I spent 6 hours with Genshin Impact on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and I can't believe how far mobile gaming has come

Date:
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Description:
To test the gaming mettle of Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra, I spent six hours playing Genshin Impact on the highest settings.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
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your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Mobile gaming is the future. At least, thats what weve heard for the last decade. But its fair to say that plenty of us are still pretty skeptical
about that notion.

It seemed that, for a while, the available technology was not making the
leaps forward needed to deliver a satisfying gameplay experience in this alternative format. Console gaming excelled while mobile gaming fell behind. However, weve heard a great deal recently about the incredible capabilities
of the modern generation of mobile platforms; that these entertainment hubs have become legitimate consoles unto themselves. For the skeptical out there, it was important to explore that concept fully. That's why I spent six hours straight gaming on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to really test its mettle as a legitimate rival to the best game consoles . Article continues below You
may like Mobile gaming is no gimmick if it can run Cyberpunk at 30+ FPS I tested the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and of course it's the best Android
phone ever Forget the Nintendo Switch 2, MWC 2026 is full of brilliant mobile gaming devices, including the Red Magic Astra The Galaxy S26 Ultra is among the best phones money can buy, and its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 For Galaxy chipset and 6.9-inch AMOLED display are billed as a formidable combo for mobile gaming. But which game did I choose for my test? Choosing the game (Image credit: Future) Selecting the right game to test out the Galaxy S26 Ultra's performance credentials was critical. The title in question needed to not only push the best Samsung phone to its limits, but also be well-known among the mobile gaming community. Thats why I settled on Genshin Impact .

Developed and published by miHoYo, with HoYoverse taking on distribution duties globally, Genshin Impact was released back in 2020 on Windows, PlayStation 4 , and, critically, iOS and Android. The action RPG has proven extremely popular and has since been released on both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S . It's a title with critical acclaim, a firm player base, and crucially, the ability to perform cross-platform.

Genshin Impact received over 23 million downloads in its first week of release and has since become a staple of mobile gaming. Its stunning world, vibrant graphics, and fast-paced combat provide a perfect variety of tests to push the S26 Ultra to its limits. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Of course, I played the game with high SFX quality, the highest render resolution, high shadow quality, the highest environmental detailing, high motion blur, and bloom all activated. The initial performance (Image credit: Future) Logging in to Genshin Impact was a breeze, with the game taking
around 30 seconds to get through its various loading screens. Sure, a dedicated console goes through the same motions slightly quicker, but 30 seconds is significantly quicker than the minute-long wait times demanded by previous smartphone generations.

Running smoothly with a target of 60fps, I was instantly struck by the ease
of traversing the game's settings and menus. The Galaxy S26 Ultra showed no signs of early stress, and jumping into the game itself, I thought it appropriate to take a minute to explore the lush landscape of Teyvat, one of the game's seven nations. What to read next Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's new steady video mode really can handle any turn The Galaxy S26 lineup makes one thing clear: Samsung wants you in the Ultra Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Its a landscape full of rich greenery and ethereal man-made constructs, the complex lighting putting the phone's custom Snapdragon chipset to work. Whether it was a desert-like landscape with dry, barren vistas or a more fruitful, forest backdrop, I couldnt help but marvel at the level of detail the Galaxy S26 Ultra captured. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset showed initial promise as it powered through some difficult moments, avoiding lag where needed. (Image credit: Future) A quick word on the Galaxy S26 Ultras size. Weve seen a drive towards larger phone displays in recent years, and sitting at 6.9 inches, Samsung 's latest flagship mobile display offers
plenty in the way of cinematic spectacle. With a high-fidelity stereo speaker system providing a promising audio balance, I felt as though there was real depth to everything I was seeing and hearing in Genshin Impact.

For a moment, it seemed that perhaps this smartphone was genuinely giving the console world a run for its money.... Long-term play became slightly more taxing However, after extended play, things started to look a little different. The longer I played, the more framerate imperfections I noticed. Momentary lag started to creep in, and with the phones gradual but managed warming, it became clear that mobile gaming is built to be a sprint, not a marathon. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Prolonged, busy set pieces began to have a visible impact on the Galaxy S26 Ultras performance. With combat sequences came screen
cramming, as multiple enemies and detailed SFX fought for visual dominance. Inconsistencies were rare, but they were still present.

So, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra is far better for gaming than many other
mobile devices I've tried, Genshin Impact still played as if it were not the phone's primary focus.

And in fairness, why should it be? This is a smartphone after all. But
there's still a noticeable gap between the performance of phones and
consoles.

Still, considering that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is not a stationary block of mains-powered circuitry la the PS5, it handled the intense demands of
Genshin Impact remarkably well. Mobile gaming isnt yet a threat to major PC and console platforms, but it is a genuine alternative that can provide
quick, easy, and satisfying access to the AAA titles you love.

For an even more complete experience, the best gaming phones offer extras
like shoulder triggers and improved cooling mechanisms, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra gets the seal of approval for accessible, short-term play. Today's best Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra deals Contract Deals Sim Free Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go LTE (64GB Silver) Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 36 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 1GB data 50 upfront 57 /mth View at Vodafone Ltd See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
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