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Here are the differences between the three new Galaxy S26 phones.
I started my career at CNET in 2005, when the (original) Motorola Razr was all the rage. Since then, I’ve written about everything from consumer electronics to Internet culture for outlets like CNET, Engadget, and Yahoo. Outside of work, I’m a big fan of baseball, board games, tabletop role-playing games, and improv comedy.
Samsung unveiled its Galaxy S26 series phones at the company’s Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday. As expected, the Galaxy S26 is the base model, the S26 Plus is the larger version of the S26 with more storage and battery, and the S26 Ultra is the most premium of the lot, offering higher-end specs than the rest.
Not only is the Galaxy S26 Ultra a larger phone with a bigger screen, but it also has top-notch camera specs that include a 200-megapixel wide lens and an additional 5x telephoto lens. It’s also available with more RAM and up to 1TB of storage. But while the other two models saw a price increase over their predecessors (the S26 starts at $900 while the S26 Plus starts at $1,100), the S26 Ultra is the only one whose $1,300 starting price remains unchanged from last year’s S25 Ultra.
Here’s how the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra compares to the S26 and S26 Plus.
Watch this: Galaxy S26 Ultra first look: Camera, battery and AI updates
Design and display
The S26 Ultra is the largest phone of the trio, measuring 6.44 x 3.07 x 0.31 inches. The S26 Plus is in the middle at 6.24 by 2.98 by 0.29 inches, while the S26 is the smallest at 5.89 by 2.82 by 0.28 inches. The S26 Ultra has an aluminum frame instead of the titanium frame of the S25 Ultra. It’s also the only one to have an integrated S Pen.
The S26 Ultra is the larger phone.
Celso Bulgatti/CNETGiven that the S26 Ultra is the largest phone of the lot, it makes sense that it also has the largest screen. It has a 6.9-inch AMOLED with a resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels, while the S26 Plus has a 6.7-inch AMOLED with a resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels, and the S26 has a 6.3-inch AMOLED with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The three screens have a variable refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz. S26 Ultra privacy screen The feature is quite remarkable, allowing a built-in way to control the visibility of your phone’s screen to other people around you.
While the S26 and S26 Plus feature Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protective glass, the S26 Plus features Gorilla Glass Armor 2 protective glass, which promises increased durability and protection against scratches.
The Galaxy S26 and S26 feature similar camera hardware to last year’s S25. Both phones feature a 50-megapixel wide camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera.
Vanessa Main Orellana/CNETCameras
Samsung has always placed premium camera specs in its Ultra line of phones, and it’s no different with the S26 Ultra. It has four cameras: a 200-megapixel wide-angle, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide, a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto. The S26 Plus and S26 each have the same three cameras: a 50-megapixel wide-angle, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto lens. All three phones feature a 12-megapixel front camera.
Storage, processors and battery life
Both the S26 and S26 Plus offer 12GB of RAM plus 256GB or 512GB of storage. You can also get the S26 in these configurations, but it also comes with a higher RAM and storage option; you can get the S26 Ultra with 16GB of RAM plus 512GB or 1TB of storage. This should certainly be enough to ease any storage capacity concerns!
Horizontal lock maintains the horizon level of your image even when the phone is not recording video.
Celso Bulgatti/CNETAll three phones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor for Galaxy. In terms of battery, the S26 Ultra has the largest capacity at 5,000 mAh, while the S26 Plus has a 4,900 mAh battery and the S26 has a 4,300 mAh battery (that’s a bit bigger than the S25’s 4,000 mAh battery).
The S26 Ultra also has the fastest charging speeds. It has 60 watts of wired charging and 25 watts of wireless charging, while the S26 Plus has 45 watts of wired charging and 20 watts of wireless charging, and the S26 has 25 watts of wired charging and 15 watts of wireless charging.
Check out the table to compare more differences between the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
| Samsung Galaxy S26 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
| Display size, technology, resolution, refresh rate | 6.3-inch AMOLED; 2340 x 1080 pixels; Adaptive refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz | 6.7-inch AMOLED; 3120 x 1440 pixels; Adaptive refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz | 6.9-inch AMOLED; 3120 x 1440 pixels; Adaptive refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz |
| Pixel density | 411 dpi | 516 dpi | 500 dpi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5.89×2.82×0.28 | 6.24×2.98×0.29 | 6.44×3.07×0.31 |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 149.6×71.7×7.2 | 158.4×75.8×7.3 | 163.6×78.1×7.9 |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 167 g (5.89 ounces) | 190 g (6.70 ounces) | 214 g (7.55 ounces) |
| Mobile software | Android 16 | Android 16 | Android 16 |
| Camera | 50 megapixels (wide), 12 megapixels (ultra-wide), 10 megapixels (3x telephoto) | 50 megapixels (wide), 12 megapixels (ultra-wide), 10 megapixels (3x telephoto) | 200 megapixels (wide), 50 megapixels (ultra-wide), 10 megapixels (3x telephoto), 50 megapixels (5x telephoto) |
| Front camera | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Video capture | 8K | 8K | 8K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| RAM + storage | 12 GB RAM + 256 GB, 512 GB | 12 GB RAM + 256 GB, 512 GB | 12 GB RAM + 256 GB; 16 GB RAM + 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Expandable Storage | None | None | None |
| Battery | 4,300mAh | 4,900mAh | 5000mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Under display | Under display | Under display |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None | None |
| Special Features | Maximum brightness of 2,600 nits; 7 years of OS and security updates; IP68 water and dust resistance; Wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; 25W wired charging (charger not included); 15W wireless charging; lack of built-in magnets; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover screen; Galaxy AI | Maximum brightness of 2,600 nits; 7 years of OS and security updates; IP68 water and dust resistance; Wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; 45W wired charging (charger not included); 20W wireless charging; lack of built-in magnets; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover screen; Galaxy AI | Aluminum frame; 7 years of OS and security updates; IP68 water and dust resistance; Wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; Built-in S Pen; UWB to find other devices; 60W wired charging (charger not included); 25W wireless charging; no magnets for accessories; AI Galaxy; Gorilla Glass Armor 2 protective glass; privacy display |
| The American price starts at | $900 (256 GB) | $1,100 (256 GB) | $1,300 (256 GB) |