Samsung Galaxy S26 FE Review: A Budget Flagship With Compromises
iAuto.lv tested the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, which costs roughly €600. The reviewer calls it a balanced choice for everyday users, but not outstanding in any single category.
The Latvian site iAuto.lv has reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, the most affordable phone in the Galaxy S26 family. Its approximate price is €600, and it comes in Pistachio, Graphite and Blueberry.
Design and display
The phone weighs 193 grams, has an aluminium frame and carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen runs at up to 120 Hz and reaches 1,900 nits of brightness, which keeps it readable in sunlight. The refresh rate can only be lowered to 60 Hz rather than 1 Hz, so it saves less power. The reviewer disliked the sharp edges, which a case can fix. The stereo speakers sound clean, though the bass is weaker than on the S26 Ultra.
Performance and cameras
The device uses Samsung's Exynos 2500 processor with 8 GB of RAM. In benchmarks it trails the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the iPhone 17: its Geekbench 6 single-core score is about 2,300–2,400, against roughly 3,500–3,700 for the S26 Ultra. That is enough for everyday tasks and games, but not for heavy multitasking.
The main camera is 50 MP, the telephoto is 8 MP with 3x optical zoom, and the ultrawide is 12 MP without a macro mode. The front camera is 12 MP. Video can be recorded at up to 8K and 30 frames per second.
Battery and verdict
The 4,900 mAh battery typically lasts a full day or longer. Wired charging is supported at up to 45 W.
The reviewer sees the S26 FE as a good compromise between price and performance, suited to ordinary users, though better phones exist at a similar price. A major selling point is seven years of software support, although it is unclear whether the Exynos 2500 and 8 GB of memory will hold up that long.
