Samsung’s latest Galaxy S phones feel like they’re sticking to routine updates. While the company’s Flips and Folds have seen significant hardware improvements, the Galaxy S series continues with minor upgrades. The S26 and S26 Plus follow this trend.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra offers a new privacy display, but the smaller S26 models lack standout features. Although they have new chipsets, the S26 has a larger battery, and the Plus supports faster wireless charging, these changes are minimal. Disappointingly, Samsung did not add magnetic Qi2 charging.
This year’s models are only slightly better than their predecessors, and they come with a higher price tag. The 6.3-inch S26 is priced at $899 for 256GB of storage, while the 6.7-inch S26 Plus is $1,099. Both prices are $100 more than last year’s models. The lack of a 128GB version partly explains the price increase for the S26.
In terms of design, the S26 and S26 Plus resemble last year’s models, with the main difference being the triple-camera setup on a raised oval island. The S26’s display is slightly larger than the S25’s, resulting in a bigger and heavier phone.
The phones retain the same display quality and lack the Ultra’s privacy display. The chipsets have been updated, with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the US and Exynos 2600 in other markets. Camera hardware has not changed from previous iterations, offering satisfactory performance but lacking significant innovation.
Samsung introduced AI features for call screening and scam protection, natural language photo edits, and Bixby improvements, though functionality is limited. Overall, while the S26 series isn’t bad, it’s familiar and offers no compelling reason to upgrade from an S23, S24, or S25. The price has increased, with little to show for it over three years since the S23.