Samsung Galaxy S26+

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ arrives on the market with the task of confirming the validity of Samsung's mid-tier offering, positioning itself in the balance between the compactness of the base model and the technological exuberance of the Ultra. We are not facing a clear aesthetic break, but rather an engineering refinement that focuses primarily on build quality and the efficiency of a technical department that, for the first time, seems to handle temperatures better than the flagship model.

Samsung has chosen a path of continuity regarding design language and optical setup, focusing efforts on integrating the new 2nm hardware platform and optimizing a panel that accepts no compromises, even if it has to give up some of the more advanced finishes found exclusively on the Ultra variant.

Index

1. Technical Specifications
2. Design and Ergonomics
3. Software, Hardware, and Performance
4. Display
5. Battery Life
6. Camera
7. Price and Positioning
8. Final Thoughts

Technical Specifications

• Samsung Galaxy S26 AI Smartphone, 256GB, 3-Year Warranty, Advanced Processor, Photo Assistant, Creative Studio, 50 MP Camera, 4300 mAh, White [Italian Version] - €1029.00
• Samsung Galaxy S26+ AI Smartphone, 256GB, 3-Year Warranty, Advanced Processor, Photo Assistant, Creative Studio, 50 MP Camera, 4900 mAh, White [Italian Version] - €1289.00
• Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra AI Smartphone, 256GB, 3-Year Warranty, Integrated Privacy Display, Powerful Processor, Photo Assistant, 200 MP Camera, 5000 mAh, Cobalt Violet [Italian Version] - €1499.00

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ is sold in Italy with the proprietary Exynos 2600 processor, a computing unit that marks the definitive shift to 2nm production processes. In the US and China, however, even standard versions of the top-of-the-line Korean offering feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 at 3nm, a more conventional solution in line with many other flagship proposals on the market. The question is certainly: can the new Exynos truly compete with Qualcomm's flagship?

Samsung's silicon architecture is based on standard Arm v9.3 technologies, using the following setup: 1x Core Prime: Arm C1-Ultra (up to 3.8 GHz), 3x Core Performance: Arm C1-Pro (up to 3.25 GHz), 6x Core Efficiency/Middle: Arm C1-Pro (up to 2.75 GHz). Thus, there are 10 cores present on Samsung's SoC, unlike the 8 available on the Snapdragon series counterpart, with the Exynos boasting a more refined manufacturing process. The Exynos 2600 is also the world's first smartphone processor made with a 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) manufacturing process from Samsung Foundry. All integrated cores are high-performance, while the graphics side features a likely RDNA 4-based GPU Xclipse 960, promising double the performance of the Xclipse 940 and a 50% improvement in ray tracing.

We also have support for Exynos Neural Super Sampling (ENSS), an AI-assisted upscaling and frame generation technology to enhance smoothness in games; and a boosted NPU designed to handle generative AI loads directly on the device with doubled efficiency.

Accompanying the SoC is 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, a quantity that today represents the gold standard for seamlessly managing workloads related to generative artificial intelligence and heavy multitasking. The internal memory uses UFS 4.0 modules, offered in sizes of 256 GB or 512 GB.

Connectivity is another key pillar of the technical specifications, featuring support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, while the built-in battery of 4900 mAh supports wired fast charging of 45W. Although Asian competition has long surpassed the 100W threshold, Samsung maintains a conservative philosophy focused on preserving the long-term chemical health of cells, limiting wear from heat during charging cycles. We would have clearly preferred a silicon-carbon unit along with a significantly higher amperage, characteristics that now represent the norm among the aggressive flagship competition.

On the security front, the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display remains fast and precise even with wet fingers, accompanied by a two-dimensional facial unlocking system enhanced by the depth algorithms of the NPU. The sensor ecosystem includes a triaxial accelerometer, a high-precision gyroscope, and an extremely refined virtual proximity sensor to avoid accidental activations during calls. Thermal management has been revised with a vapor chamber that, while not as massive as that of some gaming phones, works in synergy with the aluminum body to dissipate heat uniformly. In terms of audio, the Samsung Galaxy S26+ adopts a stereo configuration with support for Dolby Atmos, where the ear capsule serves as a second channel to offer a convincing spatial audio experience during media consumption or gaming sessions.

Price and Positioning

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ is not the absolute top of Samsung's lineup; the base variant with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage comes with a list price of €1289, while the higher 512 GB option is priced at €1489. These are significant amounts that place the smartphone in the very high range of the market, making direct comparisons with competitors extremely tight.

However, it's important to keep in mind not only the high technical caliber of the device but also factors like the promise of 7 years of system updates and security patches, combined with the solid residual value of Samsung devices, which help mitigate the initial outlay, making it a sensible investment for those looking to keep the device for several years. The original package includes only the essentials: the charger must be purchased separately.

Final Thoughts

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ convinces without going overboard, underscoring the maturity of a project that has reached extraordinary quality levels. It's a smartphone that focuses on substance, offering performance that sometimes exceeds that of the Ultra variant and a display that, while lacking the elite anti-reflective treatment, remains among the best ever mounted on a mobile device.

Samsung's choice not to revolutionize the photographic sensors has been compensated by a more conscious software processing that is finally (and much) less artificial. It's not a device for those who seek surprise at any cost; for that, there's the Ultra. Still, it should be the preferred choice for users who want a large screen, reliable and comprehensive software, and the certainty of long-term support. The real obstacle remains a complex market positioning: the €1289 requested for the official list dangerously shortens the distance from the €1499 required for the Ultra. Although the Plus offers significantly superior ergonomics, a slimmer profile, and better weight distribution, users willing to invest similar amounts tend to physiologically seek the absolute excellence of the flagship model, readily sacrificing compactness for the maximum available technology. Complicating matters is an incremental hardware evolution that does not mark a clear break from the past, making the Galaxy S25+ (or the same S25 Ultra) perhaps the most formidable and rational competitor for this new flagship.