Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra: Camera, bigger battery and everything we know so far

The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra could be in for a major shake-up. From a redesigned camera system with one fewer lens to a much bigger battery and a possible return of the Exynos chip, Samsung appears to have several changes planned for its next flagship. The catch? It could also come with a higher price tag.

Samsung has yet to confirm the details. Here's what the leaks, certification listings and tipsters suggest so far.

The S27 Ultra at a glance

• Display: ~6.9-inch QHD+ OLED with a brighter Privacy Display

• Chip: Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, with an Exynos 2700 version possible in some markets

• Memory: up to 16GB of faster LPDDR6 RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 5.1 storage

• Rear cameras: three instead of four, with a new 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide and one 50MP 5x telephoto

• Selfie camera: 16MP with autofocus, up from 12MP

• Battery: about 5,700mAh, up from 5,000mAh

• Charging: 60W wired, 25W wireless

• Size: 163.76 x 78.25 x 7.97mm, a hair bigger than the S26 Ultra

• S Pen: still built in

Design: A new camera bar replaces the individual rings

The Galaxy S27 Ultra could look quite different from previous models.

Samsung is reportedly replacing the individual camera rings, a feature seen since the S23 Ultra, with a single horizontal camera bar. In sketches shared by tipster Ice Universe and reported by Tom's Guide, the lenses sit together on the left, with the flash in a separate section.

The leaks so far tell a consistent story. CAD renders published by Android Headlines, those sketches and, more recently, physical dummy units all show a similar design, and it has drawn plenty of comparisons with Apple's iPhone Pro models.

There could be a practical benefit to the change. As Android Authority points out, the new camera bar sits higher on the back, leaving more room for magnetic chargers and battery packs to sit in the centre. On the S26 Ultra, some magnetic accessories sit off-centre because of the camera placement.

However, Samsung has yet to confirm whether the phone will have built-in Qi2 magnets.

The rest of the design appears familiar. The leaked dummy keeps the S Pen built in, while the phone itself could be slightly larger than the S26 Ultra, measuring around 163.8 x 78.3 x 8mm.

There are still some disagreements over the finer details. When leaker Sonny Dickson shared dummy units online this week, Ice Universe was quick to dispute one of the camera cutouts they showed, Android Authority reports.

Display: Same size, improved privacy

The S27 Ultra is expected to retain its 6.9-inch QHD+ OLED display, with leaked screen protectors spotted by PhoneArena putting it at 6.89 inches.

The main upgrade could be a brighter version of Samsung's Privacy Display. The feature limits what people can see when looking at the screen from an angle.

A recent component leak, reported by 9to5Google, says the S27 Ultra's version will come with enhanced display brightness. The feature is also tipped to appear on the new Galaxy S27 Pro.

There is another rumour about the display. A tipster on X claims Samsung is working on self-healing display glass for the Ultra, according to Android Central. This remains an unconfirmed, single-source report.

Cameras: Three rear lenses instead of four

The camera system could see the biggest changes.

Samsung is reportedly dropping the 10MP 3x telephoto camera, leaving the S27 Ultra with three rear cameras instead of four. The rumour first surfaced in April and has since been backed up by leaked renders and dummy units.

The expected setup, according to a recent component leak reported by Tom's Guide, is:

• Main camera: A new 200MP ISOCELL HP6 sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS).

• Ultrawide camera: A 50MP sensor.

• Telephoto camera: A 50MP periscope lens with 5x optical zoom and OIS.

• Selfie camera: A 16MP camera with autofocus, up from 12MP.

The new 200MP sensor is expected to bring improvements through updated imaging technology rather than a larger sensor. Ice Universe, who first tipped the camera changes, says it keeps the same 1/1.3-inch size as before, T3 reports.

5x or 4x? There's one live debate. Samsung is reportedly testing a 50MP, 1/1.9-inch 4x telephoto with a bright f/1.9 aperture. A 4x lens would cover the mid-range zoom gap left by dropping the 3x more gracefully, but it may be cut if it costs too much. The latest component leaks still point to 5x.

Warmer, more natural photos. Ice Universe says Samsung has overhauled its image processing for the S27 Ultra, and the differences are noticeable. Photos are warmer than the S26 Ultra's cool tone, bright areas like skies and lamps keep their shape and colour instead of blowing out, and shadows look cleaner with wider dynamic range. That's potentially a bigger real-world upgrade than any new lens. Tom's Guide notes the flip side: for anyone hoping for a hardware leap, the zoom setup is a step sideways, and variable optical zoom isn't coming this year.

Performance: Snapdragon or a return of Exynos?

The processor is another area to watch.

