Samsung Galaxy S26 review: Small steps

Value When Reviewed

From $899.99

Finest Costs Right now: Samsung Galaxy S26

$850.85

The smallest sibling in Samsung’s latest S-family, the S26, is an attention-grabbing telephone. On the {hardware} aspect, it seems like Samsung has taken this gadget so far as it could actually go. On the software program aspect, it feels as whether it is nonetheless discovering its ft.

Little or no differentiates it from the Galaxy S25 that got here earlier than, with extra iterative updates than a complete overhaul. Samsung has given this new telephone the identical display as its predecessor, however with barely larger decision and higher brightness. It additionally has somewhat extra processing energy (for the next value) and a longer-lasting battery.

However below the hood, Samsung has thrown loads of synthetic intelligence (AI) options at nearly every little thing — whether or not that’s with its personal Bixby assistant, Google Gemini, or an upcoming partnership with Perplexity. A few of this works decently, however most of it’s unpolished, and it’s the largest block to what this gadget could possibly be.

Finally, the S26 is a strong flagship telephone, but in addition one which’s taking part in it secure. It might be good to see Samsung push the boat out additional, and never tie a few of its most attention-grabbing options – just like the Privateness Show discovered on the Galaxy S26 Extremely – to its highest price-tagged units.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Design & Construct

• Smooth aluminium physique
• Lighter and sturdier
• IP68 mud and water-proof

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 is, if nothing else, a completely beautiful telephone to carry and use. The black aluminium physique – additionally accessible in Cobalt Violet, White, Sky Blue, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold (the final two Samsung.com exclusives) – seems to be supremely modern, and the cameras, layered on a vertical, oval, island, are properly positioned.

That additionally makes it look somewhat extra refined, in my eyes, than its Extremely brother, which has two extra lenses unusually caught out the aspect.

Luke Baker

At 167g, it weighs rather less than the iPhone 17 and Google Pixel 10, however in a approach that belies a form of futurism slightly than flimsiness. IP68 mud and water resistance implies that this telephone ought to survive most climate it’ll face; I introduced it out throughout a hailstorm to quickly discover a practice station, and it remained unfazed.

On the correct are the anticipated quantity buttons and a digital camera button-come-assistant summoner, and there’s a USB-C port on the backside.

Display screen & Audio system

• Vivid, clean 120Hz show
• Blue hues
• Sturdy audio output

The Galaxy S26’s display is barely bigger than the Galaxy S25, touting 6.3-inch as an alternative of 6.2, however with the identical FHD+ (2,340 by 1,080) decision. Most brightness now reaches 2600 nits, which was useful below the solar.

Adam Smith / Foundry

With the 120Hz refresh charge, scrolling is impressively clean, and on the entire, the S26 performs comparatively properly. In comparison with different high-priced telephones, it does have a bluer color steadiness – watching the second collection of Ted, the temporary asides in a jail setting come throughout colder, as do Ted and his buddy John Bennett’s nighttime talks of their bunk mattress – and whereas some may choose that, I really feel it makes movies much less thrilling.

There’s a good stage of element, capturing the scratches of a vandalised faculty desk or the curls of Ted’s fur properly. Switching to Blade (1998), there may be additionally a good try on the delicate steadiness of sunshine through the opening membership scene, the place ethereal, white rays illuminate vampires’ eyes and tooth. However there may be nonetheless extra to be completed to eke out the element afforded to the Professional-level iPhone, and side-by-side, Samsung is somewhat disappointing.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Relating to sound high quality, the S26 does higher. Dialogue and different midrange frequencies come throughout robust and even on the highest quantity, the place lesser units pressure.

Excessive-pitched strings and different gentle percussion devices, triangles or cymbals, additionally shine and whereas the small audio system can’t seize the deep bass of tracks like Love Lockdown – few smartphones actually may – the S26 makes a valiant effort. 

Specs & Efficiency

• Cut up Snapdragon/Exynos technique
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB storage as customary

Samsung gives 12GB of RAM and the storage is now 256GB as customary on the S26, the latter being double that of its predecessor.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Almost about the processor, Samsung has break up it between the US and Europe; the previous will get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, whereas the latter (together with my gadget) has the in-house Exynos 2600.

