The Galaxy S26 is faster, more expensive, and even more chock-full of AI

Ars Technica · Feb 25, 2026 · Collected from RSS

Summary

Samsung's Galaxy S26 series is available for preorder today and ships on March 11.

Full Article

There used to be countless companies making flagship Android phones, but a combination of factors has narrowed the field over time. Today, Samsung is the undisputed king of the Android device ecosystem with its Galaxy S line. So we can safely assume today’s Unpacked has revealed the most popular Android phones for the next year—the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26. Samsung didn’t swing for the fences this time around, producing phones with a few cosmetic tweaks and upgraded internals. Meanwhile, Samsung is investing even more in AI, saying the S26 series includes the first “Agentic AI phones.” Despite limited hardware upgrades, the realities of component prices in the age of AI mean the prices of the two cheaper models have gone up by $100 this year. The Ultra remains at an already eye-watering $1,300. Faster and more private Looking at the Galaxy S26 family, you’d be hard-pressed to tell them apart from last year’s phones. The camera surround is different, and the measurements of the smallest and largest phone are ever so slightly different. You probably won’t be able to tell just by looking, but the S26 Ultra has regressed from titanium to aluminum, a reversion Apple also made with its latest high-end phones. This phone also retains its S Pen stylus. Specs at a glance: Samsung Galaxy S26 series Galaxy S26 ($900) Galaxy S26+ ($1,100) Galaxy S26 Ultra ($1,300) SoC Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm) Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm) Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm) Memory 12GB 12GB 12GB, 16GB Storage 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Display 6.3-inch OLED, 10-bit color, 2340×1080, 1-120Hz 6.7-inch OLED, 10-bit color, 3120×1440, 1-120Hz 6.9-inch OLED, 10-bit color, 3120×1440, 1-120Hz, S Pen support Cameras 50MP primary, f/1.8, 1.0 μm; 12MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 1.4 μm, 10MP 3x telephoto, f/2.4, 1.0 μm; 12MP selfie, f/2.2, 1.12 μm 50MP primary, f/1.8, 1.0 μm; 12MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 1.4 μm, 10MP 3x telephoto, f/2.4, 1.0 μm; 12MP selfie, f/2.2, 1.12 μm 200MP primary, f/1.4, 0.6 μm; 50MP ultrawide, f/1.9, 0.7 μm; 10MP 3x telephoto, f/2.4, 1.12 μm; 50MP 5x telephoto, f/2.9, 0.7 μm; 12MP selfie, f/2.2, 1.12 μm Software Android 16 Android 16 Android 16 Battery 4,300 mAh 4,900 mAh 5,000 mAh Connectivity Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C 3.2, Sub6 5G Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C 3.2, Sub6 and mmWave 5G Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C 3.2, Sub6 and mmWave 5G Measurements 71.7×149.6×7.2 mm, 167g 75.8×158.4×7.3 mm, 190g 78.1×163.6×7.9 mm, 214 g These phones will again have the latest Snapdragon flagship processor (in North America, Japan, and China) with customizations exclusive to Samsung. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is a 3 nm chip with third-gen Oryon CPU cores, an Adreno 840 GPU, and a powerful Hexagon NPU for on-device AI processing. Samsung promises double-digit performance gains across the board, which is what we hear every year. Samsung flagship phones have extremely fast hardware, so they benchmark well. However, they also tend to heat up and throttle quickly during sustained use. Perhaps that won’t be as much of a problem with the S26 series. Samsung says it has implemented its largest vapor chamber ever to better control temperatures.

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The Vergeabout 9 hours ago

How the new Galaxy S26 phones stack up against each other on paper

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The Galaxy S26 is faster, more expensive, and even more chock-full of AI

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The Vergeabout 9 hours ago
How the new Galaxy S26 phones stack up against each other on paper
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 phones introduce a slate of new AI-powered features, including some new photography tools. | Image: Samsung Samsung has just announced its new Galaxy S26 lineup, which includes the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra. While they aren't radical departures from last year's models, they bring a handful of notable upgrades. All three run on Qualcomm's Galaxy-centric Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which delivers improved performance and powers a slew of new AI-based features. This includes the ability to screen unknown calls and edit photos by typing what you want changed, along with an update to Google Gemini that can carry out certain tasks in supported third-party apps, like Uber and DoorDash, on your behalf. Starting at $899.99, the S26 is the smallest and mo … Read the full story at The Verge.

Gizmodoabout 9 hours ago
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. iPhone 17: Is It All About AI?
On paper, the Apple and Samsung's latest phones are nearly neck and neck on all major features.

Engadgetabout 10 hours ago
Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked: The Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy Buds 4 and more
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The Vergeabout 11 hours ago
Here’s how the new Samsung Galaxy S26 compares with last year’s S25
Samsung unveiled its Galaxy S26 lineup at its recent Unpacked event in San Francisco. As expected, the new series consists of the baseline S26, which starts at $899.99, and the bigger S26 Plus, which starts at $1,099.99. At the high end, there's also the $1,299.99 S26 Ultra, which is the largest in the lineup and comes with a bigger battery, better cameras, S Pen support, and expanded options for both storage and RAM. The price difference between Samsung's cheapest and most expensive S26 phones is $400 (last year, it was $500). While some of its updated Galaxy AI software features are new, it's another year of minor hardware updates for Sam … Read the full story at The Verge.

The Vergeabout 12 hours ago
Preorders for Samsung’s S26 phones come with up to $200 in gift cards
As expected, Samsung has taken the wraps off its flagship lineup for 2026. Introduced during the company's recent Unpacked event, the new Galaxy devices - which include the standard S26, the larger S26 Plus, and the high-end S26 Ultra - will be available on March 11th. Preorders are now open ahead of launch, with pricing starting at $899.99 for the base-model S26, $1,099.99 for the Plus, and $1,299.99 for the Ultra. Overall, the forthcoming S26 lineup looks largely similar to last year's S25 series, only with a handful of notable upgrades. The biggest changes this year are on the software side, with Samsung introducing a privacy display in … Read the full story at The Verge.

Engadgetabout 13 hours ago
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: What’s changed and which one should you buy?
Following Samsung’s Unpacked event, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is available for pre-order, and it looks very familiar. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Like recent updates in the Galaxy S line, Samsung is refining its flagship rather than dramatically reinventing it. Both phones share a lot of core DNA, including compact designs, high-refresh AMOLED displays and similar camera hardware. The S26 does introduce a handful of meaningful updates, however, including a slightly larger battery and newer software out of the box. Those changes also come with a higher starting price: the Galaxy S26 begins at $899.99 compared to the S25’s $799.99 launch price. The entry model now includes 256GB of storage instead of the S25’s base 128GB. Here's how the Galaxy S26 compares with last year’s Galaxy S25 on paper and whether the newer model is worth your attention. Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Design, display and performance Physically, the Galaxy S26 stays very close to the design Samsung established with the S25. You still get a compact handset with flat edges, an aluminum frame and IP68 water and dust resistance. The overall look and feel should be immediately familiar to anyone who used last year’s phone. The display story is similarly steady. Both phones use Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz, and the S25 is rated for peak brightness of up to 2,600 nits. In everyday use, whether you are scrolling, gaming or watching video, the viewing experience should feel broadly similar between the two devices. Under the hood, the Galaxy S25 is powered globally by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset paired with 12GB of RAM. The Galaxy S26 continues to target flagship-class performance. While Samsung has made internal refinements, overall speed should remain firmly in high-end territory for routine tasks, multitasking and mobile gaming. On the software front, the S25 launched with Android 15 and One UI 7, while the Galaxy S26 ships with a ne