Samsung appears to be preparing one of the biggest visual changes to the Galaxy Ultra lineup in years. Fresh CAD-based renders have surfaced online, giving us a detailed early look at the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra.
The leaked images show a major rear change. Samsung appears ready to replace the familiar individual camera rings with a large horizontal camera plateau near the top of the phone.
The camera setup also appears to lose one lens. Current leaks point toward a three-camera system, with Samsung reportedly dropping the 10MP 3x telephoto camera used on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
There is plenty to discuss here, but one point needs emphasis first. Samsung has not officially announced the Galaxy S27 Ultra. The information below comes from leaked CAD data and reports so that final hardware details may change.
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Galaxy S27 Ultra Design Leak Shows a Major Rear Redesign
The latest CAD renders come from well-known leaker OnLeaks in collaboration with Android Headlines. CAD renders usually rely on measurements used during product development or accessory preparation. They offer a useful early look, but they do not represent official Samsung product photography.
The new renders show a Galaxy Ultra body with a familiar overall shape and a radically different rear camera area.
Samsung appears to move the cameras into a wide horizontal plateau across the upper section of the rear panel. Recent reports have compared the design with the camera treatment seen on Apple’s newer Pro models. The resemblance will likely become one of the biggest talking points around the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
Samsung has used separate camera rings across recent Galaxy S Ultra models. The new design takes a different approach by visually grouping the cameras into one larger rear section.
For Galaxy fans who prefer Samsung’s distinctive camera layout, the change might take some getting used to. For everyone else, the new design gives Samsung’s flagship a completely different identity.
Galaxy S27 Ultra Camera Plateau Looks Large
The camera plateau stands out immediately in the leaked renders.
The reported dimensions place the regular phone body at about 7.97mm thick. The camera area reportedly reaches roughly 12.53mm at its thickest point. Reports also place the camera bump itself at around 4.5mm.
Those numbers make the camera section considerably more noticeable than the main body.
The layout appears to contain two large circular camera openings alongside a pill-shaped section. The LED flash also appears within the elongated portion of the camera area.
The unusual arrangement suggests Samsung redesigned the internal camera packaging rather than simply moving the existing lenses.
That distinction matters. A new camera layout does not automatically mean better photography. Image quality depends on sensor size, lens design, aperture, image processing, and software tuning. Samsung would need improvements across several of those areas for the redesign to deliver a meaningful photographic upgrade.
Galaxy S27 Ultra Could Drop the 10MP 3x Telephoto Camera.
The camera change goes beyond appearance.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra officially features four rear cameras. Samsung lists a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, a 50MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.
The latest Galaxy S27 Ultra renders show only three rear camera openings.
That matches earlier reports suggesting Samsung could remove the 10MP 3x telephoto camera and simplify the rear system.
The move makes sense from an engineering perspective if Samsung wants to focus more heavily on longer-range zoom. A three-camera system doesn’t automatically mean a downgrade. Samsung could use the space and hardware budget differently, especially if the remaining cameras receive larger sensors or improved optics.
Still, losing native 3x optical zoom would change the shooting experience.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra currently offers dedicated 3x and 5x optical zoom ranges. Samsung also uses sensor-based optical-quality zoom at other magnification levels.
If Samsung removes the dedicated 3x telephoto, software processing and sensor cropping would likely handle some intermediate zoom situations.
The real question will be image quality at 3x.
A specification sheet alone will not answer that question. Real-world camera tests will matter far more once Samsung launches the phone.
Galaxy S27 Ultra Dimensions Look Familiar
Despite the dramatic rear redesign, the Galaxy S27 Ultra itself does not appear to become much larger.
The leaked CAD measurements reportedly show dimensions of approximately 163.76 x 78.25 x 7.97mm.
For comparison, Samsung lists the Galaxy S26 Ultra at 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9mm.
The difference is tiny.
Based on those figures, the leaked Galaxy S27 Ultra would measure around 0.16mm taller, 0.15mm wider, and 0.07mm thicker than the S26 Ultra.
So, despite the dramatic camera redesign, the overall footprint appears to stay almost unchanged.
This could be good news for users who already like the Ultra series’ size. Samsung appears to be changing the rear design without making the phone even larger.
The camera bump remains the major exception, as the maximum thickness reportedly reaches 12.53mm.
6.9-Inch Display Could Return
The Galaxy S26 Ultra uses a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Samsung also lists a 3120 x 1440 resolution for the panel.
The Galaxy S27 Ultra renders suggest Samsung could retain a similarly large display.
The front design looks familiar, with a centrally positioned punch-hole camera and slim bezels around the screen.
That approach makes sense for the Ultra range. Samsung has little reason to radically change the front after establishing a large-screen flagship design.
The rear could receive the dramatic makeover while the front stays closer to the current formula.
For users, this would mean a familiar large-screen experience with a much more noticeable change when the phone is placed face down.
S Pen Support Appears to Stay
One feature still visible in the leaked renders is the S Pen.
