Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: What's changed and which one should you buy?

"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."

"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."

"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."

The Samsung Galaxy S26 maintains the core design philosophy of its predecessor, the S25, featuring a compact form factor, flat edges, aluminum frame, and IP68 water resistance. Both devices utilize Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with adaptive 120Hz refresh rates and similar peak brightness levels. The S26 introduces meaningful but incremental improvements including a slightly larger battery and updated software. Performance remains flagship-class with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and 12GB RAM. The primary differences are the S26's $100 price increase to $899.99 and upgraded base storage from 128GB to 256GB, reflecting Samsung's strategy of evolutionary refinement rather than revolutionary change.

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