Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus

Words: Suresh Kini

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus feels much faster and smoother compared to the S23 or S24, though there is no dramatic visible difference from the S25. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and 12GB of RAM, the phone delivers refined, lag-free performance for multitasking, gaming, and everyday use.

The screen quality stands out as brighter, sharper, and more premium — it’s a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with QHD+ resolution (3120 x 1440), smooth 120Hz refresh rate, and peak brightness around 2600 nits, making everything from videos to outdoor viewing a pleasure.0
Camera quality is also much better, especially for normal day-to-day photos and videos. The triple rear setup includes a 50MP main sensor with OIS, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto, paired with a 12MP front camera. It captures realistic colors, good detail in varied lighting, and improved low-light performance compared to the S23 and S24. Video recording benefits from better stabilization and new AI-assisted features too.

The sound quality has improved a lot. The stereo speakers are louder and clearer, and the speakerphone works very well. For people who like taking calls on speaker when alone, the voice quality feels very clean and comfortable.

Battery backup is another big improvement. With a larger 4900mAh cell, the S26 Plus lasts much longer throughout the day without needing charging, easily handling heavy use thanks to efficient power management and up to 45W wired charging support.

The S26 Plus also comes with a lot more AI features and smart integrations in apps, think Galaxy AI enhancements for photo editing, live translation, note summarization, and more, making many daily tasks easier and more convenient. It runs Android 16 with One UI and promises seven years of OS and security updates.

One thing I noticed is that face recognition on the S26 Plus is slightly slower compared to the S23 and sometimes needs more than one try to unlock properly. Apart from that, the overall phone performance feels very smooth and refined. The ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor works reliably as an alternative.

The phone is also comfortable to hold and carry in the pocket. At 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm and 190g with an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, the metallic body gives it a very premium look even without using an extra back cover. It has IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

Things we liked:

Excellent battery life and efficient performance
Bright, vibrant 6.7-inch display paired with noticeably improved speakers
Strong everyday cameras with useful Galaxy AI features

Three areas of improvement:

Face unlock can feel inconsistent and slower at times.
Incremental upgrades over the S25 make it less compelling for recent upgraders.
No major new hardware standouts like advanced anti-reflective coating or magnetic Qi2 support

Overall, the S26 Plus feels like a very solid upgrade from the S23/S24 with better speed, camera, sound, battery life, AI features, and overall user experience, but when compared to the S25, the difference is marginal, though the bigger size does impact the battery positively. It remains a refined, reliable flagship for those seeking balance without Ultra-level extras.