Samsung Galaxy S26 FE: What Fans Really Want (and What Samsung Needs to Deliver)

After spending a full year with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE as my daily driver, I’ve developed a complex relationship with this device. It’s the smartphone equivalent of a reliable but unexciting relationship – comfortable, dependable, but lacking that spark that makes you genuinely excited to pick it up each morning.

Let me be clear: the Galaxy S24 FE is a competent smartphone. It does everything you’d expect from a modern handset. It makes calls, sends messages, streams content, and captures memories. But that’s precisely the problem. In a market where mid-range devices are becoming increasingly sophisticated and distinctive, the Galaxy S24 FE feels like Samsung going through the motions – producing exactly what they think fans want without actually listening to what fans are saying.

With the Galaxy S26 FE expected to debut later this year, I’m here to outline exactly what needs to change before I even consider opening my wallet for Samsung’s next Fan Edition offering.

Battery Life: The Elephant in the Room

If I had to pinpoint my single biggest frustration with the Galaxy S24 FE, it would be the battery life. A full charge barely gets me through a typical day, and on heavy usage days? Forget about it. I find myself constantly monitoring battery percentages and hunting for power outlets like I’m in some post-apocalyptic scenario where electricity is scarce.

To put this into perspective, my seven-year-old HUAWEI P30 Pro with approximately 70% battery health still outperforms the Galaxy S24 FE. Let that sink in for a moment. A phone from 2019 with degraded battery capacity still manages better endurance than Samsung’s 2024 mid-ranger.

The Galaxy S25 FE made a small step in the right direction with a 4% larger battery, a more efficient display, and 45W fast charging. But “small steps” aren’t going to cut it when we’re talking about something as fundamental as battery life.

I want to see Samsung go big – really big. The company already uses 6,000mAh batteries in its budget A-series devices, including the Galaxy A07 5G. If this is such a fan-favorite feature that it makes it into Samsung’s cheapest new device, why is it conspicuously absent from the Fan Edition lineup?

Imagine a Galaxy S26 FE with a 6,000mAh battery. A device that could genuinely last two full days of heavy usage. That would be revolutionary in the mid-range segment and would immediately set the FE series apart from the competition.

Personality Crisis: Where’s the Fan in Fan Edition?

I’ve used a lot of smartphones over the years, but I can’t recall the last time I felt so utterly uninspired by a device as I do with the Galaxy S24 FE. It’s not that it’s bad – it’s that it’s completely forgettable. This phone has all the personality of a cardboard box.

The conservative design approach isn’t inherently problematic, but this is supposed to be the Fan Edition. Shouldn’t it feel special? Shouldn’t it pay homage to Samsung’s rich history and the devices that built the brand’s loyal following?

My solution is both simple and nostalgic: bring back iconic colorways from Samsung’s greatest hits. I’d be genuinely excited to choose between the Aura Glow from the Note 10, the Canary Yellow from the S10e, the Prism Green from the Galaxy S10, or even the Coral Blue from the (infamous) Note 7.

These weren’t just colors – they were statements. They represented Samsung’s willingness to take risks and create devices that stood out in a sea of black and white slabs. The Fan Edition should embody that spirit of innovation and excitement that made people fall in love with Samsung in the first place.

Display Technology: The Eyes Have It

My second major pain point with the S24 FE is its display. The panel is frustratingly dim in bright outdoor conditions, making it nearly unusable on sunny days. But the real issue emerges at night – the screen becomes strangely illegible at low brightness levels, and more concerningly, it causes significant eye strain.

I’ve used countless smartphones over the years, but I haven’t enjoyed looking at a Samsung screen for extended periods since the Galaxy Note 9. Something changed in Samsung’s display technology around that time, and frankly, it’s been downhill ever since.

While the Galaxy S25 FE made minor improvements with its LTPO panel, I want to see a dramatic increase in peak brightness for better outdoor visibility. More importantly, Samsung needs to address the eye strain issue that seems to affect their entire product line.

This isn’t just about preference – it’s about health. If using your phone for extended periods causes physical discomfort, that’s a fundamental design flaw that needs addressing.

Size and Weight: The Comfort Factor

Comfort is an often-overlooked aspect of smartphone design, but it’s crucial. If you can’t hold a device securely and comfortably, you won’t enjoy using its other features, no matter how impressive they might be.

At 213 grams, the Galaxy S24 FE is far too heavy for the hardware it offers. The Galaxy S25 FE addressed this somewhat with a 23-gram weight reduction, but there’s still room for improvement. Considering that some of my suggested upgrades (like a larger battery) could add weight back, I worry that a fully realized S26 FE could end up heavier than its predecessor.

I’d happily accept more polycarbonate construction if it means a more ergonomic device. The goal should be creating a phone that feels great in hand for extended periods, not just one that looks good in marketing photos.

Camera System: Time for Innovation

Samsung’s approach to camera hardware in recent years has become something of a running joke. The company essentially reuses the same camera array across multiple generations and price points, and this issue extends well beyond just the flagship series.

We’ve seen (almost) the same camera system in the FE line for the past three generations, and it’s beyond time for a change. I’ve had more missed opportunities than successful shots with the Galaxy S24 FE’s cameras – to the point where I’ve stopped using them for meaningful memory-making. They’ve been reduced to capturing receipts and snapping important information for posterity. Utilitarian, but uninspiring.

With price increases expected to affect RAM and storage this year, 2026 presents the perfect opportunity for Samsung to innovate with its smartphone cameras. I’m not suggesting the company includes its flagship-level cameras on the mid-range Galaxy S26 FE, but I do want to see some forward momentum.

Even modest improvements – better low-light performance, more natural color reproduction, or enhanced computational photography features – would be welcome changes that show Samsung is actually listening to user feedback.

The MicroSD Card Slot: A Long Shot Worth Taking

Realistically, I know there’s virtually no chance Samsung will bring back the microSD card slot to its pricier phones. The company has been moving away from expandable storage for years, and that trend shows no signs of reversing.

However, with rising prices for RAM and storage chips on the horizon, now would be a perfect time to give fans something they actually want – an affordable, flexible storage option. My Galaxy S24 FE has 128GB of advertised storage, of which only 104GB is usable. Currently, I have just over 20GB free, and I’m likely to run into storage problems in the coming months.

A microSD card slot would be a cheap, quick way to address this specification gap. It’s the perfect way to set the FE series apart from Samsung’s other offerings and win back some valuable positive consumer sentiment.

The Bottom Line

I have no doubt that the Galaxy S26 FE will be a usable, dependable Android smartphone once it launches. Samsung has proven time and again that they can produce reliable devices in their sleep. But that’s exactly the problem – they’re sleeping on innovation, on listening to their fans, on creating devices that genuinely excite people.

Samsung claims to listen to fans when creating these Fan Edition devices, and I sincerely hope they’re paying attention to the issues I’ve outlined here. The mid-range smartphone market is more competitive than ever, with brands like Nothing, Google with its Pixel A series, and even OnePlus offering increasingly compelling alternatives.

The Galaxy S26 FE has the potential to be more than just another competent Samsung device. It could be a statement – proof that Samsung still understands what made fans fall in love with the brand in the first place. But that will only happen if the company is willing to take risks, to listen to feedback, and to create something truly special rather than just another safe, predictable release.

Samsung, the ball is in your court. The fans are waiting, and we’re hoping you’ll finally deliver something worthy of the “Fan Edition” name.

Tags

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