S26 FE: Flagship AI, Midrange Price, Minor Downgrades

Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE is now available for $699.99, bringing flagship AI capabilities and a robust performance to its midrange lineup. It mirrors the design of the S26 series with a glossy finish and a comfortable, though sharp-edged, frame. The display is a large, bright 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering good legibility even in sunlight.

The FE is powered by the Exynos 2500 processor and comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for the base model. While it excels in graphics benchmarks, outperforming rivals like the Google Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e, the USB-C port has been downgraded to USB 2.0. This limits wired DeX functionality, external display output, and fast file transfers, capping speeds at 480Mbps.

Battery life on the 4,900mAh cell lasted 15 hours and 10 minutes in testing, falling short of the S25 FE's endurance. However, it supports 45W wired charging, reaching full power in about an hour. The phone runs Android 17 with One UI 9, featuring a seven-year update commitment and advanced AI tools like Document Scan and Photo Assist.

The camera system includes a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, alongside a 12MP selfie camera. While selfies are a strong point, the ultrawide and telephoto cameras show some limitations in sharpness and low-light performance. Despite its strengths, the Pixel 10a remains a strong contender for its superior cameras and value.