Worth: Pixel Undercuts Samsung—However Learn the High quality Print
Left to proper: Galaxy S26 Extremely, S26+, and Galaxy S26 (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
Discover High Offers on a Galaxy S26
$999.99 at
Amazon$1,099.99
Save $100.00
$799.99 at
Amazon$899.99
Save $100.00
There are a complete of six telephones between these two lineups, not counting the Pixel 10a. The S26 begins at $899.99, the S26+ begins at $1,099.99, and the S26 Extremely begins at $1,299.99. All three include not less than 256GB of storage; larger capacities price extra.
In the meantime, the Pixel 10 begins at $799, the Pixel 10 Professional begins at $999, and the Pixel 10 Professional XL begins at $1,119. Be aware that the Pixel 10 and 10 Professional base fashions include simply 128GB of storage. Their 256GB variants price $100 extra, placing their costs extra in keeping with the Galaxy S26 and S26+.
Left to proper: Pixel 10 Professional XL, Pixel 10 Professional, Pixel 10 (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
Rating Financial savings on a Pixel 10
$849.00 at
Amazon$1,099.00
Save $250.00
$749.00 at
Amazon$899.00
Save $150.00
The S26 Extremely with 1TB of storage is priced at an eye-watering $1,799.99. A 1TB Google Pixel 10 Professional XL is $1,549. The Pixel 10 sequence prices lower than the Galaxy S26 lineup and notches its first win.
Winner: Pixel 10
Design: Two Distinct Appears, One Acquainted Components
Samsung and Google make it simple to determine their telephones from the again as a result of, from the entrance, all of them appear like rounded rectangular slabs.
Left to proper: Galaxy S26 Extremely, S26+, Galaxy S26 (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
The Galaxy S26 measures 5.89 by 2.82 by 0.28 inches (HWD), and weighs 5.89 ounces; the 6.7-inch Galaxy S26+ is 6.24 by 2.98 by 0.29 inches, and weighs 6.70 ounces; and the Galaxy S26 Extremely is 6.44 by 3.07 by 0.31 inches, and weighs 7.55 ounces.
The Pixel 10 is 6.02 by 2.83 by 0.34 inches and seven.20 ounces. The ten Professional shares the identical dimensions as the ten, however weighs 7.30 ounces. The ten Professional XL is an enormous cellphone at 6.41 by 3.02 by 0.33 inches and eight.18 ounces. In relation to skinny and light-weight, the Samsung sequence is thinner, and its telephones weigh lower than their Pixel counterparts.
Left to proper: Pixel 10 Professional XL, Pixel 10 Professional, Pixel 10 (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
All of those telephones are rated IP68 for mud and water resistance and have aluminum frames. Samsung covers its S26 and S26+ screens in Corning Gorilla Glass Armor, whereas the S26 Extremely will get Gorilla Armor 2. Google makes use of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 throughout all Pixel 10s.
The again of each Samsung S26 options three cameras in a vertical pill-shaped riser, whereas the S26 Extremely provides two rounded sensors to the correct. The Pixel sequence options Google’s Digital camera Bar, an rectangular digicam bump that runs horizontally throughout the again panel.
As for colours, the Galaxy S26 is available in Black, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, or White with Silver Shadow and Pink Gold choices accessible on-line solely. The Pixel 10 is available in Frost (mild blue), Indigo (deep blue), Lemongrass (mild inexperienced), or Obsidian (black). The Professional fashions are available in Jade (mild inexperienced), Moonstone (grayish), Obsidian (black), or Porcelain (white).
Type is subjective, so resolve which pleases your eyes.
Winner: Tie
Shows: Shiny Panels—and One Genuinely New Trick
Left to proper: Galaxy S26 Extremely, S26+, Galaxy S26 (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
See the chart for all the small print, however be aware that the Pixel 10 sequence has the next most brightness (3,300 nits), whereas the S26 Extremely has the biggest display (6.9 inches). Irrespective of which machine you select, you’ll get crisp particulars and easy animations. The Pixel 10 is the one machine right here that doesn’t help a 1-120Hz refresh fee.
Left to proper: Pixel 10 Professional XL, Pixel 10 Professional, Pixel 10 (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Extremely has a novel function referred to as the Privateness Show, which might slender the viewing angle to forestall folks from studying over your shoulder and even from proper subsequent to you. Privateness Show expertise may obscure the display on an app-by-app foundation and/or on parts of the display, akin to notifications. That is actual innovation, which supplies the S26 Extremely the win, even when it generally will get in the way in which of on a regular basis life.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely First Look: The AI Powerhouse Plus a New Show
Winner: Galaxy S26
Efficiency: Quick Is Simply Desk Stakes
Each Galaxy S26 mannequin is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, a custom-made chip not discovered within the competitors. All fashions provide not less than 12GB of RAM, however the 1TB S26 Extremely comes with 16GB.
The Pixel 10 sequence makes use of Google’s homegrown Tensor G5 processor, custom-built for AI functions. I discovered the Pixel 10’s efficiency vastly superior to the Pixel 9 sequence. Moreover, the Pixel 10 comes with 12GB of RAM, whereas the 2 Professional fashions have 16GB.
