Generally solid at the high end, Samsung is also one of the most serious and rich manufacturers when it comes to the mid-range. This is evidenced by the recent (but expensive) Samsung Galaxy A56 in particular, while the Korean company also offers, as usual, more reasonable versions with the A16, A26 and A36. Let's see in this test how the Samsung Galaxy A26 compares, especially compared to last year's Samsung Galaxy A25 and often convincing competition under 400 euros from Nothing, Xiaomi and other Poco.
Price and availability of the Samsung Galaxy A26 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A26 is available at 319 euros in its configuration with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, and 379 euros for the one with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. It is available in black, white and sea green. It's this latest version, with 8 GB of RAM, that we tested.
Design: more durable, but far from perfection
From the title of this review, we indicated that the Samsung Galaxy A26 is an outdated smartphone. This is true even when it comes to design, even if it has evolved compared to last year's. Indeed, it's impossible not to immediately notice the camera unit. Accustomed to the independent modules that define its identity, Samsung has decided to group them into a fairly classic island. Nothing dramatic in itself, but it's a significant change. This block, however, has the good taste of being thin and therefore of not unbalancing the smartphone when it is placed down.
All plastic on its edges and sporting a glass back, this Samsung Galaxy A26 nevertheless has one advantage that its predecessor doesn't have: IP67 certification to protect it from dust and water. This is probably the main strength of this product. On the right edge are the volume buttons (a little high for the average thumb) and the power button. The latter also serves as a fingerprint reader. Here too, it's an outdated choice, when almost all the competition, including in this price range, has moved to the sensor directly under the screen, more practical.
On the lower edge, the USB-C port is there, alongside a single speaker (more at this (in the sound section of this test). Finally, at the top of the left edge is the SIM and microSD drawer. No jack to report, unlike the A25… Finally, in terms of dimensions, the Samsung Galaxy A26 is very slightly heavier (200 g against 197 g) and larger (164.0 x 77.5 mm) than the A25, but is thinner (7.7 mm against 8.3 mm). As always with Samsung, the finishes are impeccable.
Screen: can really do better
Before getting into the technical details of the Samsung Galaxy A26's screen, let's point out two negatives. First, it's impossible to miss the selfie sensor notch at the top, which is reminiscent (for the worse) of smartphones from the past. Second, the Samsung device has very significant bezels around its screen, especially at the bottom, with a hard-to-miss chin. This results in a fairly low screen coverage of 85.6%.
Still, Samsung usually knows how to do it with its panels. Here we find a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel (compared to 6.5 inches for the A25) in FHD+ capable of going up to 120 Hz. However, it's difficult not to be disappointed, particularly by the rather low average brightness. This rises to 931 cd/m² in SDR, and 1173 cd/m² in HDR peak. That's not much. Sufficient for most situations, but not enough.
The A26's screen isn't saved by its color fidelity. We actually measured a Delta E 2000 of 5.51 in its default mode (vivid), while the natural one is not much more faithful, at 5.05. Everything is certainly in the DCI-P3 color space, which is more difficult to respect, but still. In short, regarding the screen, Samsung has accustomed us to better, although the result here remains largely usable.
Performance: hot as a brick!
This year, Samsung has equipped its Galaxy A26 with an in-house Exynos 1380 SoC. As a result, with 8GB of RAM here, a very efficient solution for everyday use when it comes to navigating applications and the interface. With this increased power and an improved interface, the solution is therefore better than last year's and does not require manually closing apps to improve performance.
The observation is, however, more nuanced when it comes to video games. Indeed, while the performance is more convincing (a heavy title like Genshin Impact can run in good conditions on average), this is paid for in demanding games by very high and very rapid heating at the top of the device. In just a few minutes of play, your left hand will be very (too) hot. Our probe reached almost 43°. Not enough to put the smartphone down, but it's not ideal.
Finally, another regret, regarding connectivity, we note that only Wi-Fi 5 is on board. A smartphone that definitely doesn't embrace modernity.
