Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: which should you buy?
Date:
Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:00:00 +0000
Description:
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is a cheaper alternative to the standard Galaxy
S26, but is it a better buy? We're not so sure.
FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Samsung Galaxy S26 FE 499 at Amazon 128GB 549 at very.co.uk 128GB 549 at Mobiles.co.uk 128GB 549 at Argos 128GB
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is the cheapest way in to the Galaxy S26 line and benefits from a big screen and battery, but it's a notable step down from the standard S26 in most other ways. Pros Big 6.7-inch screen Relatively high capacity battery Cheapest entry point Cons Less powerful chipset Less capable cameras Slightly worse screen Samsung Galaxy S26 629 at very.co.uk 256GB | Blue 629 at Argos 256GB | Purple 699 at Laptops Direct 256GB | Black 709 at Mobiles.co.uk 256GB
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a powerful phone with a great screen and capable cameras, but while not the most expensive model in the S26 series, it does cost a fair bit more than the FE. Pros Top-end chipset Great triple-lens camera Superb if small screen Cons Costs quite a lot Lower capacity battery Slower charging Samsung 's Galaxy FE line has always been a slightly odd proposition. In theory, these phones are cheaper alternatives to standard numbered Galaxy phones, offering Plus-sized screens at an affordable price. But they've steadily gotten more expensive over the years, and some FE phones are more well-rounded than others.
That makes choosing between a Samsung Galaxy S26 FE and a Samsung Galaxy S26 more complicated than just choosing between a pricier phone and a cheaper
one. In this guide, then, we'll walk you through the key differences between these two phones, comparing their displays, designs, performance credentials, and more. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: specs comparison The table below provides a brief overview of how the Galaxy S26 FE and Galaxy S26 compare in terms of specs. Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell - Column 0
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
Samsung Galaxy S26
Dimensions:
161.6 x 76.9 x 7.4mm
149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm
Weight:
193g
167g
Display:
6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X
6.3-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Refresh rate:
60Hz120Hz
1Hz-120Hz
Peak brightness:
1,900 nits
2,600 nits
Chipset:
Exynos 2500
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 / Exynos 2600
RAM:
8GB
12GB
Rear cameras:
50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto
50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto
Front camera:
12MP
12MP
Battery:
4,900mAh
4,300mAh
Charging:
45W wired, 15W wireless
25W wired, 15W wireless
Storage:
128GB / 256GB / 512GB
256GB / 512GB Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: price and availability Image 1 of 2 The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) The Samsung Galaxy S26 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of
2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE was announced in late August 2026 and shipped in November, with the phone now widely available. It starts at $699.99 / 699 / AU$1,149, which gets you a model with 128GB of storage. But theres also a 256GB model for $799.99 / 799
/ AU$1,299 and a 512GB model for 949 / AU$1,599 though this version is not available in the US. You may like Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review: false economy iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: which should you choose? The best Samsung phones 2026
The Samsung Galaxy S26 went on sale in March 2026 and is also available globally. It costs $999.99 / 959 / AU$1,649 for a 256GB model, rising to $1,199.99 / 1,129 / AU$1,949 for a 512GB version. Its worth noting that the Galaxy S26 actually cost less than $999.99 / 959 / AU$1,649 at launch, but thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, its price has since gone up, rather than down.
In any case, that makes the starting price of the Galaxy S26 FE some $300 / 260 / AU$500 less than that of the Galaxy S26, but thats for a model with
just 128GB of storage, which is less than the Galaxy S26 comes with as standard. Looking at the 256GB models of each phone, the Galaxy S26 FE costs $200 / 160 / AU$350 less. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from
us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Swipe to scroll horizontally Samsung Galaxy S26 FE pricing
Storage
US price
UK price
AU price
128GB
$699.99
699
AU$1,149
256GB
$799.99
799
AU$1,299
512GB
Not available
949
AU$1,599 Swipe to scroll horizontally Samsung Galaxy S26 pricing
Storage
US price
UK price
AU price
256GB
$999.99
959
AU$1,649
512GB
$1,199.99
1,129
AU$1,949 Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: design Image 1 of 2 The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) The Samsung Galaxy S26 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2
View Original The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE and Samsung Galaxy S26 have quite similar designs, with flat screens, punch-hole cameras at the top of their respective displays, and triple-lens cameras arranged vertically on their
rear panels.
They also both have glass backs and aluminum frames, as well as IP68 ratings meaning theyre dust-tight and can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.
However, the Samsung Galaxy S26 should be slightly tougher than the FE overall, as it has Gorilla Glass 2 protection, while the FE uses Gorilla Glass+. What to read next Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs Galaxy Z Flip 7: which flip foldable is best? iPhone 18 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra camera comparison realism vs style Apple iPhone Duo vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: a big battle of small differences
There are bigger differences in their colors, though, with the Galaxy S26 FE being sold in Blueberry, Graphite, and Pistachio, and the Galaxy S26
available in Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold.
