For several years now, the trend has been towards XXL slabs. Difficult for small hands to find a smartphone in their size. The bad news is that the race for the biggest winner is not about to run out of steam. The good news is that two segments are emerging: on the one hand, large models, driven in particular by the democratization of folding models. On the other, the return to more compact formats. The Galaxy S26, marketed in France since March 11, puts compactness back at the center of the game. 167 grams, 7.2 millimeters thick, 6.3 inches. It’s light, it’s thin and it fits in your pocket.
The question remains whether the new high-end smartphone from the Korean brand is worth the asking price, up around a hundred euros compared to the S25. Samsung cites the shortage of RAM and the general increase in component costs. The argument is admissible, but it is not always enough to make the pill go away.
| Galaxy S26 | Galaxy S26+ | Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| écran | – 6.3 inch Infinity-O screen – Dynamic AMOLED 2X – Flat screen have 20:9 format – Définition Full HD+ (2340×1080, 411ppp) – Luminosité de 2600 nits – HDR10+ – LPTO 1-120Hz – 240Hz Touch Sensor – Gorilla Glass 2 – Punch in the center |
– 6.7 inch Infinity-O screen – Dynamic AMOLED 2X – Flat screen have 20:9 format – Définition QHD+ (3120×1440 516ppp) – Luminosité de 2600 nits – HDR10+ – LPTO 1-120Hz – 240Hz Touch Sensor – Gorilla Glass 2 – Punch in the center |
– 6.9 inch Infinity-O screen – Dynamic AMOLED 2X – Privacy Display – Flat screen have 20:9 format – QHD+ definition (3120×1440, 499ppp) – Luminosité de 2600 nits – HDR10+ – LPTO 1-120Hz – 240Hz Touch Sensor – Gorilla Glass Armor 2 – Punch in the center |
| Design | – Reinforced aluminum surround – Dos en verre Gorilla Glass Victus 2 – IP68 |
– Reinforced aluminum surround – Dos en verre Gorilla Glass Victus 2 – IP68 |
– Reinforced aluminum surround – Dos en verre Gorilla Glass Victus 2 – IP68 – Storage space for the S Pen |
| SoC and GPU | – Exynos 2600 – 2nm engraving |
– Exynos 2600 – 2nm engraving |
– Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 – GPU Adreno 840 |
| Memory | – 12Go the RAM – 256GB or 512GB of storage – No Micro-SD port |
– 12Go the RAM – 256GB or 512GB of storage – No Micro-SD port |
– 12Go or 16Go of RAM – 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage – No Micro-SD port |
| Colors | РNoir РViolet РBleu РBlanc РOr Rose (Exclusivit̩ Samsung.com) РSilver (Samsung.com Exclusive) |
РNoir РViolet РBleu РBlanc РOr Rose (Exclusivit̩ Samsung.com) РSilver (Samsung.com Exclusive) |
РNoir РViolet РBleu РBlanc РOr Rose (Exclusivit̩ Samsung.com) РSilver (Samsung.com Exclusive) |
| Camera | – 50 MP main sensor, 23mm, f/1.8 aperture and Optical Stabilization – 3x telephoto sensor of 10 MP, 69mm, 36°, F/2.4 aperture and Optical Stabilization – 50 MP, 13mm, 120° ultra-wide-angle sensor and F/2.2 aperture – Dual Pixel Autofocus on all cameras – Automatic HDR photo – Capture vidéo 8K à 30fps – Mode Single Shot – 12 MP front sensor, 25mm, 80°, f/2.2 aperture |
– 50 MP main sensor, 23mm, f/1.8 aperture and Optical Stabilization – 3x telephoto sensor of 10 MP, 69mm, 36°, F/2.4 aperture and Optical Stabilization – 50 MP, 13mm, 120° ultra-wide-angle sensor and F/2.2 aperture – Dual Pixel Autofocus on all cameras – Automatic HDR photo – Capture vidéo 8K à 30fps – Mode Single Shot – 12 MP front sensor, 25mm, 80°, f/2.2 aperture |
