The Samsung Galaxy S26 is coming as the cheapest model in Samsung ’s Galaxy S26 series, even though it was originally supposed to be called the Galaxy S26 Pro . Samsung opted to revert back to the Galaxy S26 after all. This smartphone is expected to replace the Galaxy S25 directly. With that being said, we do have plenty of information about the phone already.
In this article, we’ll try to give you a good idea of what you can expect from the Galaxy S26. We will talk about its design, specifications, price, and some other details. As a reminder, the Galaxy S26 is expected to arrive with two siblings, at least based on what we know thus far. Those siblings are the Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra. With that being said, let’s get down to it.
This article will be regularly updated with new information on the Samsung Galaxy S26 (this is a preview article) — both official teasers and credible leaks, rumors, and insider claims — as it becomes available in the run-up to the release of the upcoming Android smartphone. The article has been updated on February 2, 2026 .
- When will the Samsung Galaxy S26 be released?
- What models are coming?
- How much will the Samsung Galaxy S26 cost?
- What will the Samsung Galaxy S26 look like?
- What specs will the Samsung Galaxy S26 have?
- Should you wait to buy the Samsung Galaxy S26?
When will the Samsung Galaxy S26 be released?
After a bunch of different rumors out there, it seems like the Galaxy S26 will launch in January 2026 after all. That’s when the entire Galaxy S25 series arrived (January 2025) as well, and the same is expected to happen with the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, but a year later. A wild rumor hinted at a March 2026 launch , while another one mentioned February 25 as the launch date. The latter is probably accurate , though, as Evan Blass doubled down on it. March 11 is mentioned as the release date , by the way.
What models are coming?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is expected to arrive with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM this time around. That’s what the rumors have been saying, at least. That would not exactly be an improvement over the Galaxy S25. The phone will also be available in several storage variants, but we don’t know the details yet. Its predecessor started at 128GB, but we’re hoping that the base model for the Galaxy S26 will be 256GB. Either way, you won’t be able to expand that storage. Speaking of which, the Galaxy S26 will launch alongside the Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra .
How much will the Samsung Galaxy S26 cost?
The Samsung Galaxy S25 launched with a $799 starting price. That was the price tag for a version of a phone with 128GB of storage. Will its successor end up costing more? Well, it all depends on what report you end up believing. The first report suggested that the company plans to retain the same price tags . However, the latest one suggests we’ll see a price bump for all three models . Well, it seems more and more likely that the company is aiming to keep the same price tag to compete with the iPhone 17 . Several other reports appeared, going both ways, so who knows.
What will the Samsung Galaxy S26 look like?
We have exclusively shown everyone the designs of the Galaxy S26+ , and the Galaxy S26 Ultra . We’ve shown off those designs via CAD-based renders, which basically show you the final look of the devices. We’ve also shared official renders of both of those phones, and the same goes for the Galaxy S26 . The Galaxy S26 will look the same as the Galaxy S26+. You can check out the design of both phones below.
The Galaxy S26 will include a camera bump on the back, on top of which all three of its cameras will sit. In the case of the Galaxy S25, the cameras were protruding directly from the phone’s back. The cameras will still be vertically aligned in the top-left corner, however, and basically in the same place they were on the Galaxy S25. The same goes for the LED flash, which will sit to the right of that camera bar.
It will have a flat display just like its predecessor
The phone will have a flat display on the front, with a centered display camera hole up top. The bezels around that display will be both thin and uniform. You’ll notice that its physical keys are basically in the same place as they were on the Galaxy S25. The volume up and down buttons sit on the right-hand side, same as the power/lock key, which is placed below the two volume buttons.
The phone’s frame will be flat once again. It will curve slightly towards the edges, but for the most part, it will be flat. The phone’s back side will be flat too.. The dimensions will be 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm, while the phone will weigh 137 grams. So, it will be slightly taller, wider, and thicker than its predecessor, but it’ll be lighter.
What specs will the Samsung Galaxy S26 have?
Let’s talk about the phone’s specifications. Samsung is tipped to go back to a dual chip strategy with the Galaxy S26 series. That means that the company will use two flagship processors. In some markets, it will utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (for Galaxy), while in others, the Exynos 2600 will be used, at least based on rumors. The use of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has been confirmed already, while the Exynos 2600 is still rumored.
That chip did go into mass production already, so it could be ready in time. Based on past usage, the Exynos 2600 could be deployed in Europe, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 could be utilized in the US and China. It remains to be seen, however, whether Samsung may have different plans this time around. Qualcomm confirmed that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will be used in around 75% of the Galaxy S26 series units. Do note that the ‘Ultra’ will use it exclusively. In fact, the Exynos 2600 could be exclusive to South Korea .
A 6.27-inch display is expected, along with up to 16GB of RAM
The device is tipped to utilize LPDDR5X RAM. Multiple storage options will be available, starting at either 256GB. The company is seemingly ditching the 128GB storage model . Samsung will likely go up to 512GB or even 1TB of storage, which is less likely. UFS 4.0 or UFS 4.1 storage will be used, while you won’t be able to expand it via a microSD card. A 6.27-inch display will be used this time around, though we’re not sure about its resolution. It will be slightly larger than its predecessor’s. The Galaxy S25 has a fullHD+ panel, so the Galaxy S26 could stick to that. It will be an LTPO AMOLED display with a 1-120Hz refresh rate, though. HDR10+ will be supported, while the panel will also be plenty bright and flat.
It will have a slightly larger battery than its predecessor
What about its battery? Well, a 4,300mAh unit is rumored , while the Galaxy S25 includes a 4,000mAh unit. So, there may be an upgrade, but not the one people have been expecting. We’ve seen phones of that size with much larger batteries, but Samsung still doesn’t want to use silicon-carbon batteries. It’s clinging to lithium-ion solutions. What about charging? Will we see an improvement there? No, it doesn’t seem like it. The Galaxy S26 is tipped to offer 25W wired charging , the same as its predecessor, which is relatively slow by today’s standards. A new rumor did suggest that 45W charging is coming , so… it all depends on which one ends up being accurate.
We’re hoping Qi2.2 charging will be supported
The good news is that the phone will include magnets on the inside. That gives us hope for Qi2.2 charging. It will either support Qi2 charging with up to 15W wireless charging or Qi2.2 wireless charging with up to 25W wireless charging. Reverse wired charging is also expected, as reverse wireless charging likely won’t be implemented because of the magnets. A charger also won’t be included in the box.
What about the phone’s cameras? Well, most reports said that we won’t be seeing major improvements. Samsung is planning to keep the same camera hardware on this phone as on the Galaxy S25, that includes the selfie camera , too. A tipster referred to the sensor inside that ultrawide camera as a “useless 50MP sensor” , so… we’ll see. A different rumor claims that the same 12-megapixel ultrawide unit will be used, as in the Galaxy S25. That basically means that a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor size) will be included, along with a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (1/2.55-inch sensor size), and a 10-megapixel telephoto unit (1/3.94-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom). Do note that there is a chance that the telephoto camera may get a boost , though, at least based on the latest reports.
A well-known tipster has shared a table that compares the Galaxy S26 specs with the specs of its predecessor. This actually goes to show how little will change between the two. You can see that table below.
Should you wait to buy the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The appeal of this phone will be highly dependent on its price. If Samsung manages to keep the same price tag, it may be quite appealing. It should deliver a performance boost, even though its camera upgrades are questionable. A slightly higher battery is always welcomed, even though we likely won’t get a charging boost along with it. The device will be slightly larger, too. Those of you who wanted to see magnets inside this phone will get their wish. All in all, it seems like a mixed bag thus far, but we’ll see.
