Nice typically is not adequate, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus is probably the prime instance of this.
To spoil this overview early, I just like the S26 Plus lots. However it’s exhausting to clarify why you’d go for this as a substitute of the cheaper Galaxy S26, or extra fully-specced Galaxy S26 Extremely. Or for that matter, why the S26 Plus as a substitute of an iPhone or a Pixel.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Specs
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Galaxy S26 Plus
Beginning value
$1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849
Show
6.7-inch AMOLED (3120 x 1440)
Refresh price
1 – 120Hz
Rear cameras
50MP principal (f/1.8), 12MP ultrawide (F/2.2), 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4)
Entrance cameras
12MP selfie (f/2.2)
Chipset
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy / Exynos 2600 (market dependent)
RAM
12GB
Storage
256GB, 512GB
Battery
4,900 mAh
Charging
45W wired, 25W wi-fi
Working system
Android 16 with One UI 8.5
Water/mud resistance
IP68
Measurement
158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm (6.24 x 2.98 x 0.29 inches)
Weight
190 grams (6.7 ounces)
Colours
Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White (Silver Shadow, Pink Gold on-line solely)
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Value and availability
Official gross sales for the Samsung Galaxy S26 collection started on March 11, 2026, with the most affordable model of the Galaxy S26 Plus costing $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849. That sadly means a value hike for U.S., U.Ok. and Australian patrons in comparison with the Galaxy S25 Plus.
In the present day’s greatest Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus offers
It places the S26 Plus in an uncommon place. The subsequent step up in Samsung’s steady, the Galaxy S26 Extremely, is just not that rather more costly, at $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,199. And the Galaxy S26, which is smaller however in any other case equivalent to the Plus, is available in at a extra affordable $899 / £879 / AU$1,549.
The iPhone 17 Professional is similar value (or cheaper in AU$) because the S26 Plus, however is a smaller machine, whereas the iPhone 17 Professional Max or Google Pixel 10 Professional XL, each extra comparable in measurement to the Plus, value just a few hundred bucks/quid extra.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Design
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
Samsung elected to maintain the Galaxy S26 Plus and base S26 roughly the identical because the S25 and S25 Plus fashions that we had final 12 months, with the one large distinction being a brand new stadium-shaped block that elevates the lenses from the again panel. It is sufficient to make it an clearly completely different telephone from the again, however the general look remains to be unmistakably Samsung.
You may choose up the S26 Plus (or any S26 mannequin for that matter) in Black, White, Cobalt Violet and Sky Blue. The black unit I’ve been testing is enticing sufficient, however each the violet and blue choices appear to strike the right steadiness between eye-catching and sensible.
The Galaxy S26 Plus’ measurement and weight is equivalent to these of the S25 Plus from final 12 months, as are the sturdiness specs of an IP68 mud/water resistance score and using toughened Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back and front. Whereas an replace to GG Armor 2 glass, because the S26 Extremely makes use of, would have been welcome, I would not wish to encourage Samsung so as to add extra options that will have elevated the worth even additional.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Show
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
The 6.7-inch display screen on the Galaxy S26 Plus, with a pointy QHD decision and a 1 – 120Hz refresh price, sits properly between the smaller, lower-res 6.3-inch show on the Galaxy S26, and the bigger 6.9-inch panel on the Extremely. There isn’t any Privateness Show on the Plus. Samsung’s reserved its groundbreaking anti-snooper characteristic for the Extremely solely.
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Galaxy S26 Plus (vivid/pure)
iPhone 17 Professional Max
Pixel 10 Professional XL (adaptive/pure)
Peak brightness (nits)
1,928
1,899
2,555
sRGB coloration gamut protection (%)
151.7 131.9
109.6
125.7/103.7
DCI-P3 coloration gamut protection (%)
107.5 93.4
77.6
89/73.4
Delta-e coloration accuracy (decrease is best)
0.22 0.29
0.26
0.29/0.21
Luckily, wanting on the benchmark figures exhibits that this center baby of the S26 household really performs brilliantly even with out Samsung’s newest tech.
In its default Vivid coloration profile, the S26 Plus is brighter, extra colourful and extra correct than the iPhone 17 Professional Max. It beats the Pixel 10 Professional XL on coloration protection and accuracy too, though Google’s Tremendous Actua show tech stays unbeaten on the brightness entrance.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Cameras
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
The Galaxy S26 Plus inherits the Galaxy S25 Plus’ digicam {hardware}, with just some minor alterations on the software program facet for upgrades.
