The Samsung Galaxy S26 collection is out, so naturally, it’s the speak of the city. Samsung often passes “brand-new flagships” with iterative upgrades as shiny must-haves to the plenty, however not this time. The S26 fashions may appear to be final yr’s telephones with rounded corners and slimmer our bodies — whereas resembling the design language of the Pixel 10 collection a bit of too carefully — however there are many new options to look ahead to.
Samsung can colour me impressed by the modern privateness display screen know-how, which lets customers stop snoops from peeking at their units with out having to put money into a privateness display screen protector. However aside from its unbelievable show tech, Samsung continues to lean closely on the software program facet.
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In the present day’s finest Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 offers
The road between the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 is thinner than ever earlier than
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This isn’t a brand new course Samsung is headed. The Korean smartphone producer has been making a giant hullabaloo about AI options for the reason that Galaxy S24 launch. It is the place all main smartphones have been headed for some time now.
AI has paved the best way for extremely succesful and intuitive new instruments and options in fashionable telephones. Agentic AI is engaged on advancing automations powered by AI to an entire new degree. We are able to now use pure language with our AI assistants and do extra in shorter time frames.
Google pioneered the idea of AI being the guts and soul of a telephone’s coveted options with the Pixel 6 and the primary Tensor chipset. Options like Magic Eraser and Dwell Translate broke the web and confirmed the world that AI processors stood on the heart of innovation within the smartphone trade. Samsung primarily ports these options to its telephones, just like the Galaxy S26, and infrequently advances them much more than the most recent Google telephones, just like the Pixel 10.
(Picture credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Have a look at Circle to Search and Interpreter on the S24 collection, Audio Eraser and AI-suggested replies on the S25 collection, or Inventive Studio, which debuted with the S26 collection. All of those options exist already to some extent on corresponding Google Pixel releases, a few of them with the identical names. Now Nudge appears like Samsung’s model of Magic Cue. Even Samsung’s Now Bar and Now Transient really feel by-product of Google’s At a Look widget.
Notably, Samsung takes Google’s personal options and infrequently makes them even higher. We have seen this steadily over the previous few Galaxy S collection launches, however the hole within the development of such options on Galaxy and Pixel telephones is extra outstanding now than ever.
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Samsung’s Photograph Help helps you to give artistic modifying directions in pure language, and you may even pluck a component from one photograph and mix it into one other. Pixel house owners could make fundamental edits utilizing pure language prompts by way of Ask Photographs/Assist Me Edit in Google Photographs. Nonetheless, the function is not extensively out there, even on Pixel 10 units worldwide. On the time of writing, my Pixel 10 Professional, bought in Malaysia at launch, nonetheless lacks this function.
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Samsung allowed Gemini entry to third-party apps to run duties on Galaxy telephones earlier than Google Pixel telephones. Options like Audio Eraser, Now Bar, Now Nudge, and Photograph Help on the S26 collection show that Galaxy units are extra succesful at options created by Google for Pixel units.
Why you’d purchase a Galaxy S26 over a Pixel 10
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In a method, this makes it simple to justify spending $100-$200 extra on an S26-series telephone than on the Pixel 10, and there are three very strong causes to decide on a Samsung Pixel over a Google Pixel. As I’ve already established, Samsung is not simply copying and pasting Google’s AI options; it is bettering them.
The second purpose is pure, unadulterated energy. There isn’t any doubt in regards to the uncooked processing prowess of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset discovered within the S26 collection. Android Central’s Harish Jonnalagadda pitted the SoC in opposition to Google’s Tensor G5, and the Qualcomm chipset was clearly the higher performer. Relating to uncooked energy for gaming and processor-heavy duties like multitasking, anybody would choose a Samsung flagship over a Google one.
The third and remaining purpose hits near house. As a lover of magnetic Qi2 and all of the wonders it allows, it is powerful to face the music: loads of individuals do not care that the S26 collection doesn’t have it. We requested our readers whether or not it is a dealbreaker if the Galaxy S26 does not have built-in Qi2 magnets. Of 1,100 responses, over 50% mentioned the shortage of magnetic charging is a dealbreaker, whereas 35% mentioned it does not matter. To a big chunk of the patron base, the shortage of native Qi2 magnetic charging is of no consequence, particularly once you’re prone to throw a case on the telephone anyway.
Why I nonetheless choose Google’s Pixel over Samsung’s Pixel, however most individuals should not
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We’re two years in since I wrote about Samsung making a Pixel, so you do not have to purchase one. On the time, I felt like Samsung was imitating Google however beating them at their very own sport.
Google is performing markedly higher within the Android telephone house now. I’m as soon as once more primarily driving a Pixel day by day, regardless of the Pixel 6, which was a fiasco in the long term.
From the Finest Take function to unique choices like Direct My Name in Pixel Name Help, the Pixel 10 has loads of glorious AI options that preserve issues attention-grabbing and are the rationale I preserve coming again. I’m obsessive about the Now Taking part in widget on the lock display screen that immediately reveals what tune is being performed round me. I like that I can yell “STOP!” at a ringing alarm to close it up with out having to set something up within the Google Assistant app.
However most significantly, I get native magnetic Qi2 constructed into my Pixel 10 Professional. As somebody who tinkers with smartphone equipment for a residing, I worth this function considerably greater than privateness display screen tech, even when I am not within the majority.
Pixel, however make it Galaxy
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By going all in on Galaxy AI, incorporating extra Gemini options, Samsung is undoubtedly beating Google Pixels at their very own sport. Most typical individuals with jobs not like mine are a lot better off with a Samsung flagship. They do not miss out on any of the flashiest “Pixel-exclusive” goodies. As a substitute, the Galaxy S26 comes with extra superior AI options that make the Pixel 10 stand out.
Within the phrases of our managing editor, Derrek Lee, even when Samsung is reheating Google’s nachos, it is no less than giving them its personal aptitude and including its personal sauce.
Even I’ve to confess I’d have reconsidered my Pixel 10 Professional buy had the S26 been launched on the identical time. If I had an additional $100 or $200 to spare, I simply may’ve opted for the Galaxy over the Pixel. In any case, an affordable and efficient magnetic ring sticker can remedy my want for magnetic Qi2 as a substitute.
