Samsung’s newest flagship introduces massive upgrades in RAM, AI, and processing power, but its predecessor is seeing sweeping price cuts. Here is why springing for the newest model is the only choice that makes sense.
Samsung’s “Ultra” strategy has always been simple: cram everything into a titanium slab and let it run wild.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra does exactly that. It’s a 6.9-inch juggernaut wrapped in a refined Armour Aluminium frame that’s somehow slimmer and lighter than last year’s model.
Right beside it on the shelf? The Galaxy S25 Ultra — now with sweeping price cuts.
It’s tempting to think last year’s flagship is “good enough” to save a few bucks. But diving into the specs? The S26 Ultra is such a massive leap forward that skipping it would be a mistake. Let me show you why.
The S26 Ultra: The Ultimate Business & Privacy Vault
Let’s start with the headline feature.
The S26 Ultra introduces a “Privacy Display” — powered by Flex Magic Pixel tech — that instantly blacks out your screen to anyone standing next to you. Shoulder-surfers on the train? Gone. Nosy colleagues? Blocked.
Pair that with the new AI Call Screening (which silently handles spam calls for you) and the deeply integrated “Now Nudge” proactive AI, and the S26 Ultra stops feeling like a phone. It feels like a personal executive assistant in your pocket.
Under the hood, you’re getting the blisteringly fast Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, ridiculously fast 10.7Gbps LPDDR5X RAM, and a 200MP camera that captures 47% more light than the S25 Ultra. There’s even a new “Horizontal Lock” feature that aggressively stabilizes video — even if you physically tilt the phone while walking.
Oh, and Samsung shaved the weight down to just 214 grams while bumping wired charging to a blistering 60W.
👉 Check Latest Price for Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The S25 Ultra: Yesterday’s News?
Pick up the S25 Ultra and the S26 Ultra at the same time. At first glance? Deja vu. Same 6.9-inch screen. Same 5,000mAh battery.
But start using them side-by-side, and the cracks appear fast.
The S25’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip handles everyday tasks just fine — but it straight-up lacks the neural processing power required for the S26’s proactive AI features.
No 60W rapid charging? You’re sitting at an outlet much longer.
No Privacy Display? Working on sensitive documents in public suddenly feels… archaic.
The S25 Ultra was a fantastic phone in 2025. But in 2026, those missing features aren’t minor — they’re glaring omissions.
So what exactly is the S26 doing so much better? Let’s break it down feature by feature.
Display & Performance: Same Screen, Drastically Different Brains
Both phones sport gorgeous 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED screens. Both run at a butter-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Both blind you with 2,600 nits of peak brightness.
For watching Netflix or gaming Call of Duty: Mobile? Both are best-in-class.
But here’s where they split.
The S26 Ultra’s display packs Flex Magic Pixel technology — that same tech powering the Privacy Display. The S25 Ultra? Standard LTPO panel. No privacy mode. No magic pixels.
Under the hood, the gap widens further:
– S25 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Elite — still excellent, handles anything you throw at it.
– S26 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — built on a 3nm process with a massively upgraded Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that powers all the new AI features without draining battery.
The Gen 5 isn’t just faster. It’s smarter.
Camera Shootout: Daylight Tie, Low-Light Knockout
Flip both phones over. The massive camera bumps look almost identical.
In broad daylight? You’ll barely notice a difference. Both phones pack 200MP main sensors, 50MP ultrawide lenses, and dual telephoto systems (5x + 3x optical).
But wait for sunset.
In Photo Mode, the S26 Ultra’s f/1.4 aperture captures 47% more light — meaning dramatically cleaner, sharper Nightography shots. The upgraded “Generative Edit” AI also edits photos faster and cleaner than the S25 Ultra ever could.
In Video Mode, both phones shoot stunning 8K at 30fps. But the S26 Ultra drops a killer new feature: Horizontal Lock. It aggressively stabilizes footage even when you tilt or rotate the phone mid-walk.
If you vlog, shoot content, or just hate shaky videos — the S26 Ultra wins this round by a mile. No gimbal needed.
Galaxy AI: Your Phone Now Thinks Ahead
This is where the gap becomes a canyon.
The S25 Ultra introduced incredible Galaxy AI tools — Circle to Search, Live Translate, Generative Photo Editing. Great features. But they’re all reactive. They sit and wait for you to tap a button.
The S26 Ultra doesn’t wait.
It introduces Now Nudge — a proactive AI system that anticipates what you need based on your daily context. It suggests, reminds, and acts before you even ask.
Even better? You choose the brain. Samsung lets you pick which AI model powers these agentic features — whether that’s Bixby, Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, or Perplexity.
Throw in AI Call Screening that silently handles spam calls in real-time, and the S26 Ultra doesn’t feel like a phone anymore. It feels like a co-pilot.
Storage & RAM: Future-Proofing Your Investment
Both phones offer 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage tiers. No complaints there.
But RAM tells a very different story.
The S25 Ultra ships with 12GB RAM — perfectly fine for today’s multitasking. The S26 Ultra? It offers that same 12GB or a massive 16GB configuration running on blisteringly fast 10.7Gbps LPDDR5X memory.
Why does this matter? Because on-device AI is about to explode. If you plan to use Gen AI features heavily over the next 3–5 years, that 16GB tier on the S26 Ultra isn’t a luxury — it’s an insurance policy.
Battery Life: A Tie in Life, A Win in Speed
Both phones pack identical 5,000mAh batteries. Samsung claims both deliver up to 31 hours of video playback. No advantage either way.
But how fast can you refill?
– S25 Ultra: 45W wired charging.
– S26 Ultra: 60W Super Fast Charging 3.0.
That 33% speed bump means less time tethered to a cable and more time actually using the phone. When you’re rushing out the door, every minute counts.
And the final kicker? While the S25 Ultra is listed on Shopee from RM5,699, the S26 Ultra starts at just RM5,999. Considering the massive leap in AI, charging speed, and privacy features, that extra RM300 makes upgrading an absolute no-brainer.
The Verdict: RM300 for a Generational Leap
Both phones feature excellent build quality, integrated S-Pens, and seven years of software updates. But that’s where the similarities end.
Let’s be real. We all try to convince ourselves that last year’s tech is “good enough” to save a little cash. The S26 Ultra completely destroys that argument.
For just RM300 more, you’re getting:
✅ The significantly faster Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
✅ Proactive Now Nudge AI with your choice of AI model
✅ The game-changing Privacy Display
✅ Blistering 60W charging
✅ Up to 16GB RAM for future-proof AI performance
✅ Horizontal Lock video stabilization
✅ 47% more light captured in photos
The S25 Ultra at RM5,699 is still a capable phone. But passing up this massive leap forward for RM300? That’s not saving money. That’s leaving value on the table.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra isn’t just an iterative update. It’s the undisputed king of Android — and the definitive winner you should be buying.
👉 Check Latest Price for Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
👉 Check Latest Price for Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
