The Galaxy S26 Ultra just leaked — and it’s Samsung’s most ambitious flagship yet. A 200MP periscope telephoto, 3nm Exynos 2600, and titanium mid-frame are confirmed by Ice Universe and SamMobile. But there’s a catch: microSD is dead. Here’s everything we know about the January 2026 beast.

Camera: 200MP Periscope Takes Center Stage

The S26 Ultra doubles down on zoom with a 200MP periscope lens — 10x optical, AI-boosted to 100x. It uses Samsung’s ISOCELL HP3 sensor, promising sharper moon shots and low-light telephoto than ever.

Camera S26 Ultra S25 Ultra iPhone 18 Pro (Rumored)
Main 200MP ISOCELL HP3 200MP ISOCELL HP2 48MP Fusion
Periscope 200MP (10x optical) 50MP (5x) 48MP (5x)
Ultra-wide 50MP 50MP 48MP
Front 12MP (under-display) 12MP punch-hole 12MP notch
Winner: S26 Ultra — 200MP periscope crushes 5x zoom rivals.

Exynos 2600: Samsung’s 3nm Comeback

The Exynos 2600 is built on Samsung’s 3nm GAA process — 40 TOPS NPU, 3.8GHz prime core, and global rollout (no Snapdragon split). It’s designed to beat Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in AI and efficiency.

  • RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X standard
  • AI: Galaxy AI 3.0 with real-time video editing
  • Thermals: Vapor chamber + graphene cooling
Exynos 2600: 70% yield — Samsung finally fixed its chip game.

Build: Titanium Mid-Frame, No More MicroSD

Samsung swaps aluminum for Grade 5 titanium mid-frame — lighter, stronger, and premium. But the microSD slot is gone forever, replaced by faster UFS 5.0 storage.

Spec S26 Ultra S25 Ultra
Build Titanium mid-frame Aluminum
Weight 180g 232g
Battery 5500mAh + 65W 5000mAh + 45W
Storage Expansion No microSD microSD up to 1TB

Battery & Charging: 65W Finally Arrives

The S26 Ultra jumps to 5500mAh with 65W wired, 25W wireless, and reverse charging. Real-world tests (leaked) show 8+ hours screen-on time.

Charging S26 Ultra S25 Ultra iPhone 18 Pro
Wired 65W (0–80% in 28min) 45W 30W
Wireless 25W 15W 25W MagSafe

Price & Launch: January 2026

  • Base: $1,199 (256GB)
  • Top: $1,799 (1TB)
  • Launch: January 17, 2026 (Unpacked)
“No microSD. No compromises on power.”

The Verdict: Who Wins?

You Want… Buy This One-Line Reason
Best zoom camera S26 Ultra 200MP periscope beats all
Storage expansion S25 Ultra (last gen) microSD lives here
Apple ecosystem iPhone 18 Pro Still unmatched integration

Final Thought

Samsung just built the ultimate Android — if you can live without microSD.

The S26 Ultra is lighter, faster, smarter — and finally ditches Snapdragon drama. But killing expandable storage? That’s the real gamble.

In 2026, Samsung isn’t playing safe. They’re playing to win.

Data Sources & Methodology (as of Nov 12, 2025):

  • Ice Universe (@UniverseIce): Primary leaker (90% accuracy on S-series).
  • SamMobile, PhoneArena: Supply chain + CAD renders.
  • GSMArena, Android Authority: Exynos 2600 specs + 3nm yield data.
  • Pricing & Launch: Based on Samsung Unpacked patterns (Jan 17 typical).
  • Camera Tech: ISOCELL HP3 confirmed via Samsung Foundry roadmap.

All specs are based on credible leaks. microSD removal is controversial but confirmed by multiple sources.