Surveys show owners of this older Galaxy phone aren’t rushing to upgrade to the S26

Source: Android Authority

Summary of Arguments

Upgrading from a three‑year‑old flagship used to be an easy decision, but the improvements between generations can feel more incremental today. With the Samsung Galaxy S26 series now available, the question is whether it’s finally time for Galaxy S23 owners to make the jump.

Tushar Mehta’s case – In his article, Mehta argues that an upgrade from the Galaxy S23 Ultra to the Galaxy S26 Ultra makes sense when you stack several generations of improvements. He points to a brighter 10‑bit display with built‑in privacy mode, the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, faster charging, and Samsung’s latest One UI 8.5 with expanded Galaxy AI tools. Added to a slimmer, lighter design and modest camera tweaks, he concludes that the cumulative changes make the new Ultra a worthwhile step up.

Megan Ellis’s case – Ellis takes the opposite stance when comparing the standard Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus to their Galaxy S26 counterparts. She notes that the changes over three years are surprisingly modest: similar camera setups, relatively slow charging speeds, and only incremental hardware improvements. She also points out that the S23 series still has another Android upgrade coming, and many of the new AI features aren’t essential or exclusive to Samsung phones. In short, if your S23 is still working well, there’s little reason to rush into an upgrade.

Both arguments are persuasive and focus on different devices within the lineups.

Poll Results

• Ultra‑focused poll – The poll targeting Galaxy S23 Ultra owners considering an upgrade to the Galaxy S26 Ultra showed that almost 45 % of respondents are happy staying with the S23 Ultra for now. About a quarter said their decision would depend on the value of Samsung’s trade‑in deals, while roughly three in ten indicated they would definitely upgrade.

• Standard‑model poll – The poll from Ellis’s article about upgrading from the Galaxy S23 series to the Galaxy S26 (without a trade‑in option) yielded a clearer result: roughly two‑thirds of voters said the upgrade isn’t worth it, and only about one‑third said they would move to the newer model. With more than 5,000 votes, the majority of readers don’t see enough of a leap between these generations to justify upgrading right now.

Overall, the data aligns more closely with Ellis’s skeptical take. Even the Ultra‑focused poll, which was more pro‑upgrade, showed modest enthusiasm, and trade‑in deals emerged as a significant factor.

Reader Feedback

Comments on both articles reflected the same hesitation seen in the polls. Many readers said their Galaxy S23 devices still feel perfectly capable, with performance and cameras that don’t feel dramatically behind newer phones. A few argued that the highlighted improvements—such as AI features or the new privacy display—aren’t compelling enough to justify spending flagship money on an upgrade now.

Those who were keen on upgrading generally cited broader reasons for moving to any new phone: battery degradation, longer software support, and very good trade‑in deals. The most common motivations for considering the S26 series were:

• Declining battery health
• Desire for extended software updates
• Attractive trade‑in offers

Conclusion

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series has not generated overwhelming excitement among current S23 owners. The majority of readers don’t view the incremental upgrades as a must‑have reason to switch, especially when trade‑in incentives are the primary driver. While the Ultra model offers a handful of notable improvements, most users feel their existing devices remain fully capable.