Galaxy S26 price: even a $1 price jack-up would be a crime. Let's talk about money!

We're in the final weeks before the Galaxy S26 announcement, and everybody wants to know if this flagship would retain the $799 price tag.

Another valid question would be: is that even a flagship?!

The Galaxy S26 family, consisting of:

• Galaxy S26
• Galaxy S26 Plus
• Galaxy S26 Ultra

… is expected in the second half of January 2026. The Galaxy S26 Edge – the second-generation super-thin phone by Samsung – could be released at a later point in 2026.

*expected price

Let's talk about money

The baseline Galaxy S26 model could start at $799, but there are strong indications that it could arrive with a price hike of $50–$100.

The rumors are all over the place – some say that Samsung would be able to retain the $799 starting price of its predecessors.

However, there's a plethora of ongoing dramas in the Big Tech world. As you may've heard, RAM chips have skyrocketed in terms of cost (Samsung increased RAM prices by up to 60% in recent weeks); there were even talks of possible RAM shortages.

Costs of chipsets and camera modules have apparently also gone up, which is why the Galaxy S26 could see a price hike, and you shouldn't be surprised about it.

So, a price hike could be coming (or not) – things are not etched in stone at the moment, but what's more important is what does one get for their money? Is the Galaxy S26 going to be a great flagship? Well, hardly, some say…

$800 is just too much

The truth is that Galaxy S26 Ultra is shaping up to be the standout Samsung flagship for next year, largely because the regular S26 and S26+ models are getting minimal updates.

Despite such improvements – if they materialize – substantial upgrades are not expected. Samsung may use the same camera setup on the Galaxy S26 that it did on the Galaxy S22: which some would say is just… appalling.