Deals: Galaxy S26 series launched, S25 Ultra, Vivo X300 and X300 Pro, Pixel 10 phones pose a challenge

Samsung launched the Galaxy S26 globally this week and we have reviews of all three models: the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26. During pre-order, the phones came with a free upgrade from 256GB to 512GB storage. Now that pre-orders are over, the deal is a little different but still pretty good.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra dominates – according to Samsung, it made up 70% of pre-ordered S26-series units. In Europe, it is the only model with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. And globally, it is the only phone with a privacy display. You can get the 512GB model for the price of the 256GB one, and you should. However, the jump up to 1TB of storage is quite expensive as there are no discounts. You may not need 1TB of storage, but this is the only S26 model with 16GB of RAM – all other storage options and models have 12GB instead.

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ is in a weird position – but a good weird one. The 512GB model currently costs €1,130 instead of the usual €1,450. What’s crazy is that the 256GB model costs €1,250, so it’s even better than a free storage upgrade.

The vanilla Samsung Galaxy S26 is available with a free storage upgrade, no weirdness here. And since the base storage this year is 256GB, that means you’re getting a 512GB phone. Note that the S26 and S26+ have Exynos 2600 chipsets instead of Snapdragons this year.

Okay, now let’s take a look at the competition starting with the phones that have been discontinued recently. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is still available and you can pick up a 512GB unit for €350 less than the S26 Ultra. You get the older chipset, the Elite vs the Elite Gen 5, and lose the privacy display. We will have a detailed vs article in the future, but for now we can say that the new model has better battery life and charging is much faster. However, the new wider apertures on the cameras didn’t do that much.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE isn’t as capable as the S26+, but it’s also significantly cheaper. Its chipset is two generations behind (Exynos 2400 vs 2600) and its display is a lower resolution 1080p+ non-LTPO panel. However, everything else is not so different.

If you want a smaller phone, why not the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7? It’s €100 more than the S26 if you want the 512GB model, but it folds up into a more compact size. The chipset is a generation older (Exynos 2500) and you lose the telephoto camera (the 10MP 3x module isn’t great, but it’s better than nothing). However, the battery remains the same, with a 4,300mAh capacity, with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL will lose to Galaxy S26 Ultra in the benchmark competition. What will happen in the camera fight? Well, we haven’t tested them against each other yet, but you can read last year’s Pixel 10 Pro XL vs S25 Ultra article as a preview of what you can expect. The Galaxy has better battery life, faster charging and a brand new privacy display. However, you can get a 512GB Pixel for €500 less than the Galaxy and it has 16GB of RAM, there’s no need to pay up to the 1TB model.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 has to fight not one but two Pixels – the Google Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro. The vanilla model is around €200 cheaper than the Pro, which is the same price as the S26 (given the 512GB phone). The Pro has a better telephoto camera (48MP 5x/113mm vs 10MP 3x/67mm), ultra-wide camera (48MP vs 12MP) and selfie camera (42MP vs 12MP). Its 50MP main also has a larger sensor (1/1.31” vs 1/1.56”). The vanilla model has less capable cameras than the two, but it’s the cheaper option, so that was to be expected.

google pixel 10

€315 off
Can get Pixelsnap charger for €15 more
Read our review

See also

Tech Hub

Google Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL announced with Tensor G5, new telephoto lens and big battery

8/256GB – €685 on Amazon Day

The Vivo X300 Pro is priced similarly to the S26+, but it’s actually a competitor to the S26 Ultra. It has a Dimensity 9500 chipset, a 50MP 1/1.28″ main camera, a 200MP 3.7x/85mm periscope, and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. Plus a larger 5,440mAh battery with 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. The Euro model is smaller in milliamp hours, so its endurance isn’t as good as the Galaxy (which has a smaller battery!).

The smaller Vivo X300 takes on the vanilla S26. It has a 5,360mAh battery, which is almost the same size as the X300 Pro, and it outperforms both the X300 Pro and the S26. It has a 200MP main, 50MP 3x/70mm telephoto and 50MP ultra-wide camera. It is powered by Dimensity 9500 chipset.

The Poco F8 Ultra is a flagship killer, so some of its features are not up to S26 Ultra standards. That said, the 512GB phone (with 16GB of RAM, no less) costs less than €700, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (no Exynos here) and a big 6,500mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. The 50MP 1/1.31” main, 50MP 5x/115mm telephoto and 50MP ultra-wide aren’t on the same level as the Ultra cameras, like we said, but they’ll make the S26+ sweat under its collar.

By the way, Apple iPhone 17e has also been launched this week. It’s not really part of the S26-series discussion, but it’s the cheapest new iPhone, so it’s natural some people will be interested in it.