While I was delighted to hear that Samsung is keeping the Galaxy S26 Ultra at the same $1,299 price point as before, I was shocked by the price hikes for the other two models. Both the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus are $100 more expensive than their predecessors, starting at $899 and $1,099, respectively.
That’s why I can’t get over the Galaxy S25 deals Mint Mobile is offering right now, with savings of roughly $250 off most devices. For example, the Galaxy S25 features a $250 instant discount that brings the price down to $550 — but it comes out to $730 plus tax at checkout because it’s bundled with a full year’s worth of unlimited service.
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Why you should still consider getting the Galaxy S25
(Image credit: Future)
If history is any indication of Samsung’s intentions, I’m confident the Galaxy S25 will eventually receive most of the new Galaxy AI features Samsung demonstrated at Unpacked. When Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 Ultra and introduced Galaxy AI to the world, it wasn’t long before the One UI 6.1 update brought those same features to the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
We saw a similar pattern when the Galaxy S25 Ultra arrived, which eventually granted the Galaxy S24 Ultra new tools like Now Brief with the release of One UI 7. Given this track record, I suspect the Galaxy S25 lineup will gain many of the latest Galaxy AI capabilities through subsequent One UI 8.5 software updates.
This is precisely why I still recommend the Galaxy S25 — especially considering the price hikes on the S26 series. It’s an even more compelling argument when you factor in the deep discounts currently available on the older hardware.
Galaxy S25
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Mint Mobile’s offer for the Galaxy S25 is too good to pass up. An instant $250 discount drops the price from $800 to $550, and even when it’s bundled with a full year of unlimited service, the total comes to just $730 plus tax. For significantly less than the $899 sticker price of the new Galaxy S26, you’re getting both a flagship phone and a year of data.
It’s also worth noting that the camera hardware remains practically identical: a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP selfie camera. While I suspect the Galaxy S26’s newer ProVisual Engine will refine image processing, I don’t expect the results to be dramatically different from what the S25 already delivers.
Galaxy S25 Edge
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)
This model is particularly interesting because rumors initially suggested Samsung would sunset the Plus and replace it with the Edge. However, given that the Galaxy S25 Edge arrived with certain compromises and failed to capture a massive audience, Samsung likely decided it was better to keep the Plus in the lineup for another year.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy S26 Plus received a $100 price hike, bringing it to $1,099 — the exact same price as the Galaxy S25 Edge. I find the S26 Plus a bit overpriced in this context, especially since the S25 Edge offers a thinner, lighter, and more premium-feeling design.
That’s why I recommend Mint’s discounted Galaxy S25 Edge. A $250 instant discount brings the device itself down to $850. Just like the standard S25 deal, Mint Mobile bundles a year of service at a discounted rate, bringing your total to $1,030 at checkout. I have to reiterate: that is still cheaper than the standalone price of the new Galaxy S26 Plus.
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