Samsung's S26 Ultra: Best Display, Flawed AI

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra arrives as a refined flagship, prioritizing a superior user experience through its exceptional 6.9-inch AMOLED display. This screen is highlighted by an innovative Privacy Display feature, which intelligently limits viewing angles to protect sensitive information, customizable for individual apps and notifications. Performance is driven by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, paired with ample RAM, ensuring smooth operation for daily tasks and multitasking without overheating. Samsung promises an extensive seven years of software and security updates, enhancing the device's long-term value.

While the S26 Ultra offers a fast and efficient user experience, its artificial intelligence capabilities, such as the Now Nudge feature, have shown inconsistency during testing. Similarly, Bixby's performance varied, sometimes assisting with settings and other times defaulting to web searches. The camera system, while improved with a larger f/1.4 aperture on the primary lens and a new Horizontal Lock for video stabilization, is not positioned as class-leading. Despite these AI shortcomings, the Galaxy S26 Ultra delivers a well-rounded package with excellent performance and display technology, making it a strong contender in the high-end smartphone market.