Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 FE earlier this week – the phone is set to go on sale on Friday next week (September 4). Unfortunately, the new model costs more than its predecessor despite bringing a rather short list of upgrades.
The obvious comparison is to the Galaxy S26+ – it’s the better phone and it’s cheaper too, if you are looking at 256GB models. It’s powered by the newer Exynos 2600 (vs. 2500), its 6.7” OLED display is a 1440p+ LTPO panel, unlike the regular 1080p+ panel on the S26 FE. The USB-C port has video out capabilities, giving the phone full DeX support (the S26 FE was demoted to USB 2.0). The cameras (50+10+12MP vs. 50+8+12MP) are not that different, while the 4,900mAh batteries are basically the same with 45W wired and 15W wireless charging. The S26 FE needs a price drop – fast.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is on the pricey side despite the massive discounts – that said, it’s a proper flagship with a 200MP main camera, a 50MP 5x periscope (and 10MP 3x telephoto) and a 50MP ultra-wide. This is way better than what any of the other S26 models have.
Speaking of which, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is also cheaper than the S26 FE – right now a 512GB unit costs less than a 256GB FE. And keep in mind that the FE is the only one in the family with 8GB of RAM. The others have 12GB.
The Samsung Galaxy A57 is not as good as the S26 FE – but it’s literally half the price. The 6.7” 1080p+ OLED display is similar enough and while the 5,000mAh battery lacks wireless charging, it has the same 45W wired charging. The only major downgrades here are the chipset (the Exynos 1680 is no match for the 2500) and the lack of a telephoto camera.
For less than you would pay for the S26 FE, you can have the Poco F8 Ultra with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and a 6,500mAh battery with fast 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. The phone has triple 50MP cameras – 1/1.3” main, 5x/115mm periscope and 102° ultra-wide. The 6.9” OLED display is not an LTPO panel, but it has 1200p+ resolution and Dolby Vision (something that Samsung refuses to license on any of its products).
Considering that the FE has a 2025 generation chipset, you might compare it to the cheaper Poco F8 Pro – it has the Snapdragon 8 Elite from the same year. Its cameras are not as capable as the Ultra (50MP 1/1.55” main, 50MP 2.5x/60mm telephoto and 8MP ultra-wide). And its 6,210mAh battery lacks wireless charging – but wired charging is still rated at 100W.
While we’re looking at Pocos, the Poco X8 Pro and X8 Pro Max are worth a peek too. The Max is larger with a 6.83” display and an 8,500mAh battery with 100W wired charging. The X8 Pro has a 6.59” display and a 6,500mAh battery instead. They are powered by the Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500 Ultra, respectively. The camera setup is nothing special with a 50MP main (1/1.95”) and 8MP ultra-wide.
The vivo V70 and V70 FE are also worth a look. The V70 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 and offers a decent set of cameras with a 50MP main (1/1.56”), 50MP 3x/73mm periscope and 8MP ultra-wide. It’s the smaller of the two phones with a 6.59” display and a 6,500mAh battery (90W wired-only charging). The vivo V70 FE switches up the camera setup with a 200MP main (1/1.56”), no dedicated tele (it uses the main for zooming) and an 8MP ultra-wide. It’s larger with a 6.83” display and a 7,000mAh battery (also with 90W charging).
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