How does the Galaxy S26 Ultra perform for gaming?

Bad news for macro photography fans: the Galaxy S26 Ultra did lose the telemacro feature. Here's what happened.

The S25 Ultra could focus incredibly close with its telephoto lens—perfect for detailed shots of insects, flowers, or small objects. The S26 Ultra can't do that anymore. The minimum focus distance jumped to about 80cm (roughly 2.6 feet), which eliminates the telemacro capability.

Why did Samsung do this? They redesigned the periscope telephoto lens with a wider f/2.9 aperture (previously f/3.4). This means 37% better low-light performance, which is legitimately useful. But the trade-off was losing that close-focus capability.

What are your options now? You've got the ultrawide camera's macro mode, which works reasonably well. You can also shoot with the 200MP main sensor and crop in—not ideal, but it gets the job done. There are also clip-on macro lenses if you're serious about close-up photography.

The reality is most people weren't using telemacro regularly. If you were one of the folks who loved it, this is genuinely annoying. But Samsung made a call that low-light improvements would benefit more users overall.

If macro photography is important to you, the S25 Ultra remains better in this specific area. For everyone else, the S26 Ultra's camera upgrades more than compensate.

Good news: you don't have to pay full price for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. There are some genuinely solid deals available.

Starting with Samsung's own deals: trade in a Galaxy S25 Ultra or Z Fold6 in good shape, and you'll get up to $900 off—bringing the S26 Ultra down to just $399. Even an older Galaxy S24 gets you $500 off. Don't have anything to trade? Samsung's offering a $150 instant discount during pre-order anyway.

The carriers are going even further. AT&T will give you the S26 Ultra for $0 if you trade in an eligible device (they're pretty flexible on condition) and commit to a 36-month plan. Verizon offers similar savings through Best Buy, plus a free storage upgrade. T-Mobile provides a free phone with trade-in and their Unlimited Ultimate plan.

Pre-order bonuses include free Galaxy Buds 4, steep discounts on the Buds 4 Pro, and Galaxy Tabs for $45.

A few things to keep in mind: carrier deals spread the discount over 36 months of bill credits, so you're committed for three years. And if you promise a trade-in, you've got 15 days to send it in or they'll charge you back.

If you're already on one of these carriers and due for an upgrade, the carrier deals are hard to beat. If you want flexibility, Samsung's direct trade-in is cleaner, and you can sell your old phone yourself if it's worth more than their offer.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra's Privacy Display has been making headlines—but not entirely for the right reasons. Let me break down what's actually going on.

Some users have noticed that viewing angles on the S26 Ultra seem worse than the S25 Ultra, even when Privacy Display is completely turned off. Why? Because this isn't just a software toggle—it's built into the actual hardware of the display. Samsung redesigned how the pixels disperse light, and you can't fully undo that with a settings switch.

What are people actually complaining about? Text can look a bit blurry from angles, the anti-reflective coating feels different (and some say worse), and a few folks mention eye strain that might be related to the 480Hz PWM flickering.

But here's the thing: when you're looking at your phone normally—face-on like most people do—the display looks fantastic. These issues mainly show up at extreme angles or if you're especially sensitive to PWM flickering.

Samsung hasn't called this a defect, and for most people using their phone in typical ways, it's a non-issue. The Privacy Display feature itself does exactly what it promises: makes it nearly impossible for someone next to you to snoop on your screen.

If you're particular about viewing angles or frequently share your screen with others sitting beside you, this might bother you. Otherwise, you probably won't notice.