Samsung Galaxy S26 review: an excellent but overly cautious compact flagship

Gareth Whitcombe • September 28, 2026 09:04

Three models, one shared ambition… but they do not all shine equally. Once again this year, Samsung has focused its S26 range’s attention on the Ultra, leaving the standard S26 with a quieter role. Yet it is this model that should account for the bulk of sales. More compact and more attainable, it represents the range’s balance. The question is whether this formula still has that touch of daring needed to make people want one.

It would be easy to forget there are still three of them. Since the late-February unveiling of its new Galaxy S generation, Samsung has concentrated most of its marketing and media efforts on the Ultra. Photography performance, the sheer power of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and, above all, a genuine technological showcase in the shape of Privacy Display. This technology is designed to narrow viewing angles and shield the display from prying eyes, and we cover it in greater depth in our full review of that model.

Against that backdrop, the Galaxy S26+ and, especially, this Galaxy S26 have almost gone unnoticed. Yet they are very much here. In fact, it is the S26 that should once again carry the range in volume terms in 2026. Being more compact, it is also the most “attainable” in price terms and therefore the easiest one to recommend to the widest audience.

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On reflection, Samsung has pushed the Ultra so hard partly because that is where the major new features lie. Alongside it, the Galaxy S26 looks understated. Far more sensible. That feeling is not entirely new: last year, the Galaxy S25 extended the Galaxy S24 experience without any real missteps, but equally without a genuine break from the past.

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List price: €999

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On paper, then, the Galaxy S26 follows that same path. Even if it does not surprise or provoke desire, one straightforward question remains: is the Galaxy S26 still an excellent smartphone nonetheless? We spent a month with it to form a clear view.

Price and availability

For the first time in several generations, Samsung has allowed its prices to rise. The Galaxy S26, the range’s most “attainable” model, now starts at €999 for the 12GB/256GB version.

This year, then, the €899 entry point with 128GB is gone. On paper, the increase is relatively restrained, at around €40 more for an equivalent configuration compared with the Galaxy S25. What is more, and unusually enough to merit mention, Samsung now sits above its main rival in this segment. The iPhone 17 costs €969 with 256GB, which is €30 less for the same capacity.

The bill rises more markedly for the higher-capacity version, however. The 12GB/512GB model climbs from €1,079 to €1,199. As for colours, Samsung sticks with understated finishes in black, grey, blue and green.

Where Samsung no longer needs to surprise us

A display that remains exceptionally well controlled

First, the phone’s panel has grown slightly, from 6.2 to 6.3 inches. It is a subtle change, almost impossible to notice in the hand, but it brings the handset in line with the current iPhone 17, Google Pixel 10 and Xiaomi 17.

At this size, the compact smartphone segment appears to have found its new sweet spot. It is also gradually getting bigger: the S23, as a reminder, still claimed a 6.1-inch screen.

Otherwise, Samsung continues with a recipe it knows inside out: an LTPO AMOLED panel, Full HD+ resolution (2340 x 1080 pixels), and an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. In everyday use, there is very little to criticise. Brightness rises high enough to deliver excellent outdoor legibility.

Sitting outside on a sunny afternoon with the screen facing the sun, I had no trouble checking emails or enjoying the comments section beneath a SoFoot article. There are some reflections on very bright surfaces or in direct low-angle sunlight, but the display remains readable in the vast majority of situations.

Colour reproduction is instantly appealing, too. Colours are rich and contrasty, with Samsung’s characteristically slightly warm rendering working very well day to day. It is especially pleasant when moving between TikTok, Instagram and a few video game reviews on YouTube.

With closer scrutiny, more exacting users will nevertheless spot a few deviations. Reds can look a touch too saturated, while whites lean very slightly warm. The overall presentation remains consistent, and becomes more accurate when switching to “Natural” mode.

A successful return to Exynos

Samsung has changed course again this year. Following a Galaxy S25 generation powered entirely by Snapdragon, the manufacturer has returned to a hybrid approach. The Galaxy S26 and S26+ are back on Exynos - the Exynos 2600, to be precise - while the Ultra benefits from a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC.

This return matters. In 2025, Samsung set aside its own chips to ensure consistent performance and avoid criticism. It was an effective decision… but an expensive one. With component prices continuing to rise and margins tightening, relying exclusively on Qualcomm would inevitably have pushed prices even higher.

The final price tag, already higher this year, would probably have been steeper still. Samsung is therefore taking back control of its chips and reducing its dependence on Qualcomm, even if it cannot yet do without the company entirely. It is both a strategic and industrial decision. For outright power, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 remains today’s benchmark. In use, though, the difference is hard to detect. The Galaxy S26 is flawlessly smooth: navigation, multitasking, launching the camera and image processing all happen without delay.

The 12GB of RAM provides real comfort, even with a large number of applications left open in the background. It is difficult to ask for more from a compact smartphone. Unless you carry out advanced video editing - still a marginal use case on a device of this size - its power is more than sufficient for most people.