– 200 MP main sensor (12 MP, 50 MP or 200 MP output), 23 mm, f/1.4 aperture, Quad Pixel, Optical Stabilization and Phase Detection Autofocus – No. 1 3x telephoto sensor of 10 MP, 69mm, 36°, F/2.4 aperture, Optical Stabilization and Dual Pixel Autofocus – Telephoto sensor n°2 5x of 50 MP, 115mm, 22°, Aperture of F/2.9, Optical Stabilization and Dual Pixel Autofocus – 50 MP, 13mm, 120° ultra-wide-angle sensor, F/1.9 aperture and Dual Pixel Autofocus – Automatic HDR photo – Capture vidéo 8K à 30fps – Mode Single Shot – 12 MP front sensor, 25mm, 80°, f/2.2 aperture |
| Audio | – AKG stereo speaker – Dolby Atmos – no 3.5mm jack |
– AKG stereo speaker – Dolby Atmos – no 3.5mm jack |
– AKG stereo speaker – Dolby Atmos – no 3.5mm jack |
| Battery | – 4300 mAh – Super Fast Charging 45W – Port USB-C – Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 10W – Wireless Powershare |
– 4900 mAh – Super Fast Charging 45W – Port USB-C – Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 10W – Wireless Powershare |
– 5000 mAh – Super Fast Charging 60W – Port USB-C – Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 25W – Wireless Powershare |
| Connectivit̩ | РUltrasonic fingerprint reader under the screen РBluetooth 5.4 РWiFi 7 Р2x nano-SIM Р5G sub-6 |
– Ultrasonic fingerprint reader under the screen – Bluetooth 6.0 – WiFi 7 – Ultra Wide Band – 2x nano-SIM – 5G sub-6 |
– Ultrasonic fingerprint reader under the screen – Bluetooth 6.0 – WiFi 7 – Ultra Wide Band – 2x nano-SIM – 5G sub-6 – Support S Pen |
| Software | – Android 16 – One UI 8.5 – Samsung DeX |
– Android 16 – One UI 8.5 – Samsung DeX |
– Android 16 – One UI 8.5 – Samsung DeX |
| Size and Weight | – 146,6 x 71,7 x 7,2 mm – 167g |
– 158,4 x 75,8 x 7,3 mm – 190g |
– 163,6 x 78,1 x 7,9 mm – 214g |
| Prix | – S26 256Go : 999 euros – S26 512Go : 1199 euros |
– S26+ 256Go : 1269 Euros – S26+ 512Go : 1469 Euros |
– S26 Ultra 256Go : 1469 Euros – S26 Ultra 512Go : 1669 Euros – S26 Ultra 1To : 1969 Euros |
| Availability data | – 11 Mars 2026 | – 11 Mars 2026 | – 11 Mars 2026 |
Design and screen: attention to detail
The first thing that strikes you when you take the S26 out of its box is its size. The smartphone is one of the lightest Android flagships on the market in this diagonaland it is immediately felt in the hand. The new photo block integrated into a unified unit is minimalist, the result cleaner, more elegant. The edges are flat, the Armor aluminum frame… without completely denying the aesthetics of the Galaxy S range, we are on a confident product, which plays on simplicity in terms of design. The IP68 certification completes the picture, with guaranteed resistance to immersion up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. Logical for a model of this caliber.
The 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen (an increase of 0.1 inch compared to the S25) continues to establish itself as one of the best panels on the Android market. Adaptive refresh from 1 to 120 Hz depending on the content displayed, peak brightness at 2,600 nits, almost impeccable readability in direct sunlight: everything is there. The colors are precise, the blacks are clear, the contrast is excellent. We stay in FHD+ (1080 x 2340 pixels), where the S26+ goes up to QHD+, but let’s be honest, it’s more than enough. In common usage, the difference is not obvious. The only real regret lies in the absence of the Privacy Displaythis digital privacy filter presented as a flagship new product in the range during Unpacked. Reserved for the S26 Ultra, it does not come down to the standard model, and that’s a shame.
