Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Galaxy S25: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

Published by PhonesOnline.ie | June 2026

Samsung's Galaxy S series has been the benchmark for Android flagships for years, and 2026 is no different. The Galaxy S26 arrived in March 2026 to fanfare, promising smarter AI, a bigger battery, and a refined design. But if you're already holding a Galaxy S25 — or eyeing one at a reduced price — is the newer model actually worth the extra spend?

We've compared both phones across the areas that matter most to buyers in Ireland: performance, display, camera, battery, storage, and price. Here's everything you need to know.

Quick Verdict

The Galaxy S26 is a solid flagship, but it's an evolution rather than a revolution. If you own a Galaxy S25, there's little reason to rush an upgrade. If you're coming from a Galaxy S23 or older — or switching from another brand — the S26 is the stronger buy right now.

Design: Familiar Feel, Subtler Changes

The Galaxy S25 already had a premium glass-and-metal build, and the S26 keeps the same formula. The main visible change is the camera island: where the S25 had individual floating lenses, the S26 groups them inside a unified raised module. It's a look borrowed from the Ultra lineup, and opinions are divided.

Both phones are compact flagships. The S26 is marginally larger at 149 x 71.7 x 7.2mm and 167g, compared to the S25's slimmer 5.84mm profile and 162g. Neither will feel unwieldy in one hand.

Durability gets a bump too — the S26 moves to Corning Gorilla Armor 2 on both front and back, an upgrade from the Victus 2 glass on the S25.

Display: Nearly Identical

Both phones feature a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and day-to-day the screens are practically indistinguishable. The S26 gets a slightly larger 6.3-inch panel (up from 6.2 inches on the S25), but at the same FHD+ resolution. Brightness, colour accuracy, and outdoor visibility are all excellent on both models.

If you were hoping for a resolution jump to QHD+ on the base S26, that remains a Plus and Ultra exclusive.

Performance: Faster, But You May Not Notice

The S25 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which was already one of the most powerful mobile chips available when it launched in early 2025. The S26 steps up to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — and in markets like Ireland, it's worth noting that some regions will receive an Exynos 2600 variant instead.

Benchmark scores show the S26 pulling ahead: it scores around 11,249 on Geekbench Multi-Core versus the S25's 10,072. In real-world use — apps, gaming, multitasking — both phones are effortlessly fast, and most users won't feel a meaningful difference day to day.

Camera: Refined, Not Reinvented

The camera systems on both phones are closely matched:

On paper, the hardware is nearly identical. Where the S26 pulls ahead is in low-light ultrawide photography, where reviews note improved sharpness, and in video, where the S26 offers better stabilisation including a new Horizon Lock mode for level footage regardless of how you hold the phone.

The S25 has a slight edge in 3x telephoto detail in low light, however for most users, both phones take excellent photos across all conditions.

Battery: A Real Improvement

This is one of the clearest wins for the S26. Battery capacity increases from 4,000mAh on the S25 to 4,300mAh on the S26, and real-world tests confirm the newer phone lasts longer despite the larger display.

Charging speeds remain the same at 25W wired, which remains a weak point compared to Chinese rivals offering 65W or more. Wireless charging improves from 15W on the S25 to 20W on the S26, which is a welcome upgrade for everyday convenience.

Software & AI: The S26's Biggest Upgrade

Both phones run Samsung's One UI over Android, but the S26 launches with One UI 8.5 (based on Android 16), while the S25 shipped with One UI 7.

The headline addition is AI Now Nudge — a proactive AI feature that reads your screen context and surfaces helpful shortcuts without you having to ask. For example, if a friend texts asking for photos from a recent trip, Now Nudge can surface those photos directly. It's genuinely useful rather than gimmicky.

Samsung has also revamped Bixby with deeper AI integration, reportedly in partnership with Perplexity AI, making it more conversational and capable than its previous iterations.

Both phones receive 7 years of software and security updates, so longevity is strong on either device.

Storage: S26 Starts Bigger

Samsung has dropped the 128GB base option on the S26. The new starting point is 256GB, which is genuinely better for long-term use — 128GB fills up surprisingly fast with modern app sizes and 4K video.

Price: The S26 Costs More

The S26 launched at a higher price point than the S25 — around €100–150 more depending on configuration.

With the S25 now available at reduced prices as stock clears and pre-owned as-new handsets are available, it represents excellent value for money. The S26 is the better phone, but the price gap makes the decision less clear-cut than the spec sheet alone suggests.

Our recommendation:

• Buy the S26 if you're upgrading from a Galaxy S23 or older, or switching from another platform.
• Buy the S25 if you want flagship performance at a lower price and don't need the latest AI features or the battery bump.
• Hold off on upgrading if you already own an S25 — the differences don't justify the cost.

Side-by-Side Specs

Where to Buy

Both the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S26 are available now at PhonesOnline.ie, with SIM-free and unlocked options for use on any Irish network. We stock new and certified pre-owned models — browse our full range below.

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