In testing, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 merely dominates the Tensor 5G. It is not even shut. You possibly can see the leads to the desk beneath:
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Winner: Galaxy S26
Cameras: High-Tier Pictures and Video
Galaxy S26 digicam modules (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
The Galaxy S26 and S26+ use the identical {hardware} discovered on their predecessors. That may be a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide digicam, and a 10MP telephoto digicam with 3x optical zoom. The S26 Extremely encompasses a 200MP primary digicam, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, a 50MP telephoto digicam with 5x optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto digicam with 3x optical zoom. All Galaxy S26 gadgets use the identical 12MP front-facing digicam.
Pixel 10 sequence digicam modules (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
The Pixel 10 has a 48MP primary digicam, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, and a ten.8MP telephoto digicam with 5x optical zoom. For front-facing cameras, the Pixel 10 has a ten.5MP selfie cam, whereas the Execs have a 42MP half.
For video recording, all Galaxy S26 telephones shoot at as much as 8K decision at 30 frames per second (fps), whereas the Pixel 10 sequence shoots at as much as 4K at 60fps. Pixel 10 Professional fashions can produce 8K video at 30fps by processing uploaded footage.
The Galaxy S and Pixel telephones are among the many greatest on this planet at taking photographs and recording video, and that is true of the S26 and Pixel 10 gadgets. In order for you barely larger saturation and extra pixel-rich outcomes, the Galaxy S sequence wins. Then again, the Pixel 10 telephones ship extra correct colour (particularly darker pores and skin tones), higher processing, and provide extra after-the-fact enhancing instruments.
Winner: Tie
Battery and Charging: Quicker Speeds Value Extra
Pixel 10 Professional XL on a Pixelsnap charger (Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Each cellphone right here expenses at a minimal of 25W wired and 15W wirelessly. Wired and wi-fi charging charges enhance as cellphone costs rise. Check out the chart beneath for battery specifics. Each Pixel 10 helps Google’s PixelSnap magnetic charging expertise, whereas not one of the S26 telephones have magnets in-built.
Beneficial by Our Editors
In our battery exams, the Galaxy S26 telephones win throughout the board with a median battery lifetime of 15 hours and 10 minutes. In the meantime, the Pixel 10 lasted 12 hours and 40 minutes, the ten Professional lasted 12 hours and 40 minutes, and the ten Professional XL ran for 12 hours and 35 minutes.
Winner: Galaxy S26
Software program: With AI In every single place, Philosophy Issues
Each units of telephones run Android 16, whereas Samsung provides its One UI layer atop it. Each provide a wealth of AI instruments, together with prompt-based picture enhancing, voice transcription, and summarization. Samsung and Google are software program companions, and the S26 options a complicated model of Circle to Search that identifies a number of gadgets from one image. Each corporations help their telephones with seven years of OS updates and 7 years of privateness updates.
Google prompt-based picture enhancing (Credit score: Google/PCMag)
This can be a matter of non-public desire. For those who worth productiveness, chances are you’ll desire Samsung’s superior multitasking, or chances are you’ll assume Magic Cue, Google’s proactive assistant that offers you data earlier than you want it, is healthier in your wants. In order for you the quickest updates, the Pixel sequence will get each new Android function earlier than every other Android cellphone.
Magic Cue (Credit score: Iyaz Akhtar)
On the non-AI entrance, the Galaxy S26 helps DeX, which helps you to connect the cellphone to a monitor and keyboard for a desktop-like expertise. Desktop mode is coming to Android as an entire, however it isn’t an official function of the Pixel 10.
Winner: Tie
Extras: Stylus, SIM Technique, and 5G Nuances
There are a number of different issues that don’t match simply into one part, however are value contemplating.
Galaxy S26 Extremely with S Pen (Credit score: Eric Zeman)
The Galaxy S26 Extremely is the one machine right here that helps a stylus—its embedded S Pen. The S26 telephones nonetheless help bodily SIM playing cards and eSIM, however the Pixel 10 is eSIM-only (in North America). For 5G, all three Pixels, in addition to the S26+ and S26 Extremely, help sub-6GHz and mmWave. The S26 helps solely sub-6GHz 5G. The S26 can be the one one in every of these telephones that does not help ultra-wideband and Wi-Fi 7.
Winner: Tie
The Verdict: It Comes Right down to Energy Customers vs. Purists
There’s rather a lot to contemplate right here. Every household of gadgets has its execs and cons. Much more complicated, the person alternatives inside the Pixel 10 lineup and Galaxy S26 household compete with each other.
For those who love multitasking or need your cellphone to double as a full pc, the Galaxy S26 is the way in which to go.
In order for you each new Android function—together with AI—as quickly as attainable, choose a Pixel.
For those who love magnetic charging, the Pixel 10 sequence has it. You’d want a case for the S26 sequence for a similar perform.
For those who love funky new tech, the Galaxy S26 Extremely is the one cellphone with a built-in Privateness Show.
Which one do you want? You should definitely tell us within the feedback.
