I am starting this thread to discuss the Samsung S26 series, including specs, prices, and deals.
Rumors are that it will be available in late February 2026.
You will get an email with a pre paid postage label to send in your trade in.
Thanks. At what point does this mail arrive? Given zero communications to date, I have a feeling there may be an issue with my mail address. I can mail exertis directly with order number from delivery docket anyway.
I got my email last Friday. Might be no harm contacting them.
I got the label. But will there be special black coloured plastic envelope coming in?
I don't think so, or at least there was no mention of it in the message.
Is the cobalt violet sold out?????
No DPD today. Likely Monday now.
Not Sure how but I still managed to cart it and check out. Was back and forth between the black and violet and when the violet was unavailable I knew that was the one I wanted...😂😂
I don't get this about the screen being worse. It's definitely dimmer when the privacy when is active but when not active it looks the exact same as other Samsung screens from my experience. Maybe I'm missing something.
From what I read the adaptive colour tone setting changes how some colours are shown which might be exaggerating the issue but screen looks perfect to me 🤷
It's a darker screen on and off paper. It's definitely a worse screen. But it's worse solely due to the functionality this gives. A compromise for sure, but a compromise many would be happy with and many wouldn't.
It's not a colour thing it's a brightness and a colour thing.
Wouldn't be a draw for myself personally i don't be anywhere it would be useful at all. Prefer a bright screen over it. But tbh I'm probably not buying the phone either way. There's just nothing advantageous to me in functionality or form so far.
The screen also doesn't have the same level of anti reflective properties, so I imagine it would be noticeably worse outdoors in bright sunshine. I guess that's not something we have to worry about too much here.
Another thing I was reading about is reports of eye strain from the screen, has anyone noticed this? I can't say it's anything I've ever suffered from before with any screen, but I know some people are sensitive to it.
Also, for anyone who has the phone, does it come with a Gemini Advanced subscription this year?
But that's the thing I'm doing real world comparisons between my s23 ultra screen and this right now and if anything the s26 screen looks brighter and more vivid.
I've seen this posted online a lot about a downgrade in screen but it's not my experience (once the privacy screen is not active of course).
Be interesting to see what other people who have the phone think.
I find the new screen perfect too. People just love to nitpick faults with the new devices every year.
Sorry to say not a good comparison.
The S23 was max at the time but it was something like 1750 nits. The devices after that increased to 2600 nits a 50 percent increase on that phone alone. So the S24 would look stellar in comparison to your old device in a real world comparison test.
This isn't not picking by the way it's just straight up data.
TBH, I've no issues with the screen. If you're happy with the excellent screen of the S25U, you'll have no problems at all with the new model. Out only this morning in the sun and it performs just as well. Like the S25 and before, Samsung are always a little heavy with their adaptive brightness, so suit to taste as always. Anyone coming from a model of a few years back should be very impressed, as they should be.
There seems to be always a level of scare-mongering around the Samsung devices and their screens every year going back through the various releases, so it's important to not run with an '"issue" from someone online and accept it as verbatim. Likes of Gsmarena covered the unit's display in their lab tests on a brightness and colour reproduction level, and while I see the irony of posting this impression online of course, it's only personal experience that can reveal all - at this early stage of a few days theres no negligible impact and it retains the excellent levels of last year's release. The privacy screen does diminish the clarity and vibrancy, but it's an on the fly measure and well reported at this stage. It is not a global setting, and in truth, even at max effect, it's not going to hide what you're looking at from someone right on your shoulder for example if you have the phone at arms length. But I can certainly see the usefulness of it in certain scenarios, and if you have it down to even more of shortcut than a quick setting, it really is no problem to deal with, so you can have your perfect clarity 99.9% of the time. It's there to use, or not use.
Early days, but it is an excellent phone as an overall package, but that can't really decide for anyone else whether it's 'worth' upgrading to. There isn't a phone out there in the last 3 years that anyone "needs'" so to speak.
Edit - First real time out with the Buds 4 Pro this morning as well. Not bad, doesn't have anywhere near the 'body' of the Sony's but it's less of an issue as the ears continue to age. Still gets a good range across the board, and voice clarity in podcasts is very good. Noise-cancelling is certainly not up to par, but that's always the case with the Samsungs.
Surely if some pixels are replaced with the narrow pixels that allow privacy road it stands to reason the display won't be as bright as the s25u? Not that I'd care I'm sure it's grand!
According to tests its a 3% drop in max brightness versus the s25U ultra
Tested Peak (HDR) (1,806 nits versus 1,860 nits).
Adaptive SDR (Sunlight) 1,209 nits versus 1,231 nits
I'd challenge anyone to spot that difference in a "blind" test. This screen is definitely not dim IRL
Shows the problem that's out there with reviews that focus on specs rather than what you can see.
So many you tubers in particular love graphs to show you get 2% more this or 5% less that, but don't actually spend any time on how the device behaves for a normal person.
It's why I like Mr Mobile, he's much more into how devices feel...
Its basically the same screen as last year. There were a few people negative at the beginning and that started a trend online. People just want a reason to hate the phone. Samsung did say the anti reflective coating will look worse when the screen is off.
On battery it stacks up with most other phones bar the Onplus and Oppo who have 7000+ batteries. I dont see Samsung changing the size until either a massive change in design or adopting silicon carbon. I was listening to a guy about this battery tech and he explained it quite good. He took Samsung Apple and Google as the 3 manufaturers who have not used it. He said not only do they ship vast amounts of phones but they also offer long updates for there phones. He said they will test it for longevity so that it wont be a safety concern in phones that people keep for 7 years or so.
Still on the fence here. i will make my mind up tomorrow. Colour is also a big decision. Should i go black to match the Buds 4 Pro and my Black Surface Laptop or White or Violet. Decisions Decisions
The violet is nice but can never go wrong with a black phone, sure it'll probably be in a case anyway
You were testing off your S23 ultra inresponed specifically to that.
I stands to reason you'd be astounded by the difference. That should be expented TBF. As I said.
It's great upgrade from your phone btw. May it treat you well. Love a new device.
It's not the same screen at all,.its an entirely different technology stack and delivery mechanism for the colours on the panel.
This simply isn't accurate.
Technically it's a different screen but to my eyes it's the same. Just had a look at it in Currys and put my display beside it and didnt notice anything different. Currys had the Voilet and Arnotts the Black. Couldn't lift them up unfortunately.
Looking for some advice.
I see the S26U on Vodafone bill pay €65 monthly x24 months which includes Red Unlimited. No upfront payment required - currently says FREE, showing with €689.99.
This is for new customers, port number in.
Is this good value?
(Granted the price increases every April by €3.50 I think?)
Vodafone should also be giving a pair of buds for free
I just upgraded my S8 to an S25 today.…
So long old friend.…
Wow. That's a leap. Loved the S8 though have one around the house my kids play with. Great in the hand that phone to this day
I couldnt let it go...it was doing its job well, just the battery wasnt the best anymore.....the last time i had a phone that long was my nokia 3210 back in the day....
So I've a few questions on this:
Some official site links have phone at €1274 with discount and some at €1499 - depending on how I word my search. I haven't signed for EPP or anything, so why the difference ?
- can you stack keyworker discount on top of the €1274 ? And how much is keyworker discount?
- after 10th March how likely is it to be able to buy this phone new for close to €1274 or will it be close to €1499 generally for a long time ?
Thanks!
No stacking this year.
Cheapest deal is via ordinary website with 15% discount.
