I Stand Corrected: The Impressive Battery Life of the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Initially, I was let down after reviewing the specifications for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. While the improved charging speeds were a plus, the unchanged 5,000mAh battery led me to believe that the performance would remain on par with older versions.

However, after using the device for several months, I’ve come to realize my mistake. The Galaxy S26 Ultra boasts some of the best battery performance I have encountered, making it difficult to consider switching to another smartphone.

I initially intended to use the Galaxy S26 Ultra mainly for testing its One UI 9. However, I was disappointed with its brightness and felt uninspired by the recycled camera features, especially as I had been enjoying my Pixel 10 Pro. My opinion began to change when I encountered significant battery drain issues with my Pixel, prompting me to give the S26 Ultra a try until the issue is resolved.

Despite using the One UI 9 beta on my S26 Ultra, the device has been able to keep pace with even the most demanding days. Remarkably, I didn’t charge it overnight and still had nearly 50% battery left after more than five hours of screen time the next day. I continued using it until late in the evening, which is impressive compared to other models I’ve owned.

This was during two full days of remote work, but the S26 Ultra performed admirably during several longer excursions, handling Android Auto, music streaming, and GPS navigation without dropping below 35% battery by bedtime.

While battery life can vary based on usage habits, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has consistently outperformed almost every other Android phone I’ve used.

Charging performance is also commendable. While 60W charging may not match some competitors, it surpasses prior offerings from Samsung and any solution provided by Google, making it quite efficient. In fact, the charging estimates from the S26 Ultra are quite conservative; I found that my phone charged from 30% to 68% in under 20 minutes during a recent charge.

Though I initially dismissed the S26 Ultra as merely another iterative upgrade, I now recognize its notable strengths. Until I began experimenting with the Razr Fold, nothing has matched the battery performance of the S26 Ultra. Transitioning back to a phone that doesn’t offer such longevity will certainly be a challenge.