DT Next Tech|The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE offers a flagship smartphone experience

CHENNAI: Samsung’s Galaxy FE (stands for Fan Edition) devices have aimed to bridge the gap between Samsung’s Galaxy A series and premium flagship S series devices. That’s a tougher act in 2026, when spiralling input and RAM costs have pushed up smartphone prices across the board. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE arrives with a Rs 79,999 price tag (for context, the S25 FE’s launch price was Rs 59,999 in 2025). Does it do enough to earn the FE badge?

The S26 FE is one of the better looking devices in this segment. Samsung has done a good job with the ergonomics and the overall design. The 2026 FE is finished with an Armour Aluminium frame and feels lighter in your hand than its 193 gm heft. We like the glossy finish that plays out well in all colour ways, including our favourite: Pistachio. The IP68 rating for dust and water resistance adds to the device’s durability quotient. One of our favourite FE features over the years has been the display. The S26 FE flaunts a vibrant 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (1080 x 2340 pixels) with a 120Hz refresh rate. Visibility is excellent across lighting conditions with a peak brightness of 1900 nits. The dual speaker set up adds to its entertainment creds.

This year’s FE is powered by an Exynos 2500 chipset built on a 3nm process. This is a step up over last year’s processor and is augmented by 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The device blazed through our tests and should work for all categories of smartphone buyers including heavy duty users. The device features a 4900 mAh battery under the hood with support for 45W wired charging (there’s no charging brick in the retail box though) and 15W wireless charging.

The rear camera set up (that combines a 50MP primary lens, a 12MP ultra-wide camera and an 8MP telephoto lens) may not be in the same league as the S26 flagships but does a pretty good job in most scenarios including low light. The 3x optical zoom is a great feature to have in this segment, the camera also benefits from Samsung’s suite of AI tools. Selfie duties are handled by a 12MP front cam. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE may not be significant upgrade over its predecessor but offers one of the better smartphone experiences under Rs 80K.

(Rs 79,999 onwards)