Recent technical leaks and regulatory filings have provided details on the hardware capabilities of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 series. The new flagship devices are expected to introduce significant upgrades in satellite communication and mobile graphics processing.
A primary hardware addition is the Exynos Modem 5410. This 4nm chip supports three distinct types of non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication: LTE Direct-to-Cell (DTC), NB-IoT NTN, and NR-NTN. Unlike the limited satellite messaging found in earlier models, the Exynos Modem 5410 is designed to support two-way voice and video calls via satellite. This allows the Galaxy S26 to maintain high-bandwidth communication in remote areas without terrestrial cellular coverage. The modem also supports 5G download speeds up to 14.79Gbps by utilizing both sub-6GHz and mmWave bands.
For performance, Samsung is reportedly utilizing the Exynos 2600 in some regions, which is built on a 2nm fabrication process. This chipset features a new GPU designed in-house by Samsung. While this graphics unit still utilizes foundational AMD architecture, the transition toward a proprietary design is intended to improve thermal management and power efficiency during high-end gaming. In other markets, including the United States, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, as indicated by recent FCC certification documents for model numbers SM-S948B and SM-S948U.
Gaming-specific enhancements include the rumored “Heat Path Block” technology. This thermal solution is designed to keep the device up to 30 percent cooler than previous generations during sustained heavy workloads. The display hardware is also expected to receive an upgrade to a 10-bit panel capable of showing 1 billion colors, with a touch sampling rate of 480Hz to increase input responsiveness for competitive mobile games.
Despite the technical details available, the final pricing for the Galaxy S26 series is not yet confirmed. Reports from industry sources indicate that Samsung is struggling to set a final price point due to the rising costs of raw materials, specifically high-density DRAM and 2nm silicon wafers. The base Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to start between $1,299 and $1,399, reflecting a potential price hike to cover these manufacturing expenses.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is scheduled to be unveiled at a Galaxy Unpacked event in February 2026. While an exact date is not official, industry projections suggest a late February announcement with retail availability beginning in March 2026. The devices will be available through the Samsung web store and major global carriers immediately following the launch.
