The best Samsung phones: High-end, mid-range, and entry-level models

Samsung has been the king of the Android world for years now, and the South Korean giant’s lineup of phones has something for everyone. When deciding the best Samsung phone for you, there are a few things to consider:

• How far can you stretch your budget?
• How important is camera performance?
• Will you use your Samsung phone for gaming or demanding apps?
• What form factor do you want? Small? Large? Folding?

Once you’ve decided what’s important to you, we’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve tested and reviewed literally every Samsung phone on the market, boiling down the options to just six phones. If you want some more insight, check out our detailed buyer’s guide to learn more.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus is the best Samsung phone for most people

Naturally, you’d assume that paying big bucks should award the best phone, but that’s not necessarily true. Look no further than the Galaxy S24 Plus for proof. The middle S24 model is one of the best Android phones you can buy, combining all the best parts of the Galaxy S23 Plus with more processing power and a renewed software promise.

At its core, US buyers get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, specifically tweaked for Samsung’s purposes. In global models, the Exynos 2400 takes up the task. Both models are mated to 12GB of RAM — plenty of juice for apps and games — and up to 512GB of internal storage. The other notable upgrade is right up front. The Galaxy S24 Plus features a 6.7-inch 120Hz panel. It’s nearly as large as the Galaxy S24 Ultra without being too unwieldy for smaller hands. Samsung has further chiseled away at the phone’s bezels so that it won’t dent your pocket any more than its predecessor.

The Galaxy S24 Plus also sees a welcome upgrade to its battery capacity, weighing in at 4,900mAh. That’s a sliver smaller than the Ultra model, which should give the Plus healthy longevity between charges. The charging speed is untouched, but 45W should be good enough for most.

Samsung’s other big drawcard is its camera hardware, and you’ll have to look long and hard to find any notable upgrades over the outgoing model. 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP telephoto zoom cameras are still employed — all three performed well on the Galaxy S23 Plus, so we’d expect nothing less on the new model. More interestingly, Samsung is adding several AI-powered capture tools to the bag, including a smart color adjustment system and improved low-light performance.

Other positives include Samsung’s new focus on software support. The Galaxy S24 Plus gains a seven-year Android update promise, dishing out new One UI builds well into the next decade. Notably, this is a feature across the entire Galaxy S24 series, so don’t make this your primary reason for buying. What should be is the Galaxy S24 Plus’ value proposition — it costs the same as the previous mode.

What makes it stand out

• Battery, buffed: The 4,900mAh reservoir is nearly as large as the Ultra’s.
• Versatile cameras: The tried and tested triple-camera setup is great for almost any situation.
• Great performance: US buyers can enjoy the pacey Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, with the globally available Exynos 2400 not far behind.
• Gorgeous display: The slightly larger, brighter, and crisp AMOLED screen is easily visible outside, even on sunny days.
• Software promise: Android manufacturers are taking software updates seriously, and the Galaxy S24 series is the first to benefit.

The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G offers unbeatable mid-range value

We’d recommend the Galaxy A55 ($387 at Amazon) in other regions of the world, but it’s not coming to the US. However, the Galaxy A35 is an admirable and capable mid-range alternative.

Up front, the phone features a vibrant 6.6-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a slathering or Gorilla Glass Victus Plus. Despite its mostly plastic construction, this should give the Galaxy A35 great scratch resistance.

At the rear, the phone’s camera array gives it a similar appearance to its more premium siblings, especially the Galaxy S24. It houses a 50MP primary camera, which produces pleasing results in bright and lower light. Color reproduction is another positive, while the lack of motion blur when snapping moving objects is a big surprise. However, the 8MP ultrawide and 5MP macro cameras feel less refined.

Nevertheless, you’ll be soothed by the phone’s excellent battery endurance. With its Exynos 1380 and a 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy A35 can go well beyond a day with regular use. Once it does run out, you can recharge it at up to 25W with the correct charger.

There’s not much to dislike about the Galaxy A35, but the lack of Galaxy AI features may be a sticking point for potential buyers. Additionally, the lack of wireless charging is understandable but unfortunate.

Nevertheless, the Galaxy A35 is the best mid-range Samsung you can purchase in the US. If you live in Europe or India, the Galaxy A55 is a better, albeit pricier, purchase.

What makes it stand out

• Flagship design: The Galaxy A35 looks so much like its premium siblings that you won’t mind its plastic frame.
• Great battery life: The Galaxy A35 should last well over a day and a half, even without battery-saving mode enabled.
• Solid update commitment: Four years of Android version updates and an extra year of security updates are admirable for a mid-range model.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the power user’s dream phone

This is the most powerful Samsung smartphone you can buy, but it won’t necessarily be the best for most people. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is a phone for power users who want everything in a handset, bar a foldable display.

