From cutting-edge AI tech to sharper visuals: How the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra improves upon its predecessor's impressive gaming experience

TL;DR

• The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is superior to the Galaxy S25 Ultra as a powerful, portable gaming device
• While the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra boasted a strong processor, the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is the company's best for gaming yet
• When it comes to cooling, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the largest Vapour Chamber design to date, allowing for heat to dissipate faster and more efficiently
• Gaming on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a visually stunning experience thanks to ProScaler enhancements, an advanced mobile Digital Natural Image engine (mDNIe), and ray tracing capabilities
• A power-packed battery and solid cooling system mean the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is perfect for long gaming sessions, and up to 31 hours of video playback.¹

Gaming on the go has never been easier than it is now, thanks to powerful mobile devices like the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra – an efficient phone for seamless portable gaming, and an improvement over its impressive predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, in just about every way. Building on Samsung's last mobile powerhouse with better specs, processor speed, visuals, cooling, and cutting-edge AI technology, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a must-have upgrade.

Whether a player is hoping for a short, sweet session or a longer, extended time in-game, it's a solid pick. From performance to immersion, Samsung has set a new standard with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. With strong battery life, stunning graphical capabilities, and ray tracing support in compatible titles, it's not just the latest and greatest in the company's popular line of beloved mobile devices – it's its best yet for gaming.

What makes the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra a great phone for gaming?

The new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a great phone for gaming thanks to improvements on features like its crisp AI upscaling system, ProScaler, its bigger and better Vapour Chamber for more effective cooling, its enhanced display, and more – an all-around step up from the previous generation and the Galaxy S25 Ultra's own first-rate specs. Users won't be left wanting – or losing mid-game due to hardware shortcomings– on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

It's a practical phone for demanding mobile games, too, with a long-lasting battery that can quickly be recharged, and improved ray tracing capabilities that allow for more realistic and lifelike visuals. The immersion that a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra boasts is difficult to find in the mobile gaming market, offering players a meaningful upgrade from the last generation and plenty of technological advancements to look forward to.

Even during extended gameplay sessions, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra stays cool with the company's largest Vapour Chamber design yet. It's not just an on-the-go phone for short, quick battles or easy levels in games, either – it's a practical device for newcomers to mobile gaming and seasoned veterans hoping to spend hours at a time in-game alike. The battery and Vapour Chamber speak to this versatility, as do all other facets of the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Furthermore, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a more-than-capable phone outside of gaming – whether during a quick doomscroll break between ranked matches or a professional-level photography session outside, it's a handy device ready for anything users throw its way. This won't simply be a stationary gaming PC or console, after all. Its sleek, thin design – a whole 0.3 mm and four grams lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra – aren't just for show.

How does the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra compare to the Galaxy S25 Ultra for gaming?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better phone for gaming overall than its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with its improved processor, cooling, battery, visual capabilities, and more. Perhaps the most significant upgrade, the Galaxy S26 Ultra's powerful customised processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, boasts a significantly faster CPU/GPU while also integrating ray tracing and Vulkan optimization for smoother gaming.

The new high-performance Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor ensures a better gameplay experience with a consistently high frame rate. Coupled with the larger Vapour Chamber and thermal interface material, heat spreads evenly and allows for more optimal cooling, letting players fully immerse themselves in their games for longer than ever before. The impressive display with improved color accuracy only works to add to this immersion, too.

After all, each model of the Galaxy S26 series, including the Ultra, has a bright and smooth display – with 2600 nits, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, and up to 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate. Cutscenes look better and brighter on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and can be viewed privately in public thanks to the world’s first built-in Privacy Display² on mobile – innovative tech that darkens the screen at certain angles.

Not only is it very powerful as a mobile gaming device, but the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is also incredibly portable thanks to its lightweight design – one that outdoes the Galaxy S25 Ultra. With the same big 6.9-inch display dimension and a weight of just 214 grams, the Galaxy S26 Ultra weighs less than its predecessor while packing even more features in and improved performance overall for gamers to boot.

Players looking to have one of this year's best gaming phones and upgrade from the Galaxy S25 Ultra for smoother, quicker, and better-performing games on the go can visit the official Samsung website to learn more.