Highlights
- Most Galaxy S26 models are expected to cost more than the S25 series due to rising RAM and storage costs, except the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
- Samsung is eliminating the 128GB option, making 256GB the base storage. Prices in Sweden show increases of €95–€230 across standard and Plus models, while the Ultra’s 1TB variant remains unchanged.
- The series is expected to launch on February 25, 2026 with sales starting March 11.
Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S26 series toward the end of next month. Now, a new pricing leak suggests that most Galaxy S26 models will be more expensive than their Galaxy S25 counterparts. Here’s what we know.
Galaxy S26 Series Price Leak
According to well-known tipster Roland Quandt, citing information shared by Winfuture, the upcoming Galaxy S26 series models will cost more than their predecessors. The broader price hikes across the series are believed to be driven by rising component costs, particularly for RAM and flash storage. This should be a surprise since the trend has been widely speculated to affect smartphone manufacturing across brands.
The tipster also reveals that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only model expected to break this trend. Its 256GB and 512GB variants are tipped to launch at lower prices than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, while the top-end 1TB version is said to retain the same price as last year’s model.
Galaxy S26 Storage and Pricing Details
The Winfuture report, based on dealer listings from Sweden, indicates that Samsung is eliminating the 128GB storage option entirely. As a result, 256GB will become the base storage configuration across the Galaxy S26 lineup.
In Sweden, the Galaxy S26 with 256GB storage is listed at 11,990 SEK (€1,135), up from 10,990 SEK (€1,040) for the Galaxy S25 with the same storage. This marks a year-on-year increase of roughly €95 and makes the entry-level S26 around €200 more expensive than the base S25. The 512GB Galaxy S26 is priced at 13,990 SEK (€1,325), around €190 more than the 256GB version.
The Galaxy S26+ shows a mixed pricing strategy. Its 256GB variant is listed at 14,490 SEK (€1,372), matching the price of the Galaxy S25+ with identical storage. However, the 512GB model jumps to 16,990 SEK (€1,609), which is more than €230 higher than last year, highlighting the rising cost of storage upgrades. Leaks suggest Samsung will announce the Galaxy S26 series on February 25, 2026, with sales starting March 11.
Galaxy S26 Ultra Pricing Shift
The biggest surprise comes with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung appears to be reducing the starting price of its flagship to remain competitive. The 256GB Galaxy S26 Ultra is listed at 16,990 SEK (€1,609), down from 17,990 SEK (€1,703) for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The 512GB variant also sees a slight reduction to 18,990 SEK (€1,798).
Meanwhile, the 1TB model remains unchanged at 22,490 SEK (€2,129), suggesting Samsung may be absorbing some of the increased memory costs at the premium end.
Samsung is also expected to discontinue its long-standing pre-order promotions that offered free storage upgrades. With memory prices remaining high, these offers are likely being phased out to give the company greater pricing flexibility.
Galaxy S26 Series – Expected Specifications and Launch Timeline
Aside from pricing, leaks point to relatively minor hardware changes. The Galaxy S26 is tipped to feature a 6.3-inch M14 AMOLED display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, while the Galaxy S26+ could offer a larger 6.7-inch 2K AMOLED panel.
Both models are expected to retain IP68 dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, Qi2 wireless charging, and camera setups similar to the Galaxy S25 series. Depending on the market, the phones may be powered by either the Exynos 2600 or the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.
Recent reports suggest Samsung could officially announce the Galaxy S26 series on February 25, 2026. Pre-orders are expected to open on February 26, with sales likely beginning on March 11.
FAQs
Q1. How will the Galaxy S26 series pricing compare to the Galaxy S25 lineup?
Answer. Most Galaxy S26 models are expected to be more expensive due to rising RAM and storage costs, except the Galaxy S26 Ultra which will be cheaper in 256GB and 512GB variants.
Q2. What storage options will be available in the Galaxy S26 series?
Answer. Samsung is removing the 128GB option, making 256GB the base storage across all Galaxy S26 models.
Q3. When is the Galaxy S26 series expected to launch?
Answer. Leaks suggest Samsung will announce the Galaxy S26 series on February 25, 2026, with sales starting March 11.