If the Galaxy S26 leaks are true, I’d tell small phone fans to buy this instead

I was cautiously optimistic when I heard that Samsung might overhaul its Galaxy S26 series lineup. What especially caught my eye was evidence that Samsung was planning to launch a Galaxy S26 Pro in place of the expected Galaxy S26. The name alone suggested that we were looking at a more feature-packed base model. That would be a long-overdue move as the base Galaxy S flagship has always been small yet bereft of upgrades.

Unfortunately, spec leaks point to anything but a Pro handset. Furthermore, a recent leak also suggests that the entry-level model will revert to the standard Galaxy S26 name rather than the Pro moniker.

Assuming these Galaxy S26 leaks are accurate, then I think people should buy this other small phone instead.

A small(ish) phone done right

Vivo launched the X300 and X300 Pro in China last week, but both phones will be coming to global markets. The X300 Pro is undoubtedly the more premium flagship of the two, but the X300 also stands out.

Vivo said the X300 is actually a successor of sorts to the X200 Pro Mini, largely due to its similarly compact form factor. It’s not a sub-6-inch phone, but the 6.31-inch display still makes for a pocket-friendly design compared to conventional high-end phones. In fact, the device is slightly bigger than the base Galaxy S25 and a little smaller than the Pixel 10 and Xiaomi 15.

This size means I have little trouble reaching the top of the screen, while the phone also fits into my pants pockets without peeking out. Sure, the Galaxy S25 offers a similar size advantage, and the expected Galaxy S26 will likely continue this trend. However, a quick look at the vivo X300 spec sheet reveals that you’re getting a lot of phone in a small package compared to the notoriously stingy Samsung.

The standard X300 has an impressive spec sheet compared to Samsung’s base flagships. Perhaps the most notable addition is the 6,040mAh battery, which is just over 1,000mAh larger than the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s battery and over 800mAh larger than the battery in the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The base Galaxy S26 is tipped to get a 4,300mAh battery, but that’s still on the small side for a modern Android flagship phone. Either way, I’m willing to bet that the base Samsung phone will give up the ghost before the vivo handset.

Industry certifications and listings also suggest that the base Galaxy S26 model will arrive with 25W wired charging speeds. Meanwhile, the X300 has 90W wired speeds. Samsung apologists often argue that 25W charging isn’t a significant issue, as faster charging can accelerate battery degradation and they charge their phones overnight. But vivo’s X300 ships with the fast toggle disabled by default. It also shows charging speed options on the lock screen when using the original 90W charger. Toss in optimized charging functionality, the ability to cap the charging limit (e.g., stop charging at 80%), and 40W wireless charging, and vivo unquestionably has the edge here.

One of my biggest problems with the base Galaxy S phone in recent years, though, is the dated camera hardware. The Galaxy S25’s 50MP main camera sensor (1/1.56-inch), 3x 10MP telephoto camera, and 12MP ultrawide camera are basically the same as the Galaxy S22’s cameras. Unfortunately, it’s believed the base Galaxy S26 will, once again, use the same sensors. That’s ridiculous when you’re paying $800 or more in some regions. It also comes at a time when even a few mid-range Android phones are matching or beating Samsung’s camera hardware.

By contrast, the vivo X300 ships with a 200MP main camera (Isocell HPB) that’s similar to the 200MP shooter seen on Samsung’s Ultra phones. It also has a 50MP 3x periscope lens and a 50MP ultrawide shooter. I haven’t spent a ton of time with the phone’s cameras, but it’s already clear that the X300 delivers a versatile camera system capable of taking some good-quality snaps — check the gallery below. The one downside is that long-range zoom doesn’t hold a candle to the X300 Pro, as there’s a notable loss in detail from 6x. There’s no shortage of camera tricks, though, including a variety of color profiles, portrait styles, 4K/60fps portrait video, 4K/120fps LOG video, a street photography mode, and more. Vivo says it’ll even support the Pro model’s telephoto extender lens.

The X300’s Dimensity 9500 chipset won’t likely topple the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, but it’s still a powerful processor that should play demanding games without breaking a sweat. Toss in 256GB of base storage, an IP69 rating, and MacOS integration via the vivo OfficeKit app, and there’s a lot to like in a relatively compact package.

It’s clear to me that the vivo X300 will likely be the better pocket-friendly phone than the Galaxy S26. Between the large battery, fast wired/wireless charging, modern cameras, and much-improved OriginOS 6 skin, there’s a lot to like here.

It’s not a clean sheet for vivo, though, as there are still a few areas where Samsung reigns supreme in general. Samsung will likely offer a lengthier update promise, for one (we’ve asked vivo about the X300 update policy). Galaxy phones also offer far more AI features than vivo handsets, including translation, summarization, and writing tools. Then there’s the question of availability.

The Galaxy S26 will likely be available virtually everywhere, including the US. Meanwhile, the vivo X300 will be coming to markets like India, a smattering of European countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, Turkey), Mexico, and South East Asia. As such, you’ll have to import the device if you’re in the UK or the US. There’s also no word on wider pricing just yet, as the global launch event takes place on October 30.

Nevertheless, early signs suggest that the Galaxy S26 won’t be a significant leap forward for pocket-sized flagship phones. That means if you’re like me and appreciate a smaller phone with great hardware, the X300 is definitely worth considering. Now, about launching this device in more markets.