Customer reviews from Samsung US
Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra 1TB (Unlocked) - Cobalt Violet
Average customer rating
4.8
(17,982 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 17,982 reviews
5 Stars
15,704
4 Stars
1,807
3 Stars
284
2 Stars
82
1 Star
105
64%of customers recommend this product.
(
105 out of
165)
Customer Reviews for Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra 1TB (Unlocked) - Cobalt Violet
Customer Rating
1
The screen is so much worse than expected
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: Andromeda
from Minnesota
I don't know that I have ever been so disappointed in a phone upgrade. I have been running galaxies since the S3 and am upgrading from an S23 Ultra. Don't get me wrong, the processor and raw performance of the S26U are top-notch and that is the *only* reason why I haven't returned it immidiately. The screen of the S26U is absolutely atrocious. Especially when placed next to the S23U, the S26U is washed out with an old led-like look. It feels like comparing an old backlit pixelated Gameboy next to an AMOLED panel. Its astonishing how bad the S26U looks. The S26U is also less than half the brightness of the S23U despite claiming the opposite. The screen brightness of the S26U does not really change past 25% of the slider and wont go any brighter even after turning off adaptive displays etc. whereas the S23U clearly gets brighter and brighter to maximum. You can also clearly see all of the added black space in the S26U panel for the physical structure of the privacy pixels when on a screen with lots of white space adding to the feel that I am looking at an old pixelated 2004 era screen. The cameras seems to be slightly better on the S26U vs. the S23U, especially the telephoto 5x. There is no difference in battery other than the new snapdragon is more powerful and does not need to "work as hard" so you can get a bit more life out of it on the S26U. Its such a major disapointment and other than the raw performance of the chip and equivalent cameras, it feels like a massive downgrade in all other aspects. I just haven't yet decided if the performance gains outweigh the extensive downsides.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Features
2
Performance
5
Design
4
Value
2
Response from Samsung USBy R&R Team, March 12, 2026
Hello Andromeda, thank you for taking time out of your day to share your experience of your Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with us. We know how distressing it is when your new device is not meeting your expectations in functionality. We have provided a link to the complete manual for your device to help you adjust different display settings to best align to your preferences, and discover all of the enhanced features and new capabilities of your device like Galaxy AI and horizontal lock. We have also shared a link to the Samsung Support Team to assist you if you continue to experience this frustration, or have questions as you continue using your device. We appreciate you being a Samsung customer. -Elizabeth
Product Manuals
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Product Manuals
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Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Fantastic!
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: RepeatCustomer
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Easy to set up, great audio and camera. Galaxy AI!
Longtime Samsung customer, love using the Galaxy series. Have phone, tablet (2!) watch and ear buds!
Will always use Galaxy series!
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Endless Options
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: Jclevy
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the rare device that feels like it was built with every type of user in mind. Whether you're a photographer, a productivity junkie, a gamer, or a privacy-conscious professional, this phone has a setting, a mode, or an AI feature tailored just for you. The camera system alone is a world of options. The 200MP quad-camera setup — with a wide f/1.4 aperture, 3x and 5x telephoto lenses, and Nightography for low-light shooting — means you're never locked into one approach. Pair that with Galaxy AI's Photo Assist, and editing becomes just as flexible: remove objects, swap styles, restore details, all from a simple text prompt.
Galaxy AI's depth continues beyond the camera. Now Nudge anticipates your next action based on what's on screen. Bixby responds to natural language. Creative Studio lets you generate stickers, images, and more on the fly. The options feel endless without ever feeling overwhelming.
Galaxy AI's depth continues beyond the camera. Now Nudge anticipates your next action based on what's on screen. Bixby responds to natural language. Creative Studio lets you generate stickers, images, and more on the fly. The options feel endless without ever feeling overwhelming.
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
New feature
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: UltraFan
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Really excited about the privacy screen..the last 5 samsung phones I had I've always bought a privacy screen protector for them-no more now the s26 ultra finally comes with built in privacy screen. I love it!
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
A noticeable upgrade from the S25Ultra
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: Dicotips
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I have been a Samsung Galaxy user for many years, and upgrading to the Galaxy S26 Ultra has been a good experience so far. It is clear that the S26 Ultra is faster than the S25 Ultra. Everything feels smoother and more fluid. Apps open quickly, and multitasking is very responsive.
The display on Samsung phones remains excellent, as expected. The screen privacy feature is very useful, although the screen appears to dim slightly when enabled. I think it is something I still need to get used to. Still, it makes using apps that handle sensitive or private information much more comfortable, without worrying about someone else viewing the screen.
Another improvement is the stronger integration of AI through Galaxy AI. Many tasks feel smarter and more intuitive, which makes everyday use more efficient. The AI features also feel more accessible within apps compared to previous versions.
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Love all the new Galaxy AI features in S26 Ultra
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: techacker
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Love the new Galaxy S26 Ultra that comes preloaded with great 'Galaxy AI' features, integrated Gemini and overall performance and battery upgrades it offers as compared to my old Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Samsung is the only phone I have been using for the last decade - love all the innovation Samsung packs in Galaxy series.
Samsung is the only phone I have been using for the last decade - love all the innovation Samsung packs in Galaxy series.
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Camera and AI
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: Liljoe4
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The camera on the new s26 ultra blows away the ones on my old flip6. The AI featers are amazing
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Galaxy S26 Ultra: My New Baby!
on March 12, 2026
Posted by: Regally
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Just got the new Galaxy S26 Ultra and I’m honestly impressed so far.
First off, the display is gorgeous. Everything looks insanely crisp and smooth, and it somehow makes even basic things like scrolling or watching videos feel more premium. The camera is also incredible. I’ve only had the phone for a short time, but the photos already look ridiculously sharp, especially in low light. It feels like I’m carrying a mini pro camera around.
Performance has been flawless too. Apps open instantly, multitasking is effortless, and the whole phone just feels fast and polished. The battery has also been holding up really well, which is always a big plus.
One thing I’ve been enjoying a lot is the new Galaxy AI features. Little things like smarter photo editing, quick summaries, and helpful suggestions actually make everyday tasks easier. It doesn’t feel gimmicky. It just feels useful.
What I like most is that the phone feels powerful without being overwhelming. Samsung packed it with features, but the experience still feels clean and easy to use.
Still early, but first impression: I’m genuinely loving the S26 Ultra. Definitely one of those upgrades that actually feels like a real upgrade.
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US