Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra Review: specs and features, camera quality test, gaming benchmark, user opinions and photos

Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra - the improvements fans were expecting

The most expensive members of the flagship smartphone line from the Korean company Samsung, although popular, hadn't achieved best-selling status in the past few years. The lackluster commercial success was due to a noticeable lag in a number of parameters compared to their Chinese counterparts. Today's review subject addresses some of the shortcomings of its predecessors, which will certainly please fans of the brand. However, the new model isn't ideal, given its increased price.

The exterior has been redesigned. For example, the camera module is now horizontal and slightly more streamlined. The tempered glass back panel has a matte texture and a variety of colors, while the frame is made of metal. Of course, this expensive device is IP69 water-resistant. Also noteworthy is the inclusion of an S-Pen stylus with a dedicated slot. The display bezels are minimal all around, and it houses an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The nearly 7-inch AMOLED panel has been improved in terms of peak brightness. 5000 nits is a serious level; direct sunlight doesn't even obscure half of the content. The impressive 3120x1440 resolution, the superbly sharp image, and the smooth 120 Hz refresh rate, the carefully calibrated color reproduction, and the high-quality oleophobic coating enhance the positive impression of the screen. However, the developer has developed a strange, negative tradition of not addressing the PWM effect.

The technical specifications include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro CPU, 12GB/16GB LDDR6 RAM, and an Adreno 850 GPU. This is the most powerful combination for Android devices, so it's unlikely that anyone will be dissatisfied with the performance of Android 17 and any games. Even with maximum graphics presets, it's easy to achieve 100+ frames per second in Honkai: Star Rail or Fortnite. Throttling is minor, but appears more in synthetic tests over multiple runs. Incidentally, the device scores 4,500,000 points in the latest version of AnTuTu. Battery life has been increased to 8-9 hours of screen time thanks to a battery increased to 5800 mAh. Wireless charging remains at a laughable 25W for a flagship device, but at least the wired 60W option is comfortable. Storage options include 256/512/1024GB.

Photography is handled by an updated, large 200-megapixel main camera module and a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, both featuring hybrid stabilization, as well as a 50-megapixel wide-angle sensor. Capturing moving subjects regardless of lighting conditions won't be a challenge even for beginner mobile photographers. 8K video is simply stunning, thanks in part to the improved laser autofocus. NFC contactless payment, eSIM support, and 5G network support are a solid set of additional perks. Overall, this is a modern and competitive device that can be confidently recommended.