Samsung dropped the Galaxy S26 lineup at Unpacked yesterday. The S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra all launched together. Pricing got weird this year thanks to memory costs exploding a few months back.
Base Storage Doubled But Prices Went Up Anyway
Last year's Galaxy S25 started with 128GB storage. The S26 base model now starts at 256GB instead. You'd think doubling storage would justify a price increase, but even accounting for the extra capacity, the S26 costs more than you'd expect. Memory shortages drove component prices up industry-wide. Smartphones definitely got hit.
The Galaxy S26+ already started at 256GB last year. That model costs more this year too despite storage staying the same.
S26 Ultra Bucks the Trend Slightly
Here's where things get interesting. The base Galaxy S26 Ultra with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage actually costs slightly less in some regions compared to last year's S25 Ultra. Not everywhere, but certain markets saw small decreases.
Higher storage tiers though? Those went up. The 512GB and 1TB configurations both cost more than their S25 Ultra equivalents.
Speaking of 1TB—only the S26 Ultra offers that capacity this year. And the 1TB version now ships with 16GB RAM instead of 12GB. Last year's S25 Ultra topped out at 12GB RAM across all storage options. So the 1TB S26 Ultra with 16GB RAM doesn't have a direct price comparison since that configuration didn't exist before.
Key Points:
- Galaxy S26 base model starts at 256GB versus S25's 128GB but costs more due to memory prices
- S26 Ultra base 12/256GB model slightly cheaper in some regions than S25 Ultra last year
- Only S26 Ultra offers 1TB storage which now includes 16GB RAM upgrade
- Pre-orders open today with March 11 ship date, $30/€30 discount for pre-reservations
- Galaxy Buds4 ($180/€180) and Buds4 Pro ($250/€250) maintain same pricing as last year
Pre-Order Perks and Free Upgrades
Pre-orders opened today. Phones ship March 11. Anyone who pre-reserved a unit should've gotten an email with a $30 or €30 discount code. Check your spam folder if you reserved and didn't see it.
Some regions offer free storage upgrades too. That means paying the base model price but getting the next tier up in storage capacity. The 1TB S26 Ultra doesn't qualify for straight upgrades but gets a discount from list price instead.
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Buds4 Pricing Stayed Flat
Samsung also launched Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro alongside the phones. Regular Buds4 cost $180/€180. Buds4 Pro run $250/€250. Both prices match exactly what Buds3 and Buds3 Pro cost last year.
At least something didn't increase.
The Memory Problem Isn't Going Away
Memory shortages caused this pricing mess. DRAM and NAND flash prices spiked hard late last year and stayed elevated. Every manufacturer using these components faces the same squeeze. Samsung couldn't absorb all the cost increases, so customers pay more.
Whether memory prices stabilize or keep climbing determines if the S27 series faces similar pricing pressure next year.
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