Samsung Galaxy S26+, Unlocked Android Smartphone, 256GB, Black

Why it's worth it

You get the same processor, the same Galaxy AI editing tools and the same wide selfie camera as the Ultra, in a lighter body that actually fits your hand. Give up the longest zoom lens and the S Pen and you'll barely notice the difference day to day.

Put the two Samsungs side by side and the gap is smaller than the names suggest. Same Galaxy AI toolkit, same Photo Assist editing, same wider front camera that fits your whole group into a selfie without someone leaning in from the edge. The display is the ultra-vivid panel Samsung has been refining for a long time, and it's the reason most people never notice what they gave up.

The size is the whole point. At about 0.42 pounds and just over six inches long, this is the flagship you can hold while gripping a subway pole or carrying a toddler. The Ultra is a two-handed phone. This one isn't. If you've ever fumbled a phone reaching up for the notification shade, that difference matters more than a zoom lens you'll use twice a month.

From our review of 8 smartphones, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +Put the two Samsungs side by side and the gap is smaller than the names suggest
• +The size is the whole point
• +Performance isn't the compromise either

What to know

• –You lose the Ultra's longest zoom, its privacy display and its S Pen
• –Base storage here is 256GB, half what the Ultra offers, and there's no card slot to fix it later