5 Android telephones you should purchase as an alternative of the Galaxy S26 Extremely

The Galaxy S26 Extremely, Samsung’s newest flagship Android cellphone, is lastly right here. It has a barely refreshed design, some new colours, and the spectacular Privateness Show characteristic. It’s not the most important improve we’ve ever seen, however the S26 Extremely remains to be a brand new Samsung flagship. For some individuals, that’s all that issues.

Nonetheless, earlier than you rush out and spend $1,300+ on Samsung’s newest, it’s price contemplating your different choices. The S26 Extremely is way from a foul smartphone, however there are a ton of different nice Android handsets to select from — lots of which you’d in all probability be happier with.

Listed below are my picks for 5 different Android telephones you should purchase as an alternative of the Galaxy S26 Extremely.

For many individuals studying this, probably the most wise Galaxy S26 Extremely various is its predecessor: the Galaxy S25 Extremely. Whereas the S25 Extremely might not be the most recent and flashiest Samsung cellphone, it delivers about 90% of the identical smartphone expertise because the S26 Extremely for much less cash.

Each telephones have the identical 6.9-inch AMOLED shows with the identical refresh price, decision, and so on. The S25 Extremely and S26 Extremely share the identical digital camera setups, battery capability, and RAM/storage quantities. Each telephones additionally include an included S Pen and Samsung’s One UI software program with a seven-year replace assure. In so many regards, these are successfully the identical smartphones.

After all, not every part is identical. The S26 Extremely has a more recent Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and sooner 60W wired charging. Whereas the digital camera system is essentially an identical, the S26 Extremely has a a lot brighter major and telephoto digital camera — probably leading to higher low-light pictures. And solely the S26 Extremely options Privateness Show, which hides the contents of your display screen from prying eyes.

Are these good upgrades? Completely. However additionally they aren’t game-changers. If yow will discover the Galaxy S25 Extremely at a pleasant low cost — which needs to be very simple now that the S26 Extremely has arrived — I’d suggest saving just a few hundred {dollars} and shopping for final 12 months’s cellphone as an alternative.

The S25 Extremely is a good alternative, however what if you happen to aren’t totally dedicated to purchasing a Samsung cellphone? What if you happen to’re open to a cellphone from one other model? In that case, I’d urge you to think about the Google Pixel 10 Professional XL. At this level in 2026, the Pixel 10 Professional XL and Galaxy S26 Extremely are two of the highest decisions for an enormous, flagship Android cellphone. And if it had been my cash, I’d select the Pixel 10 Professional XL each single time.

There are just a few causes for this, certainly one of which is software program. Whereas Samsung’s One UI has its followers, I discover Google’s Pixel software program to be so rather more fulfilling. Not solely is the interface cleaner and simpler to navigate, however Google’s Pixel-exclusive options — akin to Now Enjoying and the assorted calling instruments — are unmatched. And whereas each telephones have a seven-year replace assure, Pixels will at all times be up to date sooner than Galaxies.

And it’s not simply the software program that makes me choose the Pixel 10 Professional XL. I believe Google’s {hardware} design is much more trendy. I actually love the Pixel digital camera expertise, and the Pixel 10’s built-in magnets are an enormous comfort that the S26 Extremely sadly lacks. Samsung has the higher hand with uncooked efficiency and charging speeds, however for what I worth in a smartphone, Google is a a lot better match.

To make issues sweeter, the Pixel 10 Professional XL’s retail value is $100 lower than the S26 Extremely, and you may usually discover it on sale, too.

On the flip aspect, let’s say software program and cameras are much less necessary to you, and as an alternative you desire a cellphone with the most important and greatest specs doable — and also you additionally need to spend just a few hundred lower than the Galaxy S26 Extremely. In that case, I believe you’d be proud of the OnePlus 15.

Just like the S26 Extremely, the OnePlus 15 additionally has a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip along with your alternative of 12 or 16GB of RAM. OnePlus’s 7,300mAh battery blows away the 5,000mAh battery within the S26 Extremely, and the OnePlus 15 delivers that a lot further capability in a design that’s a few grams lighter than the S26 Extremely. Charging speeds are higher, too, with the OnePlus 15 supporting 80W wired and 50W wi-fi speeds. OnePlus additionally delivers a sooner 165Hz show refresh price and extra sturdy {hardware} with 4 IP rankings (IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K).

These monster specs include a few catches. Though OnePlus’s OxygenOS 16 software program isn’t horrible, it’s extra cluttered and fewer feature-rich than One UI. The OnePlus 15 can also be promised simply 4 years of main Android updates, and its digital camera isn’t as spectacular because the S26 Extremely.

These are huge issues to think about earlier than shopping for the OnePlus 15, however the value actually helps. At simply $900, it’s $400 inexpensive than the Galaxy S26 Extremely. For that a lot in financial savings and for the specs you’re getting, the OnePlus 15 is perhaps an ideal alternative for a few of you.

The OnePlus 15 is a good deal in comparison with the Galaxy S26 Extremely, however if you wish to stretch your {dollars} even additional, it is best to contemplate the Galaxy S25 FE. That is Samsung’s newest “worth flagship” smartphone, and whereas it might not have all the identical bells and whistles because the S26 Extremely, it’s additionally in all probability all of the cellphone you really want.

The S25 FE’s 6.7-inch show isn’t as sharp or vibrant because the S26 Extremely’s, however it’s nonetheless an AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh price. The Exynos 2400 chip is greater than highly effective sufficient for most individuals, battery life is nice, and the 45W wired charging is stable, too. You additionally get Samsung’s One UI software program in all of its glory, plus the identical seven-year replace coverage because the S26 Extremely.

The Galaxy S25 FE’s cameras are advantageous for informal use, however the S26 Extremely is way better-equipped right here. You additionally get much more RAM and storage with the S26 Extremely, and, paired with its extra succesful Snapdragon chip, it’s the only option for hardcore energy customers. Then once more, you’d count on that for a cellphone that prices $1,300.

By comparability, the Galaxy S25 FE retails for $650, and you may usually discover it for even much less. Just some days in the past, it was on sale for a mere $450 — a whopping $850 lower than the Galaxy S26 Extremely. The S26 Extremely is undeniably a cooler and fancier cellphone, however for that important a value distinction, is it actually price it? I’d argue not.

However let’s say you’re comfy spending $1,300 on the Galaxy S26 Extremely — whether or not as a result of you might have the cash to burn or since you simply must have the newest and biggest tech. You might go forward and purchase the S26 Extremely, however why not spend just a bit extra for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as an alternative?

Though the Fold 7’s $2,000 retail value is greater than “just a little” pricier than the S26 Extremely, you may commonly purchase the Fold for significantly much less. On the time of publication, Amazon is promoting a brand new Fold 7 for as little as $1,649. And as just lately as just a few days in the past, it was all the way down to $1,600.

If yow will discover a Z Fold 7 at a sale value like that, I believe there’s a powerful case for spending ~$300 extra on it as an alternative of the S26 Extremely. The S26 Extremely could also be Samsung’s latest handset, however it’s nonetheless only a conventional slab cellphone that’s not all that completely different from Galaxy S Extremely releases of the previous couple of years. By comparability, the Fold 7 is likely one of the most spectacular foldables you should purchase immediately — delivering a wonderful cellphone and mini-tablet expertise in a single slim, light-weight package deal.

Foldables aren’t for everybody, however if you happen to’re planning to spend a considerable sum of money on a brand new Samsung cellphone — and also you’re OK taking the foldable leap — I believe you’ll be a lot happier with a Fold 7 than an S26 Extremely.