Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review.

Samsung raised every Galaxy S26 price in Canada except this one

Here's the fact that changes the whole buying decision. Around October 1, Samsung Canada quietly added $150 to $250 to the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra, as MobileSyrup reported. The S26 FE stayed put at $1,049.99. The cheapest regular S26 is now $1,399.99 at Best Buy Canada, a $350 gap. Compare 256GB to 256GB and it's $1,189.99 against $1,399.99, so you still save $210.

The FE is Samsung's cut-price way into the Galaxy S family. You get a 6.7-inch 120Hz screen, Samsung's own Exynos 2500 chip, 8GB of RAM, a 4,900mAh battery, 45W charging and seven years of software updates. It went on sale September 4 and you'll find it unlocked at Samsung.ca, Best Buy Canada and Amazon.ca, plus on plans at Rogers, Bell, Telus, Freedom and their discount brands.

So the question this review answers is simple. Now that the regular S26 costs more, is the FE the smart way into a Galaxy S? Or are you paying near-flagship money for last year's phone with a new chip? The short version: it's a good phone stuck at an awkward price, and Samsung's own cheaper phones make it look worse than it is.

It's an S25 FE with a faster chip, and one downgrade Samsung didn't mention

The headline change is the processor. The Exynos 2500 replaces the S25 FE's Exynos 2400, and GSMArena's Geekbench 6 multi-core run went from 6,948 to 8,035, about 15% faster. It also ships with One UI 9 on Android 17 out of the box, which TechRadar points out puts it ahead of the other S26 models, still on the beta at the time. Samsung added a glass surround on the camera bump and widened the selfie camera's view slightly, from 80 to 85 degrees.

Almost everything else carries over. TechRadar and Tom's Guide both found the same 6.7-inch FHD+ panel, the same 4,900mAh battery and the same 50MP, 12MP and 8MP rear cameras as last year. What Samsung quietly took away is the USB port. Its own Canadian spec sheet lists USB 2.0, down from USB 3.2, and Expert Reviews and GSMArena say that means no wired DeX desktop mode and no wired video out. The matte back is gone too; Tom's Guide and TechRadar both note a glossier finish.

If you own an S25 FE, don't upgrade. Full stop. S24 FE owners won't gain much either. This phone starts to make sense if you're on an S21 FE, an S22, or a three- or four-year-old A-series phone that's slowing down. So does that new chip actually change how it feels day to day?

The Exynos 2500 is faster than its reputation, and 8GB of RAM is the real limit

Three outlets ran Geekbench 6 and landed within a few percent of each other: Tom's Guide got 2,444 single-core and 7,958 multi-core, TechRadar 2,361 and 7,831, GSMArena 2,438 and 8,035. That's well behind the Snapdragon S26, which hit 3,531 and 10,778 in Tom's Guide's table. It's well ahead of the Pixel 10a (1,694 and 4,501) and the Galaxy A57 (1,385 and 4,508).

Graphics are where this chip surprises. Tom's Guide's Wild Life Extreme score of 5,318 beat the iPhone 17e's 3,997, and TechRadar called gaming performance surprisingly good. Expert Reviews ran Asphalt Legends without stutters. GSMArena's stress tests saw it settle at 62% to 68% of peak after sustained load, which is ordinary, but it held up better and ran cooler than the S25 FE.

The outlets disagree on the label, not the numbers. Tom's Guide calls performance weak because it measures against the S26. TechRadar gives it 4 out of 5 because it measures against the price. For Instagram, Google Maps on the 401 and a round of Call of Duty Mobile, it's plenty fast.

My worry is memory, not speed. Every other S26 model gets 12GB of RAM; the FE gets 8GB. TechRadar found it struggles with heavy multitasking already. Samsung promises seven years of updates, and each year brings more on-device AI. That's the spec most likely to make this phone feel slow in 2030, not the chip.

