The Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely cannot beat this 2025 Android cellphone

Yearly, Samsung drops a brand new Galaxy Extremely, and one way or the other, it nonetheless looks like the identical acquainted formulation with just a few refinements.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely is not any exception. It’s polished and highly effective, positive, however not fairly the type of improve that makes you fall in love with it instantly. That stated, this yr does deliver one glorious addition: the Privateness Show. It’s a characteristic that modifications how I exploit my cellphone in public, and truthfully, it’s one thing I need on each Android I exploit, together with my favourite cellphone from final yr: the OPPO Discover X9 Professional. Nonetheless, a single standout characteristic doesn’t utterly shift the worth equation at a $1,300 beginning worth.

And when put subsequent to the OPPO Discover X9 Professional, the crème de la crème of Android cellphone cameras, out of the blue, the S26 Extremely feels exhausting to justify at that worth. Don’t get me incorrect. I nonetheless just like the Galaxy S26 Extremely for what it presents. However when a extra reasonably priced cellphone from final yr begins beating it in key areas, it’s exhausting to disregard. And I’ve my causes for that.

One of many greatest the reason why I really like the OPPO Discover X9 Professional is its cameras. To present you a way of the setup, it packs a 50MP major digital camera, a 200MP periscope telephoto lens with as much as 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultra-wide sensor on the again.

For me, this rear setup works simply as nicely for private use because it does for skilled. Lately, I took the OPPO Discover X9 Professional on trip and relied on it for pictures and movies. One second that stood out for me was at a restaurant overlooking the seaside. The body had every thing: rocks, water, sand, and even distant mountains. What I acquired again was a vibrant, energetic picture. Right here, the Hasselblad tuning actually reveals its character in the way it handles colour science and post-processing. Even with haze within the air, the cellphone didn’t flatten the scene.

That consistency doesn’t simply cease at informal pictures. Many of the cellphone photos I shoot for my articles are taken on this machine. The portrait mode, particularly, stands out. It cleanly isolates the topic whereas preserving colours pure and the blur managed.

To actually take a look at that consistency, I even in contrast it with pictures from the Pixel 10 Professional. With the Pixel, I seen slight variations between photos of the identical topic. The Discover X9 Professional, then again, took three consecutive pictures of the identical scene, which got here out virtually precisely as anticipated each time. That repeatability makes an actual distinction whenever you’re working with it often. And when it got here to taking pictures the OPPO Discover X9 Professional itself for this piece, in fact, I needed to deliver out one other digital camera. At the least for me, only a few telephones come near what this one constantly delivers.

That very same reliability turns into much more noticeable whenever you transfer into the telephoto system. I principally follow the 3x optical zoom for the reason that 70mm focal size works nicely for human portraits and product pictures. In truth, the 6x hybrid zoom additionally performs nicely when you really want close-up pictures with out sacrificing element.

Talking of which, the digital zoom can go all the best way as much as 120x, and whereas AI processing kicks in at that time, the truth that it nonetheless stays usable is spectacular in itself. There’s additionally a Hasselblad teleconverter equipment you should purchase individually, however at a newbie degree, it feels a bit pointless for me. That stated, it does present how far OPPO is keen to go for individuals who need a extra severe pictures setup.

One characteristic that I liked experimenting with was the XPAN mode. It’s a traditional Hasselblad mode that captures cinematic, ultra-wide panoramic pictures with a definite look and a facet ratio of 65:24.

The OPPO Discover X9 Professional additionally has a 50MP selfie digital camera with autofocus, and it’s a bit too good at its job. The second I began clicking selfies, each tiny element on my face got here into shocking readability. It’s spectacular, little doubt, but in addition the type of element that makes you query just a few issues about your personal pores and skin. Jokes apart, it may not all the time be flattering, however it does precisely what it’s imagined to and does it very well.

The entire level of taking pictures with the Discover X9 Professional for me is reliability. I do know, that doesn’t sound significantly thrilling, however hear me out. Each time I framed a shot on the OPPO Discover X9 Professional, I had a reasonably clear thought of what I’d get. The post-processing is constant and, extra importantly, predictable. And for me, that predictability issues extra.

With my time utilizing the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely, that hasn’t all the time been the case. I’ve at instances run into shutter lag and a few dynamic vary inconsistencies that may throw a shot off simply sufficient to be noticeable. That stated, the Discover X9 Professional isn’t flawless both. It does sometimes miss, however even then, the outcomes really feel like predictable misses. And in a bizarre means, that’s simpler to work with than inconsistency.

The OPPO Discover X9 Professional doesn’t simply cease at cameras; it carries that very same confidence into efficiency and battery life, too. The 7,500mAh battery sounds huge on paper, and it really holds up in actual life.

My day often begins round 9 am, and my utilization revolves round clicking pictures, taking pictures movies, scrolling by apps, and spending extra time than I’d prefer to admit on YouTube Shorts. My display time is well on the upper aspect, however at no level did I really feel like I wanted to regulate the battery. And that’s saying one thing, as a result of battery nervousness may be very actual for me — I used to personal an iPhone. With this Discover X9 Professional, although, it simply wasn’t a factor. I used to be comfortably getting shut to 2 days on a single cost.

Now, once I put the OPPO Discover X9 Professional subsequent to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely, the distinction is unimaginable to look previous. Samsung has been sticking with a 5,000mAh battery for the reason that Samsung Galaxy S20 Extremely, and it actually makes you surprise how a lot it has held again progress all these years.

What stood out simply as a lot was how nicely the Discover X9 Professional dealt with thermals. Even with no case, it by no means felt uncomfortably heat, particularly at decrease battery ranges the place most telephones are inclined to wrestle. That very same stability carried into heavier duties as nicely. I edited just a few reels on the VN app and exported high-quality movies with out lacking a beat.

Beneath the hood, OPPO’s cellphone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, and all through my time with it, efficiency felt constantly clean and dependable. Whether or not it was on a regular basis use or one thing extra demanding, the cellphone held its floor. To present you a greater thought, I play Name of Responsibility: Cell virtually daily, often leaping into a fast group deathmatch spherical, and the expertise has been strong. On the finish of the day, if the cellphone I’m utilizing isn’t throwing tantrums, I’m good.

That’s actually what this comes all the way down to. I just like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely — I genuinely do — however it nonetheless can’t fairly outdo the OPPO Discover X9 Professional. For me, the priorities are pretty simple: robust battery life, nice cameras, and dependable efficiency. The Discover X9 Professional nails all three.

That’s what makes this comparability a bit awkward. As a result of for a flagship in 2026, the Galaxy S26 Extremely ought to ideally be setting the benchmark, not attempting to catch up. And but, that’s precisely what it’s doing.

That stated, the Discover X9 Professional isn’t good both. ColorOS nonetheless doesn’t really feel as intuitive and feature-rich as Samsung’s One UI, and Galaxy AI stays considered one of Samsung’s greatest strengths — one thing OPPO hasn’t fairly matched but. There’s additionally a transparent iOS-inspired affect in OPPO’s software program, which may do with a bit extra originality. Software program issues, and so does long-term assist — and in that regard, Samsung nonetheless has the sting. Merely put, I’ll be capable of use the Galaxy S26 Extremely for a few years longer than the Discover X9 Professional.

However even with that benefit, it’s exhausting to disregard the larger image. The Discover X9 Professional will get the basics so proper that Samsung, with all its sources and flagship pedigree, nonetheless can’t convincingly reply probably the most fundamental query: What does $1,300 really get you?