Walmart Cuts Galaxy S26 Ultra by $500 as Samsung Raises U.S. Prices by $100

Q: Will Amazon's upcoming Prime Big Deal Days actually beat Walmart's shocking sub-$1,000 price for the Galaxy S26 Ultra?

Probably not by much, if at all — and if it does, the win is likely to be narrow and model-specific. Right now, Walmart sets the bar with the Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB under $1,000, with multiple reports putting it around $961. Amazon has already shown it can get close: recent listings have ranged from about $953 to $1,100 depending on color, timing, and seller, and some early-sale coverage recorded Amazon at $977 or $953 for the same 256GB Ultra. That means Amazon is already in striking distance and, in at least some snapshots, has briefly beaten Walmart. The key caveat is consistency. Walmart’s standout price has been clearly available on the 256GB unlocked model, while Amazon’s best numbers appear to vary by color, stock, and whether the deal is tied to Prime access. Prime Big Deal Days could push Amazon below Walmart’s headline price, but the available evidence suggests any advantage would likely be small — perhaps only a few dollars or limited to certain variants. For shoppers, the practical answer is that Walmart’s deal is already good enough that waiting for Prime Big Deal Days is a gamble, not a certainty. Amazon may match or slightly beat it, especially on the 256GB model, but there is no strong evidence yet that it will decisively undercut Walmart’s sub-$1,000 offer across the board. If the goal is the absolute lowest price, the safe read is that Amazon might edge past Walmart briefly, but not by a dramatic margin.

3 articles · Updated · GSMArena.com · Oct 4

$500 off the Galaxy S26 Ultra at Walmart leaves the phone under $1,000, even after Samsung lifted U.S. Galaxy S26 prices by $100 seven months after launch.
Walmart has not applied the higher list prices and is discounting all three main models, with the base Galaxy S26 selling for $730 versus Samsung's new $1,000 starting price.
Samsung's own store is offering only a $150 no-trade-in discount on the S26 Ultra, though trade-ins can reach $720; the S26 and S26+ do not get equivalent direct discounts.
Amazon appears to have reverted to the original March launch pricing ahead of Prime Big Deal Days starting Tuesday, but its current S26 offers still trail Walmart's.