Three battery tests, three different answers

Samsung claims up to 29 hours of video playback. The outlets don't agree on how good that really is. Expert Reviews' looping video test ran 24 hours and 15 minutes, which it called middling and only a touch better than the iPhone 17e. Tom's Guide streamed YouTube for three hours at 50% brightness: the FE ended at 82%, behind the Galaxy S26 at 85% and the A57 at 87%. That's about 6% an hour.

TechRadar was happier. In a typical working day it used about 40% of the battery, and the reviewer reckoned two days of regular use was doable. GSMArena's battery test showed a clear improvement over the S25 FE on the same capacity. Put together, it's a solid full-day phone for most people, but it isn't as efficient as the S26+ with the same size cell, and it's not the two-day phone the 4,900mAh figure hints at unless you're a light user.

Charging is the easy win. Tom's Guide hit 39% in 15 minutes, 72% in 30 and a full charge in 58 and a half minutes. TechRadar got 43% in 15 minutes and full in 58. GSMArena's numbers were similar. That's faster than the base S26, which is limited to 25W according to TechRadar's spec table.

Two catches. GSMArena found only a USB-C cable in the box, so budget for a 45W USB-C PD charger if you don't own one. Wireless tops out at 15W, and there's confusion over Qi2: GSMArena lists it as compatible, TechRadar says it isn't, and Samsung's own sheet only says WPC. Either way there are no built-in magnets; Samsung sells a Magnet Case for that, listed at $59.99 at Best Buy Canada.

The main camera nearly matches the S26. The other two don't

The hardware is unchanged from the S25 FE: a 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 12MP ultrawide, an 8MP 3x telephoto and a 12MP selfie camera. The regular S26 and S26+ share the main and ultrawide but get a 10MP telephoto. GSMArena lists the FE's zoom sensor at 1/4.4 inches, which is small, and that shows in the results.

Tom's Guide shot the FE side by side with the S26 and the A57, which is the comparison that matters. The FE's main camera came close to the S26 and pulled noticeably more detail than the A57, especially in the background. Low-light shots were near the S26 too. Zoom was poor on all three, and the FE added a warm colour cast at 3x.

TechRadar scored the cameras 3 out of 5. It liked the main and selfie shots but found the ultrawide drab and the 3x telephoto darker and flatter than a 2x crop from the main sensor. Expert Reviews called the cameras reliable, liked the natural colour and flagged the ultrawide as the weak link. Video goes to 8K at 30fps and 4K at 60fps, but Expert Reviews notes there's no 10-bit HDR or LOG recording.

In real life: daylight shots of the kids at a soccer game from the sideline will look fine at 2x. Inside a dim hockey arena at 3x, expect mush. If zoom photos matter to you, this isn't your phone, and that's where the regular S26 earns its extra money.

Big, bright enough, and a little cheaper-looking than an S phone should be

The 6.7-inch AMOLED runs at 1080 x 2340, which Expert Reviews works out to 385 pixels per inch, lower than most rivals at this price. It refreshes at 120Hz but isn't an LTPO panel, so it can't drop to 1Hz to save power. Samsung claims 1,900 nits peak. GSMArena measured 1,850 nits on a small bright patch and about 1,270 in auto mode; Expert Reviews recorded 1,496 nits with HDR content. That's comfortably readable outdoors.

The body feels premium on paper: Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back, an aluminum frame, IP68 and 7.4mm thick at 193g. The glossy back is the giveaway, though. Engadget's brief hands-on even guessed the rear felt like plastic; Samsung's spec sheet says it's glass. TechRadar and Expert Reviews both point out the thicker chin bezel under the screen, which makes it look cheaper next to a regular S26.

Connections are a step behind its siblings. It gets Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4, while the S26 and S26+ have Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, per Expert Reviews. For Canadian buyers the important part checks out: Samsung Canada's spec sheet for the SM-S741W lists the n77 and n78 mid-band 5G bands alongside n66 and n71, plus eSIM. So how does all this compare with what else $1,049.99 buys?

