What distinguishes a mid-range phone in 2025? A lot has to do with software updates and user interface. The company that has got its game right on this front is Samsung, which continues to release a number of phones at every price point. Take the case of the latest Galaxy A26 5G, an affordable smartphone that is also a compelling, well-rounded package you’ll be able to keep using for several years
Galaxy A26 looks similar to the A36 and the A56. You get a 6.7-inch display while the phone weighs roughly 200g. There is Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection (back and front) to tackle accidental drops. Given the pricing, there is a plastic frame but it looks smart. The glass back looks smart and clean, with only the Samsung logo on the bottom. There is a triple camera island and like on the A36 and A56, it is embedded in a sleek case. But having a vertical island means the phone will wobble a bit when you keep it on the desk.
Bright and clear panel
The large Super AMOLED display comes with 120Hz refresh rate, which can be turned down. Where the phone could have done better is in the bezel department. The chin is chunky.
Having said that, the display has a resolution of 1080x2340 pixel. When seen in tandem with Super AMOLED technology, videos look excellent. The contrast is very nice and you get inky blacks while colours have the right amount of pop. Further, there is an eye comfort shield to filter out blue light. There is also the option to switch the screen mode from vivid to natural. Also, like on the A36 and A56, there is the option to hide the camera cutout, besides some other helpful features like the edge panel and accidental touch protection.
The edge panel has all the important apps for easy access.
In the audio department, it’s a mono speaker that gets pretty loud but, at the same time, the audio quality is rich and clear. There is an equaliser to give audio that extra boost.
A+ battery performance
The battery on the new Samsung phone supports 25W fast charging, taking the battery from zero to 55 per cent in 30 minutes. It’s a largish 5,000mAh battery that easily lasts up to two days, depending on how you use the phone. If you watch movies non-stop, you should get around 16-17 hours.
Some of the other battery-related features include adaptive charging, that is, charge up to 80 per cent at night and then the phone charges up to 100 per cent in the morning. Or you can also restrict charging to 80 per cent.
Smooth operator
Lately, Samsung has been winning customers over with its software promise. Here, you get up to six years of OS and security updates.
Sample picture taken using Galaxy A26 5G.
At the heart of Galaxy A26 5G is the Exynos 1380 processor. It’s a powerful enough to handle everyday tasks and take care of most gaming needs. The overall performance is smooth.
The vapour chamber is now 3.7 times larger as compared to the last generation, which keeps the device running efficiently even during intense gameplay.
You can buy the phone in 128GB or 256GB storage variants, and both come with 8GB RAM. Unlike with the A36 and the A56, you can extend the storage via micro SD card. Despite being a mid-range device, there are some AI photo editing tools, like object eraser, edit suggestions, custom filters, AI select and read aloud.
The screen is bright, but the "chin" could have been narrower.
On selfies, you can add a background blur effect and you can also remaster your pictures. This will give your photos more contrast and better colours. Object eraser can erase unwanted objects or people from your background. Then, you will get some gesture controls as well, like you can double press the side button to open the camera app or swipe across the display to take a screenshot.
The processor doesn’t slow down if you move between apps constantly, and memory management is also good. But if you want to play demanding games, you need to lower the graphics setting for a modestly good performance. There is also the option to move into performance mode, but remember, this is not a gaming device.
In the camera department, the main snapper is 50MP with optical image stabilisation. It works better than most cameras in the category. The 8MP ultra wide also captures colours pretty well. But the 2MP macro camera is as good or bad as on any Android phone. Plus, you can shoot 4K videos at 30fps. On the front, there is a 13MP camera but you can shoot videos in 1080ps at 30fps.
When it comes to pictures, it looks almost as good as what you get on the A36. During the daytime, pictures have a colour pop, but they are not oversaturated. There is a good amount of detail. Even at night, the main camera works very well. Moving from main to ultra wide, colours don’t shift wildly.
Make the call
I might be nitpicking on the bezels. Apart from that, it’s a good deal better than most other affordable Android phones. With the Galaxy A26 5G, I never actively stopped taking photos or moving between all the apps I generally use. The phone wins with its blend of power efficiency, image quality and pricing.
At a glance
Device: Samsung Galaxy A26 5G
Price: Upwards of ₹22,999 (net effective price)
High notes
- Bright display
- Excellent battery life
- Smooth performance
- Many years of OS and security updates
Muffled note
- Bezels could have been slimmer