
Samsung
Pre-Release Hands-On

Samsung
Pre-Release Hands-On
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.
Samsung Galaxy S26+
The 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate is familiar territory — essentially the same excellent display as the S25+. No Privacy Display here; that remains an Ultra exclusive.
Samsung Galaxy S26
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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.
Samsung Galaxy S26+
The camera system is the S26+'s weakest link: the same 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto setup Samsung has used since the Galaxy S23. Software processing improvements from One UI 8.5 may help, but the hardware is unchanged.
Samsung Galaxy S26
US models get Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; global models get Samsung's Exynos 2600. Both are powerful chips, but the Exynos split's return is a sore point. 12GB RAM and 256GB base storage are the standard.
Samsung Galaxy S26+
US models get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the rest of the world gets Samsung's Exynos 2600 on a 2nm process. The return of the Exynos split after the globally-Snapdragon S25 series is a disappointment. The Exynos 2600 benchmarks slightly lower on CPU but has a slightly faster GPU.
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.
Samsung Galaxy S26+
The S26+ adopts a more "Ultra-like" design with less rounded corners for a unified family look. The Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection are solid. At ~7.3mm thin and ~190g, it's comfortable to hold.
Samsung Galaxy S26
The 4,300 mAh battery, 25W wired charging, and 15W wireless charging are all unchanged from the S25. At $900, the lack of any charging upgrade feels particularly stingy — the S26 is the only model in the lineup that doesn't get Qi2.
Samsung Galaxy S26+
The 4,900 mAh battery pairs with 45W wired charging (unchanged) and 20W Qi2 wireless charging (up from 15W). A modest wireless charging improvement, but no increase in wired speed or battery capacity.
Samsung Galaxy S26
At $899.99, the base Galaxy S26 is $100 more expensive than the S25 launched at, making it the steepest relative price increase in the lineup. Samsung partially offsets this with 256GB base storage, but the unchanged cameras, charging, and missing features make this the hardest sell in the S26 family.
Samsung Galaxy S26+
At $1,099.99, the S26+ is $100 more than the S25+ launched at. Samsung partially justifies this with the 256GB base storage (up from 128GB), but reviewers widely agree the price hike is hard to swallow given the recycled camera hardware and incremental upgrades.