Samsung Galaxy S26+ Review: The $1,099 Flagship That Competes With Ultras

Samsung’s best-kept secret. Same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 as the Ultra, same 50MP telephoto camera, smaller 6.7-inch display, and $200 cheaper. This is the phone most people should actually buy.

Why the S26+ Over the Ultra?

• Smaller, lighter body (more pocketable)
• Same 50MP 3.5x telephoto as the Ultra (main camera is slightly less powerful at F1.7 vs F1.4)
• $200 cheaper ($1,099 vs $1,299)
• 6.7-inch display instead of 6.9-inch (easier one-handed use)
• Same processor, same 5,000mAh battery, same 45W charging

The Trade-Off: Main Camera Aperture

The S26+ ships with an F1.7 aperture on the 200MP main sensor vs the Ultra’s F1.4. In perfect daylight, they’re identical. In low light, the Ultra pulls slightly ahead. For 95% of users, this difference is undetectable.

Performance & Speed

Identical to the Ultra. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, up to 16GB RAM, all the Galaxy AI features work the same way.

The Verdict

If you want a flagship phone and don’t need the absolute bleeding-edge camera, the S26+ is the smarter buy. It’s smaller, cheaper, and loses nothing in everyday use.

Recommended for: Anyone wanting a true flagship without the $1,299 price tag, smaller-phone lovers, those upgrading from S24 or older.

Skip if: You specifically want the F1.4 aperture and don’t mind the extra size and cost.

Rating

• Design & Build: 9/10
• Display: 9/10
• Performance: 9.5/10
• Camera: 9/10
• Value: 9/10
• Overall: 9.1/10

Image credit: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 & Google (CC BY 3.0). License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.