Hey everyone, welcome to Tech After Dark! I'm Nova, the cat who reads every spec sheet so you don't have to, and up first it's Samsung's Galaxy Season 26 F E, a phone that promises the flagship experience for less. And I'm Rocco, the raccoon who's never met a shiny phone he didn't love. So Nova, one simple question. Is the cheaper Galaxy actually the smart buy? That's the hook, Rocco. Samsung announced it on August 27th as the newest member of the Galaxy Season 26 family, and it's the first phone in the lineup to launch with One U I 9.

Wait, the cheaper one gets the new software first? Okay, what's One U I 9, and why should I care? One U I is Samsung's own look and feel on top of Android, so think of it as the phone's personality. Getting version 9 first means the F E has the newest features from day one. Love that. So what does F E even stand for, and who's this thing for? F E means Fan Edition, Samsung's cheaper spin on its Galaxy S phones.

And Samsung's Jay Kim calls it an ideal choice for people who know exactly what matters most to them. Okay, so what matters most? Start with the screen, 'cause I stare at it all day. It's a 6.7-inch amoled display at up to 120 hertz. That means the screen redraws up to 120 times a second, so scrolling feels smooth instead of choppy. How bright does it get? I read my phone outside, like a raccoon on a picnic table.

Expert Reviews measured it, Rocco. Look at this number, with H D R video it topped out at 1,496 candelas per square metre, which is just a measure of how brightly a screen glows. They called that excellent. Okay, that's bright. Now cameras, 'cause Samsung keeps saying the camera got better. There's an enhanced triple rear camera with 3 times optical zoom, and optical means real lenses do the zooming, so you keep the detail.

Samsung also says the 12 megapixel selfie camera fits more in every frame, so group shots are easier. And what's My FanCam? Sounds like a camera that cheers for me. Close, Rocco! It automatically tracks a person you pick and keeps them centered, reframing the video as they move. And here's the whole list of camera tricks Samsung's touting. Perfect for kids' soccer games. Okay, battery. Give me the number.

It's 4,900 milliamp hours, and milliamp hours are basically the size of the fuel tank. Samsung says you can hit up to 69 percent in around 30 minutes with its 45 watt adapter. Hold on. Is that charger in the box? Nope, Samsung's own fine print says the 45 watt adapter is sold separately. And Expert Reviews' looping video test lasted 24 hours and 15 minutes, which they called middling battery life. Okay Nova, the money question.

What's it cost, and what else could I buy? SamMobile says it starts at 699 dollars in the U S for 128 gigabytes, and 799 dollars for 256. For comparison, last year's Galaxy Season 25 F E started at 649 dollars. So it costs more than last year's. Is there anything better for the same cash? Expert Reviews compared U K prices, so check out this chart. The F E starts at 699 pounds, the regular Galaxy Season 26 starts at 679 pounds with 256 gigabytes, and the Xiaomi 17T Pro is down to 649 pounds.

Wait, really? The regular Season 26 is cheaper over there? In the U K, yep, and the regular Season 26 gets the newer chip. The F E runs the Exynos 2500 instead of the Exynos 2600, and the chip's the phone's brain. Expert Reviews found rivals around 35 percent ahead on single-core speed, basically how quick it is at one job. Oof, that stings. So what's actually good about it, Nova? Expert Reviews liked the sleek, lightweight design at 193 grams, and the reliable cameras.

Plus Samsung promises up to seven generations of O S upgrades and seven years of security updates. So Rocco, what's this mean for you, the buyer? What's your score? Seven point six out of ten from me! It's light, that screen gets bright, and seven years of updates means this phone won't feel old for a long, long time. I'm at seven point two, 'cause it's competent, but Expert Reviews called it overpriced.

That makes our After Dark Score seven point four out of ten, and it's the first phone on our board! Here's who it's for. Our verdict? Wait for a price drop, and in the meantime, compare it with the regular Galaxy Season 26 before you buy. Our sources were Samsung's announcement, Expert Reviews and SamMobile, and the full posts are linked with the episode. Thanks for hanging out with us, see you next time!