GoKawiilSamsung Galaxy S26 If you don't want to go all-out with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the baseline Galaxy S26 is a good compact and cheaper alternative. It has the same excellent Snapdragon chip, is wonderfully comfortable to use, and has more storage than before. It's not an exciting Android phone, and it wouldn't be my first choice, but it's perfectly serviceable for Samsung fans in need of an upgrade — far more so than the Galaxy S26 Plus.
Whenever new Galaxy S phones are released, the conclusion for them is usually the same: Get the baseline model if you want a compact phone, get the Plus if you want a bigger screen without spending too much, and get the Ultra if you want Samsung’s absolute best.
That thinking holds true for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but what about Samsung’s other two phones? Are the Galaxy S26 ($899.99 at Samsung) and Galaxy S26 Plus ($1099.99 at Samsung) still safe recommendations for Samsung fans who need an upgrade this year?
After using both phones for over two weeks, the answer to that question is murkier than it’s ever been. The S26 and S26 Plus are both fine Android phones, but there’s only one I’d truly feel comfortable recommending.
The S26 is a comfortable phone, but this design has to go
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: this year’s new Samsung phones look almost identical to last year’s. Shocking, I know.
The big design change for the 2026 series is that the rear camera sensors are now housed on a camera island, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7. There are also some new colors (none of which are particularly exciting), and the base Galaxy S26 is five grams heavier than its predecessor. Otherwise, the S26 and S26 Plus are basically the same phones as the S25 and S25 Plus.
What I will say is that even though it’s a little heavier this year, the Galaxy S26 remains one of the most compact and lightweight “flagship” phones on the market.
As practical as the Galaxy S26 may be, Samsung is long overdue for a proper design refresh.
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