Right from the jump, the Galaxy S26 has a tough job trying to convince people it’s the best phone on the market. That's because this year’s base flagship model sees a $100 price increase — which at $899 — is a tougher sell against direct rivals like the iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 (both $799).
I’ve spent a week testing the Galaxy S26 to see if its new features and upgrades make it a compelling option. Notably, it shares the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip as the much more expensive Galaxy S26 Ultra while utilizing the same set of "Agentic AI" features designed to make the device more aware of your habits.
