The Galaxy S26 Ultra Leak Looks Thin… Until You See the Dummy Unit
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has leaked, and at first glance, it doesn’t look all that different from recent Samsung Ultra phones.
The design in the leaked images feels familiar. Same overall shape, same flat edges, same camera layout. The only thing that really stands out is how thin the phone looks.
On paper, the leaks make the S26 Ultra appear almost unrealistically slim, thin enough to make you question how Samsung could fit a battery, cameras, and cooling inside.
That’s where this dummy unit comes in.
The Dummy Unit vs the Leak
This is a 1:1 replica of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. It is designed to match the final size and shape as closely as possible, and at first glance, it looks like every other recent Samsung Ultra phone.
But when you compare it to the leaked photo, something feels off. In the leak, the phone looks dramatically slimmer than anything Samsung has released before. In real life, holding the dummy unit tells a different story. It does not look super thin. It just looks… normal.
That already raises a red flag.
Side by Side With the S25 Ultra
Putting the S26 Ultra dummy next to the S25 Ultra makes things clearer.
Yes, it is slightly thinner. You can see it if you look closely and you can feel it if you stack them together. But this is not some massive redesign. It is a very minor reduction in thickness, not the razor-thin slab the leaks made it out to be.
If you were expecting a dramatic shift in design, this is probably not it.
Is Samsung Exaggerating the Thinness?
Leaks are rarely perfect, but this one feels especially misleading.
The leaked photo makes the S26 Ultra look far thinner than the physical dummy suggests. That could be down to perspective, lens distortion, or intentional framing to make the phone appear more impressive than it really is.
From a hardware standpoint, there is only so much Samsung can remove without compromising battery life, cooling, or structural integrity. Ultra phones are packed tight, and shaving off meaningful thickness usually comes with real tradeoffs.
Based on this dummy unit, Samsung may be exaggerating just how thin the S26 Ultra really is.
S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: Rumored Specs Compared
While the dummy unit gives us a physical reference point, leaks have also started to paint a picture of what Samsung may be planning internally.
Based on recent reports, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to focus more on performance and refinement than dramatic changes. Many core specs appear similar to the S25 Ultra, with upgrades targeting efficiency rather than headline-grabbing redesigns.
| Feature | Galaxy S26 Ultra (rumored) | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED, possibly 10-bit | 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM | 12 GB, with possible 16 GB option | 12 GB |
| Storage | Up to 1 TB | Up to 1 TB |
| Main Camera | 200 MP | 200 MP |
| Ultra-Wide | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Periscope | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging | Rumored faster wired charging | ~45 W wired |
| Thickness | Slightly thinner (based on dummy) | Thicker reference point |
If these leaks hold up, the S26 Ultra looks less like a leap forward and more like a careful iteration. That lines up closely with what the dummy unit suggests physically.
Final Thoughts
The Galaxy S26 Ultra leak makes the phone look like a bold step forward, but the dummy unit tells a more grounded story. While it does appear slightly thinner than the S25 Ultra, the change isn’t dramatic enough to feel exciting, and it suggests Samsung may have oversold the visual upgrade.
That doesn’t mean the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be a bad phone. It just means expectations may need to be reset. If the biggest visible change ends up being a barely noticeable reduction in thickness, a lot of people are going to feel underwhelmed, especially when leaks set the bar unrealistically high.
Based on this replica, the design looks safe, familiar, and only marginally refined, and it’s a good reminder that leaks don’t always tell the full story.
See you in the next article!
