Samsung Galaxy A26 5G: Samsung is further expanding its presence in the mid-tier smartphone market with the debut of the Samsung Galaxy A26 5G, designed for users in need of a phone that they can rely on strong performance, seamless all-day connectivity and a brand they believe in, the A26 5G provides a smart combination of features without overdoing it.
Sitting below the pricier Galaxy A-series models, this phone manages to keep things realistic while still bringing enough modern features to Tuesday to make it viable in 2025’s ruthless smartphone world.
This is Rise of the Jolly Trope, a column in which Myles McNutt takes us on a brief tour of the clichés that make a show uninventive.
Design: Clean and Functional
First off, the Galaxy A26 5G is not a head turner, but it has the clean and simplistic look that fans of Samsung are already accustomed to. The plastic back is a smooth matte finish, and it comes in muted colors like black, blue and mint green.
Triple rear camera setup designed in a vertical fashion lets the phone have a neat appearance along with minimal Samsung branding.
The A26 is 8.4mm thick and weighs about 195g, so it’s comfortable to hold and the slightly curved edges help you hold on to it a bit easier.
It won’t win prizes for design, but it’s solidly made and feels dependable — the sort of thing midrange buyers are often looking for.
Display: Bright and Pleasant
The phone features a 6.5-inch PLS LCD display with a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate.
It’s not an AMOLED panel (which would have been a nice touch at this price) but Samsung’s LCD tech still offers good colours and sharpness for day-to-day use.
The brightness levels are more than adequate for indoor and mild outdoor use, and 90Hz refresh rate ensures scrolling and animations feels slicker than on standard 60Hz panels.
But if you’re someone who watches a lot of videos or games on your phone, you might find yourself dreaming of those darker AMOLED blacks.
Performance: Able and Astute
Under the hood, the Galaxy A26 is also fueled by the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ SoC, with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (expandable via microSD).
It isn’t a performance powerhouse, but it can perform day-to-day duties like browsing, social media, video calls and even light gaming without breaking a sweat.
At the interface level, One UI Core 6 (based on Android 14) is here, and multitasking works well.
Samsung has also promised 2 years of Android updates and 4 years of security patches, which offers value in the long run for people afraid that their new device will be a software orphan.
Image: Cameras: Good day light shots
The primary sensor on the A26 5G is a 50MP lens that is accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro lens. In good lighting, the primary camera captures colourful and detailed images with reasonably accurate colours.
Low-light performance is so-so, not really this phone’s specialty, and you’re left lacking optical image stabilization for clean handheld or night shooting.
At the front, the 13MP selfie camera is good enough for video calls and selfies under good lighting, although skin tones can look a little soft.
Battery Life: Bring More Power to Your Day
5000mAh battery Galaxy A26 5G is equipped with a 5000mAh (standard value) battery that easily lasts a full day and more with moderate to heavy usage. Round it back up to 4.5 though because I’m sure it shines in its niche use case like watching YouTube, 5G surfing and light gaming.
It does support 25W fast charging, and takes you from 0-50% in about 30 minutes — it’s not lightening fast, but good enough for its range.
Connectivity & Extras
As the name implies, one of the big selling points here is HONOR’s touted support for 5G. The essentials are all there, including Dual SIM 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 5, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
You also have a 3.5mm headphone jack — something that’s on the wane but not yet dead, and that many will appreciate.
Pros:
Smooth operation with Dimensity 6100+
Clean, Samsung design with good build quality
Smooth 90Hz display
Long-lasting 5000mAh battery
Headphone jack and expandable storage
Affordable 5G connectivity
Reasonable Samsung software support pledge
Cons:
LCD display instead of AMOLED
Average low-light camera performance
No ultra-wide lens
Construction is a little cheap and plastic
Recommended maximum power could be higher
Samsung Galaxy A26 5G Verdict: A Practical 5G Choice From Samsung
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel — the Samsung Galaxy A26 5G doesn’t try. It’s simply a solid midranger with the basics covered: good battery life, clean UI, decent cameras, and 5G support, all within Samsung’s trusted ecosystem.
It doesn’t provide top-shelf specs or premium finishes, but it gets all the fundamentals right, and it’s the kind of phone that does so with a quiet confidence.
If you’re in the market for no-frills, dependable 5G from a recognizable brand, the A26 5G deserves a serious look.