Prakhar Khanna/Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
Anytime a new phone comes out, it can be hard to tell if it's actually worth upgrading, especially when it comes to navigating all the new features. Samsung just unveiled the Galaxy S26 series during its Unpacked event this week, but if you're unsure about dropping $1,299 on a new phone, I don't blame you.
Also: Samsung Unpacked 2026 recap: All the news on Galaxy S26 Ultra, Privacy Display, Buds 4 Pro
Even if you have a two-year-old Samsung Galaxy S24, you may be considering how feasible it is to upgrade to the just-released S26. You may think the S26 upgrade is worth it for photography or battery life, but you'd be surprised how similar the two phones are.
I'll break down how the Samsung Galaxy S26 compares to the S24 below to help you narrow down your pros and cons list.
You should buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 if...
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET
1. You want the best performance and AI features
... continue reading