There are graphical differences, but they mainly emerge over time. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 uses an Adreno 830 GPU that is more consistent during extended sessions. Opposite it, the Exynos 2600 features an Xclipse 950 GPU based on AMD architecture and is far from outclassed. Every demanding game in the Play Store runs at maximum graphics settings.

Performance is fluid in the opening minutes, with no frame-rate drops or visible instability. After around 20 minutes of intensive use, however, slight throttling appears, showing that the processor is regulating itself to contain heat. At roughly the 30-minute mark, the Galaxy S26 begins to warm up rather than genuinely overheat. It is noticeable, but never uncomfortable to hold.

Where Samsung tries to surprise

An aesthetic step backwards

Inevitably, the slightly larger display makes the Galaxy S26 both taller and heavier. It measures 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2 mm and weighs 167g, compared with 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm and 162g for the S25. Nothing is radical, as it remains excellent to hold. Its weight distribution is carefully managed, and the handset sits naturally in the palm thanks to subtly rounded edges and flat sides.

Samsung retains a high-end build, with an aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and rear. The matt Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back feels pleasant to the touch and does a fairly effective job of limiting fingerprints in daily use.

That said, the S26 does not look exactly like its predecessor from the rear. Samsung has abandoned camera sensors integrated directly into the chassis in favour of a more conventional, elongated raised camera island. As you can see, the contrast between the S26’s camera block on the left below and last year’s S25 on the right is striking.

In practice, we are not entirely convinced by this reversal. Visually, the design already feels familiar, while the phone becomes unstable when laid on a table. It is a visible evolution, but it feels more like a sideways move than a genuine risk. Looking at the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro shows that there is room to bring some freshness to this part of a smartphone.

Slightly improved battery life

The Galaxy S26 battery receives a modest increase, reaching 4,300mAh against 4,000mAh on the S25. It is a measured change, but one consistent with the phone’s positioning. Samsung retains a compact format at 167g and 7.2mm thick, a balance that is increasingly rare at the high end.

Its rivals have made different choices. The Pixel 10 rises to 4,970mAh, but in a more substantial body weighing 204g and measuring 8.6mm thick. Xiaomi goes further with the Xiaomi 17, which offers 6,000mAh at 191g and 8.06mm - ultimately a fairly similar format, but with far more capacity.

The distinction is not solely about dimensions; it is technological as well. Xiaomi relies on a silicon-carbon battery, which can raise energy density and therefore fit in more capacity without greatly compromising the format. The Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26 both remain with a more conventional lithium-ion foundation. Should this be seen as Samsung falling behind?

Not necessarily. Silicon-carbon technology can push the limits on paper, but it remains more complex to control over the long term, particularly in terms of stability and ageing. Samsung appears to be prioritising reliability before wider adoption. It is a cautious, almost conservative approach, but one that fits its method of industrialisation.

In daily use, the decision holds up. The Galaxy S26 outperforms the S25. The Exynos 2600 brings more stable power management. As a result, it comfortably lasts a day and a half with typical use; even with heavier use, it gets through the day and evening without difficulty. It is nothing spectacular beside the market’s strongest performers, but then again, the S26 is not trying to impress.

Is the Galaxy S26 battery wear controversy really justified?

A few days before launch, the Galaxy S26 was criticised in numerous articles, sometimes in alarmist terms, over its battery longevity. The issue stems from European energy-label data, which indicates around 40% fewer cycles than the S25 before capacity falls to 80%: approximately 1,200 cycles for the S26 against 2,000 for the S25.

Taken in isolation, that figure can be surprising. Put into context, though, it tells another story. On the same labels, both the iPhone 17 and Xiaomi 17 are rated for around 1,000 cycles. The Galaxy S26 still sits above that level.

In other words, it does not perform worse than its competitors. It is the S25 family that was significantly above the pack. Another often overlooked point is that a cycle means a full charge from 0 to 100%. In reality, charging is split into smaller top-ups, which naturally spreads wear over time.

Finally, this theoretical reduction is accompanied by another development. The Galaxy S26 delivers slightly better day-to-day battery life, with more stable power management than the previous generation. Put differently, it needs charging less frequently for comparable use. Once these elements are weighted, it is difficult to see a genuine problem.

In practical terms, the S26 will comfortably deliver several years of use - around three to four years - before its battery truly starts to decline. That is well beyond the average replacement cycle.

Where Samsung struggles to surprise

Charging: time appears to have stood still

The verdict here is unequivocal. The Galaxy S26 remains capped at 25W wired charging, just like the S25, S24… and already the S23. In truth, you have to go back to the Galaxy S21 to find the same ceiling. Five generations later, nothing has changed. Of course, the wider context has moved on. SoCs have become more efficient, power management has improved, and overall battery life has increased slightly. Samsung is doing the job in this respect, and the S26 fares better than its predecessors in everyday use.