On your principal images wants, the S26 Plus gives 50MP principal, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto cameras, together with a 12MP selfie on the entrance. That is precisely the identical set-up because the Galaxy S26 has, with solely the 3x telephoto and selfie shooters shared with the Extremely.
To check the Galaxy S26 Plus’ picture high quality, I put it up in opposition to the closest equal telephones from Apple and Google — the iPhone 17 Professional max and Pixel 10 Professional XL. And for a location, I had the great fortune to be in Barcelona for MWC 2026, which offered quite a few lovely backdrops for my images.
Let’s start with a principal digicam shot of Barcelona’s most well-known resident, the Sagrada Família. The Samsung’s picture seems to be slightly boring in comparison with the brighter iPhone shot, which additionally provides hotter colours to assist carry the perfect out of this lengthy under-construction basilica.
On this second principal shot, this time in opposition to the Pixel and pointing on the Royal Palace of Pedralbes, we see the Galaxy is the brighter. Nevertheless, it would not seize as a lot of the colour because the Pixel does, making this golden orange palace look far much less regal.
Transferring to the ultrawide digicam, now we have this picture, wanting up in the back of Casa Batlló from its terrace. The iPhone shot is vibrant, however nonetheless sharp. The Galaxy’s providing is slightly boring and fuzzy, because it has to make do with a 12MP ultrawide digicam somewhat than a 48MP or 50MP one like most different top-tier telephones on provide have at the moment.
Now we’ll take a look at the zoom efficiency, beginning with the 2x mode that the Galaxy S26 Plus provides constructed into its principal digicam.
This collection of pillars on the Palau de la Música Catalana look darkish by way of the lens of the Galaxy, which hurts each the brighter mosaic element on the pillars and the visibility of the shadows in comparison with the iPhone. However there’s higher distinction within the brighter zones of the Galaxy S26 Plus’ picture, letting you higher admire the distinction between the person tiles on the pillars.
This zoom shot of an elaborate road lamp in opposition to the Pixel was taken with each telephones’ telephoto cameras. And we are able to see that the Pixel’s pic is way hotter than the Galaxy’s. The S26 Plus additionally suffers due to its decrease 3x magnification, the Pixel’s telephoto provides 5x, which suggests the Galaxy suffers on the element entrance as effectively.
For our remaining rear digicam comparability, I cranked each telephones’ principal cameras as much as their most resolutions (50MP for the Galaxy, 48MP for the iPhone) for this view down the north facet of Montjuïc. On this hi-res shot, the Galaxy is the extra saturated, serving to vibrant parts just like the pillars and towers additional down the hill. It is also slightly sharper than the iPhone’s shot, extra so than I might anticipate for the small distinction of their sensor decision.
We end with some portrait selfies, during which the Galaxy S26 Plus continues Samsung’s streak of being the one flagship telephone producer that constantly captures round glasses with its bokeh impact. The iPhone hasn’t achieved a nasty job right here, and has depicted me with a extra flattering pores and skin tone, however the Samsung clearly stays the telephone of alternative for selfie-happy spectacles-wearers.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Efficiency
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
How highly effective the Galaxy S26 Plus is depends upon the place you purchase it. The mannequin out there within the U.S., and the one we carried out our full benchmarking on, makes use of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Nevertheless in most nations, together with the U.Ok. the place I am based mostly, the S26 Plus makes use of the Samsung Exynos 2600.
Samsung is happy with this chip, because it’s the primary smartphone silicon to be constructed on a 2-nanometre course of, making it extra compact than 3nm chips such because the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 utilized in most different 2026 flagship Android telephones, or Apple’s A19 chips from the iPhone 17 collection. However you should still favor the Snapdragon version.
The figures beneath present how, with a Snapdragon chip put in, the S26 Plus outdoes its two principal rivals fairly handily. The one exception is single-core efficiency, the place the iPhone wins, however not by a lot. The Exynos model nonetheless beats the competitors on the identical metrics, simply not by such a excessive margin.
