What do you really think about the S26 Ultra? Honestly. Is it worth it in your opinion?

I use iPhone myself (plz don't judge me), but my dad has always been on Android. His birthday is coming up soon, and since Samsung just announced new phones, I’m thinking about getting him the latest one. Problem is I don’t really know much about Samsung phones. I think he’s still on something like an S10 (some old 10-series model, I don't remember the details). While browsing this sub I didn’t see a lot of praise for the S26… is this year’s upgrade not that big? Would it make more sense to just get a discounted S25 instead?

Also, what are some good case and screen protector recommendations? I want to get him a full set. He still insists on those cheap hydrogel protectors with bubbles all over them, and it literally hurts to look at 😂