Where the reviewers agree
- Seven years of OS and security updates is a major long-term strength. — TechRadar, Android Central, Wired, Tech Advisor, Tweakers, Phonandroid, PC-Welt, Trusted Reviews
- The 120Hz OLED display is large and smooth, though it is not LTPO and sits below the S26 in peak brightness. — TechRadar, Wired, Engadget, Tech Advisor, Tweakers, Phonandroid, PC-Welt
- The price increase over the Galaxy S25 FE is a major drawback, with the phone seen as poor value. — TechRadar, Android Central, Wired, Engadget, Tech Advisor, PC-Welt, Phonandroid
- The telephoto and ultrawide cameras are weak or dated, while the main camera is reliable in good light. — TechRadar, Android Central, Engadget, Tech Advisor, Tweakers, Trusted Reviews, PC-Welt
Where they disagree
- Battery life is praised as strong by some, while Engadget calls battery life modest. — TechRadar, Android Central, Tom's Guide, Engadget
- Tom's Guide and Tweakers see the phone as a sensible buy at its lower price, while most others say it is not good value at the current price. — Tom's Guide, Tweakers, Tech Advisor, PC-Welt, Wired
Bottom line: Suits buyers who want a large, smooth screen, long software support and a current Exynos chip at a lower price than the Galaxy S26. The main trade-offs are weaker telephoto and ultrawide cameras, 128GB base storage, and a price that reviewers see as high versus…
Summarised with AI from the 10 reviews below — each one is linked in full.
What the reviewers said
Tweakers NL
No scoreOct 12, 2026A largely unchanged Fan Edition with a dated camera setup, but a strong Exynos 2500 and balanced feel make it a sensible buy now that the price has dropped.
- Exynos 2500 chip offers a clear upgrade over earlier Fan Editions
- Balanced weight and thin body give a pleasant hand feel
- Main and selfie cameras produce decent photos
- Price has dropped to around 550 euros from 800
- Camera bump is modest and reduces wobbling on a table
- Design barely changed from the predecessor
- Display is average and lags behind competitors in brightness
- Telephoto camera is poor and clearly outdated
- Ultrawide camera is not among the best in its segment
- Low storage amount noted in the article
Android Central US
3/5Oct 6, 2026A solid, large-screen midranger with a flagship chip and long update support, but its screen, cameras, slow charging and storage compromises make it poor value versus alternatives.
- Exynos 2500 chip delivers strong performance, beating prior FE phones and Pixel…
- 6.7-inch display is larger than most midrange rivals
- One UI 9 with Android 17 and seven years of OS updates
- Relatively thin and light for its screen size
- Battery life is strong for the class
- Uneven bezels with a noticeable chin
- Peak brightness of 1,900 nits hurts outdoor visibility
- Rear cameras weak beyond the 50MP primary sensor
- Slow 15W wireless charging and no Qi2 magnets
- Starts at 128GB storage; upgrades are pricey
Phonandroid FR
No scoreSep 28, 2026A solid, fluid phone with good battery and performance, but somewhat pricey for stagnant features and poorly positioned against the discounted Galaxy S26 and S26+.
- Battery life has improved over the previous generation
- Smooth One UI 9 interface with seven years of updates
- Solid performance and pleasant design and handling
- Well-calibrated display with improved brightness
- IP68 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides
- Price rises over the predecessor despite stagnant features
- Camera frustrations carried over from Galaxy S25 FE
- 10x zoom is very noisy; weak audio capture in wind
- Display stays FHD+ with no LTPO, unlike the S26+
- Launched months after the rest of the S26 lineup, facing discounts
PC-Welt DE
3.5/5Sep 26, 2026A decent upper-midrange phone that barely improves on last year's model and costs more, so it isn't good value right now.
