Why Samsung's Next Ultra Phone Could Finally Silence the Power User Critics

Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir

The Galaxy S26 Ultra leak dropping hints about serious upgrades has power users paying attention—and for good reason. After years of incremental updates that left enthusiasts wanting more, Samsung appears ready to deliver the memory bump we've been requesting since 2021. The upcoming flagship could feature 16GB of RAM worldwide, a significant departure from the region-locked approach that kept the 16GB S25 Ultra exclusive to Korea, China, and Taiwan. But RAM isn't the only area getting attention—early reports suggest sub-7mm thickness and 60W fast charging, changes that could reshape what we expect from Samsung's premium tier. Here's what the latest intelligence reveals about Samsung's 2026 strategy.

Finally: The RAM upgrade power users have been demanding

Here's the thing—Samsung hasn't offered a Galaxy S flagship with widespread 16GB RAM availability since the Galaxy S21 Ultra in 2021. That four-year gap represents a puzzling step backward, especially as AI workloads demand increasingly hefty memory footprints. The Galaxy S26 Ultra leak suggests 16GB RAM will be standard across all storage variants—256GB, 512GB, and 1TB models.

Beyond the obvious marketing advantage, this timing aligns perfectly with Samsung's competitive positioning strategy. Apple's iPhone 17 series is expected to standardize at 12GB RAM next year, meaning Samsung's 16GB approach maintains its traditional memory advantage while preparing for AI workloads that require gigabytes of RAM even in compressed mobile form.

PRO TIP: This isn't just about bragging rights. With 16GB available, power users can dedicate specific RAM allocation for AI processing while maintaining substantial headroom for productivity workflows, creative applications, and background multitasking without performance degradation.

The practical implications extend far beyond basic app switching. Consider the power user who runs intensive video editing apps while maintaining active communication channels, reference materials, and system monitoring tools. Current flagship phones with 24GB RAM already demonstrate superior multitasking capabilities, allowing users to return to apps after intensive gaming or rendering sessions without losing their position. Samsung's 16GB implementation positions the S26 Ultra as the sweet spot between today's limitations and tomorrow's overkill—exactly where flagship phones should operate.

Design evolution: Thinner profile meets practical improvements

Samsung appears committed to addressing two frequent criticisms with the S26 Ultra's physical design. Reports indicate a sub-7mm thickness, down from the S25 Ultra's 8.2mm profile. That's a meaningful reduction that should improve one-handed usability without compromising the 6.9-inch display size.

The engineering challenge here shouldn't be underestimated. Achieving sub-7mm thickness while maintaining a 5,000mAh battery capacity and housing a larger cooling system requires significant advances in component miniaturization and internal architecture. Samsung's approach appears to involve higher energy density battery technology that maintains the same electrical capacity in a smaller physical footprint.

The camera bump situation is also getting attention. Samsung is reportedly eliminating the controversial, protruding camera rings that appeared "glued" to the back panel. This design change aligns with feedback from users who found the current camera module aesthetically jarring—a surprisingly common complaint given Samsung's typically polished industrial design.

Internal improvements complement the external refinements. The vapor chamber cooling system will reportedly be 1.2 times larger than the S25 Ultra's implementation. Combined with the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor running at 4.74GHz, this enhanced thermal management should enable sustained performance during extended gaming marathons, 8K video processing, or intensive AI computations without throttling.

Camera system addressing a four-year oversight

Samsung's camera strategy for the S26 Ultra shows both continuity and strategic course correction. The company will retain the 200MP primary sensor, 50MP ultrawide, and 50MP telephoto (5x zoom) cameras from the S25 Ultra, but it's finally upgrading the 3x telephoto sensor that's remained stagnant since 2020.

The 3x telephoto camera will reportedly use a 12MP sensor, up from the 10MP unit Samsung has used for five consecutive generations. This upgrade particularly benefits portrait photography, where the 3x focal length hits the sweet spot for natural-looking subject separation and facial proportions. The increased resolution enables better digital zoom performance between the 3x and 5x optical zoom ranges, addressing a gap that's frustrated photographers for years.

What makes this camera upgrade particularly strategic is its positioning within Samsung's broader quality initiative. The 3x telephoto focal length represents the most frequently used zoom range for everyday photography—close enough for detailed shots without the compression artifacts of longer telephotos, yet distant enough to avoid the distortion of wide-angle lenses. By improving the sensor that handles this crucial range, Samsung addresses real-world usage patterns rather than chasing megapixel bragging rights.

Additional camera improvements include a new laser AF sensor for faster and more reliable focus and a next-generation ProVisual Engine powered by the upgraded chipset. The 200MP primary sensor will feature a newer lens design and what tipsters describe as an "ultra-large aperture" for improved low-light performance.

Charging speeds catch up to 2025 expectations

Battery technology represents both strategic continuity and competitive catch-up in the S26 Ultra leaks. The 5,000mAh capacity remains unchanged, meaning Samsung hasn't upgraded Ultra battery capacity for six consecutive years. However, 60W fast charging support would represent a significant improvement over the S25 Ultra's 45W charging speed.

Samsung's conservative charging approach reflects a deliberate strategy prioritizing battery longevity over pure charging velocity. While Chinese manufacturers offer 100W+ charging speeds that can fully charge phones in under 30 minutes, these implementations often generate substantial heat that degrades battery chemistry over time. Samsung's 60W approach likely represents the company's sweet spot between charging convenience and long-term battery health.

The energy density discussion becomes more intriguing when considered alongside the thinner profile. Reliable tipster @UniverseIce suggests Samsung may have increased the energy density of the 5,000mAh pack, allowing for the thinner profile while maintaining the same electrical capacity. This approach, combined with new charging technology offering reduced temperatures during charging, enables the faster 60W charging speeds without compromising thermal management.

Practically speaking, 60W charging could potentially achieve full charging in 40-45 minutes compared to the S25 Ultra's current 70% in 30 minutes with 45W implementation. That's a meaningful improvement for users who need rapid top-offs during intensive usage days.

The power user verdict: Smart upgrades where they matter most

This isn't Samsung responding to criticism with random upgrades—it's a company that's been methodically addressing the most vocal pain points from its core enthusiast base. The S26 Ultra leak pattern suggests a focused approach to improvement: 16GB RAM worldwide eliminates the frustrating region-lock situation, meaningfully faster charging addresses daily convenience, camera upgrades target the most-used focal length, and thermal improvements enable sustained performance under real-world stress.

The strategic positioning against Apple's 2026 landscape becomes clearer when viewed holistically. With the iPhone 17 series expected to standardize at 12GB RAM, Samsung's 16GB approach maintains its traditional memory advantage while preparing for AI workloads that haven't fully materialized yet. This forward-thinking specification approach—cool, but not compromise-your-thermals cool—represents exactly the kind of strategic planning that makes flagship phones worth their premium pricing.

Let's be honest about the battery situation: Samsung's decision to stick with 5,000mAh battery capacity will disappoint users hoping for 5,500mAh or higher capacity. But the RAM upgrade alone justifies attention from power users who've felt shortchanged since 2022. The combination of global 16GB availability, improved charging speeds, and enhanced thermal management creates a device that should handle intensive use cases significantly better than current flagships.

The S26 Ultra appears positioned to deliver the kind of meaningful improvements that actually change daily user experience—faster app switching, better sustained performance, quicker charging recovery, and enhanced camera quality in the most commonly used zoom range. These aren't revolutionary changes, but they're the evolutionary improvements that matter most when you're using a flagship phone for demanding tasks every day.