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The Galaxy S25 Plus is getting a successor, and it's the model to get in 2026 | Image by PhoneArena
The Plus model in the Galaxy series has always been something of a middle child. The one everybody's neglecting, the one under the radar. This year, though, the Galaxy S26 Plus will be the best model to get, not the Ultra, not the vanilla S26. Hear me out.
The S26 Plus will be the best value proposition in years
The regular Galaxy S26 is getting more base storage but also a price hike | Image by PhoneArena
According to the latest rumors, the S26 will ditch the 128GB base model and start at 256GB. At first, this looks like good news, but it also comes with a potential price increase. The latest leak from Winfuture states that the base Galaxy S26 will cost 200 euros more than the S25.
This, of course, takes into account the increased storage, but here's the twist. The Galaxy S26 Plus is expected to retain the price from the last generation, and it already starts at 256GB.
So, the Plus model gets even more attractive, considering it features a bigger screen, potentially better cooling, and a bigger battery as well.
Which brings us to the hardware differences and even more reasons to reach out for the S26 Plus, rather than the smaller S26 and the top-of-the-line S26 Ultra.
Large display, big battery, and fast charging without breaking the bank
The Galaxy S25 Plus was already a great phone but the successor will be even better | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy S26 Plus is expected to retain the $999 starting price of the last generation model, which might be an important psychological threshold for many people. For under a thousand bucks, you're getting the same fast chipset as the Ultra and a better screen, at least when it comes to resolution.
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The Galaxy S26 Plus is expected with the same 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with 1440 x 3120 pixel resolution. This will result in a density of around 513 pixels per inch, higher than the Ultra.
Of course, pixel density is not everything, and the lower pixel density is a normal consequence of the Ultra having a larger 6.9-inch screen with the same resolution. And furthermore, for many people, 6.9 inches is already too big of a screen on a mobile device.
The Galaxy S26 Plus occupies a pretty balanced niche size-wise, with a crisper screen and the same expected brightness as the more expensive Ultra model.
If we compare the S26 Plus to the expectedly more expensive S26 (compared to the previous generation), the vanilla model comes with FullHD resolution, a smaller screen, a smaller battery, and slower charging. And it's not that much cheaper than the Plus (basically $899 versus $999, according to the rumors).
What about the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra will be the best one specs-wise but the S26 Plus is better value | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the top-of-the-line model. It will come equipped with the best features and hardware, that's for sure. But the differences aren't that big compared to the S26 Plus.
Granted, the Ultra is expected to retain the four-camera setup, featuring one additional telephoto camera and a better ultrawide snapper as well. I would argue that for most people there's little to no need for two separate telephoto cameras, one with 3X optical zoom and one with 5X magnification.
That's down to personal preference and how you use your phone cameras, of course, but if you don't need the higher magnification, you'd be perfectly fine with the telephoto on the S26 Plus.
The battery of the Ultra is expected to be just 100mAh bigger than the one on the S26 Plus, and there are rumors about potentially faster charging. However, we'll have to see how the expected 65W charging will impact the charging times compared to the 45W wired charging of the Plus model.
There are other things to consider when we compare the S26 Plus and the S26 Ultra, such as the expected privacy screen feature and the S Pen, but if you don't specifically need those, the price jump from the S26 Plus to the Ultra might not be justified.
What Galaxy S26 model are you buying this year?
Conclusion
The Galaxy S-series portfolio remains unchanged | Image by PhoneArena
With the vanilla Galaxy S26 getting more expensive due to the base storage jump and the S26 Ultra still much more expensive than the S26 Plus, things are looking good for Samsung's middle child.
For just about $100 more, you're getting a bigger screen with better resolution compared to the S26, a significantly larger battery, and also faster charging. Now, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is still the better phone, but is it $300 better?
If you don't use the extra telephoto camera, and you're not a fan of the S Pen or the huge 6.9-inch display, you might be better off getting the S26 Plus. You'll save a significant amount of money and get almost the same flagship performance.
Do you think 2026 is going to be the year of the Galaxy S26 Plus? Would you get it instead of the other two? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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