Thinking of upgrading to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra? Here’s why you should consider an older model instead
Ask anyone who’s used it, including us: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is one of the best phones money can buy right now.
In our review, we heaped praise on its excellent cameras, powerful performance, neat Privacy Display, and handy stylus. It continues Samsung’s run of ultra-powerful flagships, bringing a few useful improvements over its predecessor.
But it’s not the perfect phone, and one aspect reliably puts potential buyers off: the high price. You’ll have to pay at least $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,199 to enjoy the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is a lot for a handheld gadget.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
If you want an absolute bargain alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, but don’t mind a bit of risk too, then the Galaxy S22 Ultra might be worth a look.
Even in 2026, this phone still has solid specs. It’s got four rear cameras, a premium build, a stylus, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset that remains competitive in the mid-range to this day; you’re unlikely to find equivalent hardware in a recently released $300 / £300 / AU$500 phone.
So, what’s that risk I mentioned? Well, the S22 Ultra saw Android updates up to One UI 8, so it’s no longer getting new software upgrades, and security upgrades are up in the air, too. If you like getting new features or keeping your phone protected from threats, then you’re out of luck with this model.
Frankly, as a tech expert, I wouldn’t advise picking up the Galaxy S22 Ultra to use as a daily driver phone. But if you want a backup phone for photography or gaming, it could be a bargain buy. This is the least recommendable option on my list, but I thought I’d include it for those reasons alone.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra the goldilocks option? It’s old enough to be a cheap pick, but new enough to remain in line for one more major software update, which will bring a handful of extra features. It’ll also continue to receive security patches until 2028.
The S23 Ultra is also the last of the great Galaxy Ultras to pack certain premium features. You won’t get a 10x optical zoom periscope lens if you go more modern, nor a handset with a dramatic curving waterfall display. The S23 Ultra was the first Galaxy Ultra to pack a 200MP main camera; it also still has Bluetooth in its stylus, and its shell is made of titanium.
A fair amount of the S23 Ultra’s specs are still used in the S26 Ultra, too, like the 5,000mAh battery and Dynamic AMOLED 2X display technology (although the screen on the older model is 0.1 inches smaller).
Naturally, the phone’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset isn’t going to be quite as powerful as that of modern Galaxies, and some of the newer software features are missing. But the Galaxy S23 Ultra is an absolute bargain, especially if you buy it renewed.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Galaxy phones made a noticeable step towards modernity with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is an older mobile with a fair amount in common with the S26 Ultra.
That means you’re getting the blocky, angular design of the newer phones, though the S24 Ultra is made of titanium, unlike the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
We noted in our review that, although its on-paper specs match those of the S23 Ultra in a lot of ways, the S24 Ultra performs better in certain departments. We found its battery life to be superior, for example, and its all-round camera performance is better too (even if software updates have brought optimization tweaks to the older models).
The S24 Ultra’s current price puts it on par with certain mid-range phones, and so it’s a much cheaper option than the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Crucially, there’s another big reason why you might want to pick this phone as your S26 Ultra alternative: instead of the four years of Android updates pledged to its predecessors, the S24 Ultra gets seven years. That means it’ll keep getting new software until 2031. In other words, you’ve got loads of gas left in the tank.
If you want a device that’ll keep receiving updates for years, then this is the oldest model to consider.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Perhaps the safest choice for a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra-like phone would be the previous-generation model.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has a lot in common with its recent sibling (too much, according to some testers). The main design change is that the S25 Ultra is slightly thicker and heavier, but it looks largely identical, save for a floating camera island on the newer phone.
Its specs are very similar, too; you’ll get the same camera array, display, battery, and charging capabilities as the S26 Ultra. One year of downgrading won’t get you a lesser device; the newer model simply has a more powerful chipset, and some extra software tricks like Privacy Display and Horizon Lock.
Like the S24 Ultra, the S25 Ultra is also confirmed to receive seven years of software updates, so it’ll be covered until 2032.
So if they’re so similar, why get the older version? You already know the answer: the Galaxy S25 Ultra is now significantly cheaper than the S26 Ultra, and it’s on sale more frequently, too. In fact, it’s pretty easy to find new S25 Ultras going for cheaper than Samsung’s own Re-Newed models, which shows how far the prices have fallen.
What about an even older Galaxy Ultra?
There are two previous models of Ultra not mentioned yet: the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and Galaxy S20 Ultra. Before that, the suffix wasn’t used, with the Galaxy S10 only getting a ‘Plus’ model, which was mostly the same as the base version.
These mobiles have a lot of specs in common with newer models, but they’re probably a little too old to be worth considering.
For one, they’re no longer supported by software updates, and if they get damaged, replacement parts will be harder to find. They’re old enough, too, that you won’t get the full performance enjoyed when they came out five-plus years ago.
But more simply, they’re much harder to buy. I can barely find new versions on sale, and even refurbished ones are few and far between.
Nope: if you want a cheaper Galaxy S Ultra, pick one of the above models, or perhaps check out our list of the best Android phones to see non-Samsung alternatives.
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