Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S26+
The Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and Samsung Galaxy S26+ sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is the cheaper of the two at $599 versus $1,000, a difference of about $401. The Samsung Galaxy S26+ is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE stands out for flagship features like 120hz amoled and ip68 at a lower price, while Samsung Galaxy S26+ is praised for larger 6.7-inch qhd+ display. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE if…
- →Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- →Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- →3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S26+ if…
- →Larger 6.7-inch QHD+ display
- →45W fast charging
- →4900 mAh battery
Pros & Cons
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Pros
- Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- 3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
- Four years of OS updates guaranteed
- Wireless charging with reverse wireless PowerShare
Cons
- Exynos 2200 variant has weaker performance and efficiency
- Only 25W wired charging is slow for 2023
- Gorilla Glass 5 is older protection than Victus 2
- 8 MP telephoto resolution is low
- Heavier at 209 g due to older processor thermals
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Pros
- Larger 6.7-inch QHD+ display
- 45W fast charging
- 4900 mAh battery
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Cons
- Same 12MP ultrawide as base S26
- No S Pen support
- Incremental upgrade over S25+
Full Specifications
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | Samsung Galaxy S26+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) | Android 16, One UI 8 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 209 g | 190 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 | Armor Aluminum frame |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm | 157 x 75 x 7.3 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 10 MP, f/2.4 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS | 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4500 mAh | 4900 mAh |
| Charging | 25W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W, Wireless PowerShare | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.4 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 1440 x 3120 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1450 | 2600 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | Xclipse 920 / Adreno 730 | Adreno |
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2200 / Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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