Galaxy S26 Ultra: A First-Ever Privacy Screen, a Shorter Zoom
Samsung's October price rise took the S26 Ultra's list price to $1,399.99. Today Amazon sells the same 256GB unlocked phone for $1,142.46 — $157.53 below even the old launch price. And last year's Ultra, renewed, starts at $659.95.
THE FIND — Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB, Unlocked, US model)
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$1,142.46 at Amazon — sold by Amazon.com · Checked Oct 24, 2026
Samsung list: $1,399.99 (after Samsung's October US price rise; launched at $1,299.99). The saving below is measured against list — Samsung's own store runs its own promotions.
Walmart: no Walmart-direct listing. Target: no new listing found (Oct 24).
THE LOWER NUMBER YOU WILL SEE
Walmart search shows this phone at $949.99. That is a marketplace seller (Spice Mobile) — and on its own page the price reads $975.00, which is still less than Amazon's. We do not call a marketplace listing a store price: the seller is not Walmart, the price moved $25 between the search page and the product page on the same day, and Walmart does not stand behind it the way Amazon stands behind its own sale. It is there, it is cheaper, and it is a different kind of offer — now you know all three.
KEY SPECS
- Display: 6.9" — Privacy Display built in
- Cameras: 200MP + 50MP ultra-wide + 10MP 3x
- Chip: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- S Pen: Built in
- Battery: 5,000mAh
WHY THIS PICK
The full Samsung flagship, $257.53 under its own raised list price, unlocked, sold by Amazon itself, with Amazon's return window behind it.
Prices are before tax; shipping and returns follow the seller's terms — check them on the product page.
RENEWED — NOT NEW
+α THE VALUE OPTION — Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (256GB) — RENEWED
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$659.95 at Amazon today (Renewed, seller Prime Mobility) · Checked Oct 24, 2026 · Other renewed listings of the same model start at $676.99 (different color/seller)
$482.51 less than the new S26 Ultra at Amazon (42%) — a new-vs-renewed comparison.
KEY SPECS
- 6.9"
- 200MP main + 50MP ultra-wide + 50MP 5x telephoto
- Snapdragon 8 Elite
- S Pen built in
- 5,000mAh
WHY IT WORKS
Same 6.9" screen size, same S Pen, one chip generation back. Its zoom is actually longer — 5x against the new model's 3x.
THE TRADE-OFF
Renewed, not new. What only the new one has is the Privacy Display and the newest chip. Every Amazon Renewed product is inspected and tested and backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee — a refund or replacement within 90 days if it does not work as expected. Before you buy, check the battery standard, the exact warranty terms and what is in the box on the listing. Renewed stock and colors come and go, and today's $659.95 is one seller's price.
WHO SHOULD BUY WHICH
S26 Ultra ($1,142.46, new): you want the Privacy Display and the newest chip, factory-sealed, with Samsung's full manufacturer warranty.
S25 Ultra Renewed ($659.95): you want the Ultra experience for $482.51 less and accept a renewed unit — check the battery and warranty terms on the listing first.
Coming from an S23 Ultra or older (the 32-month phone): this is your decision, not a footnote. If your battery still lasts the day, the renewed S25 Ultra is a one-generation step that keeps $482.51 in your pocket. If you shoot a lot of video or keep a phone four years, the S26's new chip and Privacy Display are the leap worth paying for. Trade-in values for your phone are priced three ways in this room's trade-in chart.
Waiting for Black Friday: our radar re-checks this price twice a day from now through Black Friday, and this page updates the day Amazon moves. If it drops further, the new number lands here first.
Prices checked Oct 24, 2026 — rechecked twice a day. As an Amazon Associate, SmartBuyCompare earns from qualifying purchases.