Love it
Meh
- Light, balanced and easy to use one-handed
- Excellent bright, smooth screen
- Fast in everything you do
- Clean, natural night shots
- Seven years of updates
- Slow wired charging, no charger in the box
- Soft detail at 3x zoom
- No built-in magnets
- No DeX on a PC
Small phones usually make you give something up. The Galaxy S26 mostly doesn't. You get a bright 6.3-inch screen and the same flagship chip as the bigger Galaxy phones in many markets, in a body light and narrow enough to text with one thumb on a crowded train. The weight is spread so evenly that it feels steady in your hand.
Two things hold it back: a 3x camera that goes soft, and charging that's slow for a phone at this price.
Screen and speed
The screen is one of the best you can get on a phone this size. It's bright enough to read a map at noon, smooth when you scroll, and it slows right down when nothing on it moves, which saves battery. Apps open fast and games run without a hitch.
Samsung sells it with either Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy or Exynos 2600, depending on the country.
Cameras
At night, the main camera is the S26's best trick. Night shots come out clean where a lot of phones turn them murky, and color looks right.
The 3x telephoto lets it down. Zoom in and detail goes soft, so if you shoot your kid's soccer game from the stands, it will bug you. That's the Pixel 11's biggest advantage: its longer zoom keeps far-off subjects sharp. Video goes up to 8K, though 4K is what you'll actually use.
Battery and charging
Battery life is good for a small phone. Samsung's figure is up to 30 hours of video playback on a charge.
Charging is where the S26 shows its age. It tops out at 25W wired, and by Samsung's figure that gets you to 55% in about 30 minutes, but only with a 25W adapter, which isn't in the box. You get a cable, but no charger. Wireless charging is slow too, and there are no magnets built in, so a magnetic Qi2 charger needs a Qi2-ready case. If fast top-ups matter most, the Galaxy S26 FE charges much faster, but it's heavier and has less memory.
Beyond the phone
Plug into a TV or monitor and DeX gives you a desktop layout. It won't run DeX on a Windows PC, but Phone Link handles messages, photos and calls there. Wireless PowerShare lets you charge other Qi devices from the back of the phone, though which devices work varies, so check yours first. It's IP68 against dust and water, and Samsung promises seven years of OS and security updates.
If you're on an iPhone, stay there and get the iPhone 17: the screens are the same size, its front camera is better for FaceTime, and your apps stay put. With no platform to keep, take the S26. It's the lighter phone.
What's in the box
Smartphone
Data cable
Ejection pinNot in the box
ChargerBottom line
The Galaxy S26 is the Samsung flagship to buy if you want a phone you can use with one hand. The Pixel 11 is the better all-round phone, with a longer zoom and a brighter screen, so pick the S26 over it for the lighter body and the sharper selfie camera. If size doesn't matter, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the better Samsung, with a far better camera and a bigger battery.
Buy it if
- You want a full-size screen in a phone you can use one-handed.
- You charge every night anyway.
- You'd use DeX on a TV or monitor.
Skip it if
- You need a quick top-up before you run out the door.
- You zoom a lot. The Pixel 11 reaches further.
- You want magnetic charging without a case.
Last checked Nov. 15, 2026 · We may earn a commission.