Samsung stunned fans with the ultra thin Galaxy S25 Edge last year, winning praise for its 5.8 mm skinny profile and flagship features. Now leaks and renders suggest Samsung is set to push the envelope even further. Rumors claim the upcoming Galaxy S26 Edge will be thinner and sleeker around 5.5 mm thick while packing in bigger batteries and updated hardware. Early CAD images even show a bold new look with a full width horizontal camera bar on the back with two big lenses on the left. The design looks very similar to Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Pro but with only two cameras instead of three. In short the S26 Edge looks to be a radical redesign of the S25 Edge aiming to stay on the cutting edge of smartphone innovation.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge Rumored specifications and hardware
So far the S26 Edge rumors paint the picture of a top end Samsung flagship. It is expected to sport Samsung’s latest Galaxy silicon likely the new Exynos 2600 in markets outside the US and China and Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 in the US China and Korea. Benchmarks of an alleged S26 Edge prototype show a big leap one Geekbench leak reports scores of 3393 single core and 11515 multi core substantially higher than the S25 Edge’s 3129 and 9916. Expect a significant performance boost under the hood whether it is Exynos or Snapdragon.
We also expect memory and storage bumps. Samsung may offer 12 GB or even 16 GB of RAM on the S26 Edge up from 12 GB on the S25 Edge. Storage options will likely start around 256 GB with a higher 512 GB tier. Connectivity should include 5G on all major bands Wi Fi 7 dual SIM plus eSIM and fast USB C charging. Samsung is also rumored to add built in magnets for Qi2 wireless charging a new standard that aligns with the latest iPhones and Pixel phones.
Battery life is another major focus. The S25 Edge was ultra thin but packed a modest 3900 mAh battery which was the one complaint testers mentioned. Rumor has it Samsung will not skimp this time. Reports claim the S26 Edge will jump to a 4200 mAh cell. That is a generous bump which combined with the new 2 nm chipset should noticeably improve endurance.
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Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge Design and display
The S26 Edge’s chassis is expected to measure about 5.5 mm thick roughly 0.3 mm slimmer than the S25 Edge. This would make the S26 Edge one of the thinnest smartphones ever at least on paper. To achieve this while improving the battery Samsung may be using new stacked battery technology or higher density cells.
The back design is taking a bold turn. Render leaks show a full width flat camera module across the top containing two large lenses on one side. This is a big shift from the S25 Edge’s old vertical strip of three cameras. The result closely resembles Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Pro design. One key difference is that the S26 Edge appears to have only two rear cameras a main and an ultra wide.
The front display should remain Samsung’s signature high end AMOLED. The rumors suggest a 6.7 inch curved edge screen similar to last year. Expect a bright 120 Hz OLED with vivid colors and possibly improved anti reflective coating. Bezels may be slim and the front camera will likely stay under a small punch hole.
Samsung is also rumored to keep IP68 water and dust protection on the S26 Edge. The design focus is clearly on thinness and premium feel not adding back old features.
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Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge Cameras
The S25 Edge carried over the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s giant 200 MP main sensor and the S26 Edge is expected to do the same. Rumor has it Samsung might open up its aperture a bit for the S26 generation to let in more light and improve low light shots.
Alongside the main camera the S26 Edge will likely include a 50 MP ultrawide sensor. This is a step up from the S25 Edge’s 12 MP wide angle promising finer detail and sharper edges. To keep the phone thin Samsung is expected to skip a telephoto lens again so the S26 Edge will likely remain a two camera system.
On the selfie side we expect a similar setup to the S25 Edge around 12 to 32 MP under screen or punch hole with autofocus. Camera hardware looks very similar to the S25 Edge but software and processing tweaks should keep images competitive.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Performance and AI features
Under the hood the S26 Edge should be a powerhouse. The Snapdragon chip already beats the S25 Edge’s 2024 chip by about 10 percent on single core tests and the Exynos 2600 is said to be similarly cutting edge. Paired with 12 to 16 GB of RAM the result should handle anything you throw at it.
That means heavy duty gaming video editing and multitasking will be no problem. The larger 4200 mAh battery will help along with 45 to 65 W fast charging. Samsung’s Game Booster optimizations and advanced cooling will sustain performance.
On the software side the S26 Edge will run One UI 8 on Android 15 or later with all of Samsung’s AI features. Expect expanded Galaxy AI tools like advanced camera modes voice assistants and real time translation.
Expected release date pricing and availability
Samsung typically launches the S series in January. All signs point to January 2026 for the S26 series reveal with pre orders opening immediately and sales starting late January or early February.
As for price Samsung has not announced anything but rumors say it will stay close to S25 levels. For reference the S25 Edge launched around 1099 dollars for the base 256 GB model. It is reasonable to expect a similar price for the S26 Edge.
The S26 Edge should be sold globally. Samsung will release it in all major regions with chip differences by region as usual. The US Korea and China markets will likely get the Snapdragon powered versions while Europe and other regions will get the Exynos versions.
How it compares to the S25 series
Design The S26 Edge is expected to be thinner around 5.5 mm versus 5.8 mm. It also has a new camera layout a wide horizontal bar with two large lenses instead of the S25’s vertical strip of three.
Performance The S26 Edge will use the next generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 or Exynos 2600. Benchmarks suggest this new chip is roughly 10 to 15 percent faster. Samsung may also bump RAM from 12 GB to up to 16 GB.
Camera Both phones use a 200 MP main sensor but the S26 Edge adds a 50 MP ultrawide instead of the 12 MP ultrawide on the S25.
Battery and charging The S26 Edge boosts battery from 3900 mAh to 4200 mAh. It also introduces Qi2 wireless charging magnets.
Innovation and features Expect more AI features a global unified launch and continued Edge branding replacing the old Plus model.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge sounds like a true evolution of Samsung’s slimmest flagship. Early reports point to a razor thin and powerful phone roughly 5.5 mm thick and powered by the latest flagship chip with a larger 4200 mAh battery to keep it going. Its new camera design stands out and even invites comparisons to Apple’s next iPhones.
As always with leaks we will have to wait for Samsung’s official announcement likely January 2026 to know exactly what is real. But if even half these rumors are true the S26 Edge will be a very compelling flagship faster longer lasting and drop dead gorgeous.
FAQ
Will the Galaxy S26 Edge be worth upgrading to from the S25
Yes if you want longer battery life faster performance and the new design. Otherwise the S25 Edge is still solid.
Will the S26 Edge support satellite connectivity
Samsung has been preparing for it and hardware support is there. Whether you get it depends on carrier partnerships at launch.
Will the S26 Edge be available globally
Yes Samsung’s flagship phones always launch worldwide with only chip differences by region.
What makes it different from the S25 and iPhone 17 Pro
Compared to the S25 Edge it is thinner has a bigger battery and a redesigned camera setup. Against the iPhone 17 Pro it offers a different ecosystem a dual camera versus triple camera and Samsung’s AI tools.
