Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review: a good phone, but a pricey Fan Edition
- Test
- 7/ 10
- Rocks on Galaxy
- Tech
- 23 Sep, 2026
- 0
A good phone that nails the fundamentals (display, battery, camera), but the $100 price hike is hard to justify against the S25 FE.
The Galaxy S26 FE keeps the Fan Edition formula: most of the flagship experience at a lower price. But this year it launches $100 costlier than the S25 FE without a substantial upgrade, as SamMobile's full review points out.
Design and display
Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back, aluminum frame, 7.4mm thin and 193g: the hand feel is solid and premium. The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz panel peaks at 1,900 nits and stays legible in sunlight, though the bottom bezel is still a touch thick.
Camera and performance
The 50MP main shooter delivers excellent daylight shots (detail, dynamic range, natural colors), and the 12MP selfie cam is solid. The 3x telephoto stays usable up to 10x in daylight. On power, the Exynos 2500 handles daily use and gaming easily, with only the occasional stutter when exiting the camera app.
Battery and charging
The 4,900 mAh battery lasts a full day (≈5.5h screen-on with gaming and video). 45W charging reaches 65–70% in 30 minutes. Annoyingly, the USB-C port is downgraded to USB 2.0.
Verdict
A good phone that gets the fundamentals right, but the price hike isn't backed by enough real upgrades. For the best value, the S25 FE at a discount remains an excellent alternative.
Specs
- Display
- 6.7" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1,900 nits
- Chipset
- Samsung Exynos 2500 (3nm)
- Cameras
- 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 8MP 3x telephoto, 12MP selfie
- Battery
- 4,900 mAh, 45W wired, 15W wireless
- Software
- One UI 9 (Android 17), 7 years of updates
- Size / weight
- 7.4mm thick, 193g
- Water resistance
- IP68
A good phone that nails the fundamentals (display, battery, camera), but the $100 price hike is hard to justify against the S25 FE.
Pros
- Slim, lightweight and premium design
- Excellent display
- Fast and smooth performance
- Good main and selfie cameras
- One UI 9 (Android 17) out of the box
- All-day battery life, 45W charging
- Seven years of OS updates
Cons
- Quite pricey despite few major upgrades
- 4K 60fps video limited to main and front cameras
- Missing one Galaxy AI feature for no clear reason
- USB-C downgraded to USB 2.0, no wired DeX