Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Galaxy S26: Leaked Specs, Super Fast Wireless Charging and New Colors

Published: December 2, 2025

Samsung still hasn’t announced the Galaxy S26 series, but today has effectively turned into a mini–Galaxy Unpacked for leakers. Fresh comparison tables, firmware teardowns and wallpaper leaks are giving us a clear look at how the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra should differ from the current Galaxy S25 line – and whether it’s worth waiting. ^[1]

Below is a breakdown of everything that has emerged as of December 2, 2025.

Galaxy S25 vs Galaxy S26: comparison tables show mostly incremental upgrades

Early today, GSMArena published side‑by‑side comparison tables of Galaxy S25 vs S26, S25+ vs S26+, and S25 Ultra vs S26 Ultra, based on data from prolific leaker Ice Universe. The article itself is hard to access in some regions, but several outlets have now reproduced the key numbers, confirming the overall picture: the S26 family is a refinement of the S25, not a full rethink. ^[2]

Base model: Galaxy S26 vs Galaxy S25

From Tom’s Guide and Gadgets360’s breakdown of Ice Universe’s tables, here’s how the vanilla Galaxy S26 compares to the S25: ^[3]

Display
- S25: 6.2‑inch FHD+, 1–120Hz LTPO, 2,600‑nit peak brightness
- S26: 6.3‑inch FHD+, same 1–120Hz and 2,600‑nit peak
Chipset
- S25: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (globally)
- S26: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or Exynos 2600, depending on region
Memory & storage
- RAM stays at 12GB.
- Storage trims the entry tier: 128GB is reportedly gone, leaving 256GB and 512GB options.
Cameras
- Same triple rear setup: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto.
- 12MP selfie camera is unchanged.
Battery & charging
- Battery climbs from 4,000mAh to 4,300mAh, while wired charging remains capped at 25W.
Dimensions
- The S26 is a little thinner (around 6.9mm vs 7.2mm) and a touch heavier (roughly 164g vs 162g).

In short: slightly bigger screen, bigger battery and a new chip, but the same cameras, display brightness and charging speeds.

Galaxy S26+ vs Galaxy S25+: a near‑clone

If you’re eyeing the Plus model, the leaked tables make the generational jump look even smaller. According to Gadgets360’s summary, the Galaxy S26+ keeps almost everything from the S25+: ^[4]

Display: 6.7‑inch QHD panel, 2,600‑nit peak brightness, 1–120Hz adaptive refresh – unchanged.
RAM & storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB or 512GB storage – unchanged.
Cameras: identical rear and front camera hardware (50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 12MP selfie).
Battery & charging: same 4,900mAh cell and 45W wired charging.
Chipset: upgraded from Snapdragon 8 Elite to Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 / Exynos 2600, depending on market.
Weight & size: S26+ is said to be slightly lighter than the S25+ while keeping the same thickness.

AndroidHeadlines goes as far as saying the S26+ “will bring even less changes than the Galaxy S26,” underlining just how small the hardware step looks on paper. ^[5]

Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: faster charging, small camera tweak

As usual, the Ultra gets the most attention – and the most meaningful (if still modest) upgrades. The Tom’s Guide spec table and AndroidHeadlines’ write‑up line up on the key points: ^[6]

Display: still 6.9‑inch QHD with 1–120Hz and 2,600‑nit peak brightness, but switching from Samsung’s M13 OLED material to M14, which should improve efficiency and image quality.
Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (no Exynos variant mentioned in this leak).
RAM & storage: unchanged – 12GB or 16GB RAM, and 256GB / 512GB / 1TB storage options.
Cameras:
- Main 200MP HP2 sensor appears unchanged, though AndroidHeadlines notes a wider aperture lens, which should help low‑light performance. ^[7]
- Ultrawide and 5x periscope telephoto look unchanged.
- The 3x telephoto keeps a 10MP resolution but reportedly moves to a slightly smaller sensor. ^[8]
Battery & charging:
- Battery remains 5,000mAh, but wired charging is tipped to jump from 45W to 60W, aligning with earlier leaks about a new Super Fast Charging 3.0 standard. ^[9]
Dimensions: the S26 Ultra is expected to be a bit thinner and lighter than the S25 Ultra. ^[10]

Taken together, today’s comparison tables reinforce what several earlier reports suggested: the Galaxy S26 family is more of a polish pass over the S25, with the most tangible change being faster charging on the Ultra.

One UI 8.5 code: “Super fast wireless charging” is finally coming

The other big story around the S26 line this week is charging – and it comes not from hardware leaks, but from Samsung’s software.

Android Authority’s APK teardown of a One UI 8.5 test build has uncovered a new status string: “Super fast wireless charging”, alongside the existing “Wireless charging” and “Fast wireless charging” messages used today. ^[11]

A few key points from that teardown and follow‑up coverage from NotebookCheck, SamMobile and Android Central: ^[12]

New branding in the code
- One UI currently distinguishes between standard 5–10W wireless charging and 15W “fast wireless charging.”
- One UI 8.5 adds a third toast message explicitly named “Super fast wireless charging,” implying a new, faster tier.
Rumored wireless speeds
- Multiple reports now converge on up to 25W wireless charging for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, with the S26 and S26+ expected to top out around 20W, all up from the long‑standing 15W cap on Samsung flagships.
- Android Authority notes this would be the first wireless charging speed bump since the Galaxy S20 series, and could cut wireless charge times by roughly 40% versus current models.
Wired charging: Super Fast Charging 3.0
- Separate One UI 8.5 strings refer to “Super Fast Charging 3.0”, which Android Central and Gadgets360 link to a move to 60W wired charging on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. ^[13]
Qi2 and ecosystem hints
- Android Central points out that Samsung has already launched Qi2‑capable wireless chargers this year, suggesting the S26 family may finally embrace the newer magnetic charging standard, although this isn’t yet confirmed. ^[14]

