall, opening your bank app, and someone next to you can see the screen. The S26 Ultra's Privacy Display makes the screen go dark to anyone looking at it from an angle, while you still see it clearly from the front. It's built into the screen, so no privacy screen protector is needed.
You choose when it switches on: for particular apps like your bank or WhatsApp, when you type your PIN, or for notification pop-ups. Droid Life said the maximum setting makes the screen look slightly worse, but found the per-app controls very well designed. It's the feature reviewers talked about most, and it's also the one feature an S25 Ultra doesn't have.
Battery and Charging
The battery is still 5,000 mAh, the same as the last four Ultras. Nearly every review lists that as a disappointment, since Chinese rivals now fit much bigger cells. But efficiency improved. Droid Life got 7 to 8 hours of screen-on time, and GSMArena measured better battery life than the S25 Ultra.
The bigger news is charging. The S26 Ultra now supports 60W wired charging and goes from empty to full in about 42 to 43 minutes. The Pixel 11 Pro takes 86 minutes and the iPhone 18 Pro Max 55. When power goes off without warning, a phone that fills up in a short window is worth more than a bigger battery. Wireless charging goes up to 25W.
Design
At 7.9mm thick and 214g, the S26 Ultra is slimmer and lighter than the S25 Ultra. It keeps the 6.9-inch flat QHD+ screen with 2,600 nits peak brightness, readable in full Lagos sun, and the built-in S Pen. It's rated IP68 for water and dust.
Cameras
The camera setup is still the most versatile on any Samsung: a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultra wide, a 3x telephoto and a 50MP 5x telephoto. The main camera now has a wider f/1.4 aperture, which reviewers found gives noticeably better low-light photos. New video features, including stronger stabilization with a horizon lock and more creator controls, led IT Pro to call it a video powerhouse.
The criticism: the sensors are mostly the same as the S25 Ultra's. Droid Life found photos "pretty much identical" to last year's, and GSMArena said the camera hardware now trails the best Android rivals. It's still an excellent camera. It just isn't the leap the price suggests.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is the fastest Android chip of the year. It's well ahead of the Pixel 11's Tensor G6, especially in games. GSMArena found it slows down under long, heavy loads, but you'll only notice that in long gaming sessions. With seven years of Android updates it'll be supported until 2033.
What Reviewers Didn't Like
- The same 5,000 mAh battery, again.
- Small camera changes for a new flagship.
- The screen lacks high-frequency PWM dimming, which matters to people who get eye strain from some OLED screens, and it doesn't support Dolby Vision.
Should You Buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
Buy it if you're on an S23 Ultra, S22 Ultra or older. The upgrade is big: faster charging, longer battery life, a lighter body, the Privacy Display and years more updates.
Keep your S25 Ultra if you already have one. Without the Privacy Display and the faster charging, the phones are very close, and GSMArena said the S25 Ultra remains "a solid choice in 2026".
Buy the S25 Ultra instead if you want most of the Ultra experience for less. It's in stock at ₦1,356,800 with 512GB.
Undecided between Samsung and Google? Read Samsung Galaxy S vs Google Pixel.
Order the Galaxy S26 Ultra Through Ziggatech
- Order on request. Send us a WhatsApp message with the colour and storage you want, and we'll confirm the price and delivery date.
- Trade in your old Samsung. Get a quote on our trade-in page and pay only the difference.
- Browse our Samsung collection, or visit us at 1A Bashiru Oweh St, off Medical Road (Computer Village), Ikeja, Lagos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Galaxy S26 Ultra worth buying?
Yes, if you're coming from an S23 Ultra or older. It has 60W charging, better battery life, a lighter body and the new Privacy Display. S25 Ultra owners will find the upgrade small.
How much is the Galaxy S26 Ultra in Nigeria?
The S26 Ultra launched at $1,299 in the US. Ziggatech sources it on request, so message us on WhatsApp for today's naira price. The Galaxy S25 Ultra 512GB is in stock at ₦1,356,800.
What is the Privacy Display on the S26 Ultra?
It's a screen feature that makes the display unreadable from the side, so people next to you can't see what's on it. You can turn it on for particular apps, for PIN entry and for notifications.
How fast does the Galaxy S26 Ultra charge?
It supports 60W wired charging and charges from empty to full in about 42 to 43 minutes, much faster than the Pixel 11 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
