The Galaxy S26 Ultra Is 70% Off Right Now, But Only Until Wednesday

This article features deals sourced directly by Gizmodo and produced independently of the editorial team. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on the site. If you’ve been considering upgrading your phone, this is the week to make a move: Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra is officially up for pre-order and the launch offer is so aggressive it actually flips the pricing math upside down. It’s the kind of deal that only happens once a year and it ends this Wednesday. The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1,299 for the 256 GB model (which on paper makes it a lot pricier than Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro at $1,099) but during pre-orders on Samsung’s official site, eligible trade-ins change everything. Hand in a qualifying smartphone and Samsung will take $900 off instantly which brings your cost for a brand-new S26 Ultra (256 GB) down to just $399 down from $1,299. This short-term deal is part of Samsung’s yearly plan to get people talking early: Every Galaxy “Ultra” model that has come out in the last few years, including the S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra, had great launch deals that went away as soon as the phones hit stores. The Gaalxy S26 Ultra follows the same pattern and if history repeats i