Should I upgrade from the Galaxy S25 Ultra to the S26 Ultra?

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nullHonestly? For most S25 Ultra owners, the S26 Ultra isn't a must-have upgrade. It's nice, but not essential.

Here's what you'd actually get

The meaningful improvements are:

• Better low-light camera with a wider aperture (47% more light)
• Faster charging (60W wired, 25W wireless)
• Magnetic accessories work now thanks to Qi2
• Privacy Display for hiding your screen from nosy neighbors on the bus
• Rounded corners instead of flat sides (some people will love this, others won't care)

When it makes sense to upgrade

Pull the trigger if:

• Low-light photos frustrate you currently
• You really want magnetic chargers and accessories
• You commute on public transit and Privacy Display sounds genuinely useful
• Samsung's trade-in deal makes the out-of-pocket cost minimal

When you should save your money

Keep your S25 Ultra if:

• Your photos look fine to you
• You mostly use wired charging anyway
• You're not bothered by the current design
• Paying $400-600 after trade-in feels like a lot for these upgrades

The real question

Your S25 Ultra gets software updates for another 6 years. It's not going anywhere. Unless the specific things Samsung improved this year directly address problems you're having, there's no rush.

The S27 Ultra will presumably bring bigger changes. Sometimes skipping a generation is the smarter move.

That said, watch the pre-order trade-in values. Sometimes Samsung gets so aggressive with deals that upgrading every year costs almost nothing. If that happens, go for it.