One of the changes Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S26 Ultra that some might call a downgrade is the Armor Aluminum 2 frame. It replaced titanium, and Samsung argues it was the better choice for the phone. But is it actually better in practice?
YouTuber PBKreviews attempted to answer that question with a Galaxy S26 Ultra drop test. The results are quite positive, though not surprising if you're familiar with how durable other phones using Armor Aluminum 2 are and have been.
Still, the Galaxy S26 Ultra didn't escape the test without a scratch. One camera lens — covering the new non-periscope 50MP telephoto camera — cracked after its first head-on collision with concrete.
The source also notes that although the Armor Aluminum 2 frame survived without major issues, some cosmetic bumps and scratches from the drops appear deeper and more noticeable than those on the S25 Ultra's titanium frame. Even so, the damage remained surface-level.
Watch the full Galaxy S26 Ultra drop test video below for a closer look.
All in all, the Galaxy S26 Ultra appears very sturdy. The cracked camera lens may have been more vulnerable because of the phone's thinner camera rings, or it may simply have been a fluke. Either way, the S26 Ultra performed well.
The results are slightly more impressive when you remember that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the thinnest Ultra Samsung has ever made.
As for the titanium vs aluminum debate, Armor Aluminum 2 clearly isn't a bad material. It might be slightly more prone to visible bumps and scratches, but probably not enough to matter in everyday use.
The curious part is Samsung's explanation. The company said it switched from titanium back to Armor Aluminum 2 to balance strength, comfort, and aesthetics. Samsung claimed that “Armor Aluminum was the ideal material to support a thinner and lighter form factor” for the S26 Ultra.
Then again, Samsung said something similar when it built the ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge using titanium instead of steel or aluminum. So it all seems a bit arbitrary.
In the end, the result matters more than the marketing. And the good news is that these drop tests suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra is one tough cookie, regardless of what material its thin 7.9mm frame is made of.
For a closer look at the phone and what it can do day-to-day, you can watch our full review below.
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