The Ultra benefits from sharing a similar core experience to the Galaxy S24 Plus but has a few more tricks to inflate its price and size. For one, all models employ the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC, even if you’re purchasing one beyond the US. Thankfully, Samsung’s ditching the silly 8GB RAM configuration found on its predecessor for an all 12GB lineup paired with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of internal storage.

In total, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has five cameras. The rear four are headlined by a 200MP main, a 12MP ultrawide, and two telephoto cameras with 50MP 5x zoom and 10MP 3x zoom capabilities, respectively. At the front, you’ll find the same 12MP selfie camera used on the outgoing Ultra. Samsung ditched the 10x zoom snapper found on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but will this be missed by many? We’re not so sure.

Nevertheless, other things will keep you occupied, including the S Pen tucked away in its dedicated slot, the copious 5,000mAh battery, and the now completely flat 6.8-inch AMOLED screen. Then there’s Samsung’s hefty seven-year update, which makes the Galaxy S24 Ultra a more measured investment for those reluctant to upgrade often.

Granted, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is $100 pricier this year, but it’s still an impressive Android smartphone, perhaps the most impressive if you can afford it.

What makes it stand out

• Integrated S Pen: If you use it, this can be a game-changer for productivity. Or Candy Crush. Your call.
• Snapdragon power: This is the only Galaxy S24 model that offers the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy worldwide.
• Gorgeous screen: The S24 Ultra screen is gorgeous and flat, making S Pen use even more enjoyable.

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the best foldable for most people

Foldable phones are steadily coming into their own, and the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is no exception. It might not be as big of a change as its predecessor, but it raises the Galaxy AI experience in several ways. If you’ve been eyeing a foldable for your next phone, the much larger Flex Window is back again, and it still comes with some of the best widgets you’ll find on a flip phone.

The biggest selling point here is still the form factor. Samsung’s clamshell foldable phone still fits comfortably into a pocket (at least most pockets) and opens up to reveal a 6.7-inch AMOLED display. Unfortunately, it still isn’t quite as bright or crisp as a traditional display, but Samsung inches closer and closer every year. However, it’s not as wide as a normal smartphone, which makes it much easier to use with one hand. Of course, the real selling point for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the Flex Window, which looks and feels a lot like the cover screen on the Motorola Razr Plus — even if it’s not as large. You’ll have to install Good Lock for most app experiences, but then you can open everything from Instagram to Strava on the 3.4-inch panel.

Samsung has also upgraded the software features that you can tap into on the Flex Window with a brand-new Auto Zoom mode for the dual cameras. Essentially, it uses Galaxy AI to track you, the subject, through the field of view, automatically adjusting the zoom from 0.5x up to 3x for a more convenient selfie.

Speaking of the camera, the Z Flip 6 is certainly a capable shooter, and it finally has a new primary sensor. Samsung swapped the previous 12.5MP primary camera for a new 50MP version, once again paired with a 12MP ultrawide camera to fit more in your frame. The setup does serve as a great selfie alternative, though. Apart from group selfies using the Flex Mode, the screen on the front can also serve as a viewfinder, which allows you to take selfies with larger, more capable external cameras.

Apart from that, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a great little phone — even if I didn’t expect to like it at first. Performance is stellar thanks to the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. Battery life is about the same as its predecessor, which makes sense when you pair the upgraded processor with a more demanding cover display. It’s still limited compared to traditional phones, but it’s enough for a typical day. It took a little over an hour to charge while plugged in or an hour and a half wirelessly. Once again, though, there’s no charger in the box.

What makes it stand out

• Flex Window: Samsung’s larger cover screen allows for much more in-depth app experiences and better widgets.
• Very pocketable: The small size fits easily in pockets and purses and is great for one-handed use.
• Premium materials: Samsung’s combination of aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is as tough as they come.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the best tablet replacement

While the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a productivity powerhouse, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 takes things to the next level by unfolding into a bright, sharp, 120Hz 7.6-inch tablet. To sweeten the deal, the interior screen is compatible with an S Pen, although there isn’t one included in the box. However, unlike the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung’s book-style foldable has a few new design upgrades to mention

The large interior screen is obviously the big selling point here, but the rest of the phone is top-notch, too. Samsung finally squared off the external display, making it feel a bit larger and wider for use when closed. This year’s cameras are about the same as the previous setup, once again rolling with a 50MP primary camera, 10MP telephoto, and a 12MP ultrawide for good measure. The interior screen has an under-display camera to minimize its visual impact, but it has remained essentially unchanged since Samsung introduced it a few years back.

On the performance side, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy is more than powerful enough for smooth and consistent performance on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, even on the larger screen. Battery life is once again good enough but not incredible, mostly due to the additional display real estate and relatively small 4,400mAh cell. It took nearly an hour and a half to charge the Galaxy Z Fold 5 from dead to full, and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 once again tops out at 25W wired speeds.

