Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Too close to call. The critic scores are the same.
Critics score the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra the same, 86 out of 100 (Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: clear consensus; Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: general agreement), from 8 and 20 reviews. 7 outlets reviewed both: 2 scored the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra higher, 3 scored the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra higher and 2 gave both the same score.
Image: SamsungSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
8 professional reviewers tested the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and 8 recommend it. Most praised: picture quality and performance. Most common complaint: price.
All 8 reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra →
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Image: SamsungSamsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
20 professional reviewers tested the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and 18 recommend it. Most praised: picture quality and performance. Most common complaint: price.
All 20 reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra →
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Where every review landed
Each mark is one professional review, converted to 0–100Which one is for you?
Pick the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if
- “Best all-round Android flagship” is what you’re after
- price worries you: 10 of 20 critics fault the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra on it, against 2 of 8 for this one
The catch: Hardware changes little from the S24 Ultra, and the S Pen lost Bluetooth.
Pick the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if
- “Best camera range” is what you’re after
- performance matters most: 17 of 20 critics praise it, against 3 of 8 for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- picture quality matters most: 18 of 20 critics praise it, against 5 of 8 for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The catch: Very expensive, and the AI features are hit-and-miss.
In our words, from what the critics praise and complain about. It never changes a score.
What critics praise and fault
How many of each product's reviews mention the topic| Topic | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Picture quality | 5 of 8 praise | 18 of 20 praise |
| Performance | 3 of 8 praise | 17 of 20 praise |
| Battery life | 2 of 8 praise 1 of 8 fault | 7 of 20 praise 7 of 20 fault |
| Price | 2 of 8 fault | 10 of 20 fault |
Critics who reviewed both
The fairest comparison: the same reviewer, the same standards| Outlet | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Galaxy S26 Ultra | Who scored higher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android Central | 85 | 71est. | Galaxy S25 Ultra +14 |
| Trusted Reviews | 90 | 83est. | Galaxy S25 Ultra +7 |
| Expert Reviews | 80 | 80 | Same |
| Tom's Guide | 90 | 90 | Same |
| TechRadar | 90 | 95 | Galaxy S26 Ultra +5 |
| The Independent | 83est. | 90 | Galaxy S26 Ultra +7 |
| Tech Advisor | 80 | 90 | Galaxy S26 Ultra +10 |
Scores converted to 0–100. Tiles with a dashed border are estimated from the verdict. Tap a score to read that review.
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Common questions
Which is better, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
It's too close to call on critic score: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 86 (clear consensus), Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 86 (general agreement). 7 outlets reviewed both: 2 scored the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra higher, 3 scored the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra higher and 2 gave both the same score.
Do critics agree about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: clear consensus, scores from 80 to 90. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: general agreement, scores from 66 to 95.