Google Pixel 11 vs. Samsung Galaxy S26: Which AI phone should you buy in 2026?

Samsung's Galaxy S26 has been out for some time now, but it's about to get some fierce competition from Google with the upcoming Pixel 11 series. With newer chips and more capable AI, the battle between these two phones (and the companies making them) is surely going to be pretty interesting.

That said, we don't know all there is to know about the Pixel 11. Google has released small teasers, but most details are left up to leaks and rumors. Still, there's enough speculation to paint a pretty good picture of what we can expect from the Pixel 11 and how it will stack up to the Galaxy S26.

One has the more effective design

Like the Galaxy S26 and its predecessor, the Pixel 11 is expected to look just like the Pixel 10. The leaked renders show a device that, if you didn't know any better, could easily pass for the Pixel 10, save for some small details. For example, the camera housing on the back will reportedly be fully glass this time.

There are also rumors of new colors, which may include Midnight Haze (black), Light Sterling (gray), Moss (green), and Fuchsia (pink), although the color names may not be final. I am a bit sad that Indigo likely won't be back this time around, but the pink color looks quite good.

One benefit the Pixel 11 should have over the Galaxy S26 is built-in magnets for Qi2 charging. It helps that the Pixel camera bar sits higher and horizontally, allowing for more space. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 camera bar sits vertically to one side, which limits internal space and is likely why Samsung has yet to fully adopt Qi2.

Furthermore, the Galaxy S26 tends to wobble when you put it face up on a flat surface, something you likely won't get with the Pixel 11.

We've also heard rumors of a mysterious Pixel Glow, which appears to be part of the LED camera flash. It will likely be a notification light of sorts and have something to do with Gemini. That said, it's unclear if it will be limited to the Pro models or if the base Pixel 11 will get it, too.

But the hardware favors another

The Pixel 11 is expected to be powered by the Tensor G6, which should be the first chip to use TSMC's 2nm process. That means the phone should be more powerful and much more efficient, although we'll have to wait until we test it to see how much of an improvement it is.

The phone will likely be paired with 12GB of RAM and, for the first time, 256GB of base storage. That all sounds great, especially since you're getting double the storage of the Pixel 10, although for a higher price.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, perhaps the most powerful smartphone chip on the market right now. It, too, has 12GB of RAM, so it's pretty speedy and likely may have the upper hand in performance over Google's Tensor G6.

It's unlikely Google went with a silicon-carbon battery, which is disappointing.

The Galaxy S26 has a smaller battery but can still last all day. The downside is that it has relatively slow 25W charging, and the Pixel 11 is expected to retain 30W charging. The upside is that the Pixel should still have Qi2 magnetic charging, while the Galaxy S26 needs a case.

Who has the better camera?

The Galaxy S26 has a triple camera setup, and the Pixel 11 is expected to also have three cameras, although the details of these sensors are expected to be quite different.

It's been rumored that Google could bump the main sensor to 50MP. That would bring it in line with the Galaxy S26, although with the added benefit of a 5x telephoto camera, whereas the S26 only has a 3x optical camera.

Google also tends to do better with camera processing, although the Galaxy S26 can hold its own.

The Pixel 11 is likely to introduce more camera and image editing features. It's unclear what they will be, but they could bring more social features

One gets the best of both worlds

The software experience is very different on Samsung and Pixel phones. While Android 17 is rolling out to Pixel phones, many features expected to arrive with the Pixel 11 are still pending, along with any unannounced additions.

Google has a nice suite of AI capabilities, and Android 17 is slowly making Pixel phones more creator-focused with features like Camera Coach, Screen Reactions, and more.

The Galaxy S26 doesn't have any of these features, but it still gets some of Google's latest, such as Gemini Screen Automation. Samsung also has its own suite of Galaxy AI features, many of which are baked into the Gallery app for easy access to powerful editing tools.

Furthermore, both phones are expected to receive Gemini Intelligence features, which will provide even more advanced AI features.

Aside from the AI, the Pixel 11 will likely receive seven years of software updates. The Galaxy S26 should receive Android 17 any day now, and both phones will likely receive software support until 2033.

Google Pixel 11 vs. Samsung Galaxy S26: Which should you buy?

Overall, choosing between the Pixel 11 and Galaxy S26 comes down to your priorities. It sounds like the Pixel 11 Tensor G6 will be a nice step up, although if you're looking for raw power and not just AI prowess, the Galaxy S26 might be the phone for you.

The Galaxy S26 also has the upper hand in software, taking advantage of solutions from both Google and Samsung, although the Pixel 11 should have an impressive suite of features. Additionally, the Pixel is expected to have the better camera and magnetic charging, but the Galaxy S26 is no slouch.

It's not an easy decision, but once the Pixel 11 is launched, we should have a clearer picture.