Updated 12 Nov 2026
Is the Samsung Galaxy S26 worth it?
Yes if you want a small phone, but buy it on offer.
Few small phones give up so little: a bright 6.3-inch 120Hz screen, a 167 g body, three cameras including a 3x zoom, IP68 water resistance and Android updates until 2033. Battery life gets most people through a day, though heavy users can run low by evening, and charging tops out at 25W, the slowest in the S26 range. It's almost the same phone as the S25, which now costs far less. In the UK and Europe it runs on Samsung's own Exynos 2600 chip, in the US on a Snapdragon; both are fast. At full price it's poor value; it's often discounted.
94%of 264 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Small and light, at 167 g
- Bright 120Hz screen
- Android updates until 2033
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What owners say
Owners like the camera, how easy it is to set up and how quick it feels. The few unhappy ones found it too small, glitchy or no better than their old phone.
Good to know
- Charging tops out at 25W, and there's no charger in the box.
- A normal day is fine, but heavy users can run the battery low by evening.
- It's a touch bigger than the S25, so S25 cases don't fit.
- No magnets for Qi2 chargers built in: that needs a magnetic case.
From 264 buyer ratings at Currys, every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Good cameraMentioned a lot
- Easy to set up and useMentioned a lot
- Fast and smoothMentioned often
- Nice size and lightAlso mentioned
- Battery lasts wellAlso mentioned
What they complain about
- No better than their old phoneVery rare
- Software glitches or too many pre-installed appsVery rare
Get it if…
- You want a small phone you can use with one hand.
- You keep a phone for years.
- You find it on offer.
Skip it if…
- You want the best zoom: the S26 Ultra goes to 5x.
- You'd rather save: the Galaxy S25 is nearly the same phone for far less.
More on the Galaxy S26
How we reached this verdict
TechRadar calls it a stellar, well-rounded small phone with long battery life, but says the price rise and 25W charging hurt, so buy it on sale. Expert Reviews calls it the best compact phone you can buy, and in its video test it lasted about an hour longer than the S25, but finds it barely an upgrade. GSMArena likes the build, the screen and the seven years of updates but calls it a very minor step from the S25, with charging and cameras behind rivals at its price. Tech Advisor found its battery a disappointment on a long, busy day. Of the 264 verified owners we read (Currys, Tesco Mobile, AO and others), 15 gave 3 stars or less: a few found it too small, glitchy or no better than their old phone. Specs from Samsung UK.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Expert Reviews, GSMArena, Tech Advisor, Samsung, TechRadar, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 12 Nov 2026How we decide