5 rumors about Galaxy S26: The hottest question: Snapdragon or Exynos chip?

Launched in early 2025, the Galaxy S25 series received a lot of praise, mainly thanks to a series of powerful upgraded Galaxy AI features. However, in terms of hardware, the improvements on the S25 are not really groundbreaking, especially when compared to the new design of the iPhone 17 Pro or the brighter screen on the Pixel 10.

Is Samsung preparing a “makeover” with the Galaxy S26 ? Current rumors suggest some notable changes, although there will certainly be more information between now and the 2026 launch.

Galaxy S26 series models. Photo: Sonny Dickson

Here are the five biggest rumors surrounding the standard Galaxy S26 – Samsung's “affordable” flagship.

Samsung constantly "turns around"

If Samsung’s 2026 flagship plans were to be described in one word, it would probably be “constantly changing.” Initial rumors suggested the company was preparing to make some drastic changes to its product portfolio, but recently it seems Samsung has returned to a familiar strategy.

There have been reports that Samsung is considering launching the Galaxy S26 Pro - essentially a rebranded version of the standard S model. At the same time, the Plus version of the product line could be replaced by the Galaxy S26 Edge with an improved curved screen design.

However, new leaks suggest that this plan has been scrapped. The Galaxy S25 Edge is said to have failed to meet sales expectations, causing Samsung to abandon the idea of launching an Edge version in 2026. In addition, the name Galaxy S26 Pro has also disappeared from internal documents and recent leaks.

In short, Samsung will likely continue to maintain the familiar structure: Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra — similar to the product strategy of previous years.

Processor: Snapdragon or Exynos?

Last September, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. This is also the chipset expected to appear on most high-end Android smartphones, including the Galaxy S26 series.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is highly appreciated for its outstanding performance, strong upgrades in 5G modem, image processing and especially the integrated AI processor, helping to improve AI capabilities on the device without relying much on the cloud.

But the important question is: which Galaxy S26 models will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5?

According to many reports, Samsung may: Use Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for some versions of S26 in certain markets. Meanwhile, equip the Exynos 2600 chip developed by Samsung for the standard S26 model or for markets outside the US and Korea.

This happened with the Galaxy S24, where Exynos and Snapdragon were distributed by region. This is not good news for users, because Exynos has historically been less efficient and more prone to overheating than Snapdragon.

If the rumors are true, the user experience of the same model may vary between users - something the smartphone community does not like. This is clearly something to watch in the coming time.

Release date

Traditionally, Samsung holds its Galaxy Unpacked event in January. The Galaxy S23, S24, and S25 all launch in January or early February.

But 2026 may be the exception.

Recent leaks suggest that the product line-up has been pushed back, with one source saying the phone won't be available until March. The latest report predicts the Unpacked event will take place on February 25, meaning the Galaxy S26 will be available in March.

Galaxy S25 series. Photo: GSMarena

If true, this would be the latest release date in four years - a move that shows Samsung wants to perfect the product better before launching.

Powerful camera upgrade: 50MP Ultra Wide and larger sensor

Aside from the “Snapdragon or Exynos” debate, the most notable point in the Galaxy S26 rumors is the camera.

Early reports suggest the ultra wide camera will see a bump in resolution from 12MP to 50MP.

If this turns out to be true, the Galaxy S26 will be closer to the iPhone 17 (48MP rear camera cluster) and compete more strongly in the $799 flagship segment. Combined with the telephoto camera, which is already a strong point of Samsung, the S26 has the potential to become the best camera option in this price range.

Not stopping there, Samsung is rumored to use a larger main sensor, although it will still keep the 50MP resolution like the S25. The large sensor helps to capture light better, especially useful in low light conditions, which is a challenge for many Android smartphones.

Done correctly, the S26 can deliver outstanding night photography quality without increasing resolution.

Other improvements: Larger screen, thinner body and increased battery capacity

Besides the outstanding upgrades, the Galaxy S26 is said to have small improvements but in total they create a more valuable experience:

The display increases to 6.3 inches (from 6.2 inches on the S25) - similar to the iPhone 17 and Pixel 10.

Samsung is rumored to be making the device thinner, based on CAD renders of the S26 Ultra - there's a good chance the slim design will trickle down to the standard model.

Battery capacity is slightly increased to 4,300 mAh, compared to 4,200 mAh on the S25.

Notably, the Galaxy S25 currently has very good battery life thanks to optimizations with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. If the Galaxy S26 continues to increase the battery and use a more economical chip, the battery life could be superior to the previous generation - of course, this also depends on whether the device uses Snapdragon or Exynos.

Galaxy S26 Ultra concept video . (Source: Technizo Concept)

Based on what has been leaked so far, the Galaxy S26 will likely bring many valuable new features:

Powerful camera upgrade, especially the 50MP ultrawide lens.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or Exynos 2600 chip depending on the market.

Bigger screen, thinner design and better battery.

While much remains to be confirmed, the Galaxy S26 shows that Samsung is determined to make a step forward after a year of focusing on AI. And if all the rumors turn out to be true, the Galaxy S26 could be Samsung's most notable flagship in years.

(According to PhoneArena, CNET)

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