Samsung positions the S Pen as a defining part of the Galaxy Ultra experience. The Galaxy S26 Ultra officially supports the S Pen, so keeping the stylus would preserve an important part of the Ultra identity.
The leaked S27 Ultra renders also appear to show the S Pen slot.
This matters because Samsung has gradually separated the Ultra model from the standard Galaxy S lineup through features such as the built-in stylus.
A major camera redesign does not appear to signal a change in that strategy.
Why Samsung Might Change the Camera Layout
Samsung has several possible reasons for changing the camera architecture.
One reason involves internal space.
Modern smartphone cameras require increasingly large sensors, lenses and stabilization hardware. Bigger camera hardware often creates larger rear bumps. A unified plateau might give Samsung more freedom to arrange those components inside the chassis.
Another possibility involves optical zoom.
Recent leaks suggest Samsung could focus more strongly on the remaining telephoto hardware after removing the 3x camera. Android Authority also reports speculation around larger or newer camera sensors for the Galaxy S27 Ultra, although those details remain unconfirmed.
A third reason involves design.
Samsung has kept a recognizable camera arrangement across several Galaxy generations. The new plateau gives the Galaxy S27 Ultra a visual break from previous models.
Of course, the internet has already started making iPhone comparisons.
That was almost inevitable.
Once a smartphone uses a broad horizontal camera section near the top, comparisons with Apple and other manufacturers follow within minutes. Samsung will need to convince buyers that the new arrangement serves a technical purpose rather than functioning as a cosmetic change.
The Camera Bump Raises One Big Question
The leaked numbers create an interesting contradiction.
Samsung could remove one camera and still end up with a thicker camera section.
The Galaxy S27 Ultra body reportedly measures around 7.97mm, while the camera area reaches roughly 12.53mm.
So why remove a camera if the bump remains large?
The answer depends on what Samsung does with the remaining hardware.
If Samsung uses the freed space for larger sensors, improved optics, or stronger stabilization hardware, the redesign could have a practical purpose.
If the change only moves existing components into a wider plateau, users might question the trade-off.
At this stage, leaked CAD renders do not provide enough evidence to answer the question.
Galaxy S27 Ultra: What Looks Most Likely So Far?
Based on the strongest current CAD-related reports, several design details have emerged with reasonable consistency.
The Galaxy S27 Ultra appears likely to feature a large horizontal camera plateau. The overall phone dimensions appear close to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The display could remain around 6.9 inches, while S Pen support appears to continue.
The rear camera count also appears to fall from four to three.
The reported removal of the 10MP 3x telephoto camera stands out as the biggest camera-related change. Samsung could instead emphasize longer-range zoom through the remaining telephoto hardware.
Still, none of these details should receive the same confidence as official Samsung specifications.
CAD leaks offer valuable clues. They do not replace a Samsung announcement.
Galaxy S27 Ultra vs Galaxy S26 Ultra Design
The difference between the two generations could be easy to spot.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra uses four individual rear cameras arranged along the upper-left portion of the rear panel. Samsung officially lists four rear cameras on the S26 Ultra.
The leaked Galaxy S27 Ultra design moves toward a unified horizontal camera plateau with three apparent camera openings.
The main phone dimensions remain almost identical based on the leaked measurements.
That makes the camera design the central story.
Samsung does not appear to be reinventing the entire Ultra formula. Instead, the company appears to be changing one of the phone’s most visible parts while preserving the large display, familiar proportions, and S Pen experience.
When Could the Galaxy S27 Ultra Launch?
Samsung has not announced a launch date for the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
The Galaxy S26 series became available for preorder in India on February 25, according to Samsung’s official newsroom.
Current reporting points toward an early-2027 launch window for the Galaxy S27 series, but Samsung has not confirmed a specific date.
That gives Samsung plenty of time to change hardware details before the final product reaches stores.
Leaks will also likely continue.
More CAD files, dummy units, cases, and component reports should provide additional clues as development progresses. Those later leaks will help confirm whether the current camera design survives into production.
Final Verdict
The Galaxy S27 Ultra leak points toward a serious design change rather than another small yearly refresh.
The biggest difference sits on the back. Samsung appears to be replacing the familiar vertical camera arrangement with a wide horizontal camera plateau. The leaked renders also show three rear cameras, supporting reports about the possible removal of the 10MP 3x telephoto camera.
At the same time, Samsung appears to be keeping the overall Ultra formula familiar. The leaked dimensions remain close to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the display could stay around 6.9 inches, and S Pen support appears to remain.
The camera plateau will attract the most attention, but the camera hardware underneath will matter more.
If Samsung uses the redesign to deliver larger sensors, better optics and stronger zoom performance, the change could have a clear purpose. If the new design only changes the look, buyers might react differently.
For now, the Galaxy S27 Ultra looks like a fascinating early leak, not a finished product.
The renders give us the clearest look yet at Samsung’s possible next Ultra flagship. The final verdict will come when Samsung confirms the hardware and, more importantly, when the phone reaches real-world testing.
