Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra sweeps European rankings

Screenshot shows Swedish consumer organization Råd & Rön’s smartphone rankings

Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S26 Ultra has claimed the top spot in Europe’s smartphone rankings, leading surveys across seven countries and signaling a potential shift in the premium market.

The device ranked No. 1 in evaluations by leading consumer organizations in Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Sweden, Samsung said Thursday. The reviews followed the global launch of the Galaxy S26 series on March 11.

The British consumer group Which? awarded the Galaxy S26 Ultra its highest overall score of 87, placing it at the top of its smartphone rankings.

“It showed outstanding performance across all laboratory tests,” the organization said, adding that the phone’s newly introduced privacy display delivered strong security performance. The Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25+ tied for second place with scores of 85.

France’s consumer group Que Choisir also ranked the Galaxy S26 Ultra first, awarding it 17 points. The group praised the smartphone for producing detailed images with vivid colors, strong low-light performance and videos that remained steady in stabilization mode.

Italy’s consumer group Altroconsumo awarded the Galaxy S26 Ultra a score of 84, tying it with the Galaxy S25 Ultra for first place. The organization highlighted the device’s long battery life, measured at about 51.5 hours, along with its 60W wired and 25W wireless charging. Altroconsumo also cited the Galaxy’s AI-powered photo assist feature, which allows image editing through text prompts, as a key advantage.

Meanwhile, Spain’s consumer group OCU called the Galaxy S26 Ultra “a phone without weaknesses,” praising its durability, display, battery life and camera performance. The organization awarded the device a top score of 84.

Additional top rankings came from Portugal’s Deco Proteste, Belgium’s Test Achats, and Sweden’s Råd & Rön. In Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium, the Galaxy S26 Ultra also earned each organization’s “Best of Test” designation, reserved for the highest-performing products in their categories.

Consumer organizations across Europe are widely regarded as independent nonprofit institutions that test products on performance and price, offering comparisons that carry significant weight with buyers.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra also drew industry recognition earlier this year, winning the Best in Show award at the Mobile World Congress 2026, held in Barcelona on March 4. Judges said the device pushed the boundaries of mobile technology while delivering practical value through features such as the privacy display.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.