Samsung is no longer the trendsetter it was in the early days. The company used to shoulder the weight of mobile innovation with its generational leaps, but it’s now playing it safe. Its upgrade from S24 Ultra to S25 Ultra barely moved the needle. And if the early whispers are correct, the Galaxy S26 Ultra might be heading down the same alley.
It’s said that Samsung might try to follow the Chinese phone makers and finally use a Si/C battery for its Galaxy S26 Ultra. X leaker @PandaFlashPro added more context to the previous report and said that the battery will still be under 5400mAh.
This may be an upgrade over the S25 Ultra’s 5000mAh cell, but it’s nowhere near the capacity of some Chinese flagships. We are witnessing a trend in the region where companies are normalizing Si/C 6000mAh+ batteries on flagships and budget phones. And Samsung is just too far behind in the league.
Samsung usually relies on software optimizations to increase battery endurance. However, the fans are concerned that it might not be enough this time. It’s rumored that the Chinese Xiaomi 16 will carry upward of 7000mAh Si/C battery. A 5400mAh seems downright unfair by comparison, especially at Samsung’s usual price point for the Ultra.
Adding insult to injury, the leaker’s use of the words “under 5400mAh” has everyone concerned that the actual capacity might be even lower. The Samsung Ultra new model could fall back to a 5000mAh battery all over again, and software optimations alone won’t be enough to make it competitive.
The leaker says even if the battery size goes up, there’s no possibility of a 65W charging speed. It might be upgraded to a modest 50W next year if there is an upgrade at all. The rest might still be the same with a 15W wireless input for the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Its refresh rate will be 120Hz as usual, although the X leaker didn’t make it clear if it supports anti-glare and LTPO features. Whatever the case may be, Samsung won’t shy away from calling the Galaxy S26 Ultra “the best Galaxy ever” in Q1 2026. Keep watching the news if you want more updates on the Galaxy S26 series and Samsung’s upcoming foldable line.