Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra now available for only 28 thousand! But there's a catch…

This repeats every year: a Samsung flagship arrives, costs a lot, and within a few weeks, significantly cheaper offers from gray import start appearing. For the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the difference is particularly significant this time — over seven thousand Czech crowns. However, for a flagship costing thirty thousand, the choice between Czech distribution and gray import is more complicated than it seems at first glance.

Quick summary:
✅ Gray import makes sense if you don’t plan to use Samsung service, aren’t interested in bonuses, and simply want the cheapest way to get the hardware.
⚠️ Consider Czech distribution if you want a three-year warranty, Samsung Care+, a trade-in bonus of up to 3,500 CZK for an old phone, or a gift for a review (Jet 65 vacuum cleaner or Music Frame speaker) — all these are benefits tied to the IMEI from Czech distribution.
💡 The hardware is the same in both cases — Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Privacy Display, a trio of cameras with ALoP optics, 60W charging, and 7 years of updates.

What’s new with the S26 Ultra

The biggest new feature of this year’s Ultra is neither the chipset nor the camera — it’s the Privacy Display. Samsung has integrated privacy protection directly into the hardware structure of the AMOLED panel: in Maximum Privacy mode, only you can see the display content, while anyone from the side sees a dark screen. It’s not a software trick or an attached film, but a true hardware feature with no competition on the market. You’ll appreciate it immediately on public transport or in a cafe.

The camera received new ALoP optics, giving the main sensor an aperture of f/1.4 — compared to last year’s f/1.7, this means almost half more captured light. The difference is noticeable at night. After six years, charging has surpassed the 45W limit, and the S26 Ultra now handles 60 W, with a full charge in 52 minutes. Video gained Horizon Lock — the horizon remains level even during dynamic movement, so you don’t need a gimbal for regular shooting.

What to watch out for

The panel is 8-bit with FRC dithering — Samsung’s marketing talks about a billion colors, but the reality is a sophisticated trick of rapid switching. For most users, this is insignificant, but some individuals among us might perceive it. Chinese competitors have native 10-bit panels. The battery remains at 5,000 mAh — a conservative choice at a time when Xiaomi or OnePlus offer 6–7,000 mAh. And a large part of the AI functions — Call Screening, Now Nudge, Scam Detection — do not yet work or work only partially in Czech. This is not a minor detail, especially when AI is the main selling point of the entire series.

Do you buy flagships right after launch, or do you wait for the first significant discounts?