Whereas the S26 lacks the superior cooling system Samsung launched on the Extremely this 12 months, I didn’t discover any warmth once I was utilizing it.

The gadget works high-quality with video games like Genshin Impression or Lifeless Cells, on the most specs, and provides no bother switching between apps in on a regular basis use – as you’d anticipate from a flagship telephone which prices this a lot.

Samsung Galaxy S26 benchmarks

Cameras

• Wonderful night time pictures
• Sturdy zoom, weak close-up
• AI modifying unreliable

The S26 has a 50Mp fundamental digital camera, a 12Mp ultrawide, and a 10Mp telephoto, whereas on the entrance is a 12Mp sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. 

Whereas a step down from the Extremely (200Mp fundamental digital camera, 50Mp ultrawide, and 50Mp 5x zoom telephoto), it’s nonetheless a formidable gadget. The neon lights of the Moulin Rouge come throughout clear and crisp within the night time, the place different units go away it murky, and its dealing with of color is actually commendable.

Adam Smith / Foundry

The string of lights from the windmill, which different telephones solely seize as blobs of yellow gentle, are captured in all their colors – regardless of the space. The zoom functionality right here is absolutely fairly good; within the daytime, it is ready to scale the perimeters of the Notre Dame and seize the gargoyles with ease.

There are different areas the place it could possibly be improved, although. Shut up, the S26 struggles to seize little particulars, just like the smattering of pollen on the petals of a flower, or the brushstrokes on an oil portray, which lets it down.

Samsung has additionally given the S26 a brand new video setting – Horizontal Lock – which stabilises video to a significantly better diploma, making it simpler to seize footage when shifting round. Shifting and shaking the telephone round didn’t trouble it in any respect.

The mode is somewhat fiddly to activate, because it requires going to the Digicam app’s video tab, then the in-app settings, after which enabling it (each time you turn to video), however it’s fairly a neat addition.

Within the modifying suite, Samsung has additionally added an inflow of AI options, together with the flexibility to make use of text-based prompts to edit images.

These work decently for some edits. Prompting it to make the picture darker labored fairly properly, and the AI eraser is kind of efficient, though there have been nonetheless some artefacts round areas that it discovered tough to duplicate, similar to round brickwork.

For extra inventive work, it’s surprisingly unhealthy. Drawing a circle round a crow, and asking Samsung’s AI to “make the hen larger” resulted in a Frankenstein-like creation; one other try was higher, however modified the hen breed utterly.

Battery Life & Charging

• Lasts shut to a few days
• Charging speeds beneath flagship stage
• Magnetic wi-fi charging wants a appropriate case

Samsung has given the S26 a bump in battery for a complete of 4300mAh, in comparison with 4000mAh on the S25 (although that is properly below common for 2026).

Nonetheless, it lasts properly and through my testing, it lasted almost three days earlier than I wanted to recharge it, with no slack on the scrolling, texting, and photo-taking that I put it by means of.

In our PCMark battery check, the S26 recored a middling results of 14 hours and 56 minutes.

Relating to charging, nevertheless, that’s much less flattering. There’s no enchancment (not like the Extremely), so it’s caught at 25W wired and 15W wi-fi.

Utilizing an older 65W OnePlus Warp Charger – since there’s no plug within the field, you’re reliant on no matter you already personal – the telephone scraped to only 5% in fifteen minutes and 11% in thirty, indicating that you just want the correct of charger, too.

With a MacBook charger, the S26 received to 18% in quarter-hour and 35% in half-hour.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Samsung has additionally declined to provide the S26 respectable wi-fi charging, as whereas it’s “Qi2 Prepared,” it doesn’t have the magnets constructed into the gadget. 

Which means that if you wish to snap the telephone to a magnetic charger, you’ll be able to, however solely with a appropriate case.

Software program & Apps

• Android 16
• AI options hit or miss
• UI points stay

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely runs One UI 8.5, over Android 16. 

