Samsung Galaxy S26 buying guide: S26 FE vs S26 vs S26+ vs S26 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series at a glance

• The Galaxy S26 FE is the most affordable model, with a large display and fast charging. The Galaxy S26 is the compact model for everyday use, the Galaxy S26+ is aimed at people who watch and play a lot, with a larger display and a bigger battery, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the top model with the best camera and maximum performance.
• Compared to the S25 series, all models have a slightly larger display, a new processor, better battery life and more Galaxy AI features.
• The S26 Ultra stands out with a Privacy display that limits viewing angles for sensitive information, a built-in S Pen, a 200-megapixel main camera, 2 telephoto lenses (3x and 5x optical zoom) and 60 W fast charging.
• The S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra start at 256 GB of storage and 12 GB of RAM. The S26 FE starts at 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM. None of the models has a microSD slot.
• You get 7 years of Android and security updates.

The table below shows the most important specifications, so you have an overview straight away:

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE: a large display for a lower price

FE stands for Fan Edition. This is the more affordable version of the S series. You get a large 6,7-inch display, 3 cameras, IP68 and Galaxy AI. Samsung saves on the chip, the RAM and the storage.

Newer than the rest

The S26 FE came out later than the rest of the series. Samsung announced it on 27 August 2026, and it has been in shops since 4 September. That makes it the first S26 to run Android 17 with One UI 9.

Fast charging

The FE charges at 45 W with a cable. According to Samsung, it reaches 69 percent in about half an hour. That makes it faster than the standard S26, which charges at 25 W.

Cameras of the Galaxy S26 FE

The camera setup of the Galaxy S26 FE consists of:

• a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilisation
• a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera
• an 8-megapixel 3x telephoto lens
• a 12-megapixel selfie camera

You zoom in just as far as with the S26. You only keep slightly less detail when you crop a photo.

The S26 FE at Simyo

The Galaxy S26 FE is the only model in the S26 series that you can currently buy at Simyo. You combine it with a plan and pay for the phone in instalments. See the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE .

Samsung Galaxy S26: compact and powerful

The standard Galaxy S26 shows that a compact size doesn’t hold back performance. You get a smooth 6,3-inch display, a sturdy aluminium frame with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and a strong set of cameras. Inside is the Exynos 2600, which keeps everything running smoothly together with 12 GB of RAM.

The chip is also efficient, so a full battery lasts longer. In terms of price, the Galaxy S26 sits in the mid-range and offers strong performance for a fair price. For everyday browsing, scrolling and messaging, the Galaxy S26 is more than enough.

Cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S26

The camera setup of the Galaxy S26 consists of:

• a 50-megapixel main camera
• a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera
• a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto lens
• a 12-megapixel selfie camera

For everyday use, such as holiday photos, social media stories and photos with friends, the S26 delivers strong results. The zoom is less impressive than on the Ultra, but more than enough for most situations.

Samsung Galaxy S26+: a larger display for media and gaming

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus sits between the standard S26 and the fully loaded Ultra. The cameras are the same as on the S26, but the display is larger and the battery lasts longer.

The 6,7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display makes a clear difference when you stream films, play games or edit photos. Like the S26, the S26+ runs on the Exynos 2600 with 12 GB of RAM.

Cameras of the Galaxy S26+

Just like the Galaxy S26, the S26+ has:

• a 50-megapixel main camera
• a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera
• a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto lens
• a 12-megapixel selfie camera

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: the top model

Whether you are a business user, content creator or keen photographer, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra makes no compromises.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 6,9-inch display with QHD+ resolution. Besides being larger, it has a Privacy display: with one tap, you limit the viewing angles so only you can read along. This is useful on the train, at the office or anywhere you have sensitive information on your screen.

More powerful and faster

The Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, one of the best smartphone chips available. Compared to the Exynos 2600 in the S26 and S26+, this chip is a lot faster and more powerful. With 12 GB of RAM, or 16 GB on the 1 TB model, this phone is built for heavy tasks and intensive use. As a result, the Ultra is noticeably faster for video editing, AI tasks and multitasking.

Battery and fast charging

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 5.000 mAh battery, the largest in the series. It supports 60 W fast charging, which gets you to about 80 percent in 30 minutes. Wireless charging works at 25 W, faster than on the other models. The combination of an efficient chip and a large battery gives the best battery life in the series.

The built-in S Pen

The S Pen is built into the body of the Ultra and is useful for taking notes, sketching, marking up PDFs and other creative work. For business users who take notes in meetings, or for creative people who capture ideas on the go, the S Pen is a must.

