Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S26 series, bringing the new lineup made up of the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra to South Africa with a familiar design DNA and a clear philosophy: refinement over revolution.
In many ways, the Galaxy S26 series feels like it should be called an S25s. This is not throwing shade at Samsung. Rather it’s an acknowledgement of where Samsung is right now.
They’re optimising experience and not chasing features just for the sake of it.
A familiar design by choice
Visually and ergonomically, the Galaxy S26 series sticks closely to the formula established by the S24 and S25. The design language is consistent, the in-hand feel is familiar, and the overall experience is immediately comfortable for existing Galaxy users.
Now, while most tech reviewers may frown at that, I completely get it. Samsung has not changed much, because it doesn’t need to. The brand is clearly prioritising continuity, reliability and ease of use over novelty. And let’s face it, the market is flooded with novelty over utility right now.
This on the other hand is a phone you already know how to use the moment you pick it up.
The biggest change is the chipset
The most meaningful upgrade across the Galaxy S26 series lives under the hood.
At the top end, the Galaxy S26 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, delivering improvements where they matter most. Samsung is targeting sustained performance, thermal stability, and AI workloads rather than headline benchmark numbers.
Samsung claims up to a 19 percent increase in CPU performance, a 39 percent improvement in NPU performance for AI features, and a 24 percent boost in GPU performance for smoother visuals and gaming.
If you don’t really care about numbers, you will definitely feel the improvements during long gaming sessions, heavy multitasking, and all-day use rather than in short demo moments.
To support this, Samsung has redesigned the vapor chamber and thermal materials on the S26 Ultra, spreading heat more efficiently to keep performance stable over time. Super-Fast Charging 3.0 also makes a practical difference, pushing the battery to around 75 percent in roughly 30 minutes. I think this is one area were Samsung really needs to step things up. Chinese competitors are already pushing past 100W charging coupled with massive silicone carbon batteries.
Cameras focused on reliability, not reinvention
Samsung continues to deliver one of the most dependable camera systems in the smartphone market, and the Galaxy S26 series builds on that reputation rather than trying to rewrite it.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra features wider apertures that allow more light into the sensor, improving low-light photography and zoom clarity. Enhanced Nightography Video and upgraded Super Steady stabilisation focus on cleaner footage in dim or fast-moving scenarios.
Samsung has also added support for APV, a professional-grade video codec designed for efficient compression without compromising quality. This is a clear nod to creators who shoot and edit regularly on their phones.
Editing tools powered by Galaxy AI remain integrated. Photo Assist allows users to describe edits in natural language, undo changes step by step, and experiment without committing too early. It is all about lowering friction rather than adding complexity.
Galaxy AI that fades into the background
Samsung’s Galaxy AI continues to mature, but the emphasis with the S26 series is subtlety.
Features like Now Brief and Now Nudge are designed to surface useful information based on context without interrupting the user. Circle to Search with Google has been refined with improved multi-object recognition, making it more useful in real-world scenarios.
Samsung is also offering flexibility by integrating Bixby, Gemini, and Perplexity. Users can choose how they interact with their phone, whether through voice, a button press, or quick contextual actions.
Privacy treated as a core feature
One of the standout additions on the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the built-in Privacy Display. Instead of relying on external privacy filters, Samsung integrates this directly into the screen, controlling how pixels disperse light to limit side-angle visibility.
Users can decide when it activates, such as when entering passwords or opening sensitive apps, and can adjust privacy levels depending on the situation.
This hardware approach is supported by software protections like AI-powered call screening, privacy alerts for sensitive permissions, and a built-in Private Album for securing photos and videos.
All of this is backed by Samsung Knox, with additional hardware-level encryption and a commitment to seven years of security updates.
Pricing and availability in South Africa
Pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 series run from 26 February to 19 March 2026, with launch offers that include double storage and savings of up to R5,000.
Recommended retail pricing in South Africa is as follows:
- Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB from R30,999
- Galaxy S26+ 256GB from R25,999
- Galaxy S26 256GB from R20,999
Colour options include Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue. Samsung Care+ is also available from R799, offering coverage for accidental damage, extended warranty, and certified support locally and abroad.
The Geekhub take
The Galaxy S26 series may not be the most exciting, but Samsung’s S series has always proven to be dependable.
If you are using a Galaxy S25, there is little reason to upgrade. The same is true for many S24 users. The experience will feel very similar in daily use.
If you are coming from the Galaxy S23 series or older, that is where the upgrade starts to make sense. The improvements in sustained performance, AI reliability, camera processing, and long-term support add up in meaningful ways.
We will still need to spend some meaningful time with the device before we can confidently say if we recommend it or not over other flagships on the market, but our early take is it’s a pretty solid option.
