Samsung is reportedly testing a paid Galaxy AI Premium service
It's said to add Gen Video, Bixby Action, and Daily Briefing to Samsung's suite of AI tools
It will also apparently give you higher usage limits for free tools
It was inevitable that Samsung would start charging for some of its AI tools sooner or later, and lo and behold, the company is reportedly now testing a paid premium version of Galaxy AI.
SammyGuru has found evidence of a Galaxy AI Premium subscription service, which the company looks set to launch into early access soon, and which will seemingly give users access to new AI features, along with four times higher usage limits on existing ones.
Those new features reportedly include Gen Video, which is described as letting you “generate AI videos from your photos,” Bixby Action, which will “automate tasks across your apps,” and Daily Briefing, which doesn’t include a description.
Based on code strings it discovered, SammyGuru expects Galaxy AI Premium to be priced at $4.99 (roughly £3.75 / AU$7.25) per month or $47.99 (around £35 / AU$70) annually, and the service might at least initially be exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy S27 series.
(Image credit: SammyGuru)
Your existing tools should remain free
The site reports that Browsing Assist, Now Brief, Creative Studio, Smart Capture, Samsung Keyboard, Photo Assist, and Personal Agent are listed within the Galaxy AI Premium interface as tools that will remain free — albeit with usage limits that you’ll have to pay to increase.
But for what it’s worth, Samsung has previously said that all the Galaxy AI features that are "on your phone by default" will always be available for free, and that’s a longer list, which you can find on Samsung’s site. It includes Live Translate, Note Assist, Zoom Nightography, Writing Assist, Chat Assist, Drawing Assist, AI Select, Now Brief, Now Bar, Audio Eraser, Photo Assist, AI Enhanced Wallpaper, Browsing Assist, Voice Recorder, Transcript Assist, Health Assist, Auto Zoom, Auto Framing, and Suggested Replies.
So, assuming Samsung sticks to its word, all of those features will remain free despite the launch of Galaxy AI Premium — though added usage limits could degrade the experience for free users.
Unsurprisingly, this news of a premium subscription hasn’t been met with much fanfare, especially as it sounds like it only adds a few features. On Reddit, comments include “good luck with that,” “not a single one of their AI features [is] worth paying for,” “ewwww, no thanks,” and “dead on arrival,” among other similar sentiments.
Of course, one Reddit thread doesn’t represent the wider world, so it will be interesting to see whether there’s actually much interest in Galaxy AI Premium if and when it launches.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is the cheapest way in to the Galaxy S26 line and benefits from a big screen and battery, but it's a notable step down from the standard S26 in most other ways.
Pros
Big 6.7-inch screen
Relatively high capacity battery
Cheapest entry point
Cons
Less powerful chipset
Less capable cameras
Slightly worse screen
Samsung
Galaxy S26
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a powerful phone with a great screen and capable cameras, but while not the most expensive model in the S26 series, it does cost a fair bit more than the FE.
Pros
Top-end chipset
Great triple-lens camera
Superb — if small — screen
Cons
Costs quite a lot
Lower capacity battery
Slower charging
Samsung's Galaxy FE line has always been a slightly odd proposition. In theory, these phones are cheaper alternatives to standard numbered Galaxy phones, offering Plus-sized screens at an affordable price. But they've steadily gotten more expensive over the years, and some FE phones are more well-rounded than others.
In this guide, then, we'll walk you through the key differences between these two phones, comparing their displays, designs, performance credentials, and more.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: specs comparison
The table below provides a brief overview of how the Galaxy S26 FE and Galaxy S26 compare in terms of specs.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
Samsung Galaxy S26
Dimensions:
161.6 x 76.9 x 7.4mm
149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm
Weight:
193g
167g
Display:
6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X
6.3-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Refresh rate:
60Hz–120Hz
1Hz-120Hz
Peak brightness:
1,900 nits
2,600 nits
Chipset:
Exynos 2500
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 / Exynos 2600
RAM:
8GB
12GB
Rear cameras:
50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto
50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto
Front camera:
12MP
12MP
Battery:
4,900mAh
4,300mAh
Charging:
45W wired, 15W wireless
25W wired, 15W wireless
Storage:
128GB / 256GB / 512GB
256GB / 512GB
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE was announced in late August 2026 and shipped in November, with the phone now widely available. It starts at $699.99 / £699 / AU$1,149, which gets you a model with 128GB of storage. But there’s also a 256GB model for $799.99 / £799 / AU$1,299 and a 512GB model for £949 / AU$1,599 — though this version is not available in the US.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 went on sale in March 2026 and is also available globally. It costs $999.99 / £959 / AU$1,649 for a 256GB model, rising to $1,199.99 / £1,129 / AU$1,949 for a 512GB version. It’s worth noting that the Galaxy S26 actually cost less than $999.99 / £959 / AU$1,649 at launch, but thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, its price has since gone up, rather than down.
