After having some time with the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, I have to say – the immediate impressions we got were, “Did Samsung stop giving f*cks about their non-ultra devices?” because in 2026, these aren’t just underwhelming but also expensive devices for what they are offering.
Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus Hands On
Sticking to its Vanilla Roots since S23
There’s really nothing to rave about the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus because as someone who does enjoy a nice cup of vanilla ice cream, this is probably the first time I have used it in a bad connotation. We don’t get any new cameras, no battery upgrades, no display improvements and so on. In fact, Samsung has not focused on this device at all from the looks of it. Which is a shame, because it really doesn’t live up to the S Series naming at all.
Granted, a Vanilla phone is not a bad thing because Xiaomi’s Non-Ultra devices have been going through the same fate, but when the new Xiaomi 17 has more going on compared to the S26, it is very concerning. Under the hood, the only improvement you get with the S26 and S26 Plus is the new processor, and here in Malaysia, you get the Exynos 2600. And that’s pretty much it.
S25 and Plus Users, You’re Safe
There’s really no reason to upgrade to either of these phones, especially if you are coming from an older generation. What’s really a shame is that, while the Plus kind of gets a slightly better experience, whilst retaining a lot of the same things, the base S26 is inferior by not even 2026 standards; heck, it is inferior by 2025 standards.
In terms of pricing
Both the Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus come in 512GB variants only, and the pricing is a little too crazy if you ask us. RM 5,199 for the S26 and RM 6,199 for the Plus. Honestly, you are better off purchasing the last generation S25 Series at a heavy discount while you can because these S26 pricing just makes zero sense, and it is becoming hard to recommend.
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