The Galaxy S27 Ultra is expected to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. However, reports suggest Samsung could also consider its own Exynos 2700 chip for some markets.

Samsung has reportedly ordered S27 Ultra motherboards built around the Exynos 2700, Digital Trends reports. There are also suggestions, according to SamMobile, that its mobile and chip divisions disagree over whether the processor is ready for the Ultra.

If Samsung goes ahead, the phone could have different processors depending on the market. The US may get Snapdragon, while markets such as South Korea could receive Exynos.

That would mark the return of an Exynos processor to the Ultra series for the first time since the S22 Ultra in 2022.

What makes the Exynos 2700 interesting?

The chip is reportedly built using Samsung Foundry's second-generation 2nm process and, as Android Headlines reported, entered mass production in October.

Citing Samsung's internal tests, the same report says it performed around 9.5 per cent better than Qualcomm's upcoming chip in multi-core CPU tests. Korean news agency Yonhap separately reported that it ran an AI model around 18 per cent faster, SamMobile notes.

These are Samsung's own test results, so independent benchmarks will be needed to establish how the two processors compare.

Memory and storage. The Ultra is tipped to offer up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and to move to faster LPDDR6 memory and UFS 5.1 storage, up from LPDDR5X and UFS 4.0 on the S26 Ultra. It should launch running Android 17 with One UI 9.5.

Battery and charging: A bigger 5,700mAh battery

The battery could be one of the S27 Ultra's biggest upgrades.

A listing on China's 3C certification database reportedly shows a battery rated at 5,534mAh. As PhoneCompass points out, Samsung could market this as 5,700mAh.

That would be a 700mAh increase over the S26 Ultra's 5,000mAh battery, making it the largest battery yet in one of Samsung's traditional slab-style phones.

Not every report agrees on the figure. SamMobile has cited earlier reports of a 5,800mAh cell, while Samsung is also said to have tested a much larger 7,000mAh battery before dropping the idea.

Charging speeds, however, may remain unchanged.

The same certification process points to 60W wired charging, Notebookcheck reports, matching the speed Samsung introduced with the S26 Ultra. Wireless charging is tipped at 25W.

Galaxy S27 Ultra vs Galaxy S27 Pro: What's the difference?

Samsung is reportedly preparing a new Galaxy S27 Pro, which could offer some of the Ultra's features in a smaller phone.

The two models are expected to share the new camera-bar design, 200MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide camera, 16MP selfie camera and brighter Privacy Display.

However, the Ultra is expected to retain several features:

• Larger display: Around 6.9 inches, compared with approximately 6.47 inches on the Pro.

• Better zoom: A 50MP 5x telephoto camera, compared with a rumoured 12MP 3x camera on the Pro.

• Larger battery: Around 5,700mAh, compared with 5,200mAh on the Pro.

• S Pen: The Ultra retains its built-in stylus, while the Pro is not expected to have one.

• Processor: The Ultra could use Snapdragon more widely, while the Pro is tipped to use Exynos in several markets.

• Price: The Ultra is rumoured to start at $1,399, compared with $1,299 for the Pro.

The Pro is also expected to be smaller, measuring around 154.1 x 73.8mm.

In simple terms, the Ultra is likely to appeal to people who want a bigger screen, longer zoom, larger battery and S Pen. The Pro could be an option for those who want some of the Ultra's camera and display features in a more compact phone.

Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra price and release date

Samsung has not announced a launch date. However, the S27 series is expected to debut at a Galaxy Unpacked event in January or February 2027.

Possible dates mentioned in leaks include January 20 or 27, and February 17 or 24.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra was unveiled on February 25, 2026. The S27 series has reportedly completed several regulatory certifications earlier than expected, prompting speculation about an earlier launch.

Samsung traditionally opens pre-orders after its Unpacked event, with phones reaching stores around two weeks later.

Is the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra worth waiting for?

The Galaxy S27 Ultra could bring a significant design change, a bigger battery and improved cameras. A possible Exynos version would also make its performance particularly interesting to watch.

However, not every upgrade is guaranteed to be substantial. The phone could lose its dedicated 3x telephoto camera, retain the same 60W charging speed and come with a higher starting price.

For S26 Ultra owners, these changes may not be enough to justify an upgrade. Those using an S24 Ultra or an older model could have more reason to consider it.

What we still don't know

• Will Samsung choose a 4x or 5x telephoto camera?

• Will the Exynos 2700 power the Ultra in some markets?

• Will the phone have built-in Qi2 magnets?

• Is Samsung really developing self-healing display glass?

• Will the starting price be $1,399 or higher?

Samsung is yet to confirm the Galaxy S27 Ultra's specifications, design or price.