I’ve been testing the Galaxy S26, and it’s the compact flagship I wanted — almost

I’ve spent the last few days testing the Samsung Galaxy S26, and I’m impressed. I’m also conflicted because the higher $900 starting price throws me off, and if you’re paying full boat, I wouldn’t recommend running out and buying one.

However, there are plenty of trade-in offers and carrier finance deals floating around, and as long as you’re a somewhat savvy buyer, you’ll be able to pick up a Galaxy S26 for less.

If you can, I believe you’re buying the sleeper hit of the Galaxy S26 lineup, and while I’m frustrated with Samsung for raising prices, the Galaxy S26 deserves an honest evaluation for what it is — a fantastic compact flagship.

Samsung nailed the look and feel of the Galaxy S26

The display is also excellent

I was just testing the Galaxy Z TriFold, an absolute monster of a device, weighing in at 309g. I then switched to the Pixel 10a, and now the Galaxy S26.

After having held all three, Samsung’s compact flagship might be the front-runner for best-feeling phone in the hand for 2026. It’s thin and light, weighing only 167g and measuring 7.2mm thick.

If you’re tired of massive smartphones feeling like a brick in your pocket, the Galaxy S26 is refreshing.

I also enjoy the display, and I may prefer it to the panel on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. To my eyes, the viewing angles are better, and not having the Privacy Display feature has benefits.

The colors are deep and saturated, and even though I don’t condone Samsung falsely claiming it has a 10-bit display, I care a little less for sub-$1,000.

All told, it’s a reminder that Samsung makes some of the best smartphone panels, and the Galaxy S26 doesn’t include anything like Privacy Display that might compromise the viewing experience.

I don’t know that Samsung needed to increase the display size to 6.3 inches, especially if it resulted in a higher-priced phone — but it’s here, and it’s enjoyable to use.

Performance is where it needs to be

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 doesn’t disappoint

I’ve used the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 on the OnePlus 15, so I already knew what it’s capable of. Thankfully, I’ve had similar performance from the Galaxy S26 so far.

It only has 12GB of RAM, but I haven’t found that limiting, and I doubt I will for some time. It’s also another feature I care less about in a sub-$1,000 phone than I do in a phone like the $1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra — especially if you buy one on a deal.

You also get 256GB of storage on the Galaxy S26, up from 128GB on last year’s base model.

Gaming at high settings isn’t a problem, and thermal performance has been solid, despite the thinner frame.

One UI 8.5 is as advertised

Galaxy AI is a wait-and-see proposition

I was excited to get my hands on One UI 8.5, and it hasn’t disappointed. It’s every bit as smooth and intuitive as I expected.

There aren’t many visual changes, but I love getting to fully customize my Quick Panel. It’s felt set in stone for far too long, and when I swipe down, I can put things where I need them.

Like the other flagship phones in Samsung’s lineup, the Galaxy S26 is promised seven years of support. After seeing One UI 7 come to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, I believe Samsung will deliver meaningful support.

The company did a wonderful job optimizing its software for older hardware, and the Galaxy S26 should be better equipped for future-proofing than the Galaxy S21 Ultra ever was.

Galaxy AI is still in a holding pattern. I want to give it a legitimate chance before I make any comments. I’ll say that if you’re buying a phone solely for Galaxy AI, you might want to reconsider your overall buying priorities.

I’ve noticed no change to Now Brief just yet, but I want to see the new agentic AI features in action over a longer period of time.

It’s not all perfect

Samsung still has some work to do

The Galaxy S26 enjoys a larger 4,300mAh battery this year, but I could see power users needing to top off in the evening.

Now, realistically, power users aren’t opting for the compact flagship option in the lineup, but it’s worth mentioning.

It gets me through an entire day, and the battery may still be settling in over the next few days, but it’s not a phone I can confidently carry into a second day without a charger nearby.

I don’t mind the images I get from the Galaxy S26. Samsung has provided a more social-media-ready image than Google over the last few years, and frankly, that’s what buyers want.

If you’re a shutterbug, Google Pixels are going to be a better choice, but for most point-and-shoot warriors (like myself), the Galaxy S26 is excellent.

Still, Samsung hasn’t upgraded the cameras in a while, and the Galaxy S26 didn’t even get the modest spec bump of the S26 Ultra.

We’re paying good money, and it feels like Samsung’s been coasting a little too long with the same cameras in flagship phones. The overseas competition upgrades yearly, and it’s time Samsung brought some of that energy stateside.

The Galaxy S26 is complicated, but it doesn’t have to be

For $900, the Galaxy S26 feels like a letdown. Most buyers looking for a quality, compact flagship would be better served taking a look at last year’s model.

However, for those who can find a juicy discount or are paying a reduced monthly rate through a carrier, the Galaxy S26 delivers.

If pricing weren’t a consideration, I’d be thrilled to have a Galaxy S26 in my pocket this year. Samsung has work to do, but for the target audience, it’s a winner — just buy it for less.

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

RAM

12 GB

Storage

256 or 512 GB

Battery

4,300 mAh

Operating System

Android

Colors

Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold

The Samsung Galaxy S26 features a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and 12GB of RAM. It has a larger 4,300mAh battery in 2026, and features a bigger 6.3-inch display. It has 256GB of base storage, up from 128GB on the Galaxy S25.