What makes it stand out

• It folds: The phone opens into a very nice 7.6-inch tablet.
• S Pen compatibility: Get even more out of your phone with an S Pen (sold separately).
• Great software: Android 14 has been optimized for larger devices, providing a much better experience.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE offers affordable flagship performance

Samsung’s Fan Edition family has been on an interesting journey. After landing among the best phones of the year with the Galaxy S20 FE, the follow-up Galaxy S21 FE felt like a case of too little, too late. Now, Samsung is back to recapture some of its early success with a new mid-ranger, the Galaxy S23 FE. On the surface, it follows the Fan Edition formula to the letter, and it does so while saving you $200 off the price of a Galaxy flagship.

For starters, the Galaxy S23 FE certainly looks the part. It’s almost identical to Samsung’s Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus, swapping frosted rear glass for a glossy panel but otherwise matching the refined design language. The Galaxy S23 FE’s 6.4-inch AMOLED panel lands comfortably between the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus, offering plenty of real estate for games or streaming. It’s a slightly older panel of Gorilla Glass 5, but we had no complaints about the color recreation or 120Hz refresh rate.

Of course, in order for Samsung to keep the Galaxy S23 FE more affordable than its proper flagship lineup, there are a few sacrifices under the hood. It swaps the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy for the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and pairs it with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Both the RAM and storage are in line with what we expect for the money, though it’ll be important to see if the Snapdragon chipset can handle thermal performance better than when it was introduced.

Ultimately, the Galaxy S23 FE remains one of Samsung’s best offerings. It strikes a great balance between performance and price while managing to match its flagship cousins at just about every turn. If you’re not sure that you want to spend $1,000 on a smartphone, the Galaxy S23 FE might be your best bet.

Before you rush out to pick one up, however, Samsung recently announced the Galaxy S24 FE. It’s slightly larger than this model and comes with an Exynos processor standard across the board. We’re still in the process of reviewing Samsung’s latest mid-range offering, and we’ll be sure to update this entry with our thoughts as soon as we finish our testing.

What makes it stand out

• High-end style: The Galaxy S23 FE picks up right where Samsung’s flagships left off, pairing flat front and back panels with a gently curved frame.
• Flexible cameras: A classic wide/ultrawide/telephoto trio means the Galaxy S23 FE packs a wide zoom range and offers support for Expert RAW without the flagship price tag.
• Updated connectivity: The Galaxy S23 FE supports modern standards, including Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6e, and NFC for mobile payments.

The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is great for people on a tight budget

Finally, we have the best Samsung phone for those on a budget. The Galaxy A15 5G is a step up from the Galaxy A14 it replaces, and bags an excellent 6.5-inch 90Hz AMOLED screen, a MediaTek Dimensity 6100 Plus SoC, and a 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging.

It also includes a capable 50MP main camera, which is dragged down by its 5MP ultrawide and 2MP macro companions. Most cheap Samsung phones have underwhelming cameras, and all three have problems. However, it’s a reasonable performer for its price.

Yes, the Galaxy A15 is on the lower end of Samsung’s spectrum, but it’s a great smartphone for the money. Perhaps the best part of the Galaxy A14 is its price, which should keep your wallet happy.

What makes it stand out

• Incredible value: The sub-$200 price tag is just right.
• Great battery life: This phone is a true battery champion thanks to its low power hardware.
• Headphone jack: Yes, Samsung still has one or two models with a headphone jack in 2024.

What we look for in the best Samsung phones

We’ve reviewed hundreds of Android phones over the years here at Android Authority, so we’ve developed a keen eye for what you look for in a smartphone. If you’re thinking of picking up a Samsung phone specifically, here’s what to look for:

Look for value

It’s tempting to jump right for the most expensive Galaxy S24 Ultra or Z Fold 6, but these phones offer much more than most users will ever need. For that reason, we recommend the S24 Plus from the premium lineup since it hits the best price-to-performance ratio. Likewise for budget devices like the A25 5G and A35 5G.

Consistent software

Samsung phones all use the company’s in-house One UI software, which is a slightly tweaked version of Android with extra features. They also all offer four years of version updates and five years of security updates, so even the cheapest phones will remain up to date for a long time. However, phones on the low end will show their age much sooner.

Versatile cameras

Nowadays, megapixel counts don’t mean nearly as much as software smarts, but Samsung phones are generally great performers. They all tend towards heavier saturation in photos, for better or worse. However, rather than looking for high MP counts, we recommend looking for phones with dedicated ultrawide and telephoto lenses where possible. The added versatility is a big plus in your mobile photography kit.

Build materials and design

Price is generally the deciding factor in how good a phone’s build quality is, but there are a few things to look out for. For example, Gorilla Glass Victus is much more resistant than Gorilla Glass 5, although you’ll still probably want to get a case if you want it to last. Camera housings are another contentious issue design-wise, but if you are going to get a case, you won’t even notice it.

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