The camera of the S26 Ultra

The S26 Ultra has:

• a 200-megapixel main camera
• a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera
• 2 telephoto lenses: a 10-megapixel lens with 3x zoom and a 50-megapixel lens with 5x optical zoom. Digitally, you can zoom up to 100x with Space Zoom.

Improved Nightography, larger apertures for low light, Horizon Lock for stable video and Advanced Professional Video make this the best camera in a Samsung Galaxy so far. The Ultra takes sharper photos than any other model in the S26 series.

Samsung Galaxy S26 series: comparing the key specifications

To give you a better idea of the differences in practice, we go through the most important specifications per phone below.

Display and size

• The Galaxy S26 FE has a 6,7-inch display with FHD+ resolution and 120 Hz. The display is the same size as the S26+, but less sharp.
• The Galaxy S26 has a 6,3-inch display with FHD+ resolution. In practice, this gives a sharp image on the smaller display. That smaller size is also what sets it apart from the other models.
• The S26+ has a 6,7-inch display with QHD+ resolution, so details and small text are easier to see.
• The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 6,9-inch display, also with QHD+, and the unique Privacy display that lets you limit viewing angles.

All models have an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate that adjusts automatically: 120 Hz when you scroll, lower when the image is still, to save battery.

Chip and RAM

• The S26 FE runs on the Exynos 2500, last year’s chip. It is fast enough for messaging, social media and streaming. You notice the difference with heavy games and video editing.
• The S26 and S26+ run on the Exynos 2600 processor. This is a new, energy-efficient chip made by Samsung itself.
• The S26 Ultra has the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, one of the fastest smartphone chips. This makes the Ultra noticeably faster with heavy tasks such as video editing, intensive games and generative AI.
• The S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra have 12 GB of RAM, the S26 FE has 8 GB. The Ultra also comes with 16 GB and 1 TB of storage.

Battery and charging

• The battery capacity differs per model: 4.900 mAh for the S26 FE, 4.300 mAh for the S26, 4.900 mAh for the S26+ and 5.000 mAh for the Ultra.
• The S26 charges at 25 W, the S26 FE and the S26+ at 45 W. Charging is fastest on the Ultra: at 60 W, the S26 Ultra reaches 80 percent in 30 minutes.

Cameras compared: which S26 takes the best photos?

• The S26 FE also has 3 cameras, with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.
• The S26 and S26+ have exactly the same 3 cameras: a 50-megapixel main camera, an ultra-wide lens and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.
• The S26 Ultra has the best camera system, with a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide and 2 telephoto lenses: a 10-megapixel lens with 3x zoom and a 50-megapixel lens with 5x zoom. On top of that comes 100x digital Space Zoom.
• All models have Nightography for better photos in low light.

Cameras compared by situation

• Daylight: expect sharp detail, good colours and fast autofocus on all models.
• Low light: the Ultra wins thanks to larger apertures and improved Nightography. The other models also take good night photos, but with less detail.
• Portrait: you get good results on every model, but the Ultra gives you a little more control thanks to the extra sensor.
• Zoom: this is where the difference is biggest, as the S26 Ultra has more zoom options. The S26 FE, S26 and S26+ have a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The S26 Ultra has 2 telephoto lenses with 3x and 5x zoom.
• Selfies: all models have a 12-megapixel selfie camera that takes sharp selfies quickly.

AI improves the camera experience

Photo Assist adjusts photos based on text. Remove objects, move subjects or change the background. This works on all S26 models. With its more powerful processor, the Ultra also creates and processes images faster.

Which features do you get?

The S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra offer the same core Galaxy AI features:

• Now Nudge: gives you useful information at the right moment, based on what is on your screen.
• Photo Assist: edit photos with text prompts. For example, remove objects, move subjects or change the background.
• Call Assist: live transcription and translation of phone calls.
• Now Brief: summaries of your notifications, calendar and habits at the start of the day.
• Agentic AI: carries out several actions with one prompt.

Which Samsung Galaxy S26 suits you?

Galaxy S26 FE

• You want a large display for the lowest price
• You want to charge quickly in between
• 128 or 256 GB of storage is enough for you
• You mainly use your phone for messaging, social media and photos

Galaxy S26

• You want a phone that fits easily in your hand
• You mainly use your smartphone for social media, calls, messages and everyday photos
• You don’t need extreme zoom or the S Pen

Galaxy S26+

• You watch a lot of series and films on your phone and want a larger display
• You game regularly and want stable performance
• Longer battery life matters because you are on the go a lot

Galaxy S26 Ultra

• You want the best camera with maximum zoom and the best low-light photos
• You use the S Pen for work or creative projects
• You like the Privacy display for business use
• You run heavy apps and AI tasks and want maximum performance

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