At $1,049.99, two cheaper phones and one pricier one get in the way

The Galaxy A57 is the FE's biggest problem. It's $699.99 for 128GB at Best Buy Canada, $350 less. Tom's Guide says the two feel closer in daily use than the spec sheet suggests, though the FE wins clearly on speed (5,318 vs 1,765 in Wild Life Extreme), camera detail and the 3x telephoto. TechRadar notes the A57 gets six years of updates instead of seven. If you mostly text, browse and take photos of the dog, buy the A57.

The Pixel 10a is CA$849 at the Google Store, $200 less, but it's far slower in Tom's Guide's benchmarks, scoring less than half the FE's graphics result. The iPhone 17e is $999 at Apple Canada with 256GB, double the FE's base storage. It has a faster CPU in Tom's Guide's testing but weaker graphics, and Expert Reviews found the FE's battery lasts slightly longer. Already on an iPhone? The 17e is the better deal per gigabyte.

Going up, the Galaxy S26 is $1,399.99 at Best Buy Canada with 256GB, 12GB of RAM, a Snapdragon chip, a 10MP telephoto and Wi-Fi 7, but a smaller 6.3-inch screen and slower 25W charging. If you can stretch, it's the better long-term phone. Going sideways, last year's S25 FE is still $919.99 at Best Buy Canada, keeps USB 3.2 and wired DeX, and GSMArena calls it the smarter purchase unless you need the extra speed.

If camera quality is your priority and the budget is open, our research reviews of the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 11 Pro cover phones in a different class. For everyone else, the next question is what owning this phone for years will really cost.

Seven years of updates on 8GB of RAM is the long-term bet

Samsung promises seven Android upgrades and seven years of security patches, starting from Android 17. That should keep it supported into 2033, longer than most people keep a phone. The fine print to watch is RAM: features will keep arriving, but 8GB is what has to run them. TechRadar also notes the new Galaxy AI tools are coming to older Samsung phones, so don't buy the FE just for those.

Samsung Canada's standard warranty on Galaxy S phones is 12 months, carry-in or mail-in, and screen protectors aren't covered. Samsung Care+ adds longer protection if you want it. Budget about $60 for a decent case; Best Buy Canada lists Samsung's own Silicone Case with Magnet and OtterBox's Commuter at $59.99 each. Carriers sell it on financing too: Best Buy Canada's carrier listings show about $32 a month for the 128GB model.

The phone has only been out since September 4, so there are no long-term owner reports on Reddit yet. What r/Android and r/samsung do show is a clear pattern in launch and review threads. Many separate commenters are angry about the USB 2.0 downgrade, worried that 8GB won't age well, and convinced it's an S25 FE with a new chip. Lots of them say a discounted S25 FE or a used S26 is better value.

A few past FE owners raised Exynos heat and signal complaints from older models. GSMArena found this chip cooler than the S25 FE's, but nobody has measured cellular reception yet. Test calls and data in your basement and at the cottage while you're still inside your retailer's return window.

Buy it on sale, or buy the phone next to it

Buy the S26 FE if you're coming from an S21 FE, an S22 or an older A-series, you want a big screen, quick charging and seven years of updates, and you can get it under about $900. That's not wishful thinking: Best Buy Canada already lists an open-box 128GB unit at $849.99, and Expert Reviews' advice was to wait a couple of months for the price to drop. A trade-in at Samsung.ca can get you there too.

Skip it if you own an S25 FE, shoot a lot of zoom photos, or plug your phone into a monitor for DeX. Get the $699.99 Galaxy A57 if value matters most, the $1,399.99 Galaxy S26 if you want the proper flagship, or a discounted S25 FE if you'd rather keep the faster USB port. At full price, the FE only makes sense on a carrier tab where the monthly gap is small, so check what Rogers, Bell or Telus are charging this month.