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Galaxy S26 Plus
iPhone 17 Professional Max
Google Pixel 10 Professional XL
Chipset
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
(Exynos 2600)
A19 Professional
Tensor G5
Geekbench 6 rating (single-core / multi-core)
3,725 / 11,121
(2,975/10,303)
3,871 / 9,968
2,322 / 6,286
3DMark Wild Life Excessive Limitless (rating / fps)
7,518 / 45.02
(6,464/38.7)
5,855 / 35.03
3,462 / 20.73
I used to be anxious I might have main criticisms of my Exynos-powered mannequin as a result of I could not get my present check sport, Future Rising, to work with out the telephone crashing or freezing. Once I lastly acquired the sport working after a full reinstall, it ran positive, though not as easily at max graphics settings as the most recent Snapdragon telephones I’ve tried.
The usual Galaxy S26 Plus comes with 256GB of storage, however you possibly can spec 512GB if you’d like extra room. Whichever capability you choose, you additionally get 12GB RAM, a plentiful provide of reminiscence for multi-tasking and AI purposes, however maybe one of many largest explanation why the S26 collection has suffered a value enhance.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Battery life and charging
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
Samsung has left the 4,900 mAh of the Galaxy S25 Plus unchanged for the S26 Plus, which stays slightly small for a telephone of this measurement. Samsung manages to squeeze essentially the most out of it although, with the S26 Plus reaching a 13 hour, 13 minute consequence within the TG battery check.
It is a affordable consequence, however not an amazing one in comparison with the iPhone 17 Professional Max’s 17:54 or the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s 14:09. Samsung’s different new telephones do not assist issues both, with the S26 Extremely lasting 16:10, regardless of having solely a 100 mAh bigger battery. Nonetheless, the Plus’ battery life remains to be higher than the vanilla S26 mannequin, which lasted 11:28.
Fortunately Samsung does higher on the charging entrance. The 45W wired charging fills the S26 Plus to 40% in quarter-hour and 71% in half-hour, which is quicker than the iPhone (64% in 30 minutes at 40W). 25W wi-fi charging is on provide too, however if you’d like the total Qi2 magnetic expertise, you will want so as to add a case to your S26 Plus.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: AI and software program options
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
Taking Android 16 as a base, the Galaxy S26 Plus runs on Samsung’s One UI 8.5 pores and skin, with Galaxy AI and its numerous options sprinkled excessive.
Constructing on earlier Galaxy S and Z telephones’ earlier AI instruments, the S26 collection has gained a handful of latest options, comparable to Now Nudge. This pops up doubtlessly helpful data as you kind, like occasions or reminders associated to what you are discussing — type of like an advanced model of the long-running telephone potential to share 2FA codes straight out of your e-mail or messages. It is my favourite type of AI — unobtrusive however able to floor what you want whenever you want it.
Sadly, the Galaxy S26’s new automated app actions device with Gemini is just not coming within the U.Ok. in the intervening time. However from what my American colleagues skilled of it, the under-development model appears promising, giving the person the ability to hail experience share companies or make meals orders with simply voice instructions.
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
Different highlights from the Galaxy AI portfolio embrace screenshot categorization, the Picture Help modifying mode, that allows you to make adjustments to your photographs with textual content prompts, or the Artistic Studio app for full picture era which you could then flip into customized sticker units and invitations. One of the attention-grabbing nonetheless is one that would tempt you away from Google’s Gemini and in direction of the much-maligned Bixby.
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
Now sporting a partnership with AI search product Perplexity, Bixby can alter your machine’s settings in your behalf, or conduct net searches (through Samsung’s personal Web browser app, in fact) in response to your questions. All stuff you will have seen earlier than with different AI companies, however nonetheless good to have constructed straight into your telephone.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Verdict
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)
I prefer to think about the type of one that would wish to purchase a telephone as I wrap up a overview, however I am combating the Galaxy S26 Plus. It is not a case of it being a nasty telephone — it does every little thing you can ask of a premium Samsung telephone. However the audience feels very slender.
On its face, the S26 Plus nonetheless seems to be like good worth in comparison with different flagship telephones out there at the moment for those who’re purely concerned about display screen area, even accounting for the upper value
For images or battery life, the Extremely does it higher, whereas additionally providing distinctive parts like its Privateness Show. For efficiency, or AI options, the usual S26 does all the identical issues because the S26 Plus, however for much less cash.
So I finally need to declare the Galaxy S26 Plus a very good telephone — however one I will not advocate immediately to many individuals. The S26 Extremely’s going to really feel like a a lot larger improve whichever telephone you are coming from and the usual Galaxy S26 is the higher choose by way of worth.
In the present day’s greatest Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus offers
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Value Comparability
