No, the Galaxy S26 isn’t a Refreshed Galaxy S22

A notion has been circulating that the Galaxy S base and Plus models have essentially been recycled since the Galaxy S22 series, suggesting that the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ won’t deliver an impactful improvement. While there is some truth to this claim, it is an unfair statement to make. Focusing on just one singular aspect of the device isn’t a true way to measure progress. I picked up a Galaxy S22 and a Galaxy S25 to showcase the real improvements built up over the years.

The difference between Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S25 is already notable

I purchased a Galaxy S22 and a Galaxy S25 to see how they differed. Before diving into the camera comparison, the actual devices deliver a substantial boost to the overall experience. The vibration motor is now clearly felt even when the phone is in your pocket. I missed so many calls on my Galaxy S22 Ultra and had to rely on my Galaxy Watch for notifications.

Sound quality delivered a pleasant improvement too. Not only did the volume see a big jump, but the lack of distortion on the top end also provided a much-needed upgrade. The audio felt fuller as well.

The display also appeared far sharper; the colors are more accurate, and peak brightness got a good jump, going from 1,300 nits to 2,600 nits. Other important upgrades:

• UFS 3.1 > UFS 4.0
• 3,700mAh > 4,000mAh
• Bluetooth 5.2 > Bluetooth 5.4 w/Bluetooth LE Audio
• Wifi 6 > Wifi 7

The Galaxy S26 is receiving another huge boost to the battery, now at 4,300mAh. It also gets improvements in many other areas.

Camera software

The camera software showed a substantial difference between the two phones, particularly in Expert RAW. The Galaxy S25 brings more tools to its arsenal, and this is represented in the upcoming comparisons.

Outside of Expert RAW, the Galaxy S25 offers access to LOG, H.264, and 360-degree video recording. It has access to several extra settings in Camera Assistant, including adaptive pixels, upscaling digital zoom, and DOF adapter correction, just to name a few.

Camera comparison

I decided to conduct a blind camera comparison between the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S25, Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The results were surprising. Each test I conducted relied on WVisionCreation’s camera settings, both for Auto mode and Expert RAW. The first test focused on the 3x sensor performance of the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Galaxy S25 using Expert RAW.

You would expect the superior hardware on the Galaxy S24 Ultra to claim victory, but that wasn’t the case. The Galaxy S25 emerged as the preferred choice over the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Another interesting point: the Galaxy S25 delivered far better color recreation.

For the second test, I switched to Auto mode and brought the iPhone 17 Pro Max into the mix. The lineup included the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S22, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Galaxy S24 Ultra. Shots were captured at standard 1x and a 2x crop.

This one threw me off a bit; even I struggled to make sense of the results at first. Surprisingly, the Galaxy S22 emerged as the overall victor in this round. In my eyes, though, the Galaxy S25’s 1x shot stood out as the clear winner for color accuracy. However, its 2x shot noticeably lost some of that color accuracy.

The final test pitted the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S23, and Galaxy S22 against each other in Night Mode shots. The iPhone relied on its traditional Night mode, while for the Galaxy devices, I used Expert RAW.

Once again, the Galaxy S25 emerged as the victor. While I personally prefer the tone of the Galaxy S25, the iPhone delivered superior detail, most clearly showcased by the art on the brick wall.

If you’d like to see the full comparison, here’s the link. Feel free to check out all the photos and the discussions there.

What shouldn’t have happened

Regardless of what the results were, there are just some things that shouldn’t have happened. The Galaxy S25 shouldn’t have had the same sensor as the Galaxy S22, no matter how great the processing has become. I’ve seen some concerns over on Reddit about the Galaxy S25 having worsened thermal performance compared to its predecessor; that shouldn’t be the case.

The Galaxy S26 series recently debuted, and the omission of the Galaxy S26 Edge was a huge miss. Samsung should’ve kept it and replaced the Plus model. Push a little further and give Exynos a platform to sit on globally. 

There’s hope for the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+

According to Erencan over on X, the Galaxy S26+ has a new main, S5KGNG, and 3x Sensor, S5K3LD. If history is anything to go by, the Galaxy S26 should share the same sensors. Now the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra could share the same updated 3x Sensor.

It may not be the upgrade we’re all hoping for, but it’ll count where it truly matters. Even though it doesn’t look like much on paper and the 3x telephoto lens is just a cropped sensor, I expect noticeable improvements in camera performance. If you’re eagerly waiting to see what the Galaxy S26 brings to the table, I’ve got one on the way, along with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Refined hardware beats generative AI algorithms

Despite the current predicament, I’d much prefer the current situation over Generative AI parts in the final shoot. WVisionCreation discovered that the Huawei Pura80 Ultra utilizes AI far more aggressively than Samsung does.

It isn’t the only one he’s found; the Oppo Find X9 Pro also does this as well.

When I first saw this on X, users voiced real concern; they weren’t given any option to turn it off. It’s a real shame, especially given how impressive the cameras are. Instead, they resorted to AI-generated content. If Samsung ever does something similar, I want no part of it. A photo should preserve a memory exactly as it was, not be manipulated. Thankfully, early photography samples don’t appear to show this issue.

Conclusion

No matter the overall improvements, the camera system on the base and Plus models should have been upgraded with the Galaxy S24 series, and again with the Galaxy S25 series. The Galaxy S26 series should have taken a different approach with an Edge model. I don’t believe Galaxy S26 owners will be disappointed, but they deserve better.