Samsung’s latest flagship Galaxy S26 series is now official. The Galaxy S26 Ultra might get the new Privacy Display and faster 60W wired charging. But with the non-Ultra Galaxy S26 and S26+, well, things are more, shall we say, familiar.
Exynos 2600, larger battery, faster wireless charging
Like the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and S26 and S26+ also come with the Galaxy Z Fold 7-inspired camera island design and the same colour options: White, Black, Sky Blue, and Cobalt Violet.
Beyond that, the Galaxy S26’s display is now 0.1″ larger than the Galaxy S25, at 6.3″, while the Galaxy S26+ continues to feature the same 6.7″ display from before. Both offer LTPO technology with refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
Unlike last year, the Galaxy S26 and S26+ are now powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 chipset rather than Snapdragon’s. But since it’s based on a 2nm architecture, we wonder how it performs.
Samsung has also redesigned the vapour chamber for the Galaxy S26 series, which should allow the devices to run cooler under heavy loads.
Imaging-wise, the Galaxy S26 and S26+ essentially still carry the same rear camera setup that’s been around since the Galaxy S22 from 2022. This includes a 50MP main shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP 3x telephoto sensor. For selfies, there’s a 12MP front camera. However, Samsung has improved things on the software front for better low-light performance and better-looking pictures in general when the shooting environment is tough.
In terms of battery, the Galaxy S26 now packs 300mAh of capacity more than its predecessor, leading to a total of 4,300mAh, while the Plus model retains its 4,900mAh cell. Charging speeds on the regular model are maintained at 25W wired and 15W wireless, while the Plus model soldiers on with 45W wired charging, but with slightly faster wireless charging at 20W, as compared to its predecessor’s 15W.
New AI call screening, agentic AI features, smarter Circle to Search
Beyond that, the Galaxy S26 is all about AI. One UI 8.5 introduces new Galaxy AI features, such as Creative Studio, which allows you to edit your images using text prompts, just like how you do it with ChatGPT or Google Gemini. There’s also Now Nudge which suggests actions based on your conversations, AI call screening, and Agentic AI that can soon help you book rides on Grab.
The Audio Eraser feature will also be available on Netflix, YouTube, and Instagram content, while Circle to Search will now recognise what’s on your screen automatically without needing you to circle anything.
However, we believe most of these features will eventually trickle down to the Galaxy S25 or older devices as they receive the One UI 8.5 update.
Samsung Galaxy S26 series pricing in Malaysia
- Galaxy S26 12GB + 256GB – RM3,999 [Coming soon]
- Galaxy S26 12GB + 512GB – RM5,199 (Promo: RM4,399)
- Galaxy S26+ 12GB + 256GB – RM4,999 [Coming soon]
- Galaxy S26+ 12GB + 512GB – RM6,199 (Promo: RM5,399)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra 12GB + 256GB – RM5,599 [Coming soon]
- Galaxy S26 Ultra 12GB + 512GB – RM6,799 (Promo: RM5,999)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra 16GB + 1TB – RM7,999 (Promo: RM7,199)
All three models come with the same White, Black, Cobalt Violet, and Sky Blue colour options. As usual, Samsung is also throwing in some promotions for the early birds. This includes:
- Double storage and Samsung Rewards Points worth up to RM1,200
- RM700 instant rebate with selected bank cards
- Up to RM4,000 savings with Galaxy Forever
- 0% interest instalment plan of up to 36 months at participating banks
You may learn more about these promotions via Samsung Malaysia’s official website.
