Samsung is heading into its Galaxy S26 launch with a major performance win. Fresh Geekbench 6 results show the Galaxy S26 Ultra beating Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max in both single-core and multi-core CPU tests, giving Samsung serious bragging rights right before the Galaxy S26 series is expected to debut next week.
The benchmarked Galaxy S26 Ultra is reportedly powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is expected to be the standard chip across the Galaxy S26 lineup. What makes these results especially notable is that they appear to represent the highest Geekbench 6 scores seen so far for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, suggesting Samsung may have applied custom tuning and device-level optimizations to push performance to its current peak.
In practical terms, leading in both single-core and multi-core performance can translate into faster everyday responsiveness (like app launches and UI fluidity) as well as stronger sustained horsepower for heavier tasks such as video editing, high-end gaming, and on-device AI workloads.
Beyond performance, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is also shaping up to be a design refresh with new color choices. Early details point to options like Cobalt Violet, Black Shadow, White Shadow, and Galactic Blue. The phone is also expected to arrive with rounded edges and a dedicated camera island housing a triple-camera arrangement. Other expected staples include a USB-C port, S Pen support, and a 5,000mAh battery, though some reports suggest Samsung could bump that to 5,200mAh depending on the final configuration.
One rumored feature that now seems less likely is Qi2 built-in magnets. If that omission holds true, it would reduce native support for magnet-aligned accessory ecosystems similar to what many users associate with snap-on wallet, stand, and charger accessories.
A standout addition to the Galaxy S26 series could be a new “Privacy Display” enabled by Samsung’s Flex Magic Pixel OLED technology. The idea is simple but useful: AI-assisted control that dims the screen’s visibility from side angles without reducing brightness for someone looking straight at the phone. It’s designed to make shoulder-surfing much harder in public spaces while keeping your own viewing experience intact.
Camera upgrades are also a key part of the Galaxy S26 Ultra story. The expected setup includes:
– 12MP IMX874 front-facing selfie camera
– 12MP ISOCELL 3LD S5K3LD 3x telephoto (possibly with a smaller 1/3.94-inch sensor format)
– 200MP ISOCELL HP2 main camera (possibly with a brighter f/1.5 aperture)
– 50MP ultrawide (reported as either ISOCELL JN3 or Sony IMX564)
– 50MP IMX854 5x periscope camera (possibly with a faster f/2.9 aperture)
On top of the hardware, Samsung is expected to introduce a new noise reduction algorithm across the Galaxy S26 series. The goal is cleaner, sharper images—especially at higher resolutions—by reducing artifacts and improving fine detail. Early impressions suggest this processing change could be particularly noticeable in scenes like clear skies, where noise and banding can often show up in smartphone photos.
With benchmark momentum, a privacy-focused display feature, and a camera system aiming for both hardware and processing gains, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is shaping up to be one of Samsung’s most ambitious flagship upgrades in years.
