Here’s galaxy S26 is almost perfect – but S27 must fix its glaring flaw

In 2026, small phones are a dying breed.

A quick glance at our in-depth best phones guide confirms it – just two of the 10 finest handsets in the world have a display smaller than 6.5 inches.

However, after extensive time with the 6.8-inch Pixel 10 Pro XL and Galaxy Z Fold 7 (6.5-inch cover screen, 8-inch internal display), I was eager to switch to something more compact and pocketable. And who knows, maybe even one-handed use would be back on the table!

With the One UI 9 beta now available, the regular Galaxy S26 was an ideal choice. A week later, I’m wondering why I waited so long for a phone that feels perfect for me in so many ways. But there is one big issue with it that Samsung simply must address on the Galaxy S27.

The perfect middle ground

When I got my first flagship smartphone – the Galaxy Note 8 – its 6.3-inch display felt huge. Nearly a decade later, the same size display on the S26 is considered small.

Of course, the bezel has narrowed massively in that time, meaning its total footprint is much reduced. But it still says a lot about how smartphones have changed, and not necessarily for the better.

For me (and I’d guess many others), a screen of around 6.3 inches is the perfect size. It’s large enough to enjoy viewing photos, comfortably scrolling social media and even watching a Netflix show, yet not too bulky for a pocket.

At just 167g, the Galaxy S26 is also one of the lightest phones you can buy right now. At times, I genuinely forget it’s even in my pocket, something that never happened when I was using the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

However, that doesn’t stop its aluminium and glass from feeling impressively premium and robust – its build quality is right up there with the best phones on the market.

Its build quality is right up there with the best phones on the market

I even took it to the beach last week, where the IP68 rating ensured it survived more than a few skirmishes with the sand. That’s more than can be said for my previous trip with the Galaxy Z Fold 7!

If you’re thinking of doing the same, don’t forget all all smartphone water resistance only applies to freshwater.

The ultimate smartphone software

If you’ve read my previous articles on Galaxy phones or One UI, you’ll know I’m a big fan of Samsung’s Android skin. In my view, it stands out above Google’s Pixel UI and even Apple’s iOS as the best smartphone software experience right now.

Why? It combines the ease of use of an iPhone with the extensive customisation you can only get on Android phones. It also avoids the Pixel’s tendency to lock down certain elements of the UI, while offering some of the most gorgeous first-party widgets. Oh, and you can actually turn off the app drawer, which is really important to me.

This is all very apparent on the Galaxy S26, where I was able to get everything looking and performing just the way I like it in minutes. It says a lot that two of my favourite Android 17 updates – the options to split Wi-Fi and mobile data toggles and turn off app labels on the home screen – have been on Samsung phones for years.

Compromises in (almost) all the right areas

Of course, the Galaxy S26 can’t match the top-of-the-line S26 Ultra in every area. But, for the most part, I think Samsung has been very smart about where it’s made these trade-offs.

The display is slightly lower-resolution but still delivers a top-tier OLED viewing experience in almost every situation. A UK heatwave coincided with my first week of use, but I’ve had no problems with visibility, even in direct sunlight.

While it’s a shame to miss out on the innovative Privacy Display feature, Samsung has slapped a huge premium on something that’d I’d only use occasionally anyway.

Cameras are arguably the biggest downgrade, with a smaller main sensor and the loss of the periscope telephoto lens. But the regular and standard telephoto (with its 3x optical zoom) have still been doing a great job for me.

In most areas, the S26 doesn’t feel like a scaled-back experience compared to high-end flagships

I don’t think Samsung phones can quite match the Pixel in point-and-shoot photography, but I can still get a great snap with a quick tap more often than not. And honestly, I don’t care about having the absolute best image quality – I only need something I can rely on, which is definitely true of the S26’s cameras.

There’s also no S Pen, but from my time with the Galaxy Note 8 and S24 Ultra, I rarely used it anyway. The loss of Bluetooth connectivity on the S26 Ultra makes it far less fun to use, regardless.

In most areas, the S26 doesn’t feel like a scaled-back experience compared to high-end flagships, despite the significant price difference. But there’s one major exception…

Battery anxiety incoming

On paper, Samsung delivered a tidy upgrade to the Galaxy S26’s battery. Its new capacity is a full 300mAh larger than the S25, while the display size has only grown by 0.1 inches.

I wasn’t expecting heroics from what is still a below-average capacity, but the S26’s battery life has still been a real disappointment. It’ll still make it through a full day on a single charge, but not without some considerable battery anxiety.

In 2026, the S26’s shoddy battery life is difficult to accept

One morning, I ensured the phone was fully charged before leaving the house at 8.20am. By the time I arrived home 11 hours later, battery saver mode had been on for a while, and it was barely pushing 10%.

That might not sound bad, but I only used the S26 for two hours and nine minutes all day, suggesting the phone was consuming a lot of power with the screen off. That’s not good at all.

Of course, there are ways to prolong battery life, including turning off location services and mobile data, plus turning down the screen brightness. But it was a day at the beach! None of those things are realistic. I dread to think what might’ve happened if I’d had a more intense day of use, especially as I heavily rely on my phone for navigation and tickets.

In 2026, the S26’s shoddy battery life is difficult to accept. Regardless of the Android phone you own, you should be able to get through a full day without worrying.

The poor battery life is compounded by painfully slow charging. While the S26 Ultra got a bump to 60W and the S26+ sits at 45W, the regular S26 is stuck at the same 25W we’ve seen since the Galaxy S10 days. Come on, Samsung, give us something!

While it doesn’t matter to me, many people will also bemoan the measly 15W wireless speeds, but at least it’s the same as the S26+.

But ultimately, it’s the battery life that really lets the Galaxy S26 down. If Samsung changes nothing else, it must address battery life on the upcoming Galaxy S27 to be recommendable.

Currently, it’s the only dealbreaker on an otherwise excellent compact phone.