Why the Galaxy S26 could become Samsung’s most divisive flagship yet

We’re barely per week into 2026 and the 12 months isn’t shaping as much as be a very nice one for our financial institution balances. The international RAM squeeze is predicted to drive up the price of numerous devices in the coming months. According to the newest reviews, the Galaxy S26 sequence is about for a value hike when it launches in just some weeks’ time. The information comes shortly after Samsung Electronics failed to succeed in a longer-term settlement to purchase reminiscence chips from its sister division, Samsung Semiconductor; it should now compete for quarterly contracts like everybody else.

There’s an added twist to this story, nevertheless; value will increase could not apply evenly to each area and each mannequin. So far, South Korea seems set to see larger prices in the area of 88,000 received (~$60) for a 256GB configuration. However, the expectation is that US shoppers will nonetheless pay $799, $999, and $1299 for the Galaxy S26, Plus, and Ultra, respectively. You should marvel if Apple’s constant iPhone costs and large US market share have basically tied Samsung’s arms, forcing it to soak up the prices to stay aggressive in such a key market.

Either approach, the information appears palatable in case you’re a US shopper, however a lot tougher to swallow in case you reside elsewhere. Especially on condition that some clients may also find yourself paying extra for {hardware} that doesn’t seem to maneuver the needle. This could make the Galaxy S26 certainly one of, if not the most contentious, Samsung flagships in recent times.

No one likes value will increase, particularly when it seems like we’re paying extra for the similar {hardware} that we could have beforehand purchased for much less. Unfortunately, the Galaxy S26 sequence seems to be falling into that class, if the rumors develop into true. With the similar digicam specs we’ve had for years and shows that can look precisely the similar as earlier than, it seems that some clients can be paying the added RAM tax for a shopping for choice that more and more seems like a compromise moderately than a significant improve.

To be honest to Samsung, there are some enhancements on the approach. If leaked specs are to be believed, the Galaxy S26 will function a bigger base storage mannequin and a barely bigger battery (though it received’t rival the 7,000mAh behemoths now accessible). Likewise, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is about to achieve quicker 65W charging and a brand new M14 show panel, albeit with the similar core specs as final era. All three telephones may even be upgraded with newer, quicker processors and can boast a barely tweaked design. Whether that’s value an additional $60 or so to international shoppers can be hotly debated, little question, and it is likely to be a greater monetary choice for worldwide clients simply to choose up a Galaxy S25 in the present day.

The age-old Exynos versus Snapdragon debate throws one other layer of gas on the fireplace this 12 months. While the Galaxy S26 Ultra will use Snapdragon in each area, it’s anticipated that the inexpensive Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will ship with Samsung’s new Exynos 2600 processor in at the least some areas. Samsung adopted an analogous technique in earlier years, a lot to the displeasure of a vocal group of Samsung followers. However, it caught with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for the whole S25 lineup, as a result of efficiency discrepancies and points with its manufacturing line.

The Exynos 2600’s mixture of a brand new Arm C1-Ultra at 3.8GHz, three C1-Pro cores at 3.25GHz, and 6 C1-Pro cores at 2.75GHz CPUs, together with the Xclipse 960 GPU, needs to be a lot highly effective. Paired with a brand new AI NPU engine and picture processing items, all constructed on Samsung’s cutting-edge 2nm GAA know-how, the Exynos 2600 is undoubtedly a high-end chipset. However, whether or not it’ll win the benchmark and, maybe extra importantly, the notion battle in opposition to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is much less clear-cut.

If this all wasn’t controversial sufficient, a return to Exynos had been anticipated to save lots of Samsung some cash, in the area of $20 to $30. It was at all times uncertain that this cost-saving could be handed immediately on to shoppers; we had maybe hoped it will at the least keep away from massive value will increase this 12 months, which at all times makes the Exynos vs Snapdragon trade-off extra palatable. However, it seems that RAM costs have eaten into that margin after which some, and nobody desires to pay extra for an inferior chip, even when the margins are small.

Of course, Samsung is dealing with the similar challenges as just about each different firm in the tech trade. As RAM producers shift their consideration to extra profitable chips for the AI computing craze, the much less worthwhile RAM that our telephones, laptops, and GPUs depend on is instantly dealing with acute provide shortages and value will increase. Samsung can’t actually do something about that (other than pester its Semiconductor arm to reprioritize its manufacturing line!), and it received’t be the solely smartphone firm to lift costs this 12 months. Samsung has already quietly elevated the price of the Galaxy A sequence in India, and Xiaomi has additionally warned that costs will rise for each inexpensive and flagship merchandise this 12 months.

Still, Samsung could not have completed itself any favors with what just about everybody agrees has been a comparatively stagnant sequence. If Samsung had saved the line ticking together with incremental upgrades to the cameras, storage specs, or made bolder aesthetic adjustments, there is likely to be a bit extra sympathy for average value will increase in the present local weather.

Instead, the firm has doubled down on Galaxy AI in the previous couple of generations, pinning important engineering efforts on software program options for which the jury continues to be out. Given that many Galaxy AI options are backported to older fashions, they’re hardly main gross sales components for brand-new {hardware}. In the meantime, the flagship Galaxy S {hardware} package deal has been getting by on the naked minimal of adjustments every year, and now at the least a few of us ought to count on to pay much more at a time when Samsung’s {hardware} conservatism is tougher than ever to justify.

Perceptions received’t be helped by the undeniable fact that US shoppers could find yourself avoiding the value enhance, whereas at the least some international locations round the world should pay extra. Can worldwide markets actually be anticipated to subsidize Samsung’s battle for US market share with Apple? Is that even a duel Samsung can win with out pushing tougher into bleeding-edge {hardware}? Will shoppers put up with understanding that they’re paying additional and doubtlessly receiving much less in the case of Exynos? This could all backfire.

Of course, Samsung has methods to melt the blow, at the least on paper. Aggressive provider subsidies, inflated trade-in values, and limited-time launch promotions have become normal instruments for masking value will increase. On a two- or three-year contract, many consumers could by no means really feel the full affect of a better MSRP in any respect. But these ways don’t change the underlying worth proposition — they merely defer the ache. International consumers, particularly those that desire to purchase unlocked, are way more uncovered to the actual price enhance.

The downside isn’t merely that the Galaxy S26 appears set to price extra — it’s that Samsung could also be asking clients to simply accept larger costs, uneven regional remedy, and renewed Exynos skepticism . Many potential clients could also be left scratching their heads and questioning not simply why the Galaxy S26 is costlier, however what, precisely, they’re getting in return.