Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Is Set For Major Performance Upgrades — Price Bump Too
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is likely to pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor under its hood.
Samsung is poised to launch its 2026 smartphone lineup early next year, with the flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra at the helm. Recent reports indicate notable upgrades as to the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s performance. However, a price hike is also speculated, arising from increasing component costs.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra May Get Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Globally
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is likely to pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor under its hood. Recent FCC filings (models SM-S948B and SM-S948U) confirm the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (SM8850) for both global and U.S. variants.
This ends speculation about Exynos 2600 for the Ultra, though it may appear in the standard S26 and S26 Plus. Users prefer Snapdragon for better performance and heat management, even though Exynos typically provides better power efficiency and extended battery runtime.
Benchmarks reported by PhoneArena indicated convergence: the Exynos 2600 scored 3,455 in single-core tests compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5’s 2,885 but reversed in multi-core with 11,621 versus 12,396.
China’s 3C listing (SM-S9480) further revealed up to 60W wired charging (up from 45W), enabling quicker charging on an approximately 5,000mAh battery.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is also expected to get satellite connectivity, likely for emergency messaging in China, matching or exceeding the S25 Ultra. On-device AI is another area where Samsung will focus on to deliver performance optimisations in the S26 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Price Bump Ahead?
Samsung is reportedly raising its Galaxy A-series prices starting Dec. 15, approximately by Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. These price increases are because of rising costs for parts, supply chains, and production, which Samsung is passing to the buyers as well. However, the story doesn’t end there.
Samsung may be gauging tolerance for comparable — or greater — adjustments to prices for its flagship devices. No official word confirms a higher S26 pricing yet, but the A-series hike is an indicator that the upcoming flagship range could cost higher. Given persistent upward trends in component costs, a moderate increase for the Galaxy S26 Ultra appears probable.
