Samsung Galaxy S26+

Ultimately, I think most people would find an Android phone like Google's Pixel 10—which has regularly dipped to $599 on sale—more than capable for their needs, or try to find last year's Galaxy S25 series on sale. The Galaxy S26 and S26+ are perfectly fine flagships, but they just don't really raise the bar.

The powerful Samsung Galaxy S26+ strikes a compelling balance between the pricier Ultra and the more affordable S26, thanks to its sharp screen and fast performance.

Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ are another careful and exclusively evolutionary update of the line. These are traditional modern successful flagships with high-quality screens, top performance, a universal set of cameras that shoot well, a user-friendly interface with the prospect of major updates in the next 8 years, a classic pleasant design and protection of the case from dirt and water according to the IP68 standard.

Samsung can't seem to find the right spot for its Plus-branded flagships, as good as they may be. You'll be far from disappointed if you buy the Galaxy S26 Plus, thanks to its screen, performance and AI features. But you may have a little buyer's remorse from not spending more to get the Ultra, or saving some money with the smaller Galaxy S26, especially given Samsung's price hike and choice to not upgrade the camera hardware.

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Plus is the perfect phone for Samsung fans that want a bigger screen but don’t want all the extras that come with the Ultra model for a few hundred dollars more. Samsung has done a good job at mirroring the experience with the Galaxy S26 on the Galaxy S26 Plus, just with a bigger display and a slightly larger battery capacity. At $1,099.99, it’s a premium price that may still be out of reach for some consumers. However, Samsung’s promotional offers can help to offset that.

The whole existence of the Galaxy S26 Plus is questionable to me, as the economic side of owning one doesn't really make sense. If you're already spending $1,100 on a Galaxy S26 Plus, it certainly makes sense to splurge on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, where you get a better camera, a display with better features, significantly better performance, and an S Pen stylus.

The Galaxy S26+ is a very easy phone to like and a surprisingly difficult one to recommend. On its own merits, it is unquestionably a proper flagship. The build quality is excellent, the display remains among the best in the industry, performance is top-tier regardless of which chipset you get, and battery life is very solid.

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ has everything you’d want from a flagship; big screen, plenty of power, capable cameras, and some of the best AI on a phone. If you’re a Samsung fan (with an older device), you’ll want to check it out.