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Samsung Galaxy S26 FE Review: Same as Before, but for More Money
Confirmed
In Short: The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE offers a near-flagship experience at a higher price point, with little to no significant upgrades from previous models.
Samsung's annual 'Fan Edition' (FE) has returned, this time with the Galaxy S26 FE. While it delivers a near-flagship experience, the price has increased to $700, making it a more expensive option compared to its predecessors.
The Galaxy S26 FE comes in a standard Samsung box, with a polished look and a versatile triple-camera system. The display, while not as bright as the regular Galaxy S26, remains legible outdoors, and the phone's design closely mirrors that of Samsung's flagship models.
According to reports, the FE range is designed to provide a near-flagship experience at a discounted price. Last year's Galaxy S25 FE was praised for its value, but the S26 FE has seen little improvement, with only a processor upgrade and a price hike.
The phone's hardware remains largely unchanged from the S25 FE, with the same 50MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide lens, and 8MP 3x telephoto zoom. Samsung promises new tricks, but these promises have been made before with the S25 FE.
Despite the similarities, the Galaxy S26 FE is a perfectly good phone in isolation. It features a 6.9-inch Adaptive AMOLED display with a 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate, and its design, including the glass back and aluminum frame, is nearly identical to that of the flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra.
However, the S26 FE's price of $700 makes it less appealing compared to the Galaxy S25 FE, which was praised for its value at $650. Additionally, the display's peak brightness of 1,900 nits is lower than the regular Galaxy S26's 3,000 nits, though it remains legible outdoors.
Samsung's broader product ecosystem and its collaboration with Apple on foldable display panels further highlight the company's commitment to innovation. However, for those looking for a more affordable option, the Galaxy S25 FE remains a strong contender, offering similar features at a lower price.
What's confirmed
- Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 sets a new standard for book-style foldables by pairing a squatter, video-friendly inner display with excellent battery life, quick performance, and genuinely helpful AI features, making it the foldable to beat.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Credit: Eric Zeman) Comparatively, the base Z Fold 8 has 12GB of RAM and the same 256GB of storage for $1,899.99.
- You're going to spend a small fortune no matter which one you buy, but Samsung's Fold is $100 cheaper across the board.
- Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 8 Design: Cut From the Same Cloth Thanks to the engineering requirements of folding phones, the Duo and Fold 8 share many design elements.
What's still developing
- It is just the "FE" now. Regardless of what the abbreviation stands for, the "FE" has traditionally been positioned as the "value" offer for Samsung enthusiasts. It has proven in the past to be able to deliver pretty much the full current flagship experience, or at least like 90% of it, while keeping a more reasonable price point and only cutting strategic corners in the process, whether that means a slightly less-impressive camera sensor or two, a not-exactly-bleeding-edge display panel and a slightly cut-down chipset. A modern-day "flagship killer", if you will, by the very same company that makes the flagships everyone is looking up to.
- It's time for Samsung's annual "Fan Edition", even though nobody really calls it that anymore.
- Last year’s Galaxy S25 FE won plaudits as one of the best cheap phones, shaving off the superfluous and coming in at $650.
- You could easily mistake the S26 FE for one of Samsung’s flagship phones.
- It has the same glass back with the triple-lens camera island at the top left, the same aluminum frame, and the same flat all-screen frontage broken only by the punch-hole selfie camera.
- I got a tasteful pale green Pistachio review unit, but it also comes in dark gray Graphite and indigo Blueberry.
- Samsung and Google make some of the best Android phones right now, but there are some clear differences to consider if you're split between the two.
- Also: I tested the 100x zoom cameras of Samsung, Google, and Motorola phones – this model won If you’re in the market for a new Android phone, you have two major brands to consider: Samsung and Google.