In any case, that makes the starting price of the Galaxy S26 FE some $300 / £260 / AU$500 less than that of the Galaxy S26, but that’s for a model with just 128GB of storage, which is less than the Galaxy S26 comes with as standard. Looking at the 256GB models of each phone, the Galaxy S26 FE costs $200 / £160 / AU$350 less.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE pricing
Storage
US price
UK price
AU price
128GB
$699.99
£699
AU$1,149
256GB
$799.99
£799
AU$1,299
512GB
Not available
£949
AU$1,599
Samsung Galaxy S26 pricing
Storage
US price
UK price
AU price
256GB
$999.99
£959
AU$1,649
512GB
$1,199.99
£1,129
AU$1,949
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: design
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE and Samsung Galaxy S26 have quite similar designs, with flat screens, punch-hole cameras at the top of their respective displays, and triple-lens cameras arranged vertically on their rear panels.
They also both have glass backs and aluminum frames, as well as IP68 ratings — meaning they’re dust-tight and can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.
However, the Samsung Galaxy S26 should be slightly tougher than the FE overall, as it has Gorilla Glass 2 protection, while the FE uses Gorilla Glass+.
There are bigger differences in their colors, though, with the Galaxy S26 FE being sold in Blueberry, Graphite, and Pistachio, and the Galaxy S26 available in Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold.
And their weights and dimensions differ too: the Galaxy S26 FE measures 161.6 x 76.9 x 7.4mm and weighs 193g, while the Galaxy S26 measures 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm and weighs 167g. So the FE is bigger, thicker, and heavier — but it does also have a larger screen.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has a 6.7-inch 1080 x 2340 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, around 385 pixels per inch, and a peak brightness of 1,900 nits.
The standard Samsung Galaxy S26 is smaller, with a 6.3-inch 1080 x 2340 AMOLED screen that has a 120Hz refresh rate, roughly 411 pixels per inch, and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits.
So these two screens use similar tech and are the same resolution, but in being smaller, the Galaxy S26’s display is also slightly crisper, and it has a higher peak brightness. Plus, while the Galaxy S26 can switch its refresh rate from 1Hz all the way to 120Hz depending on what the screen is displaying, the Galaxy S26 FE only has static 60Hz and 120Hz capabilities.
Our Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review described its screen as “big and colorful, but lacking detail,” while our Samsung Galaxy S26 review said it has “a display that hits all the marks of what you’d want in a flagship phone.”
So the standard Galaxy S26 has the better screen overall, but if you want a massive display, then the Galaxy S26 FE is the obvious choice out of these two phones.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: cameras
Both of these phones have triple-lens cameras, with the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE having a 50MP f/1.8 wide snapper, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (with a 123-degree field of view), and an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
The Samsung Galaxy S26, meanwhile, has a 50MP f/1.8 wide camera, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide with a 120-degree field of view, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto with 3x optical zoom. Both phones also have 12MP f/2.2 front-facing cameras.
So their camera hardware isn’t drastically different, but in practice, the Galaxy S26’s lenses performed better in our tests. Our Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review noted that “the main and selfie cameras produce strong photos, but the phone’s let down by its ultra-wide and telephoto lenses,” while in our Galaxy S26 review, we said that “all three cameras take solid pics, but don’t rely on the telephoto past 3x.”
With the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, you’re getting an Exynos 2500 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 has either a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (in the US) or an Exynos 2600 (in most other regions) paired with 12GB of RAM.
So, whichever region you’re in, you’re getting a faster chipset in the standard Samsung Galaxy S26, along with an extra 4GB of RAM, and that could make a real difference for AI and high-end games. But despite that, these phones both generally perform well.
Our Samsung Galaxy S26 FE review noted that its chipset is “a good performer, especially for graphics,” while acknowledging that “8GB of RAM is limiting for a premium phone in 2026.”
Of the Samsung Galaxy S26, we said it’s “quick and powerful, but the phone does get hot during intense tasks.”
What’s not so different between these two phones is their software, with both running Android 17 and Samsung’s One UI 9 overlay. Both the Galaxy S26 FE and Galaxy S26 also come with the promise of seven major Android version updates — though the latter phone has already received one of those.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: battery
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has a 4,900mAh battery, and it supports 45W wired or 15W wireless charging, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 has a 4,300mAh battery with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. So the Galaxy S26 FE has a higher-capacity battery, with more charging power.
