Samsung Confirms Galaxy S26 Ultra Surprise — A Power Shift Users Didn't Expect

The tech world is buzzing following a major confirmation from Samsung: the Galaxy S26 Ultra is set to deliver a seismic performance boost. Users were anticipating a powerful device, but the company has just confirmed a surprise change in its core strategy. This unexpected move promises to redefine what consumers expect from a premium flagship smartphone.

The flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra will mark the launch of Samsung's new smartphone generation in early 2026. Its characteristics, operating system, and features will establish the standard for the entire industry to adopt over the coming months.

Still, fans of the brand are eager for a resolution to a single, critical question about this premium handset. Will it feature Snapdragon or perhaps Exynos?

The Exynos vs. Snapdragon Showdown

Official documents released this week have provided the long-awaited solution, a piece of news that users will undoubtedly celebrate. The specifications are revealed through the trustworthy FCC certification process, a necessary step preceding a product's introduction in the United States.

The listing includes two product identifiers, SM-S948B and SM-S948U, matching Samsung's usual terminology and previous reports about the S26 Ultra. The letter 'U' designates a variant tied to a specific US network provider, whereas the 'B' version represents the universally unlocked model distributed internationally.

Both versions specify the use of SM8850, which corresponds directly to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor designation. This finding puts an end to speculation about the processor choice—either the in-house Exynos or the Snapdragon purchased from Qualcomm—for the new device.

Even though regional component decisions for other markets could still differ, the main piece of information sought by users is confirmed. Powering the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will be Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Further Certifications Reveal Galaxy S26 Ultra Features

As the Galaxy S26 line is set for a global release, the manufacturer must submit paperwork and specifications to numerous regulatory bodies. Reviewing these regulatory filings reveals extra information about the forthcoming Galaxy phones, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra being of particular interest.

The Chinese 3C (China Compulsory Certification) scheme lists a Galaxy S26 Ultra version intended for that specific region, identified as SM-9480. In the certified documents, the connection features are specified, confirming that satellite communication is enabled for use in that territory.

Since the previous S25 Ultra model enabled satellite communication for both regular and urgent messages, it is reasonable to expect the S26 Ultra to include this feature, if not improve upon it.

Furthermore, the 3C documentation identifies the charging unit that Samsung plans to ship alongside the S26 Ultra. The device is confirmed to support 60W fast charging when plugged in, an improvement over the existing 45W wired limit.

This speed aligns with unofficial reports predicting a 0 per cent to 80 per cent power-up in just thirty minutes for a 5,000 mAh cell, along with 25W cable-free charging.

The Power Of The Galaxy S26 Ultra

The prevailing view is that the Snapdragon hardware provided a better experience on older Galaxy S devices than the corresponding Exynos unit. The Snapdragon chip is widely considered to deliver faster performance and better heat management than its Exynos competitor.

However, the differences are minor, and the Exynos unit is actually more power-efficient, resulting in longer battery runtime. Not only are these differences slight, but they are progressively diminishing as new models are released.

The Benchmark Scores Are In

Early November Geekbench benchmarks, discovered by the team at PhoneArena, suggested the performance disparity has narrowed significantly, with the upcoming Exynos 2600 recording a single-core score of 3,455 versus the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5's 2,885.

The outcome changed, however, when examining multi-core performance: the Exynos reached 11,621, while the Snapdragon achieved 12,396. Despite these changes, the common belief has not shifted. Furthermore, the understanding that the S26 Ultra delivers the highest possible technical features should also endure.

Raw processing power alone does not reveal the complete picture of a device's capabilities. Given the expected increase in the use of artificial intelligence on phones, we anticipate an effort in 2026 to enhance both the quality of AI functions and the surrounding environment.

On-device computations are set to grow in importance, requiring both high processing speed and dedicated hardware built into the chip to run AI applications properly. The capabilities of the two processors when handling artificial intelligence tasks remain unknown to consumers.

The outcome could be that Snapdragon excels in raw power, yet Exynos is chosen because it represents a cheaper part in the production breakdown. It is worth noting that the Exynos 2600 chip is rumoured for the base Galaxy S26 and S26+ models, though whether these models will be Exynos-only remains unconfirmed.

When To Expect The Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung is likely to organise a Galaxy Unpacked presentation towards the end of January 2026, where the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra are expected to be introduced.