And their weights and dimensions differ too: the Galaxy S26 FE measures 161.6 x 76.9 x 7.4mm and weighs 193g, while the Galaxy S26 measures 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm and weighs 167g. So the FE is bigger, thicker, and heavier but it does also have a larger screen.
In our Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review, we described it as worthy of the Galaxy
S name in terms of looks and durability, while in our Samsung Galaxy S26 review, we praised a tried-and-true design that looks great. Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: display Image 1 of 2 The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) The Samsung Galaxy S26 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has a 6.7-inch 1080 x 2340 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, around 385 pixels per inch, and a peak brightness of 1,900
nits.
The standard Samsung Galaxy S26 is smaller, with a 6.3-inch 1080 x 2340
AMOLED screen that has a 120Hz refresh rate, roughly 411 pixels per inch, and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits.
So these two screens use similar tech and are the same resolution, but in being smaller, the Galaxy S26s display is also slightly crisper, and it has a higher peak brightness. Plus, while the Galaxy S26 can switch its refresh
rate from 1Hz all the way to 120Hz depending on what the screen is
displaying, the Galaxy S26 FE only has static 60Hz and 120Hz capabilities.
Our Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review described its screen as big and colorful,
but lacking detail, while our Samsung Galaxy S26 review said it has a display that hits all the marks of what youd want in a flagship phone.
So the standard Galaxy S26 has the better screen overall, but if you want a massive display, then the Galaxy S26 FE is the obvious choice out of these
two phones. Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: cameras Image 1 of 2 The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) The Samsung Galaxy S26 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Both of these phones have triple-lens cameras, with the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE having a 50MP f/1.8 wide snapper, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (with a 123-degree field of view), and an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
The Samsung Galaxy S26, meanwhile, has a 50MP f/1.8 wide camera, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide with a 120-degree field of view, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto with
3x optical zoom. Both phones also have 12MP f/2.2 front-facing cameras.
So their camera hardware isnt drastically different, but in practice, the Galaxy S26s lenses performed better in our tests. Our Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review noted that the main and selfie cameras produce strong photos, but the phones let down by its ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, while in our Galaxy S26 review, we said that all three cameras take solid pics, but dont rely on the telephoto past 3x. Samsung Galaxy S26 FE camera samples Image 1 of 6 (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) Image 1 of 6 View Original Image 2 of 6 View Original Image 3 of 6 View Original Image 4 of 6 View Original Image 5 of 6 View Original Image 6 of 6 View Original Samsung Galaxy S26 camera samples Image 1 of 8 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 8 View Original
Image 2 of 8 View Original Image 3 of 8 View Original Image 4 of 8 View Original Image 5 of 8 View Original Image 6 of 8 View Original Image 7 of 8 View Original Image 8 of 8 View Original Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: performance and software Image 1 of 2 The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) The Samsung Galaxy S26 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original With
the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, youre getting an Exynos 2500 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 has either a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen
5 (in the US) or an Exynos 2600 (in most other regions) paired with 12GB of RAM.
So, whichever region youre in, youre getting a faster chipset in the standard Samsung Galaxy S26, along with an extra 4GB of RAM, and that could make a
real difference for AI and high-end games. But despite that, these phones
both generally perform well.
Our Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review noted that its chipset is a good performer, especially for graphics, while acknowledging that 8GB of RAM is limiting for
a premium phone in 2026.
Of the Samsung Galaxy S26, we said its quick and powerful, but the phone does get hot during intense tasks.
Whats not so different between these two phones is their software, with both running Android 17 and Samsungs One UI 9 overlay. Both the Galaxy S26 FE and Galaxy S26 also come with the promise of seven major Android version updates though the latter phone has already received one of those. Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: battery Image 1 of 2 The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) The Samsung Galaxy S26 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has a 4,900mAh battery, and it supports 45W wired or
15W wireless charging, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 has a 4,300mAh battery with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. So the Galaxy S26 FE has a higher-capacity battery, with more charging power.
In practice, we found that the Samsung Galaxy S26 still had all-day battery life, though we lamented its slow charging speeds, while for the Galaxy S26 FE, we said the battery is long-lasting and fairly fast-charging. So this is one area where the FE arguably has a slight edge. Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: verdict (Image credit: Future) The Samsung Galaxy S26 is more powerful than the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, plus it has a slightly superior screen and based on our testing better cameras. Its also slightly more durable, thanks to Gorilla Glass 2.
That said, the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has a bigger screen, a higher-capacity battery, faster charging, and it costs less, while offering a similar
software experience.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is the better phone indeed, we scored it higher in our reviews, with the device achieving 4 stars while the Galaxy S26 FE got 3.5.
But if you want a big screen on a mid-range budget, or simply dont want to
pay what the Galaxy S26 costs, then the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is still a good option. Today's best Samsung Galaxy S26 FE and Samsung Galaxy S26 deals Contract Deals Sim Free voucher gift Samsung Galaxy S26 FE 48 months
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