According to our measurements, it takes a little over 30 minutes to recover around 50% battery. That remains fast enough for a quick top-up before going out. The latter part of the charge takes longer, however. The final percentages are slower to reach, with a full recharge taking roughly 1 hour 15 minutes. That is slightly better than the S25, without transforming the experience.

Above all, when Chinese competitors can fully recharge a smartphone in 20 to 30 minutes, Samsung continues at a much more restrained pace. It is a choice consistent with the battery-preservation strategy discussed above, but one that remains difficult not to find frustrating in use.

Photography: algorithms can only take you so far

Here again, there is a strong sense of déjà vu. Samsung has carried over the Galaxy S25’s camera arrangement unchanged for the Galaxy S26: a 50-megapixel main sensor (f/1.8), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide (f/2.4), and a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto (f/2.2). To justify that status quo, Samsung once more relies on software, with algorithms said to be more refined and intelligent, capable of extracting more from unchanged hardware.

It is difficult to deny the company is right on this point, particularly with the main sensor. The software work is immediately evident. Images have a more balanced, less aggressive presentation than before, especially in very bright scenes. Dynamic range improves, contrast is handled better, and images have more breathing room. The South Korean brand’s colour signature remains clearly present and consistently flattering, particularly in warm tones and everyday scenes, though it can still feel a little overly demonstrative.

The ultra-wide, meanwhile, remains behind the pack and would clearly have benefited from a polish. Detail levels are acceptable in broad daylight, but the image tends to darken at the edges as light levels fall. Sharpness also lacks consistency. It is not disastrous, but it almost feels as if we are rereading last year’s notes.

The same applies to the 3x telephoto. Still very useful for portraits or more distant subjects, it produces clean results in good light, with accurate subject separation and convincing background blur. The 3x zoom remains effective, although its limits become apparent quickly beyond 10x. Exposure is better controlled in portrait mode, but the gains are modest.

At night, the S26 performs very well, particularly in urban scenes rich in light sources. Signs, street lamps and shop windows: the smartphone handles highlights extremely well and effectively restricts halos.

This control does come with a downside, though. Samsung tends to smooth and reconstruct the image, sometimes pushing exposure a little too far and producing a rendering that drifts away from reality.

Galaxy AI: a genuine reason to buy?

For three years, Samsung has clearly shifted the centre of appeal for its Galaxy S range towards its Galaxy AI ecosystem. One point must be acknowledged: Samsung is now among the most advanced manufacturers in this field, both in the breadth of its features and their maturity in everyday use.

With One UI 8.5, that momentum grows further. Photo editing becomes more approachable, with text or voice commands used to alter an image. The keyboard, through Now Nudge, analyses context to suggest actions or automatically structure a message. Audio Eraser expands to third-party applications including YouTube and TikTok, while internal search improves through a tool that can find content and apps more intelligently.

For a complete analysis of these new features, we invite you to read our Galaxy S26 Ultra review. Aside from Privacy Display, all three new models offer exactly the same software experience.

And that is precisely where the question arises. However well integrated it may be, does the Galaxy AI ecosystem really constitute a reason to buy the S26? A large part of these features is expected to roll out through One UI 8.5 to the Galaxy S25, S24 and S23. Put another way, Samsung has never kept these innovations exclusively to itself. While that strategy benefits users, it does not necessarily work in the S26’s favour this year.

Indeed, if you already own a recent Galaxy, the experience will be very similar. Galaxy AI is therefore not, by itself, enough reason to make the switch. For someone coming from another Android smartphone, however, Galaxy AI can represent a genuine step up.

Our verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S26

To answer our opening question: yes, without hesitation, the Galaxy S26 is an excellent smartphone. Its display is bright and well calibrated, performance is beyond reproach, and battery life has improved. Its compact format will undoubtedly appeal to those who do not want to move towards the excess of an S26 Ultra. In use, Samsung has delivered an exceptionally mature handset that is difficult to fault.

That is exactly where the debate begins, though, because this mastery - impressive as it is - comes with a certain inertia. The design changes little, if anything in the wrong direction; photography still depends heavily on software; and charging has not evolved for several generations. Galaxy AI, arguably Android’s most accomplished AI ecosystem today, cannot alone act as a differentiating factor. A large share of its new features will arrive on earlier generations, down to the Galaxy S23. As a result, unless you are coming from an older model or another brand, it is hard to see enough of a break to justify upgrading.

Ultimately, it is not so much the Galaxy S26 that we want to criticise, but Samsung itself. The South Korean company is moving with too much restraint and surprising us less and less. It should take care: a lack of originality is often the first step towards boredom.

Galaxy S26 256GB: best prices

List price: €999

Retailer	Discount	Price
Rakuten	-30%	€699	View offer
Amazon	-26%	€741	View offer
Cdiscount	-8%	€919	View offer
Samsung		€999	View offer
Boulanger		€999	View offer
eBay		€999	View offer
Rueducommerce		€999	View offer

See more offers