ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S26

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

ASUS

Good

Samsung Galaxy S26

Samsung

6.8

Pre-Release Hands-On

What Reviewers Agree On

Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers excellent, blazing-fast performance
Battery life is genuinely strong — comfortably lasts a full day and beyond
6-axis gimbal stabilizer produces uniquely impressive video stabilization
Clean near-stock Android with minimal bloatware is the best software package on Android
Only 2 Android updates is universally criticized as unacceptable at EUR 1,099
Camera processing falls short of Samsung, Google, and Apple at this price tier

Deal Breakers

Only 2 Android OS updates — worst among 2025 flagships at this price

Detailed Comparison

Design & Build

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

Sleek matte glass back with ultra-narrow bezels and IP68 water resistance. The rare 3.5mm headphone jack is a welcome differentiator. However, the design is nearly identical to the Zenfone 11 Ultra, and the large 6.78-inch form factor disappointed fans of ASUS's formerly compact Zenfone line.

Retains the rare 3.5mm headphone jack — almost unique among 2025 flagships
IP68 water resistance with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and sleek matte glass back
Nearly identical design to the Zenfone 11 Ultra — barely iterative year-over-year
No charger included in the box despite the premium EUR 1,099 price

Samsung Galaxy S26

The S26 adopts more angular, Ultra-like corners for a unified family design. The Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 provide solid durability. At ~7.3mm and ~162g, it's pocketable and lightweight.

The unified design language across the S26 family gives even the base model a premium, Ultra-like aesthetic

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What Reviewers Agree On

The $100 price increase from $799 to $899 is the steepest relative increase in the lineup and hardest to justify
Same camera hardware since the Galaxy S23 makes three consecutive years without meaningful camera upgrades
One UI 8.5 AI features and software polish are the main selling points over the S25
The compact 6.3-inch form factor remains its key differentiator for one-handed use
Solid choice only for those upgrading from an S23 or older device

Deal Breakers

No Privacy Display — Ultra exclusive
25W wired and 15W wireless charging are unchanged and feel antiquated at $900
Return of Exynos outside the US after the S25 was Snapdragon worldwide

Display

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

The 6.78-inch Samsung E6 AMOLED panel delivers 2,500 nits peak brightness with LTPO adaptive 1-120Hz (144Hz for gaming). Vivid colors and excellent outdoor readability are let down by FHD+ resolution at a price where competitors offer QHD+, and poor minimum brightness.

2,500 nits peak brightness with LTPO 1-120Hz and 144Hz gaming mode — vivid and responsive
Same display panel as the Zenfone 11 Ultra — no improvement whatsoever year-over-year
Only FHD+ resolution at EUR 1,099 — competitors offer QHD+ at this price tier

Samsung Galaxy S26

The 6.3-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate carries over from the S25. It remains a sharp, vibrant panel for its compact size. No Privacy Display — that's Ultra-only.

The 6.3-inch compact form factor remains the S26's biggest strength — it's one of the few true compact flagships available in 2026
FHD+ resolution feels like a compromise at $900 — the S26+ and Ultra both get QHD+ panels