Samsung quietly packed meaningful hardware upgrades into the Galaxy S26 Ultra, including a brighter periscope camera and a larger cooling system, according to a detailed teardown by Tech YouTuber Zack Nelson.

Inside the zoom camera, Samsung replaced the traditional prism design with a new ALOP (All Lenses On Prism) layout, increasing light intake by roughly 37% and improving low-light performance. The vapor chamber was also enlarged by approximately 15%, enhancing heat dissipation crucial for gaming and AI tasks. These upgrades, while not dramatic design shifts, make the phone more reliable for daily heavy use.

The teardown also noted the absence of the S25 Ultra's anti-glare coating, potentially replaced by a new Privacy Display limiting viewing angles, and a redesigned S Pen slot. While Samsung emphasized AI at Unpacked, the hardware improvements suggest the S26 Ultra focuses on refined performance over flashy new features.