When is the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra Release Date?

Sometimes, we find ourselves wishing that the smartphone world would just stop and put its feet up for a while. It’s only been a couple of months since we unwrapped the Samsung Galaxy S26 and spent an entire afternoon “analyzing” (messing about with) it, yet there’s already talk of the next one. 

The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra is going to be the South Korean giant’s flagship phone next year. If recent history has taught us anything, it’ll be announced in January (early February at the latest), then appear in your local phone store about two weeks later. And contrary to our office manager’s initial reaction to that news, that’s not “ages away.” It’ll be New Year's faster than you think.

Granted, this first set of leaks and rumors has turned up early. A lot of the information we cover in the following article might be no more than wishful thinking, so be sure to keep that in mind as you travel down through the ensuing paragraphs. But saying that, if half of these rumors are true, the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra is going to be an impressive new device. How so? We’re glad you asked. 

Design And Appearance

There haven’t been any renders leaked online yet, so all of our theories about the S27 Ultra’s appearance are…well, theories. But we can make a few educated guesses. 

For example, the Samsung Galaxy 26 Ultra was:

• Thinner than the previous generation: 7.9mm compared to the 25 Ultra’s 8.2mm

• More comfortable to hold: the rounded corners were very nice

• Easy-on-the-eye: it retained the 6.9-inch display screen of its predecessor

It closely resembled the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but with a few subtle tweaks to distinguish it. You could tell the two phones were siblings, but wouldn’t mistake them for identical twins. Samsung’s approach with the design is one of refinement rather than reinvention, so we imagine the S27 Ultra will have a reassuringly familiar look. 

The Tech Specs

That’s the appearance covered, so let’s look at the technical specifications for the S27 Ultra. The tipster Digital Chat Station leaked his findings online recently, and these included:

• A Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chip

• 12GB or 16GB RAM

• 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

• Android 17 OS

• 5,000mAh battery

• 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging

That Snapdragon chip is particularly noteworthy. The S26 Ultra came with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and was reliably efficient and smooth. But the upgraded Gen 6 version could perform even better. 

We won’t go into an in-depth explanation of how (mainly because it’s incredibly complex and made our brains hurt), but if correct, the S27 Ultra could bring significant power and performance improvements. It’d be akin to having a desktop-level computer that fits in the palm of your hand.  

The Galaxy S27 Ultra Camera Setup

We can’t write a smartphone preview article without a section about the camera specifications. We snapped more than a few high-quality photos with our S26 Ultra, and the S27 looks like it’ll continue the trend. 

The expected camera system features: 

• 200 MP main camera with a new sensor

• 50 MP ultra-wide camera

• 50 MP zoom camera 

• 10 MP 3x optical zoom camera 

• 12 MP selfie camera 

Samsung has a tendency of saving their best cameras for the Ultra family. One notable rumor is that the S27 Ultra will feature a variable aperture, thereby allowing users to directly control the amount of light that hits the sensor. This might sound complex if you’re a photography newbie, but essentially, it means you can get better quality photos in low light and have less background blur. 

It’s worth pointing out that Samsung isn’t the only company doing this. Apple is rumored to be working on the exact same thing for the iPhone 18 Pro, so 2027 could become the year where variable apertures come to blows. Or at least, have a mild tussle before getting pulled apart. 

Is the S-Pen Being Discontinued?

Ah, this old question again. There have been rumors about the imminent end of the Samsung S-Pen for years now, but as of late spring 2026, it’s still with us. For instance, you might remember the controversy over the Ultra 25’s Bluetooth S-Pen: that looked like it could be the beginning of the end, but the S-Pen has stubbornly clung on.

So, is the S27 Ultra going to include S-Pen functionality? We can confidently say, ‘maybe.’ 

In February, Won-Joon Choi of Samsung announced that the company was working on a new technology that would help retain the S-Pen functionality. He didn’t give many details, but his comments helped launch the rumor vessel out of the harbor: there was even a suggestion that Samsung could remove the digitizer from the S27 Ultra without losing S-Pen support. 

Since then, another report has come out that has punched a few holes in the rumor vessel’s hull. The technology is in the works, but it’s unlikely to be ready for the S27 Ultra’s release date. From all we can gather at this stage, the S-Pen will remain part of the Samsung experience, but it’s not getting any serious upgrades. At least for now. We’ll have to wait a few more years before enjoying a sophisticated new S-Pen. 

Shall I Skip the Galaxy S26 and Wait for the S27 Ultra?

The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra promises to be a welcome addition to the family. However, you can say the same about the S26 Ultra, and that has one big advantage: it’s already out. 

If you’re interested in picking up a new Samsung, the S26 is a rewarding purchase. If you have the funds available, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. The 27 offers several advantages, but the upgrades are incremental. We’re unlikely to see a massive evolutionary leap forward, and the S26 Ultra will be more than adequate for all of your smartphone needs. 

In short, if you can afford it now, we recommend the S26 Ultra. However, if you’re planning and saving for a future purchase, waiting for the Samsung S27 Ultra is the better option. You’ll have a little longer to wait, but it’ll be worthwhile. 

We’ll have more on this story as it develops. The launch date is months away, so there’s bound to be a few more rumors emerging from the woodwork, so we’ll be here to track them all. In the meantime, why not peruse our collection of phone cases and accessories? We’ve got multiple options for personalizing your phone.