Now Temporary is probably the most seen characteristic – sitting proper on the high of the telephone. Somewhat than ready so that you can search or kind, it analyses what’s in your display and surfaces related ideas earlier than you even ask. 

Adam Smith / Foundry

In concept this sounds helpful. In apply it’s high-quality: an unobtrusive icon seems based mostly on what’s occurring on display, suggesting issues like sharing contact numbers or flagging calendar instances when you’re coping with work emails, which works high-quality however shouldn’t be the transformative characteristic one would hope. For instance, tapping the calendar hyperlink to an occasion, after which opening the map, takes you to a miniature model of Google Maps’ performance, not the precise app.

Bixby can also be current – and theoretically upgraded. It has a redesigned interface and improved pure language understanding courtesy of Perplexity integration. It may well now navigate related system settings slightly than simply describing the place they’re, which is helpful, however I would favor it within the Settings app – plus, Gemini can do that as properly, toggling issues like Do Not Disturb, so it’s laborious to see why anybody would select Bixby.

There’s additionally Now Nudge, for predictive messaging, which is able to carry up recommended actions based mostly on what’s in your display – similar to setting a reminder or suggesting images to ship based mostly on a message you’ve acquired from a buddy. This doesn’t work with every little thing, nevertheless, as there have been no beneficial messages when utilizing the all-in-one app Beeper, though it does have built-in AI summation, writing, and bullet level instruments.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Outdoors of the AI stuff, Samsung’s software program was not tremendous. Trying to find a fundamental app by means of Samsung’s personal UI search produces a baffling procession of outcomes – associated Google apps, a calendar assembly from years in the past, varied settings choices, widget ideas – earlier than finally surfacing the Play Retailer. 

It’s the form of friction you’d forgive on a finances gadget, however at £800-plus, it simply seems like Samsung nonetheless hasn’t put this telephone within the palms of bizarre individuals and watched what occurs.

On the plus aspect, you get class-leading software program assist (matching the likes of Google Pixel) with seven years of OS and safety updates.

Value & Availability

The Galaxy S26 base mannequin comes with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM for £879/$899/€999, whereas the 512GB mannequin prices £1,049/$1,099/€1199. It has the identical RAM configuration, however there’s room for a significantly bigger digital camera roll.

You should purchase it immediately from Samsung (the place the shop has two unique colourways) or loads of third-party retailers, together with Amazon, Currys and, within the US, BestBuy.

This makes it costlier than the iPhone 17, and the identical because the Google Pixel 10 and Xiaomi 17 (in 256GB sizes) – a excessive value for individuals doubtless aiming to save cash and keep away from the bigger price ticket of the superior S26 Extremely.

Try our information to the greatest telephones accessible proper now.

$850.85

Do you have to purchase the Samsung Galaxy S26?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a reliably glorious telephone wearing a genuinely stunning physique. Its night time pictures is especially spectacular; the show – whereas not class-leading – is greater than succesful for on a regular basis use; and the Horizontal Lock video mode is a kind of options that sounds gimmicky till you employ it.

With a couple of extra refinements, the lower-end gadget may actually be one thing that blows customers away. Sadly, Samsung simply isn’t fairly there but – so whereas there may not be a cause for anybody to take the leap from final 12 months’s telephone, these shifting from an S23 or older will really feel the enhancements in battery life, digital camera efficiency, and processing energy.

Specs

• One UI 8.5
• Android 16
• 6.3-inch, 1080 x 2340, 120Hz refresh charge
• Ultrasonic under-display fingerprint scanner
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (US) / Exynos 2600 (Europe)
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB storage
• 50MP f/1.8 fundamental sensor
• 12MP ultrawide
• 10MP 3x telephoto
• 12MP selfie digital camera
• As much as 8K @ 30fps rear video
• Stereo audio system
• Twin-SIM + eSIM
• Wi-Fi 7
• Bluetooth 5.4
• NFC
• USB-C 3.2
• 4300mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• 15W wi-fi charging
• 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm
• IP68 licensed
• 167g
• Colors: Black, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, White, Pink Gold, Silver Shadow