Galaxy S26 Ultra Black Unboxing & First Impressions! Worth the Upgrade?
This right here is the brand new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra in black — and the hardware Samsung baked into the display this year is aimed at how we actually use phones in public. The standout is a built-in customizable privacy display, plus a slightly trimmer, more comfortable body than last year’s Ultra. I grabbed the 512 GB black model after living with the silver S25 Ultra, and the first feel is sleeker and less “brick” in the hand.
Side by side with the S25 Ultra, iPhone 17 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro, the S26 Ultra looks more refined — though I’d still give overall aesthetic and hand-feel to the Pixel. Specs that matter from the unboxing: 7.9 mm / 214 g, Gorilla Glass Armor 2 back, 6.9-inch 1–120 Hz AMOLED with that privacy mode (full or notifications-only), familiar 200 MP main + ultrawide/telephoto stack with wider apertures for low light, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy with a redesigned vapor chamber, same 5,000 mAh battery but 60 W wired charging (0–75% in about 30 minutes), and the 512 GB config brings 16 GB RAM vs 12 GB on the base. Biggest knocks: titanium frame is gone, and still no MagSafe/Pixel Snap magnets in the phone. Starting price held at $1,300.
Watch the full Galaxy S26 Ultra Black Unboxing & First Impressions for the privacy display demo, UltraGlass install, horizontal-lock video trick, and the Ultra vs foldable take. Final thoughts: if you want a refined daily driver that just works, the S26 Ultra delivers — but if you already own an S25 Ultra, skip the upgrade unless the trade-in is absurd; real phone innovation right now is still foldables.
