Samsung swapped the titanium frame on last year's flagship for aluminum on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This change sparked plenty of debate about durability. YouTuber PBKreviews put the phone through his standard drop test protocol to see how the new material holds up.
What's Different This Year?
Besides the frame material switch, the S26 Ultra sports more rounded corners and a more exposed camera island compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung kept the same Corning Gorilla Armor 2 on the front display and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back panel. These protective layers remain unchanged from the previous generation.
Drop Test Results
The first drop onto concrete left visible damage on the left corner frame. The screen stayed intact, which is good news. The second drop proved more damaging—it cracked the glass covering the phone's 5x telephoto lens. After the third drop, that camera lens glass completely shattered. The frame also picked up additional scrapes and dents.
Overall, the S26 Ultra showed slightly worse damage than its predecessor. However, the phone remained fully functional after all three drops. The aluminum frame absorbs impacts differently than titanium, and the test results reflect that change.
Teardown Findings
PBKreviews also published a full teardown video of the S26 Ultra. The internal layout looks nearly identical to last year's model, which isn't surprising given Samsung's design approach. The disassembly process follows the same steps as the S25 Ultra.
The teardown reveals more thermal paste applied around the motherboard compared to the previous generation. Samsung also redesigned the vapor chamber—it maintains the same overall size but features a slightly different shape for better heat dissipation.
Galaxy S26 Ultra gets additional thermal paste around the motherboard and a redesigned vapor chamber
Repairability Score
The S26 Ultra earned a 9/10 repairability rating from PBKreviews. This matches the exact same score as the S25 Ultra. The consistent rating means repair shops and DIY enthusiasts can expect similar ease of access for battery replacements, screen repairs, and other common fixes.
For buyers weighing the aluminum versus titanium debate, the drop test suggests the S26 Ultra trades some frame durability for weight savings and cost considerations. The phone still survives typical drops, though camera protection remains a weak point worth noting.