AT&T's opening Galaxy S26 deals can save you up to $1,300 — and get you a cheap tablet and smartwatch, too

Preorders for the Samsung Galaxy S26 series are now live at AT&T, and the carrier is kicking things off with a strong set of launch promotions. There are solid savings across the lineup, but if you’re looking to lock in a new Galaxy device on an unlimited plan, one deal sits above the rest, in my opinion.

AT&T’s headline offer is on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which you can get for free with an eligible trade-in and unlimited line. Since trade-ins are required to unlock discounts on all S26 models at launch, I think it makes sense to skip the rest and go straight for the Ultra. It's the device with the lion's share of upgrades for this generation, and the one you want to go for if you can maximize the value of that trade rebate.

As you'd imagine, one caveat with this deal at AT&T is that you need to hand over a pretty valuable device to be eligible for the free Ultra. If you have an older device, say a Galaxy S23 or such, then you can still get a great discount right now on the standard Galaxy S26 or Galaxy S26 Plus.

As a side note, AT&T is also letting customers bundle in a tablet and smartwatch for just $0.99 per month each when you pick up a Galaxy S26 series phone. While you will need to take out additional cellular lines to claim these cheap accessories, it could be a good option as the smartwatch here is the Galaxy Watch 8 — the latest flagship wearable from the brand.

AT&T's opening Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra deal

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: free with a trade-in and unlimited line, plus cheap accessories at AT&T
Iin my opinion, AT&T's best opening deal is on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, as you can get this high-end device for free with a trade-in and unlimited line. All the devices require trades for discounts, so why not go all-out and pick up the best of the best? Sweetening the deal further is the option to bundle in a tablet and smartwatch for just $0.99 per month each if you're willing to pay a little extra for accessory cellular lines.

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• See more: check out all of today's phone deals at AT&T

What's new with the Galaxy S26 series?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 line-up is a relatively iterative upgrade in terms of design, introducing a slimmer chassis with softer, more rounded edges and subtle screen upgrades. The vast majority of upgrades are included on the Ultra model, which features an improved display with 'ProScaler' technology and an interesting privacy display.

Under the hood, performance gets a notable lift. The standard S26 models are powered by Samsung’s new 2nm Exynos 2600 chip, while the S26 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Base RAM now starts at 12GB across the range, rising to 16GB on the 1TB Ultra, and a larger vapor chamber helps maintain stronger sustained performance.

Beyond core specs, Samsung is placing a big emphasis on AI and camera improvements. The S26 Ultra benefits from brighter cameras for improved low-light photography, along with enhanced video and stabilization features.

AI capabilities have also been expanded, including more advanced on-device search, upgraded Photo Assist tools, a smarter Bixby experience, and deeper personalization via the new 'Personal Data Engine'.