With flagship Android phones increasingly touting 16GB of RAM, Samsung seems content to retain 12GB RAM as the default amount on its 2026 Galaxy S26 Ultra. Even though it includes more AI features than ever, the base S26 Ultra is said to still feature the same memory as its predecessor, the S25 Ultra.
This aligns with what Samsung has been doing since the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Until then, 16GB of RAM was shipping as standard on every Galaxy flagship. For the most part, though, Samsung has been offering 12GB as a base for quite some time now, with 16GB variants only selling in select Asian markets.
RAM and Storage Tiers For S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra Rumors: Samsung Sticks to 12GB RAM Despite
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According to leaks from @UniverseIce on X, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is coming in three tiers of storage: 256GB, 512GB, and a 1TB model. The base model, at 256GB, will house 12GB RAM, while the 1TB model with 16GB RAM should feature only in China and nearby markets.
Please look at the memory comparison between Samsung and Huawei. Samsung itself is a memory manufacturer, but Samsung is not willing to give users more memory at all because TM Roh wants to make money too much.
S26，S26
12 256，12 512
S26 Ultra
12 256，12 512，12 1T（In those…
— PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) November 17, 2025
All others will retain 12GB RAM, keeping Samsung behind the competition that has now started offering at least 16GB RAM as standard.
On the plus side, it seems that Samsung will be bumping up the memory tech. The S26 Ultra is said to adopt faster 10.7Gbps LPDDR5X RAM modules instead of the 8.5Gbps ones on the S25 Ultra.
In theory, this should yield better performance in tasks that heavily rely on memory bandwidth, such as AI processing, image editing, and advanced camera features.
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Comparison With Other Flagship Phones
Competitors like Google and OnePlus have already adopted 16GB RAM. All Pixel 10 Pro models come with 16GB RAM, while the OnePlus 15 has variants with 12GB and 16GB.
Meanwhile, Apple is equipping the base iPhone 17 model with 256GB, which raises consumer expectations and puts pressure on Android competitors. This may make one question Samsung’s move to stick with lower RAM.
Android Police reports that the non-Ultra Galaxy S26 Models follow the same trend. The regular Galaxy S26 and S26+ are expected to come with 12GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage, similar to the last couple of generations.
Samsung has apparently axed the base 128GB storage option that has been there for a few years. The increased prices of NAND and RAM are owed to demand from AI servers. This may have led Samsung to steer clear of 16GB RAM in most variants to strike a balance between cost and consumer appetite.
Performance vs. Practicality
While the base RAM of Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra may be behind its competitors, the use of faster LPDDR5X modules could partly offset the difference. However, to those users who rely heavily on AI features and multitasking, not having a more widespread 16GB RAM option may prove to be a missed opportunity in the 2026 flagship cycle.
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