In practice, we found that the Samsung Galaxy S26 still had “all-day battery life,” though we lamented its slow charging speeds, while for the Galaxy S26 FE, we said the battery is “long-lasting and fairly fast-charging.” So this is one area where the FE arguably has a slight edge.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26: verdict
(Image credit: Future)
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is more powerful than the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, plus it has a slightly superior screen and — based on our testing — better cameras. It’s also slightly more durable, thanks to Gorilla Glass 2.
That said, the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has a bigger screen, a higher-capacity battery, faster charging, and it costs less, while offering a similar software experience.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is the better phone — indeed, we scored it higher in our reviews, with the device achieving 4 stars while the Galaxy S26 FE got 3.5.
But if you want a big screen on a mid-range budget, or simply don’t want to pay what the Galaxy S26 costs, then the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is still a good option.
After teasing us with a few of its deals last month, the full Samsung Black Friday sale has now started in the UK, featuring savings on phones, TVs, appliances, tablets, wearables, and more. With some strong discounts and big trade-in savings available, here are the offers that I think are worth considering if you're looking to upgrade.
If there's one deal that has me tempted more than anything in the sale, it's this £300 saving on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 when you use the discount code 'NOV26'. When combined with an extra £100 off when paying with PayPal, plus a trade-in rebate of up to £713, there's an opportunity here to get the fantastic foldable for a seriously low price.
We're huge fans of the phone too, as you can see in our 4.5-star Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review. By changing the form factor to a more portable and pocketable passport-sized design, packing in all the performance you need for daily use, and a solid battery life to match, it feels like Samsung finally worked out the ideal foldable with this release.
Elsewhere in the Black Friday sale, you can get up to £500 off several of Samsung's excellent premium TVs, or up to £500 off appliances if you're planning a kitchen refit. There are also price cuts on its latest Galaxy Watch and the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.
All offers are backed by the Samsung Black Friday Price Promise, which means that if you find the same product for cheaper elsewhere from now until December 1, you can get a refund for the difference. A welcome bit of peace of mind during the hectic end-of-year shopping period.
Here are all of my top picks from the Samsung Black Friday sale. Just be aware that some offers end on November 17. Chances are we'll see even more deals as we get closer to Black Friday proper, too.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: £300 off with the code 'NOV26' — plus £100 off with PayPal This is one of the best offers I've seen yet on the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. You can combine the discount code 'NOV26' to get £300 off, plus the extra £100 off you get for paying with PayPal, to make a big saving on the excellent foldable. Equally, you can combine the code with the £10 per month Three plan for an even better price – one you can reduce further with a trade-in. We gave the Z Fold 8 an incredible 4.5 stars in our review for its power, smart design, vibrant display, good cameras, and respectable battery life.View Deal
Samsung Galaxy S26: get £250 off — and an extra £100 off with PayPal There's a flat £250 discount on the Samsung Galaxy S26 for Black Friday, plus an extra £100 off when you pay using PayPal. It's a good offer, but I've seen the phone cheaper elsewhere. What will make it an even better deal, though, is if you have a phone to trade in, as Samsung offers some of the biggest rebates out there. That'll knock the solid Android flagship down to a very tempting low price.View Deal
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: was £219 now £169 The latest Pro version of Samsung's earbuds lineup is a real step up, according to our 4.5-star review — and this is a new lowest-ever price. I have a pair and agree, as they offer fantastic sound quality, impressive noise cancellation, and a classy design. Features in the app are genuinely useful if you want to customise the sound and level of noise cancellation to your liking. As far as premium buds for Android users go, these are a top choice.View Deal
R85H 65-inch Micro RGB TV: was £1699 now £1299 The 65-inch version of Samsung's latest R85H is now down to a record-low price for Black Friday. Plus, there's another £150 off if you recycle your old TV, and a free soundbar will be added to your basket at checkout. The R85H stands out for its excellent colour and image quality, thanks to the array of micro RGB LEDs. That means it also boasts superior brightness and fantastic contrast, ensuring you get a smooth, sharp and vibrant image. It's an ideal all-rounder for films, movies, sports, and gaming, as it also supports 144Hz and a variable refresh rate to give you a smooth and responsive picture. With all the offers combined, it's easily one of the best premium TV deals I've seen right now.View Deal
The Frame Pro 55-inch 4K TV: was £1299 now £1199 If you want your TV to blend into the environment when it's not in use, then you'll want to check out this deal on the latest version of Samsung's The Frame display. With a stylish design and a bezel included for free, it disguises itself well as any other picture and can even display your own chosen art or photos. It's solid as a TV, too, with a bright and colourful picture that's best suited to shows and movies. For a gaming TV, though, I'd look elsewhere.View Deal
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