Performance: the Exynos 2600 finally keeps its promises
This is the subject that was being debated even before the phone came out. The Exynos 2600, engraved in 2 nm for the first time at Samsung, equips the S26 and the S26+ in Europe. Only the S26 Ultra benefits from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This distribution has historically fueled a certain mistrust among buyers, who are not always confident in the reliability of Samsung SoCs.
The brand obviously likes to make us lie, since the Exynos 2600 convinces. The benchmarks are very good, the daily fluidity is impeccable, and above all, the phone does not heat up. Even after half an hour of demanding gaming or a dragging video recording. The 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM associated with the SoC handle multitasking without flinching, the UFS 4.0 storage ensures ultra-fast transfers. This S26 is fast, smooth, and certainly very good.
Galaxy AI, the pleasant surprise
Galaxy AI continues to evolve with One UI 8.5. There photo editing by voice command works well on simple requests, but frankly struggles to convince when it comes to precise modification. The Now Nudge function, which offers contextual suggestions based on time, location or habits, manages to integrate into our daily lives without friction. It’s not revolutionary, but that’s precisely what we expect from artificial intelligence: proactive support that anticipates our needs and desires, without imposing itself too heavily.
Photo: good work, but no revolution
It was to be expected, the photo does not change between the S25 and the S26. We find exactly the same triple module: 50 Mpx main sensor (f/1.8, OIS optical stabilization), 12 Mpx ultra wide-angle, and 10 Mpx telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. That’s one less selling point for an S25 user looking for a reason to upgrade to the next generation. But we must admit that the previous module was already very good. We therefore remain on a safe value.
In practice, the S26 more than does the job when it comes to photos. The colorimetry is natural, the autofocus fast and precise, including on moving subjects. The main 23mm wide angle is versatile for a large majority of situations, and the portrait mode ensures a controlled bokeh effect. The ultra-wide angle remains the weakest link of the trio, with sharpness which drops slightly at the edge of the frame, but nothing very problematic. For your vacation photos and your social networks, the smartphone will not disappoint.
The improvements (because there are some) are on the software side. The AI integrated into the 12 MP front camera produces more natural selfies, with better management of smoothing and skin tones. Noise reduction in low light has improved, night photos are cleaner, with fewer artifacts in dark areas.
8K video at 30 fps is there for purists, but 4K mode at 60 fps remains the most versatile in everyday life. On the other hand, we appreciate the Super Steady stabilization with automatic horizon lock: filming while walking or running gives results with a fluidity that few post-production applications can match.
Autonomy: Samsung is in trouble
The battery goes from 4,000 to 4,300 mAh. This is progress in the right direction, even if the amplitude remains modest for one more generation. In mixed use, the S26 lasts the day without straining. More intensive profiles, between gaming, continuous streaming and active GPS, will start to look for an outlet in the evening. Nothing very innovative on this side, we remain on a safe, but agreed value.
Wired charging, however, caps at 25W. This is where the shoe hurts the most. Chinese manufacturers, Xiaomi, OnePlus or Oppo, have been offering charging at 65W, 80W, or even 100W for several years at comparable prices. Samsung is lagging significantly behind on this point, which is starting to weigh in the comparison. Charging an S26 from zero to 100% takes approximately one hour and forty minutes. Compatibility with wireless Qi2 charging (15W) and the PowerShare function, which allows you to charge accessories directly from the phone, save the bill a little.
Price and availability
The most affordable version of its range (while waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE which will reshuffle the cards), the Samsung Galaxy S26 is offered from €769 in 256 GB and €869 in 512 GB. A not so discreet price increase, for a smartphone that is still very good, but which no longer shines with its originality.
Samsung Galaxy S26 256 Go
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