Is the Galaxy S26 Ultra Really Better Than the S25 Ultra? The Truth You Need to Know

The Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra choice has never been this easy to put a number on. In this week’s festive sales, the two phones sit Rs 40,000 apart.

Both are 6.9-inch Samsung flagships with an S Pen and a 200MP camera. So the real question is simple. What does the extra Rs 40,000 buy you?

We have not tested either phone ourselves. Therefore, this verdict rests on live Indian prices and on lab tests from reviewers who have. Every number below links to its source.

The Short Version

• Our pick for most buyers: the Galaxy S25 Ultra at Rs 84,999.
• Prices today: Galaxy S26 Ultra at Rs 1,24,999. Galaxy S25 Ultra at Rs 84,999 with Amazon’s coupon.
• Charging: the S26 Ultra fills up in 43 minutes, against 59 minutes for the S25 Ultra.
• Speed: the S26 Ultra is about 17% to 22% faster in benchmarks. However, it also slows down more under long loads.
• Cameras: mostly the same. In fact, the older phone is better at close-ups.
• Own an S25 Ultra already? Skip the upgrade.

Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: Price in India Today

First, the new phone. On 9 October, Amazon listed the Galaxy S26 Ultra at Rs 1,24,999 for 12GB + 256GB. Flipkart showed the same price on the same day.

Digit calls this a flat Rs 30,000 discount, measured against the official price of Rs 1,54,999. It also notes Rs 6,249 cashback on the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card.

Next, the old phone. Amazon lists the Galaxy S25 Ultra at Rs 94,999 for 12GB + 256GB. Then a Rs 5,000 coupon takes it to Rs 84,999, as Amazon’s own deals page confirms.

As a result, the gap is Rs 40,000 with the coupon. Without it, the gap is Rs 30,000.

Flipkart is the weaker option for the older phone. Its S25 Ultra listings started at about Rs 94,980 when we checked, and several showed “Only 1 left”. So buy the S25 Ultra on Amazon.

The S26 Ultra Discount Is Smaller Than It Looks

Here is the part the sale banners skip. The Galaxy S26 Ultra launched at Rs 1,39,999. Samsung then raised it to Rs 1,54,999 in September, as we covered in our Galaxy S26 price hike report.

So the “Rs 30,000 off” is measured against the raised price. Against the launch price, the cut is only Rs 15,000.

Moreover, this price is not new. In July, SamMobile reported the same Rs 1,24,999 on Samsung’s own website. In other words, the festive price matches July. It does not beat it.

The S25 Ultra tells a similar story. We explained in our Galaxy S25 Ultra Amazon sale price guide that Rs 84,999 also appeared in July. Still, it is Rs 45,000 below that phone’s launch price.

The Numbers That Matter, Side by Side

Test results come from GSMArena’s lab reviews of both phones. Prices are for the 12GB + 256GB models.

| | Galaxy S26 Ultra | Galaxy S25 Ultra |

|—|—|—|

| Amazon price on 9 October | Rs 1,24,999 | Rs 84,999 with coupon |

| Launch price | Rs 1,39,999 | Rs 1,29,999 |

| Chip | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Snapdragon 8 Elite |

| Geekbench 6 multi-core | 11,566 | 9,846 |

| AnTuTu 11 score | 3,892,165 | 3,185,577 |

| Wired charging | 60W | 45W |

| Charge after 30 minutes | 84% | 72% |

| Time to full charge | 43 minutes | 59 minutes |

| Main camera | 200MP, f/1.4 | 200MP, f/1.7 |

| 5x zoom camera | 50MP, f/2.9 | 50MP, f/3.4 |

| Thickness and weight | 7.9mm, 214g | 8.2mm, 218g |

| Frame | Aluminium | Titanium |

Both phones share the same screen size, the same 5,000mAh battery and the same IP68 rating. So the real differences are charging, speed and the new Privacy Display.

Charging and Battery: The Best Reason to Pay More

This is the clearest upgrade. In GSMArena’s charging test, the Galaxy S26 Ultra reached 84% in 30 minutes. A full charge took 43 minutes.

Meanwhile, the S25 Ultra reached 72% in 30 minutes and needed 59 minutes for a full charge. That is a 16-minute gap.

Battery life improves too, but only slightly. Both phones use a 5,000mAh cell. GSMArena gave the S26 Ultra an active use score of 16 hours 23 minutes, and says that is slightly ahead of last year.

In short, the new phone charges faster and lasts a little longer. However, neither gain changes your day. Both phones last until night, and both fill up in under an hour.

