Samsung did not bump up the starting price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but it sure did for the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+. This means ownership of a Samsung Galaxy S just got more expensive. Well, thankfully, there’s the Fan Edition, which serves up flagship specs (well, mostly) at a slightly lower price. Introducing this year’s Galaxy S FE: the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE.
To be clear, the Galaxy S26 FE did not escape the price hike entirely. It starts at US$699.99 before trade-in, which is US$50 more than the Galaxy S25 FE. Still, it remains the least expensive way to get into Samsung’s 2026 Galaxy S family without wandering over to the Galaxy A series.
The Galaxy S26 FE is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2500, a 3 nm processor featuring a 10-core CPU and an AMD RDNA 3-based Xclipse 950 GPU. It comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128, 256, or 512 GB of storage, though availability varies by market.
Up front is a 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a claimed peak brightness of 1,900 nits. In other words, scrolling should be silky, games should look smooth, and checking messages under the midday sun should not require seeking refuge beneath a tree.
The camera arrangement consists of a 50 MP main camera with optical image stabilization, a 12 MP ultrawide, and an 8 MP telephoto camera offering 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom. Selfie duties fall to an upgraded 12 MP front-facing camera.
Samsung has also loaded it with camera tricks. My FanCam lets you select a person in a group video and automatically creates clips that keep that individual centered. Super Steady Video now includes Horizontal Lock to keep footage level, while Nightography tackles low-light scenes. Audio Eraser helps reduce unwanted sounds, and Photo Assist lets you describe edits using natural language.
The Galaxy AI cupboard is equally well-stocked. Circle to Search can identify multiple items on the screen, Now Brief organizes relevant information into customizable cards, and Now Nudge offers contextual suggestions without making you jump between apps. Whether you find all that genuinely useful or politely ignore half of it is entirely up to you.
Keeping everything running is a 4,900 mAh battery rated for up to 29 hours of video playback. It supports 45 W wired charging, which Samsung claims can replenish up to 69% in around 30 minutes when used with a compatible adapter. There is also 15 W wireless charging and Wireless PowerShare for topping up compatible accessories.
Despite its more approachable position in the Galaxy S hierarchy, the S26 FE still gets an aluminum alloy frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back, and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It launches with Android 17 and One UI 9, backed by seven generations of operating-system upgrades and seven years of security updates. That is quite a commitment for something called a Fan Edition.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
- Display: 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display, 60/120 Hz refresh rate, 1,900 nits peak brightness
- Dimensions & Weight: 76.9 x 161.6 x 7.4 mm, 193 g
- Processor: Samsung Exynos 2500, 3 nm
- Camera: 12 MP Ultra-Wide Camera (F2.2, FOV 123˚), 50 MP Wide Camera (OIS F1.8, FOV 84˚), 8 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom, OIS F2.4, FOV 32˚), 12 MP Front Camera (F2.2, FOV 85˚)
- Memory & Storage: 8 GB + 512 GB, 8 GB + 256 GB, 8 GB + 128 GB; availability varies by market
- Battery: 4,900 mAh (Typ)
- Charging: (Wired) up to 69% charge in around 30 minutes with a 45 W adapter (sold separately), 15 W wireless charging, Wireless PowerShare
- OS: Android 17 with One UI 9
- Network & Connectivity: 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.4
- Water Resistance: IP68, tested in lab conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes
- Colors: Blueberry, Graphite, Pistachio
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is available in Blueberry, Graphite, and Pistachio. It is available from Samsung in the United States with prices starting at US$699.99 before eligible trade-in. Buyers also receive six months of Google AI Pro, among several introductory software perks.
Images: Samsung.