Design: A Shared Appearance
Samsung sticks to its tried-and-true rounded rectangular formula, as all three devices have flat sides. The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s corners are more rounded than the S25 Ultra’s slightly squarish build. The rear camera assembly is different from before, with three cameras in a pill-shaped section, like on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
The Galaxy S26 is the smallest of the trio. It measures 5.89 by 2.82 by 0.28 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.89 ounces, which makes it relatively compact and easy to pocket. The S26+ is in the middle of the pack at 6.24 by 2.98 by 0.29 inches and 6.70 ounces. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the largest, measuring 6.44 by 3.07 by 0.31 inches and weighing 7.55 ounces.
None of these phones offer a microSD card slot for storage expansion or a traditional headphone jack, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra still houses an embedded S Pen. Like last year, this stylus has no Bluetooth. Sorry, Air Actions, fans.
The Galaxy S26 line uses aluminum for its frames, doing away with the titanium found in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Galaxy S26 and S26+ both use Gorilla Armor glass to protect their screens, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra uses Gorilla Armor 2. All three are IP68-rated to withstand dust and water like previous generations.
All three phones come in Black, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, or White; Samsung also offers two online-exclusive finishes, Silver Shadow or Pink Gold.
Winner: Tie
Displays: Small, Medium, or Large
The Galaxy S26 series all feature a flat Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The Galaxy S26 now has a 6.3-inch display at 2,340 by 1,080 pixels (up from the S25's 6.2-inch screen), while the Galaxy S26+ has a 6.7-inch screen at 3,120 by 1,440 pixels.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)The Ultra’s 6.9-inch display has a resolution of 3,120 by 1,440 pixels, the same resolution as the S26+. The most eye-catching new feature is its Privacy Display, which limits the screen’s viewing angle so people cannot see it from off-angle. This feature can be applied to the entire screen or just portions to hide your notifications from prying eyes. In our review, we found the Privacy Display could sometimes get in the way of everyday usability.
Samsung includes an upgraded version of its Pro Scaler technology, which upscales source content to match your screen’s resolution. This new edition is richer and sharper than before.
Winner: S26 Ultra
Power: The Latest, Fastest Chips
Every Galaxy S26 is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip. This processor offers a 39% increase in NPU performance, a 24% increase in GPU performance, and a 19% increase in CPU performance compared with the last-generation chip found in the Galaxy S25 line.
All three are offered with 12GB of RAM, while the Ultra is also available with 16GB. For storage, all three are available with 256GB or 512GB. The Ultra adds a 1TB option.
In testing, the three phones scored very closely together. Benchmark results were nearly identical across the board. In other words, one isn't necessarily faster or more powerful than the others.
Winner: Tie
Connectivity: All Galaxy S26 Models Are Not Equal
Each Galaxy S26 model can connect to sub-6GHz 5G networks, but the Galaxy S26+ and S26 Ultra also add support for mmWave 5G, the fastest form of 5G available. This is a change from last year, as all three of those models support both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G.
When tested on Verizon's network, all three phones performed equally well, with top download speeds near 700Mbps. They also did well on Wi-Fi.
Winner: Tie (S26 Ultra, S26+)
Cameras: The Ultra Pulls Away
The Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26+ share the same camera array. On the back, they have a 50MP main shooter at an f/1.8 aperture, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Ultra features a 200MP f/1.4 main camera, a 50MP f/1.9 ultra-wide lens, a 50MP f/2.9 telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Samsung says the 200MP camera is 47% brighter and the 50MP telephoto lens is 38% brighter than before, thanks to their larger apertures.
All three use the same front-facing cameras as the S25 models: a 12MP at an f/2.2 aperture. For video capture, all three models record in 8K resolution at up to 30fps. Samsung touts its video image stabilization, and from what we saw, it delivers results better than gimbal-quality.
The Ultra's extra resolution and expanded telephoto lens selection give it greater photographic powers. It simply has more reach and collects more information than the S26 and S26+. It's far and away better if you need those features.
Winner: S26 Ultra
Batteries: Big Enough?
Battery capacities of the two larger phones, the Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra, are unchanged from the previous generation. The S26+ has a 4,900mAh cell, and the Ultra has a 5,000mAh cell. The smallest S26 has a 4,300mAh battery, which is larger than the S25’s 4,000mAh battery.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra charges at up to 60W wired (up from 45W) and up to 25W wirelessly. The S26+ supports up to 45W wired (the same as the S25+), and up to 20W wirelessly (up from 15W). The Galaxy S26 charges wirelessly at 15W. All three models are Qi2 compatible, but there are no magnets here. You’ll need to buy a case if you want to experience the magic of magnets.
The Plus model lasts the longest of the three, followed by the S26 Ultra and the S26. But the difference between them is barely 40 minutes: All three phones are clumped right around the 15-hour mark.
Winner: S26+
Software: AI Is Everywhere
All three phones run Android 16 with Samsung’s One UI atop it. These devices will receive seven years of OS updates and seven years of security updates.
Samsung’s loaded the S26 line with all kinds of AI. Photos are editable using prompts within the Gallery app, including changing the time of day and lighting. Audio Eraser still reduces background noise within the Gallery app, but now also works in third-party apps like Instagram, Netflix, and YouTube.
The new S26 line focuses on using AI as an agent. For example, you could ask it to “Book me an Uber to the Airport,” and the phone will launch Uber, initiate the search, and ping you when it’s time to make a ride choice.
Circle to Search by Google and Google Gemini are onboard, along with Samsung’s homegrown assistant, Bixby.
Winner: Tie
Verdict: Which Galaxy S26 Is Right for You?
Your phone needs to work for you, not someone else, so be sure to pick a model that suits your needs:
- If you want the Galaxy with the most storage, only the Galaxy S26 Ultra offers up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
- If you want a smaller, more pocketable phone, the Galaxy S26 is the way to go.
- If you want a big phone but don’t care about the S Pen, the Galaxy S26+ could be for you.
As always, your budget and network availability should inform your decision-making. Apart from the camera and the option for more storage offered by the Ultra, the three phones perform nearly the same across the board. In other words, you really can't go wrong.