When I first got my hands on the Galaxy S26, my expectations for Samsung’s latest compact flagship were tempered. And these were justified for many reasons, as I rejected them editorially in my review. The camera hardware feels dated, the charging speed is disappointing, and for a phone that doesn’t retail for around $899, “safe” isn’t exactly a compliment.
Still, I was really surprised that after spending more time with it, I still have the Galaxy S26 hanging around in my bag as a second phone. And during that time I actually found out about it quite a bit. Despite the various problems, the annoying thing about it is that it’s still very easy to like.
It reminded me how good a truly compact flagship can feel
The most important reason is also the simplest. The Galaxy S26 feels like a “mobile phone” again, with an emphasis on the mobile aspect. It is neither a huge device nor a mini tablet (phablet as some call it). Simply a flagship that disappears into your pocket, fits comfortably in the hand and where one-handed operation doesn’t feel like a circus act. My daily companion, the Xiaomi 15, is already a compact flagship, but this one takes it a step further with an impressively light 167g body and a smaller footprint.
And that’s more important than what I want to admit. I can complain all day about the charging caps and camera disconnection, but in the other mundane areas of phone life, the S26 quietly wins. It may not hit the essentials, but it’s still easy to pull out, easy to carry, and easy to handle. There’s a kind of freedom that larger flagship phones always forget.
You still get that ultra feel where it really counts
The other reason the S26 continues to win my favor is its software. One UI 8.5 is still one of the best Android skins on the market, offering a polished, responsive and feature-rich experience along with the same general Galaxy AI functionality that characterizes the rest of the Galaxy S26 family.
Samsung also promises seven years of operating system and security updates, meaning the base model doesn’t feel like the “less important” member of the family in terms of software support.
That’s what makes the S26 so sneaky. You don’t get the camera flexibility or charging power of the S26 Ultra, but it still offers the same flagship vibe. You’re not buying a stripped-down software experience that you interact with much more than the cameras. You’re buying the same Samsung software in a form that doesn’t feel ridiculous in your jeans.
His flaws are real – but so is his charm
I won’t pretend the problems have gone away. The camera setup still feels dated compared to what the competition is doing, and even friendly reviews keep coming back to the same point: it’s slick, competent, and way too iterative for the money. The base S26 still uses the familiar camera setup, while charging history and battery life remain a sore point even in 2026.
And that makes it even more tempting to like this phone. It’s not exciting enough to fully praise and not bad enough to dismiss. The Galaxy S26 is a phone that makes more sense in your hands than on a spec sheet. I still think Samsung played it too safe and that this model deserves a little more love and attention.
I also just think it’s one of the flagship phones that’s easier to carry around – and that makes it a lot harder to stay angry.