- Newer Exynos 2500 chip with efficiency gains
- Strong software features and long support commitment
- Bright, smooth 120Hz AMOLED display
- Good loudspeakers and reliable main camera in good light
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- Nearly identical to the S25 FE otherwise
- Price increase of 50 to 150 euros over predecessor
- Only 128GB storage in base model
- USB port downgraded to USB 2.0
- Thick chin bezel looks unbalanced
TechRadar UK
3.5/5Sep 24, 2026A large Galaxy S experience at a discount, but the price increase weakens its value against full Galaxy S26 models. Battery and performance remain strong for the cost.
- Premium design with fun new colors
- Display still flagship-worthy in brightness and detail
- Surprisingly good gaming performance
- Strong battery life
- Seven years of OS and security updates
- Price increased over the Galaxy S25 FE
- Telephoto and ultrawide cameras lag behind
- AI tools coming to older Samsung phones soon
- FHD+ resolution and lower peak brightness than S26
- Thicker chin bezels than other Galaxy S phones
Engadget US
6.7/10Sep 18, 2026An incremental update at a higher price. Solid display and features, but weak camera app speed, modest cameras and battery life, and poor value versus rivals.
- Smooth 120Hz 6.7-inch OLED display
- Now Nudge contextual AI is useful
- Camera features match premium Galaxy phones
- Large 4,900mAh battery
- Wireless charging support
- $700 price is hard to justify
- Sluggish camera app performance
- Dated, blurry telephoto camera
- Only 128GB base storage
- Struggles with demanding games
Trusted Reviews UK
3.5/5Sep 17, 2026A solid, large-screened mid-range Samsung with good display and seven years of updates, but largely unchanged from the S25 FE, with weak cameras and 128GB storage. Only worth it on…
- Good quality large 6.7-inch display
- Decent everyday performance with Exynos 2500
- Solid main camera
- Seven years of software updates
- Optical telephoto lens at this price
- Basically the same as the S25 FE
- Only 128GB base storage
- Ultra-wide and telephoto cameras are subpar
- One UI feels cluttered and takes time to tame
- Competing mid-range phones cost less
Tech Advisor UK
3.5/5Sep 15, 2026A decent phone with barely any upgrades over the S25 FE and a higher price, so it's poor value for now; it may appeal once the price drops.
- Newer 3nm Exynos 2500 chipset
- Strong software features and long 7-year update support
- Bright, good OLED screen with 120Hz refresh
- Dependable main camera in good lighting
- IP68 rating and loud, clear stereo speakers
- Almost identical design and internals to the S25 FE
- Price increased over last year's model
- USB port downgraded to USB 2.0
- Only 128GB base storage
- Weak ultrawide and telephoto cameras at night
A perfectly good phone with a polished design and big display, but the price hike and minimal changes make it hard to recommend over rivals and last year's model.
- Polished design with IP68 rating and nice colors
- Lovely big 6.7-inch OLED with 120Hz refresh
- Versatile triple camera system with good daytime photos
- Decent battery life for everyday use
- Clean One UI 9 with customizable features
- Price increased to $700 despite minimal changes
- USB port downgraded to USB 2.0, no DisplayPort Alt Mode
- Preinstalled bloatware including social and streaming apps
- Base 128GB storage and 8GB RAM feel stingy
- Not an LTPO display; lower peak brightness than regular S26
Tom's Guide US
4/5Aug 27, 2026A lower-cost Fan Edition that sits awkwardly between the Galaxy S26 and A57. Good battery, cameras and AI features, but weak performance and little differentiation.
- Low starting price, now well below the price-hiked Galaxy S26
- Good battery life for daily use
- Solid camera quality, close to the standard S26
- Premium AI features included
- Quality design with metal frame and solid camera bump
- Glossy glass back instead of matte, unlike S25 FE
- Very similar to the cheaper Galaxy A57
- Weak performance
- Lacks meaningful upgrades over last year's model
Verdicts, pros and cons are short summaries in our words of each publisher's review; scores are as the publisher gave them. Specs are taken from the reviews' spec boxes — where they differ, we show the value most of them give; price is the US launch price of the base model. Read the originals for the full picture.
