Phone Arena has listed 7 notable changes and upgrades of the Galaxy S26 Ultra compared to its predecessor.
Higher screen brightness
Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be equipped with Samsung's OLED M14 panel, marking the first major upgrade in screen technology in many years (Galaxy S24 and S25 lines use OLED M13 panels).
A newer and more technically efficient screen panel may allow for higher brightness. Therefore, the Galaxy S26 Ultra may outperform its predecessor in this important aspect. For example, OnePlus 15 has used this panel and achieved nearly 3,500 nits in PhoneArena tests, a remarkable number.
Faster NAND memory
Samsung may equip the Galaxy S26 Ultra with faster NAND memory, as data read/write speed is very important for the overall performance of the phone. The Galaxy S25 Ultra was launched with UFS 4.0 memory, which is already very fast, but UFS 4.1 on the S26 Ultra is even faster and more stable.
Improved heat management
Globally, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be equipped with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the fastest Qualcomm chip currently available. However, "fastest" usually means "hottest" in the context of mobile computing, and this leads to reduced performance when you actually press the accelerator.
Galaxy S26 Ultra may be equipped with an improved heat management system and a larger intake chamber, helping to control excess heat and passively improve performance through careful performance refinement.
Improved antireflective layer
Samsung's high-end Galaxy S Ultra phone models have been equipped with anti-reflective screen coating since the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Samsung is likely to surprise us with an even better coating on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Combined with even higher maximum brightness and software security screen, people may have the most sophisticated screen on a Galaxy ever, especially in bright light conditions with many reflections, glare or curious eyes.
Specialized AI processing unit
Recognizing the highlight of the Galaxy S26 line as artificial intelligence (AI), it is reasonable for Samsung to equip an additional hardware accelerator for the entire AI processing process on the device. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is now powerful enough, but nothing compares to a dedicated processor for AI processing. This can improve overall efficiency and therefore extend battery life.
Improve image processing capabilities
Galaxy S26 Ultra can overcome some image processing problems compared to the previous generation such as improved dynamic contrast band, better zoom capability and photo performance in low light conditions. This is especially true for video, a field where Galaxy S25 Ultra is still inferior to some other devices.
Samsung has proven that they can make major improvements to the camera by tweaking the software and keeping the hardware the same, so hopefully the Galaxy S26 Ultra can also do that.
More attractive new colors
The standard colors of the Galaxy S26 Ultra have been leaked, and although they are okay, to me they seem a bit gloomy and unattractive. But Samsung is likely to release some more exclusive colors on its online store, and these colors are often more vibrant and interesting.
