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Samsung’s next budget flagship just leaked, and here’s what it looks like

The Galaxy S26 FE is months away, but case renders are already here to spill the beans.

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A hand holding the Galaxy S25 FE, the screen is on and facing the camera
John McCann / Digital Trends

Samsung has a busy second half of 2026 lined up, with several Galaxy devices in the pipeline. Apart from the expected Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Ultra launch, one of the most anticipated launches aimed at the affordable market is the Galaxy S26 FE. 

We are still a few months away from its official debut, but as reported by SammyGuru, a third-party case maker has already listed protective cases for the phone, giving us our first look at its design from multiple angles.

Has Samsung played it safe with the S26 FE design?

The Galaxy S26 FE appears to borrow the Galaxy S26 design language, which means flat sides, a raised camera plateau, and a clean front with a centered punch-hole camera. On the back, the phone has three rear cameras, very reminiscent of the regular Galaxy S26.

The front features a flat display, with bezels that look similar to the S25 FE. The volume rocker and power button sit on the right side, in familiar positions.

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Overall, there’s nothing new in the design, and it looks very familiar. I would not say this is necessarily a bad thing, but I would have loved to see a distinct design that differentiated the FE from the regular S26 lineup. 

Will Galaxy S26 FE finally support Qi2 wireless charging?

A few leaked images show magnetic charging rings on the case, which could hint at Qi2 wireless charging support. However, since even the flagship S26 series didn’t have the Qi2 magnets, it’s highly likely that Qi2 charging speeds will only be available via a compatible case. 

The renders also give us a possible peek at the color options. The Galaxy S26 FE could arrive in violet, black, and grey. That said, these are early third-party renders, so the company may have taken the liberty with these colors, and the final colors might look completely different.

As for the specs, a Geekbench listing suggests that it will be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2500 chipset, something we have already seen in the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Rumors also suggest a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen paired with a 4,900 mAh battery.

There’s no wow factor here, and these specs are expected of a midrange flagship. Whether it will be a successful launch will depend on its pricing.

Rachit Agarwal
Rachit is a seasoned tech journalist with over ten years of experience covering the consumer technology landscape.
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