Samsung Galaxy S25+ vs Samsung Galaxy S26

Samsung Galaxy S25+

Samsung

8.3

Great

Samsung Galaxy S26

Samsung

6.8

Skip Unless Upgrading from S23 or Older

What Reviewers Agree On

Display quality is exceptional — the 6.7-inch QHD+ panel is one of the best on any smartphone
Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers excellent performance across all tasks
Galaxy AI features add genuine value to daily use
Battery life is solid with all-day endurance
Camera system is reliable and versatile for most users

Deal Breakers

No major design changes from S24+
Still lacks the Ultra's titanium frame and S Pen

Pros & Cons

Samsung Galaxy S25+

Pros

Display quality is exceptional — the 6.7-inch QHD+ panel is one of the best on any smartphone
Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers excellent performance across all tasks
Galaxy AI features add genuine value to daily use
Battery life is solid with all-day endurance
Camera system is reliable and versatile for most users

Cons

No major design changes from S24+

Detailed Comparison

Design & Build

Samsung Galaxy S25+

The S25+ features a sleek, refined design with flat edges and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both sides. While not dramatically different from the S24+, it's slightly thinner and lighter, earning praise for its premium feel.

The flat-edge design gives it a more modern, premium look compared to previous generations
Build quality is excellent with Armor Aluminum frame, though it lacks the Ultra's titanium
IP68 dust and water resistance provides peace of mind for everyday use
Design evolution is minimal — most users won't notice the difference from the S24+

Samsung Galaxy S26

The S26 adopts more angular, Ultra-like corners for a unified family design. The Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 provide solid durability. At ~7.3mm and ~162g, it's pocketable and lightweight.

The unified design language across the S26 family gives even the base model a premium, Ultra-like aesthetic

TechTalkTown may earn a commission from purchases made through links below. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not influence our reviews. Learn more.

Buy Samsung Galaxy S25+

AmazonCheck price

Buy Samsung Galaxy S26

AmazonCheck price

Best Buy

People Also Compare

Apple iPhone 17e vs Samsung Galaxy S25+Apple iPhone 17e vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Samsung Galaxy S25+ vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25+ vs Samsung Galaxy S26+Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S26+Samsung Galaxy S25+ vs Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold OnePlus 15 vs Samsung Galaxy S25+OnePlus 15 vs Samsung Galaxy S26

Browse all products

What Reviewers Agree On

Camera hardware is unchanged for the fourth consecutive year — same 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3× telephoto as the S23/S24/S25
$100 price hike over the S25 is only partly justified by the doubled 256GB base storage
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is genuinely fast with headroom to spare
Thinnest and lightest flagship in its class — PhoneArena calls it a "masterclass in ergonomics"
6.3-inch OLED display is slightly larger than the S25 and remains best-in-class for the size
Battery is modestly larger than the S25 — modest but real "battery boost"
Seven years of software updates remains the longest Android support commitment

Deal Breakers

No camera upgrade for the fourth year running — single biggest reason to skip
No Privacy Display, no Horizon Lock — both locked to the Ultra
No Qi2 magnetic charging despite the category moving to it
Still 25W charging in an era where even mid-range Chinese phones ship 80W+
$899 price is hard to justify against a discounted S25 at $599–699
Design changes are minimal — most reviewers cannot tell an S26 from an S25 at a glance

Samsung Galaxy S26

Pros

Camera hardware is unchanged for the fourth consecutive year — same 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3× telephoto as the S23/S24/S25
$100 price hike over the S25 is only partly justified by the doubled 256GB base storage
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is genuinely fast with headroom to spare
Thinnest and lightest flagship in its class — PhoneArena calls it a "masterclass in ergonomics"
6.3-inch OLED display is slightly larger than the S25 and remains best-in-class for the size
Battery is modestly larger than the S25 — modest but real "battery boost"
Seven years of software updates remains the longest Android support commitment

Cons

No camera upgrade for the fourth year running — single biggest reason to skip
No Privacy Display, no Horizon Lock — both locked to the Ultra
No Qi2 magnetic charging despite the category moving to it
Still 25W charging in an era where even mid-range Chinese phones ship 80W+
$899 price is hard to justify against a discounted S25 at $599–699
Design changes are minimal — most reviewers cannot tell an S26 from an S25 at a glance

Display

Samsung Galaxy S25+

The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is universally praised as one of the best in the industry, with QHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and exceptional brightness for outdoor visibility.

The QHD+ AMOLED display is stunning with vibrant colors and deep blacks — one of the best screens available
Peak brightness of 2,600 nits makes it easily readable even in direct sunlight
120Hz adaptive refresh rate is smooth and responsive for scrolling and gaming

Samsung Galaxy S26

The 6.3-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate carries over from the S25. It remains a sharp, vibrant panel for its compact size. No Privacy Display — that's Ultra-only.

The 6.3-inch compact form factor remains the S26's biggest strength — it's one of the few true compact flagships available in 2026
FHD+ resolution feels like a compromise at $900 — the S26+ and Ultra both get QHD+ panels

Camera System

Samsung Galaxy S25+

The triple camera system with a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto delivers consistent, high-quality results. While it doesn't match the Ultra's 200MP sensor or 5x zoom, it's more than capable for most photography needs.

Main 50MP sensor produces excellent photos with natural colors and great dynamic range
3x optical zoom is practical for everyday use, even if it can't match the Ultra's 5x reach
Night mode performance has improved significantly with AI processing
Video recording at 8K is available but most users will stick with excellent 4K60 output

Samsung Galaxy S26

Identical camera hardware to the S25, S24, and S23: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 12MP selfie. Software processing via One UI 8.5 may yield modest improvements, but the hardware stagnation is the most common criticism.

Three years of the same camera hardware at an ever-increasing price — Samsung needs to invest in the non-Ultra camera stack
Despite the stale hardware, Samsung's computational photography via AI ISP may still improve photo quality through software alone