Audio: a big disappointment
For its sound, Samsung certainly didn't go out of its way with this mid-range model, barely worthy of the entry-level range. With its single speaker at the bottom (admittedly at a high volume), the Galaxy A26 offers mono sound unworthy of 2025. This speaker, which is very easy to accidentally block with a finger, thus completely cutting off the sound, also offers something that saturates extremely quickly. To at least enjoy stereo sound, we will therefore use Bluetooth.
Photo: we take the same and we start again
No changes to report on the photo side compared to the Samsung Galaxy A25. We are thus left with a modest rear trio composed of a 50 Mpx main sensor (f/1.8), an 8 Mpx ultra-wide-angle sensor (f/2.2) and a 2 Mpx macro sensor (f/2.4). On the front, a 13 Mpx selfie sensor (f/2.2) completes a solution that we would describe as functional.
To put it simply, the Samsung Galaxy A26 mainly performs well on the main sensor when conditions are good. Samsung's software processing even tends to exaggerate colors a bit, sometimes giving a result that's a bit more colorful and flattering than in reality. On the other hand, unless you're using the 50MP mode, you won't want to zoom in too much on your 12MP shots, as the loss of detail is almost immediate.
However, this main sensor performs quite well at x2 or even x4 zoom. However, above that and up to x10 maximum, no miracles: the noise makes the photo almost unusable, even in full sunlight. Contrast management is also sometimes a bit random, requiring you to retake your photo by manually focusing.
Regarding the ultra wide-angle lens, as is often the case in this price range, the result is passable but far from perfect. Corners and edges in particular quickly become blurred (the tree below is fragrant) and the colors lose their intensity (see the roofs of the Smurfs' houses below). Not enough to throw your phone in the trash either. The dynamic range is not fantastic either with dark areas quickly clogged.
All this is even more true when the brightness drops. The Samsung Galaxy A26 makes a lot of effort to capture ambient light, so much so that night mode only really activates automatically in really poor conditions. This adds a little brightness to the scene to offer a result that's a little more readable than without, without working miracles. As soon as a place doesn't benefit from sufficient light, noise is part of it. For an amateur photographer, the result is sufficient, but someone more demanding might want to look elsewhere.
Finally, regarding the rear sensors, unsurprisingly, the macro sensor will only be useful in absolutely perfect conditions. Take a flower in full sun, why not, take a figurine indoors, meh.
Finally, the selfie sensor does its job without being particularly bright. Including in portrait mode when you need to add blur behind a subject, a bit rough but usable.
Regarding video, we appreciate that the sensor can go up to 4K at 30 FPS, while below that it is possible to embrace 60 FPS.
Autonomy: not great
The Samsung Galaxy A26 is once again equipped with a modest 5000 mAh battery. Once again limited to 25W charging, as our figures below show, it's certainly not the fastest in this area. It might be time to step up its game in 2025, especially since the A36 and A56 offer 45W. It takes 96 minutes to fully charge, while reaching 18% after 10 minutes.
The disappointment is found in the battery life. While the device lasts the day with what we would describe as typical use, with minimally intensive activity (120 Hz, video games, etc.), you'll have to be careful. The figures obtained with our in-house protocol speak for themselves. In practice, watching a series episode on Netflix over WiFi still costs 6% of battery.
The excellent One UI interface slightly amputated
Powered by Android 15 and the One UI 7 overlay, the Samsung Galaxy A26 is partly saved by its software. One UI is today one of, if not the, best overlay on the market, thanks in particular to the visual overhaul carried out in the latest version, even if here again the manufacturer has done things half-heartedly.
While there are plenty of customization and productivity options, such as the Now Bar, which displays dynamic notifications on the lock screen, there's a notable lack of an Always-on display system, for example. Practical, on the other hand, we like the separation of notifications and quick settings into two columns or the search bar at the bottom of the applications page.
Samsung has unsurprisingly focused on AI, which comes in several forms. Gemini is part of it, as is Circle to Search and the object eraser in photos. The latter does what it can (as the screenshots below attest). Most other AI-powered features, however, remain exclusive to more expensive smartphones.
In terms of longevity, the A26 will benefit from a comfortable six years of major updates to the Android operating system. Combined with IP67 certification, this smartphone wants to stay in your pocket for a while.
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