Don't Buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Get This Phone Seriously Cheap Instead

Key Points:

• The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra offers incremental upgrades over the S25 Ultra, including a slightly better processor, minor camera improvements, and an innovative Privacy Display, but it comes at nearly double the price of a used S25 Ultra, which can be found for around $720.
• Both the S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra share many core specs such as a 5,000-mAh battery, 200MP cameras, 12GB RAM, and similar display size and resolution, resulting in comparable performance for everyday use including gaming and photography.
• Software features and support are largely consistent between the two models, with both running Android 16 and Samsung's One UI 8, plus seven years of security updates, though the S26 Ultra will receive support for one additional year.
• Battery life differences are minimal, with the S26 Ultra showing slightly better endurance in tests, but a used S25 Ultra’s battery is unlikely to have significantly degraded after one year of use.
• For budget-conscious buyers, the older Galaxy S24 Ultra is also a strong contender, offering similar camera quality, solid battery life, and seven years of security updates at an even lower price point around $536 used, making it a smart alternative to the latest models.