Tom's Guide80
Despite weaker performance and few updates, it gives a flagship-like experience for far less than the S26 now costs.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
8 expert reviews#80 of 80 smartphones
Image: Samsung1/8critics
recommend
recommend
Best cheaper Galaxy flagship feel
Critics’ consensus
8 professional reviewers tested the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, and 1 recommend it. Most praised: picture quality and design. Most common complaint: price.
Reviewed by Tom's Guide, Tech Advisor, TechRadar and 5 more
The catch: It costs more yet barely changes, with an older chip and weak cameras.
Broad agreement
Scores run from 60 to 80All 8 scores printed by the outlets
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What do critics say about the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE?
Tech Advisor70
A decent phone with barely any upgrades over last year and a higher price, so poor value now.
TechRadar70
A capable phone that is hard to place in the range, since spending a bit more gets far better hardware.
Trusted Reviews70
A solid phone in a vacuum, but ageing cameras, 128GB storage and stronger rivals mean it is best bought on sale.
Engadget67
An incremental update at a higher price that struggles to justify itself.
WIRED60
A perfectly good phone in isolation, but a price rise with almost no changes makes it a tough sell.
Android Central60
A solid phone with a big screen and long support, but not the best value, and weak cameras outside the main one.
Expert Reviews60
Competent but overpriced and unnecessary, outshone by Samsung's own S26 and by rivals like the Xiaomi 17T Pro.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
What critics praise most
Picture quality5 of 8
Design3 of 8
Performance2 of 8
What critics dislike most
Price4 of 8
Software and app2 of 8
Alternatives
Not sure about the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE?
Also reviewed, not yet scored
- Motorola Moto G Power (2026) · 3 reviews so far
- Nothing Phone (3a) · 3 reviews so far
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 · 3 reviews so far
Common questions
Is the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE worth it?
Critics are divided: 1 of 8 recommend it. It costs more yet barely changes, with an older chip and weak cameras.
Do critics agree about the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE?
Broad agreement: scores range from 60 (WIRED) to 80 (Tom's Guide), a spread of 20 points across 8 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.
What do critics dislike about the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE?
Price (4 of 8 reviews), Software and app (2 of 8 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE?
The Oppo Find X9 Ultra (critic score 94), best overall.