Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Brutal Review: A Massive Price Hike and a Downgrade to Aluminum
You were waiting for the Galaxy S26 to drop just so the S25 price would tank, right? Predictable. On February 25, 2026, Samsung unleashed their S26 lineup. And the bad news? Tech companies are only getting greedier.
The Price Hike: No Mercy
This year, Samsung officially jacked up the price of the base S26 and S26 Plus by $100 globally. The base S26 now starts at $899, the S26+ at $1,099, and the S26 Ultra sits pretty at $1,299.
But let's talk about the reality in the Indonesian market. Once it lands here, the prices will make your stomach turn. The regular S26 (256GB) will cost you IDR 16,499,000, a steep climb from the previous generation. Want the Ultra? You have to cough up IDR 24,499,000 for the cheapest 256GB version, and an insane IDR 31,999,000 for the 1TB variant. That's a brand new scooter right there. Thankfully they killed off the pathetic 128GB version, meaning you start straight at 256GB as the standard.
What's Different From the S25? (Specs & Hidden Downgrades)
Don't just swallow their "AI, AI, AI" marketing pill. I dissected the hardware, specifically the Ultra version, so you can see the truth:
- Sayonara Titanium, Hello Aluminum: This made me raise an eyebrow. The S26 Ultra reverted to an Aluminum body, ditching the Titanium that was the massive selling point of the S25 Ultra. The excuse? It makes the phone lighter at 214 grams and dissipates heat better. They also rounded off those sharp, Galaxy Note-style corners.
- Cat Eyes (The Camera): This is the only upgrade that actually matters. The 200MP main shooter on the S26 Ultra now boasts an f/1.4 aperture, up from f/1.7 on the S25. In theory, it captures 47% more light. The 5x telephoto lens also got a bump to f/2.9. For those of you recording concerts in the dark from the nosebleeds, this is an absolute cheat code.
- Horizontal Lock: The S26 Ultra camera has an insane horizon lock feature. You can record video while jumping or spinning your phone 360 degrees, and the footage will stay perfectly level and stable.
- Privacy Display: The S26 Ultra now features a hardware-level "anti-peeping" display. Turn it on, and the nosy person next to you on the subway will only see a dark screen. No more buying cheap anti-spy screen protectors.
- The Engine & Battery: The Ultra rocks the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Meanwhile, the regular S26 and Plus are stuck with the Exynos 2600 in some markets. The base S26 battery grew slightly to 4,300 mAh, and the S26 Ultra now supports 60W fast charging (up from 45W).
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a monster for productivity and concert-flexing. But honestly, charging IDR 31 million for an Aluminum body on a top-tier flagship feels arrogant. If you currently own an S25 Ultra, keep your money in your wallet; the difference isn't worth it. But if you're rocking an S23 or some cracked potato phone, the S26 is absolutely worth the ransom.
The Pitch Creative is an independent media outlet built specifically for Gen Z. We're sick of corporate PR bullshit, mind-numbing algorithms, and sponsored narratives. We serve reality, no matter how brutal it gets.