As always with APK teardowns, none of this is guaranteed to ship. Android Authority explicitly warns that code‑level findings can disappear before release. But taken together with repeated 60W wired‑charging rumors, it’s increasingly hard to ignore the signs that Samsung is planning its biggest charging upgrade in years. ^[15]

Six Galaxy S26 colors – including an iPhone‑style peach

On the design front, TechRadar has today highlighted leaked wallpapers that may reveal the launch colors for the Galaxy S26 series. The images, allegedly pulled from Samsung software and shared by X user @wr3cckl3ss1, show six hues: ^[16]

Gray
Black
Silver
Peach
Purple
Light blue

Another leaker, @DaRealManMikey, claims these will indeed be the phone colors, and TechRadar notes that the peach variant looks like a blend of the coral Galaxy S25 and the orange iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max – an iPhone‑inspired twist that’s likely to stand out in marketing. ^[17]

There are some important caveats, though:

The leakers behind the wallpapers don’t yet have long track records, so these colors should be treated as probable but not definitive. ^[18]
Samsung often reserves bolder colors for the non‑Ultra models and gives the Ultra more muted finishes, or offers online‑exclusive shades later. So these six hues may not reflect the full palette – especially for the S26 Ultra. ^[19]

Still, between this and various CAD renders of the S26+ and S26 Ultra, the overall aesthetic is coming into focus: a familiar S25‑like silhouette, with slightly thinner bodies and a more playful color story. ^[20]

Should you buy a Galaxy S25 now or wait for the S26 Ultra?

This is the question hanging over every S26 leak, and it’s one Forbes tackles directly in Ewan Spence’s column “Three Reasons To Wait For The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.” ^[21]

From the snippets available via aggregators and earlier reporting, the piece highlights:

On‑device Galaxy AI:
Samsung is expected to push more of its Galaxy AI features onto the device itself with the S26 Ultra, leaning on its newer chipset and NPU to reduce reliance on the cloud and improve responsiveness and privacy. ^[22]
Charging upgrades:
With widespread leaks pointing to 60W wired and significantly faster wireless charging, the S26 Ultra should fix one of the biggest long‑term complaints about Samsung’s flagships: slow charge times compared to Chinese rivals. ^[23]
General next‑gen refinements:
Even though the comparison tables show modest changes, the Ultra still gets a more efficient display, a tweaked camera stack and a thinner, lighter body – all the kind of small quality‑of‑life upgrades that add up over a multi‑year ownership cycle. ^[24]

Spence also reiterates the likely launch window: Samsung is expected to hold its next Galaxy Unpacked event in mid‑ to late‑January 2026, with retail availability roughly two weeks later, following the pattern of earlier S‑series launches. ^[25]

Our early take

Putting today’s leaks together, the decision looks like this:

Reasons to buy a Galaxy S25 now
- Big discounts are already common, particularly on the S25 Ultra, as the phone approaches its first birthday. ^[26]
- The S25 series already offers strong performance, great cameras and Galaxy AI features, and for S22‑era or older phones it’s a huge upgrade. ^[27]
- On the base and Plus models, S26 hardware changes are modest enough that a heavily discounted S25 or S25+ may deliver better value. ^[28]
Reasons to wait for the Galaxy S26 (especially Ultra)
- Faster charging – 60W wired and 20–25W wireless, if the leaks pan out – will matter every single day you use the phone. ^[29]
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 / Exynos 2600 should bring performance and efficiency gains, which in turn help battery life and on‑device AI. ^[30]
- If you care about color and aesthetics, the S26 lineup’s leaked palette may appeal more than the current S25 finishes. ^[31]

For most people on older phones (S23 or earlier, or any 2022 device), a good Galaxy S25 deal is still an excellent upgrade today. But if you want the very latest hardware and you’re particularly sensitive to charging speeds, waiting roughly two months for the Galaxy S26 Ultra to arrive is looking more and more defensible.

Galaxy S26 launch timing: how close are we?

Several pieces now point to a similar timeframe:

Tom’s Guide notes that the S26 has already appeared on a testing server running One UI 8.5, suggesting a launch “just over a month away.” ^[32]
TechRadar reiterates that some leaks still mention a possible March 2026 window, but the consensus is shifting back towards a familiar January launch, in line with recent Galaxy Unpacked events. ^[33]
Forbes likewise describes a mid‑ to late‑January unveiling with a follow‑up retail release in early February. ^[34]

Given today’s detailed spec tables, new software branding and even leaked wallpapers, it certainly feels like Samsung’s 2026 flagships are entering the final stretch of pre‑launch leaks.

If you’re planning content or purchase decisions around Samsung’s next flagships, the key themes after today are clear: small spec bumps for S26 and S26+, a more meaningful charging and camera tune‑up for S26 Ultra, and a fresh coat of paint in six likely colors. Now it’s just a question of whether Samsung has any surprises left when Galaxy Unpacked 2026 actually kicks off.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Unboxing!

Watch this video on YouTube.

References

Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Galaxy S26: Leaked Specs, Super Fast Wireless Charging and New Colors – All the Latest (December 2, 2025)