Samsung’s 1TB Galaxy S26 Ultra Could Be Extremely Costly

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra could become its most expensive Galaxy S device yet. A new report suggests the 1TB variant of the Galaxy S26 Ultra may see a sharp price increase over last year’s model. It could be due to growing pressure on smartphone makers due to rising component costs, mainly for memory chips.

Galaxy S26 series may see a substantial price hike due to rising memory chip costs

The price hike for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series appears increasingly likely, at least in some regions. According to Chosun, Samsung has finalized the retail price of the 1TB Galaxy S26 Ultra at 2,545,400 won (~$1,760) in its home market, South Korea. This is an increase of 418,000 won (~$289) or nearly 20%, compared to the same storage variant of the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Such a sharp price jump means power users may need to think twice before buying the highest storage option. However, this increase appears unavoidable for the company. “The Ultra lineup relies heavily on high-capacity storage devices, but with the recent surge in memory prices, the cost burden for higher-capacity models like 1TB has been reflected more heavily,” said an industry insider.

As for the 512GB Galaxy S26 Ultra, the model could cost 2,059,000 won (~$1,424), though the final price remains subject to change. This is an increase of 11.3% over its predecessor. Likewise, the 256GB variant could cost 1,797,000 won (~1242), an increase of 5.8% over the previous generation.

Hopefully, the US market won’t see a price hike for the Galaxy S26 series, as a previous report suggests. Samsung will unveil the 2026 Galaxy S flagship lineup on February 25, with pre-orders expected to begin the same day. The company could offer a host of benefits for early buyers. These may include double storage upgrades, letting buyers score a higher storage model at no extra cost.

When you buy a Galaxy S26 model, don’t forget to order through our Mystery Box program (US only). We will give a free 65W GaN charger, phone case, phone stand, cleaning kit, and more.