Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: I'd upgrade for this one feature alone

Which Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra color should you buy?

Samsung has already received record Galaxy S26 series pre-orders in South Korea.

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It's been just over a week since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 series, and even though the company didn't change much from its winning formula, the lineup already appears to be a big hit for the Korean brand.

The Galaxy S26 series has not even gone on full sale yet, but interest in the phones is already sky high. According to a report from Korean outlet Yonhap News, Samsung has received a record 1.35 million pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 lineup in South Korea alone.

That figure has already surpassed last year's Galaxy S25 series, which reportedly recorded around 1.35 million pre-orders during its launch period. And with several days still left before the phones officially go on sale, the total could climb even higher.

Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is driving most of the demand. According to the report, about 70% of all Galaxy S26 series pre-orders are for the Ultra model, with White and Black emerging as the most popular color options.

The report does not provide an exact breakdown between the Galaxy S26 Plus and the base Galaxy S26, but together they account for the remaining 30%.

The report doesn't directly explain why the Galaxy S26 Ultra is seeing the most demand, but it likely comes down to Samsung introducing some of its most notable upgrades on that model.

Features like the new Privacy Display are exclusive to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. At the same time, Samsung has also raised the prices of the base Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, which makes the Ultra appear like the better value option.

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Pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 series remain open through March 11. If you're planning to buy one, now might be the best time since many retailers are offering strong trade-in deals and double-storage promotions.

Honestly, I'm not surprised by this at all. If you look at the Galaxy S26 lineup this year, the Ultra is clearly where Samsung has put most of its meaningful upgrades.

The base Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus seem only chip upgrades, while the Ultra gets the standout features. If you're already spending close to flagship money, it makes sense to just go for the Ultra.

Sanuj is a tech writer who loves exploring smartphones, tablets, and wearables. He began his journey with a Nokia Lumia and later dived deep into Android and iPhone. He's been writing about tech since 2018, with bylines at Pocketnow, Android Police, Pocket-Lint, and MakeUseOf. When he's not testing gadgets, he's either sipping chai, watching football, or playing cricket.

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