Samsung Galaxy S26: Has it lost its throne?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a compact flagship that stands out primarily for its new 2-nm Exynos 2600 processor, a slightly larger 6.3-inch display, and a battery capacity increased to 4,300 mAh. In testing, it makes a high-quality impression: The build is very well-crafted, IP68-certified, and finished to a premium standard with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and a matte aluminum frame. At the same time, the features aren’t entirely up to date in every respect, as UWB is missing and Samsung relies solely on Bluetooth 5.4, even though the chip is capable of more. The OLED panel is one of the device’s strengths, as it is very bright, evenly lit, and delivers convincing colors in “Natural” mode. However, the brightness control still uses PWM at 240 or 480 Hz, which may be noticeable to sensitive users. The user experience is also well-executed: the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor responds quickly and accurately, touch inputs are responsive, and the function key can be assigned to useful functions.

The S26 delivers plenty of performance. The Exynos 2600 ensures a very smooth user experience in everyday use, with powerful AI capabilities, good graphics performance, and solid benchmark scores. Under prolonged heavy use, however, a classic issue with compact flagship devices becomes apparent: temperatures rise significantly, and performance drops noticeably under sustained load. While the device remains fast during normal use, its thermal headroom is limited. The camera has changed little compared to its predecessor. The system, consisting of a 50-MPix main camera, telephoto lens, and ultra-wide-angle lens, delivers decent photos with balanced color reproduction, but there’s no real leap forward in either detail or dynamic range. The video capabilities also remain conservative: 8K at 30 fps and 4K at 60 fps are possible, but the new APV codec is not available. As for the battery, the increased capacity improves performance, but doesn’t result in exceptional battery life, and at 25 watts, the S26 (buy here on Amazon) still charges rather slowly. Overall, it’s a very solid smartphone that has been developed with deliberate caution, impressing particularly in terms of display, build quality, and everyday performance.