Head to head
Samsung Galaxy S26vsSamsung Galaxy S25
The short answer
Choose the Galaxy S26 for more base storage and battery life per charge. Choose the Galaxy S25 for battery lifespan. The Galaxy S25 is £80 cheaper at UK RRP (£799 against £879). The Galaxy S26 gets security updates for longer: until February 2033, against January 2032 for the Galaxy S25.
- Released
- 2026-03-06endoflife.date, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Price
- £879Samsung Newsroom UK — Galaxy S26 series, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Security updates until
- 2033-02-28Samsung UK spec API — Galaxy S26, retrieved 2026-09-22
- Released
- 2025-02-03endoflife.date, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Price
- £799Samsung Newsroom UK — Galaxy S25 series, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Security updates until
- 2032-01-31Samsung UK spec API — Galaxy S25, retrieved 2026-09-22
2 wins for Galaxy S261 win for Galaxy S251 gap borderline4 differences you won’t notice£80 apart at RRP
Verdict: Galaxy S26 ahead on 2 rows, Galaxy S25 on 1 row
On the makers’ published figures, the Galaxy S26 wins on storage (base) (256 GB against 128 GB) and battery per charge (51 h against 37.27 h); the Galaxy S25 wins on battery lifespan (2,000 cycles against 1,200 cycles). One gap is borderline, a difference most people would not notice: 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (6,531 against 5,664, both from 3DMark) for the Galaxy S26. The differences in weight, display size, battery capacity and claimed video playback are below the thresholds you would notice. Both state the same refresh rate, peak brightness, RAM, fast charging and wireless charging. The other 34 rows have no threshold or no direction to judge by, so nobody wins them.
True to scale
Outlines from each maker’s published dimensions, drawn to scale. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.
Specifications
A win is marked only where the figures can be ranked and the gap is one you could notice. A row the site has no threshold for says whether the two differ, and that it is not ranking them. = marks the same figure on both, ≠ not ranked a difference with no ranking. Every figure carries its source.
Body
Display
Platform
Memory
Camera
Battery
Connectivity
Benchmarks
4 attributes neither phone has a sourced figure for
Typical brightness · HDR peak brightness · OS versions supported · Google Mobile Services. Rows appear as sources are cited — a gap in our data, not a statement about either phone.
Questions
Is the Galaxy S26 better than the Galaxy S25?
On the figures, neither is better overall: the Galaxy S26 wins on storage (base), 256 GB against 128 GB (both Samsung Newsroom UK) and battery per charge, 51 h against 37.27 h (both EU energy label); the Galaxy S25 wins on battery lifespan, 2,000 cycles against 1,200 cycles (both EU energy label). Every other row is borderline, too close to notice, or not ranked.
Which has the better battery?
The Galaxy S26, by a gap you’d notice: battery per charge, 51 h against 37.27 h (both EU energy label). The Galaxy S26 is ahead on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: claimed video playback, 30 h against 29 h (both Samsung UK). The Galaxy S26 is ahead on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: battery capacity, 4,300 mAh against 4,000 mAh (both Samsung Newsroom UK).
Which is lighter?
The Galaxy S25 is lighter on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: weight, 162 g against 167 g (both Samsung Newsroom UK).
Which has the brighter screen?
Neither: both state 2,600 nits for peak brightness (GSMArena).
Which gets updates for longer?
The Galaxy S26 gets security updates for longer: until February 2033, against January 2032 for the Galaxy S25. Sources: dates from Samsung UK spec API.
Which is cheaper?
The Galaxy S25 is £80 cheaper at UK RRP (£799 against £879). Prices from Galaxy S26: Samsung Newsroom UK; Galaxy S25: Samsung Newsroom UK.
Other comparisons
The pairs a buyer of either phone would also weigh. Any two phones in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.