I won't buy another Galaxy FE until Samsung makes these changes

Earlier this year, I wrote about how I picked up a Galaxy S25 FE for my daughter and was instantly impressed. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about its successor. The Galaxy S26 FE is not a bad phone, but it is a pretty poor value. We’ve seen this play out a lot this year as companies raise pricing to deal with the RAM crisis, so I can’t say I’m too shocked.

Some of these things are outside of Samsung’s control, but I still believe there are things the company could have done to either lower the pricing or increase the perceived value. Below are just a few things I think would help the Galaxy FE series stand out in the future.

The big screen market is crowded, so FE should downsize

The Samsung Galaxy S FE started out as a cheaper variant of the company’s flagship with value-oriented fans in mind, but it has evolved a bit over the years. There was even one year when the Galaxy FE completely replaced the Galaxy A50 series, though this didn’t last. I feel like Samsung continues to struggle with what it wants the Galaxy S FE to be, but this isn’t such a hard fix.

For starters, I think it’s time to change up the display size. Right now, the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE packs a 6.7-inch display, just like the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy S26 Plus. Factoring in specs and pricing, that puts the Galaxy S FE in a weird position where it’s not quite as impressive as the Plus, and yet it’s still a decent jump from the Galaxy A57 for just $100 more. Do we really need three phones with the same screen size? I’d say no, especially since the base Galaxy S26 is the only phone with a smaller 6.3-inch display at the moment.

If Samsung shrank the display down on the Galaxy S FE series, the company could funnel these savings into either improving the feature set or cutting the price. It would also give fans of smaller displays another option that’s still quite a bit cheaper than the base flagship.

It’s time to give the Galaxy S FE its own distinct look

If you take a look at any Samsung phone from the last several years, you’ll mostly see the same general shape, footprint, and camera layout. Sometimes the cutout is a bit different, or there are a few other subtle design changes, but sameness is the name of the game.

Design language consistency is important for brand image, but that doesn’t mean every device needs to look nearly identical, either. Google has largely stuck to its camera bar styling since the Pixel 6, but nearly every generation since then has made pretty noticeable design upgrades along the way. Meanwhile, every Galaxy S has more or less rocked the same look since the Galaxy S23. The Galaxy S26 sees a minor change to the camera cut-out, but it’s a pretty shallow update.

Samsung’s sameness problem largely extends to the rest of its lineup as well. Sure, the Galaxy A series has a slightly different sensor cutout, but again, it’s a minor difference. This is only made worse by the fact that nearly every Samsung phone has the same screen size, except for a few rare exceptions like the base Galaxy S.

Then there’s the Google Pixel 10a. While not everyone appreciated the design language change here, I actually sort of dig it. In fact, I recently convinced my mother to get one to replace her aging Motorola device. When I asked her how she felt about the design compared to my wife’s Pixel 9, she said she preferred the flatter, more basic look of the Pixel 10a. She agreed it still looks like a Pixel, but stands out on its own a bit more.

That’s exactly what I want from the Galaxy S FE next year, though I have a strong feeling I won’t get it, as it would mean spending more on development for a device that is currently treated more like an afterthought.

I’ve always felt that Samsung isn’t quite sure how to market “Fan Edition” phones. It started as a way to appease Note fans after the Note 7 drama, but then it evolved into a mid-range phone that focuses on core specs without all the extras.

In many ways, devices like the Galaxy A line already cover this ground. Instead, Samsung should consider shifting the line to more of a head-turning mid-ranger with a smaller screen, a new design, and marketing that helps explain why this phone even exists. Samsung doesn’t even need to do a lot here and could even borrow from older designs as a throwback to save on design costs.

Stop nerfing the camera, Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE features the exact same cameras as its predecessor, which was barely an upgrade from the Galaxy S24 FE before that. For the main camera, that’s less of an issue, as it’s a solid package that’s identical to what you’d get with the Galaxy S26. The result is great photos as long as the lighting is good, with very good dynamic range and white balance. Where things go downhill a bit is on the telephoto and ultrawide shooters.

The Galaxy S26 FE replaces the flagship’s 10MP telephoto shooter with a weaker 8MP telephoto lens that is certainly better than nothing, but not nearly as well-suited for the job. The ultrawide camera keeps the same megapixel count but weakens many of its core specs along the way. In ideal lighting, the combination is still great, but it struggles a bit more in lower-light situations or when you truly need quality zoom.

If Samsung cuts the display size, maybe it could funnel some of the cost difference to the camera? This probably wouldn’t allow the Galaxy S FE to price lower, but it would at least raise the overall value.

The Galaxy S FE needs to focus on value again

In the end, I want better value from the Galaxy S27 FE or whatever comes next. This can be accomplished by making some of the changes I mentioned above. With a better camera and more standout design, I would feel much more comfortable paying $700 for the Galaxy S FE.

Of course, adjusting the price could just as easily solve some of the issues. If Samsung lowered the price to $599 but largely kept the same experience, it would at least compare more favorably with the Pixel A series. Although based on the trend of increasing smartphone prices, I doubt this will happen.

Ultimately, I like the Galaxy S FE series, but in its current form, it just feels like an unnecessary addition to the family. Here’s hoping Samsung agrees and makes a change in the not-too-distant future.