August 27, 2026, 3:39 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
The new Fan Edition smartphone offers more speed, long updates, and more stable videos. However, it faces tough competition from cheaper and technically superior alternatives at launch.
The Samsung FE models (“Fan Edition”) offer many of the most popular features of the Galaxy flagship models at a lower price by making targeted compromises on certain features. The current model is the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, which Samsung has just introduced and largely follows the design of its predecessor. The front features a 6.7-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of 120 hertz and a peak brightness of up to 1900 nits. The back is made of matte glass, and the casing is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. New is the slightly raised camera block, which houses the three lenses.
Inside, the Exynos 2500 is now at work, which is also found in the Galaxy Z Flip 7. This should make the Galaxy S26 FE faster than its predecessor, but it lags behind the Exynos 2600 of the regular S26 models and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Nevertheless, the performance should be at a good level for everyday use.
Old Cameras Get New Tricks
There are hardly any changes in the camera hardware. Samsung again combines a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with three times optical zoom. The new processor and revised software are expected to particularly improve night shots. The front camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels and captures a wider field of view.
Also new is a horizontal lock for especially stable video recordings. It is designed to keep the horizon level even during strong movements. However, the battery remains unchanged: It has a capacity of 4900 milliampere-hours and can be charged with up to 45 watts via cable or 15 watts wirelessly. A major improvement over the predecessor is not to be expected.
Also interesting: Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra may lose camera
Seven Years of Updates Are Not Enough as a Selling Point
The Galaxy S26 FE is delivered with One UI 9.0 based on Android 17. Samsung promises updates until 2033, providing seven years of software support. Additionally, AI features are included, which are also available in the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The smartphone will be released on September 3, 2026, with 128, 256, or 512 gigabytes of storage and 8 gigabytes of RAM each.
The prices are 799, 899, and 1099 euros. This makes the Galaxy S26 FE more expensive than its predecessor and not very attractive at launch. The technically superior Galaxy S26 Plus currently costs about 750 to 770 euros, while the hardly less equipped Galaxy S25 FE is already available for around 500 euros. Therefore, the new FE model is likely to become more interesting only after a significant price drop.