Forget the new iPhones and Google Pixels — this 23% discount on Samsung's flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra offers better value for money

The past few months have been an exciting time for tech journalists and enthusiasts alike, thanks to a barrageflagship phone launches.

<![CDATA[ <article> <p>The past few months have been an exciting time for tech journalists and enthusiasts alike, thanks to a barrageflagship phone launches. From <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/the-5-biggest-announcements-at-samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2026-including-new-phones-watches-and-smart-glasses">Samsung’s Z-series foldables</a> to the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/google-pixel-phones/7-things-we-saw-at-the-pixel-11-launch-from-googles-new-illuminated-phones-and-to-the-pixel-tag">Google Pixel 11 lineup</a> and more recently, the new <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/the-5-biggest-announcements-at-samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2026-including-new-phones-watches-and-smart-glasses">iPhone 18 Pro lineup</a> (and the new <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/the-iphone-duo-lacks-face-id-a-telephoto-camera-and-the-action-button-but-i-still-want-it-more-than-every-android-foldable-ive-ever-tested-heres-why">iPhone Duo </a>foldable).</p><p>While they may be some of the most exciting phone launches in recent memory — and it’s great that the foldable iPhone has finally seen the light of day — the biggest takeaway, is that every single new handset is more expensive than ever.This is clearly indicative of the ongoing RAM and storage shortages — <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/iphone-price-hikes-heres-the-full-list-of-every-price-increase-from-the-iphone-18-pro-to-a-21-percent-rise-for-one-iphone-air-model">even older phones have quietly received price hikes</a> — and will likely make the latest smartphone releases too expensive for many consumers.</p><p>Thankfully, you don’t have to settle for a previous year's flagship device to save, and you only have to look back to a release from a few months ago to score a bargain. The <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-review">Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra</a> — my pick for <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/news/best-phone#section-the-best-android-phone">the best Android phone</a> — <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Samsung-Version-Privacy-Customised-Creative/dp/B0GLXMYPY1" target="_blank">is currently 23% off on Amazon, now AU$1,685</a>.</p><div class="product"><a data-dimension112="0e71a9e8-ad8e-11f1-90e2-114e3de90929" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB)" data-dimension48="Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB)" data-dimension25="$1685" href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Samsung-Version-Privacy-Customised-Creative/dp/B0GLXMYPY1/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:659px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:100.00%;"><img id="YXdbwowYRUN2xwxVTCsLJ" name="Galaxy S26 Ultra" caption="" alt="" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YXdbwowYRUN2xwxVTCsLJ.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="659" height="659" attribution="" endorsement="" credit="" class=""></p></div></div></figure></a><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Samsung-Version-Privacy-Customised-Creative/dp/B0GLXMYPY1/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="0e71a9e8-ad8e-11f1-90e2-114e3de90929" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB)" data-dimension48="Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB)" data-dimension25="$1685">Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB): was $2199 now $1685</a></strong><br>Our <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-review">Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review</a> called it the best Android phone ever for its powerful specs, excellent cameras, AI features and a new privacy display screen. <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/i-like-some-of-samsungs-innovations-on-the-galaxy-s26-ultra-but-heres-why-im-sticking-with-my-iphone">I had a blast using this phone myself</a> and I highly recommend it if you’re shopping for a top-spec Android handset. We’ve seen the S26 Ultra cheaper elsewhere before, but this discount is the lowest price we’ve seen on Amazon.<a class="view-deal button" href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Samsung-Version-Privacy-Customised-Creative/dp/B0GLXMYPY1/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="0e71a9e8-ad8e-11f1-90e2-114e3de90929" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB)" data-dimension48="Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB)" data-dimension25="$1685">View Deal</a></p></div><p>Featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, 12GB of RAM, four rear cameras and a new built-in <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/the-brightness-does-not-change-samsung-answers-our-5-biggest-galaxy-s26-ultra-privacy-display-questions">Privacy Display</a> screen, there’s a lot to love with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and it can easily hold up for years to come, especially with up to 7 years of Android updates and security support.</p><p>I especially loved the Privacy Display screen, which marked a major hardware innovation amid a sea of similar-looking phones in 2026. <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/this-is-a-gimbal-inside-a-smartphone-samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-super-steady-horizontal-lock-really-can-handle-a-360-degree-turn">Super Steady Horizontal Lock</a> for shooting video makes the S26 Ultra great for action shots (and a neat party trick, too!), while the included S Pen stylus remains a nice bonus that most handsets don’t offer.</p><p>One great plus of buying the Galaxy S26 Ultra now is the stable release of <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/one-ui-9-beta-begins-rolling-out-to-samsung-galaxy-s26-users-here-are-the-5-biggest-upgrades-to-quick-panel-notes-and-more">One UI 9</a>, which is built on Android 17 and features a redesigned quick settings menu, customisable Control Centre, My FanCam and improved multitasking controls.</p><p>Personally, you really can’t go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if you’re prioritising raw power and smarts in an Android phone, and this discount makes the handset a great pick during a time of component shortages.</p><div data-widget-type="review" data-model-name="Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra"></div> </article> ]]>