Performance: Faster, but It Runs Hot

The new chip is a real step up on paper. In GSMArena’s benchmark tests, the S26 Ultra scored 11,566 in Geekbench’s multi-core test. The S25 Ultra scored 9,846, so the new phone is about 17% ahead.

AnTuTu shows a bigger gap of about 22%. The S26 Ultra posted 3,892,165, against 3,185,577 for the older phone.

However, there is a catch. In long stress tests, GSMArena found the S26 Ultra’s processor fell below half of its top speed. It lists heavy throttling among the phone’s cons.

More importantly, the S25 Ultra is not slow. It runs every app and game on the Play Store today. GSMArena itself doubts the benchmark lead will change daily use in any real way.

Cameras: Do Not Upgrade for These

The camera story is mixed, and it does not favour the new phone. Both use the same 200MP main sensor. In fact, GSMArena’s camera review notes that it dates back to the S23 Ultra.

The S26 Ultra does get brighter lenses. The main camera moves from f/1.7 to f/1.4, and the 5x zoom moves from f/3.4 to f/2.9. A lower number means the lens lets in more light.

In practice, though, GSMArena saw little change in daylight photos. Night shots were roughly comparable as well.

Meanwhile, two things got worse. The 3x zoom camera now uses a smaller sensor. Also, the main camera must sit 18cm from a subject to focus, up from 8cm. As a result, the S25 Ultra takes much better close-ups.

Selfies are the one clear win. The S26 Ultra has a wider front lens, so more people fit in the frame.

Screen and Design: One New Trick, One Step Back

The Privacy Display is the headline feature. It narrows the viewing angle, so the person beside you on the Metro cannot read your screen. You can switch it on for chosen apps only.

It is useful, but it has a cost. With Privacy Display on, GSMArena measured peak brightness at about half the normal level. So you will not want it on outdoors.

The new phone is also thinner and 4g lighter. However, Samsung swapped the titanium frame for aluminium. GSMArena suspects cost was the reason.

Software is closer than you might think. Samsung promises seven years of updates for both. The S25 Ultra launched a year earlier, so its support should end about a year sooner, by our maths.

For a fuller list of what changed, read our Galaxy S26 Ultra upgrades explainer.

Who Should Buy, Who Should Wait, Who Should Skip

Here is the verdict, and we will not sit on the fence.

Buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra if you want an S Pen flagship and plan to keep it three or four years. At Rs 84,999, you save Rs 40,000. You give up 16 minutes of charging time, some speed you will rarely notice and the Privacy Display.

Buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you handle bank or work apps in crowded places every day, or if you keep phones for six years or more. The Privacy Display and the extra year of updates matter then. For everyone else, it is hard to justify.

Wait if you want a true bargain on the S26 Ultra. Rs 1,24,999 is the same price Samsung charged in July. We would call it a deal at Rs 1,15,000 or less without an exchange.

Skip both if Rs 85,000 is a stretch. The regular Galaxy S26 costs less in the sales, and our Flipkart vs Amazon sale guide lists more options.

Skip the upgrade if you own an S25 Ultra. GSMArena’s verdict calls the new phone “an unexciting upgrade”. It also says last year’s Ultra remains a sound pick. We agree.

So is the Galaxy S26 Ultra really better? Yes, slightly. However, it is not Rs 40,000 better, and that is what matters when you pay.

Quick Answers

How much more does the Galaxy S26 Ultra cost than the S25 Ultra in India?

It costs Rs 1,24,999 on Amazon, which is Rs 40,000 more than the S25 Ultra at Rs 84,999 with coupon.

Does the Galaxy S26 Ultra charge faster?

Yes. It took 43 minutes for a full charge in GSMArena’s test, against 59 minutes for the S25 Ultra.

Are the cameras better on the Galaxy S26 Ultra?

Barely. Selfies improve, but GSMArena found most photos similar, and the S25 Ultra is better at close-ups.

Is Rs 1,24,999 the lowest price for the Galaxy S26 Ultra?

It matches the lowest price we can confirm. SamMobile reported the same figure on Samsung’s website in July.

The Bottom Line

In the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra contest, the older phone is the smarter buy for most Indians. It gets you most of the way there for Rs 40,000 less. That is our call.

Several things are still not confirmed. Amazon has not said how long the Rs 5,000 coupon on the S25 Ultra will last. In addition, it has not published the cap on its 10% SBI card discount, so we have not quoted a lower price for either phone.

Finally, we do not know how much S25 Ultra stock is left. Flipkart’s supply already looks thin. So check the coupon box and the final checkout price before you pay.