Samsung has just launched the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra into the deep end. On the menu, some hardware improvements and a large place given to agentic AI. Enough to push techies to checkout?
Samsung has just unveiled its new trio of high-end smartphones during the traditional Unpacked event. The S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra are available in black, white, sky blue and purple, with two exclusive colors available on the online store (rose gold and silver). Invited to take them in hand at Samsung’s premises, we can finally give you our first impressions.
Don’t expect any notable hardware developments. The manufacturer took what was already working very well by improving it with small touches. It is above all the Ultra model which benefits from the biggest new features even if the other versions also benefit from interesting improvements, particularly in terms of AI functionalities and autonomy.
The problem is that these adjustments come at a high price. As feared, the price increase is indeed there, Samsung citing the memory crisis to justify itself. If the Galaxy S26 are obviously high-quality smartphones in many aspects, we regret such inflation even though the hardware innovations are not legion.
Galaxy S26 price and release date
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As mentioned in the preamble, the bill will be higher this year. Here are the prices of the different versions and their evolution compared to those of the Galaxy S25 when they were launched:
Galaxy S26
- 256 Go : 999 € (+40 €)
- 512 Go : 1 199 € (+120 €)
Galaxy S26+
- 256 Go : 1 269 € (+100 €)
- 512 Go : 1 469 € (+180 €)
- 256 Go : €1469 (no increase)
- 512 Go : 1669 € (+80 €)
- 1 To : 1969 € (+140 €)
Pre-orders will be open from February 25 to March 10. The new phones will be available in stores on March 11. Two offers will be offered during this period, which will compensate for the price increase:
- Doubling of storage offered: the 512 GB version is offered at the same price as the 256 GB version. Same principle for the 1 TB model of the S26 Ultra, displayed at the price of the 512 GB version.
- Trade-in bonus for an old device (smartphone, tablet or watch): €100 for the S26 and S26+ and €150 for the S26 Ultra.
What’s new in the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
A thinner design
Samsung tried hard to make it the Ultra model the thinnest ever (thickness of 7.9 mm), offering an appreciable gain in compactness compared to previous generations. A good point also for the 4 grams less on the scale compared to the S25 Ultra. Adjustments which help to make the phablet less imposing and more comfortable to handle, even if its large format still remains unsuitable for small hands.
The manufacturer has abandoned the very square angles inherited from the Galaxy Note in favor of more rounded corners which surround a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with the most beautiful effect. This still benefits from Quad HD+ definition with a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
Privacy Display: the best innovation of the S26 Ultra
It is precisely at the panel level that the Galaxy S26 Ultra stands out with an exclusivity that we particularly appreciated: le Privacy Display. This built-in privacy filter changes the light emission angle of the pixels. The screen thus becomes unreadable from an angle, protecting you from prying eyes in public places and transport.
You have two levels of opacity, which you can activate manually or automate. The smartphone can thus hide lateral visibility when opening sensitive applications (bank accounts, Tinder, etc.), when entering a password or when notifications appear. It is a concrete solution to a real everyday problem that surpasses the classic anti-curious filters found on the market.
We were able to test this feature directly on the S26 Ultra and we were amazed by its effectiveness. Watch:
The promise of sharper photos in low light
On the photography side, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is still equipped with a 200 Mpx main sensor, a 50 Mpx ultra-wide-angle and two telephoto lenses of 50 Mpx (x5 optical zoom) and 10 Mpx (x3 optical zoom). If the overall architecture remains identical, we will note that the wide-angle sensor lets in more lightwith an aperture going from f/1.7 on the S25 Ultra to f/1.4. Which should significantly improve its performance in low light.
The 50 Mpx telephoto lens sees its aperture increase from f/3.4 to f/2.9. It should therefore capture less noisy and more detailed shots in dark environments.
Increased performance and faster charging
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the super powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 “for Galaxy”. This overclocked version of the chip has already shown incredible performance in benchmarks. The chip is helped in its task by 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. The 1 TB model is entitled to 16 GB of RAM.
In terms of autonomy, the Galaxy S26 Ultra retains its generous 5000 mAh battery (which offers up to 31 hours of battery life in video playback). A nice new feature, the smartphone is now compatible with 60 W wired charging (compared to 45 W on the previous generation). Enough to recover 75% of autonomy in just 30 minutes, Samsung assures us. Added to this is wireless charging pushed to 25 W (compared to 15 W previously).
What’s new in the Galaxy S26 and S26+?
Screens as beautiful as ever
No major upheaval here, which is not necessarily problematic: the panels of the previous generation already mastered their subject. The Galaxy S26 stretches slightly with a 6.3 inch screen (compared to 6.2 inches on the S25). It retains its definition Full HD+. For its part, the Galaxy S26+ sports a panel of 6.7 inches in definition Quad HD+.
The two smartphones each benefit from a refresh rate of 120 Hz and Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology which continues to seduce us with its marked contrasts, its colorimetric richness and its excellent level of detail.
The return of Exynos
In Europe, the S26 and S26+ abandon the Qualcomm processor in favor of the Homemade SoC Exynos 2600. Engraved in 2 nm and coupled with a new heat dissipation architecture, the chip promises better energy efficiency (less heating, less battery loss in play). It is supported by 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage, the 128 GB option is no longer offered.
Better autonomy
This better efficiency, coupled with a more generous battery on the standard model (4300 mAh compared to 4000 mAh on the S25), allows a jump in autonomy of one hour. The manufacturer thus promises up to 30 hours of use for the S26 and 31 hours for the S26+ (4900 mAh) in video playback. On the other hand, fast charging stagnates at 25 W for the S26 and 45 W for the Plus. This leaves us wanting more, especially for the standard model.
Unchanged photo modules but new practical tools
Samsung recycles the same architecture on both models. The rear module is still built around a 50 Mpx main sensor, supported by a 12 Mpx ultra-wide-angle and a 10 Mpx telephoto lens (3x optical zoom). At the front, we find the 12 Mpx front camera for selfies.
Fortunately, the range of tools is enriched with l’Horizon Lock, a function using gyroscopic sensors to freeze the moving horizon (useful for filming your friends’ ski descents while you too are hurtling down the slope). Photo editing also becomes more intuitive with the arrival of voice editing which allows you to dictate your modifications in natural language (“Clears the person in the background).
Galaxy AI: welcome to the era of “agentic” AI
Across the entire S26 range, Galaxy AI is calibrated to anticipate, reason and execute tasks in the background to make users’ lives easier. During our handling, we particularly appreciated the Now Nudge feature. This analyzes your conversations and offers smart shortcuts when you open the Samsung keyboard to respond:
- If you are asked to send your vacation photos, you will have direct access to the photos in question.
- If you are offered an appointment date, you will be notified immediately in the event of unavailability, with the AI taking care of consulting your calendar.
A good point also for the new anti-spam filter (powered by Hiya) which requires unknown numbers to give the reason for their call before you pick up. Galaxy S6s are also capable of automating complex background tasks like booking an Uber (up to the payment stage). This promising new product is, however, limited to the American and South Korean market for the moment.
