The best Samsung phone can be literally anything, because Samsung offers a more diverse array of smartphone choices than any other phone maker. On our list of the best phones, you'll find two of Samsung's best, including the formidable Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung's premiere flagship phone. It's packed with features and very pricey, but there are Samsung options for every price and every fancy.
Samsung makes some of the best Android phones, and it also pioneered foldable displays. Whether you want a foldable tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 or a pocket-sized flip foldable like the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung gives you foldable phones with a distinctively Samsung twist.
What is the Samsung twist? It's OneUI 6.1, Samsung's version of Android that adds tons of features, from professional-strength tools like DeX, which turns your phone into a laptop computer, to simpler helpers like the edge panels you can swipe to see contacts, apps, or even tools like a ruler and compass.
We have reviewed all of the best Samsung phones you can buy, including the new Galaxy A35, our favorite Samsung budget phone. When you need a tablet to take advantage of your new Galaxy, check out our list of the best Android tablets, which is loaded with great Samsung options.
The quick list
Here are the top picks for most people, the top for buyers willing to pay a premium, and the best for folks on a budget. You'll also find our favorite for camera image quality and battery life (hint: it's the same phone for both), as well as the best Samsung foldable phones.
The Galaxy S24 is super-powerful and packed with almost all of the same features as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, including Galaxy AI. It also gets seven years of software updates and security patches.
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The Galaxy S24 Plus gives you all of Samsung's best premium Android features without going too far. Unless you need a pen, the S24 Plus has a huge display and superb cameras, making it the right premium Android choice.
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The Galaxy S24 Ultra is packed with so many features, it may be too much for even premium buyers. If you need the best cameras on any smartphone, as well as the longest battery life, the Ultra is the only phone to consider.
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The best foldable Samsung is powerful enough for the hardest work and most intense gaming, and fully-featured with A Pen support and even water and dust protection.
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The compact Z Flip 5 is the best flip foldable phone for professionals, and it has the best cameras on a flip phone (which isn't saying much, sadly).
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The Galaxy A35 has a great display and a knockout design for a bargain phone, with IP67 water resistance and plenty of software features.
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The best Samsung phones in 2024
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Below you'll a complete breakdown of each of the best Samsung phones on our list. We've reviewed each one thoroughly, so you can be sure to trust our recommendations.
The best Samsung phone for most people
✅ You're want power on a budget: The Galaxy S24 isn't cheap, but it packs as much power as the S24 Ultra for hundred less.
✅ You want a compact phone: The 6.1-inch Galaxy S24 offers plenty of power for a phone this small, and it's hard to find a smaller phone worth buying today.
✅ You need serious power: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset is plenty powerful for any task, even running an external display or playing the latest games.
❌ You want a big screen: A 6.1-inch display used to be huge, but these days it's feeling a bit cramped, especially if you're used to a big phone like a Pro Max or an Ultra.
❌ Your budget can stretch: For a few hundred more you can have a much better camera system, a magical S Pen accessories, and a huge screen with a big battery inside, if you get the Galaxy S24 Ultra instead.
❌ All of your friends use the iPhone: Samsung's software is a big weakness, and it's lagging behind Apple in simplicity and social features that make it fun to connect with other iPhone users. If your crowd is Blue Bubbles only, stick with the iPhone.
📱 The Samsung Galaxy S24 is a serious pocket powerhouse, with a processor inside that can handle any task you'd imagine for a smartphone, and thanks to Galaxy AI, even some tasks you never thought possible. There are software problems, and of course you can get more if you spend more, but the Galaxy S24 is a great compact phone if you need a strong mobile game for a bit less. ★★★★
What you need to know
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is the smallest option in the Galaxy S24 family, but it's easily one of the most powerful Android phones you can buy right now. Plus, it's the only one that fits comfortably in your front jeans pocket.
Design: The Galaxy S24 comes in more colorful options than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but it lacks the titanium frame and Gorilla Armor makes this generation so durable. It's still a sturdy little phone, with IP68 water resistance, and a look that calls back to last year's model.
Display: The Galaxy S24 can reach much brighter levels than before, up to 2,600 nits, and its 6.1-inch display is still plenty sharp, even though it's a lower resolution than the rest of the S24 family.
Cameras: Samsung hasn't changed the specs on the Galaxy S24 cameras, but it has improved the photos you'll end up taking thanks to better image processing. There's a 50MP main lens, 12MP ultrawide lens, and unlike the iPhone 15, the Galaxy S24 has a 10MP telephoto lens with real 3x optical zoom.
Performance: The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor that powers the Galaxy S24 family looks like a real winner. It's incredibly powerful, strong enough to take on even the fastest Apple iPhone 15 Pro, and it doesn't waste a lot of power. It also works great for playing the latest games.
Battery life: The Galaxy S24 gets only a slightly bigger battery than the S23, with Samsung jumping from 3,900mAh to 4,000mAh. We still got better battery life from this year's model, and most folks will have no trouble lasting through a full day of normal use with the Galaxy S24.
Value for money: The Galaxy S24 is an affordable way to take advantage of everything Samsung's Galaxy S has to offer. Of course, you don't get everything the S24 Ultra can give you, but the Galaxy S24 is hundreds cheaper.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S24
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Same as last year, but more battery, better performance, and seven years of Android. , | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | It looks a lot like an iPhone, but it's small, light, and thin enough for a front pocket. | ★★★★☆ |
| Display | Sharp and bright display, no complaints here. It isn't the absolute best, but the size is worth the trade. | ★★★★☆ |
| Software | Terrible software, Samsung really needs to fix its menu and interface design. The Galaxy is lagging far behind Apple's iOS. | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Camera | Versatile cameras, especially for the price. You won't find real zoom on the iPhone 15. | ★★★★☆ |
| Performance | Excellent performance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, held back only by laggy Galaxy AI and Google AI features. | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery life | Battery life improved over last year by a few hours, even though the battery isn't much bigger. Great power management. | ★★★★★ |
The best premium Samsung phone
✅ You want top notch performance: The Galaxy S24 Plus has all the power of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, with the same Galaxy AI features, for less money.
✅ You want a bigger, sharper screen: The Galaxy S24 Plus gives you more than a bigger screen, it also packs more pixels for a higher resolution than the Galaxy S24.
✅ You want more battery life: We got great battery life from the Galaxy S24 Plus, and the only way to get better on a Samsung is to get an even bigger phone like the Ultra.
❌ You want the long zoom cameras: The 5X zoom camera is the best advantage that the Galaxy S24 Ultra has over the Galaxy S24 Plus.
❌ You need easy software: Samsung's OneUI interface is a mess, and it's more difficult than iPhone's iOS by far. Even Google's Pixel is better.
📱 The Galaxy S24 Plus is blazing fast with great battery life and a big, sharp display. It gives you everything you need and nothing you don't. ★★★★½
The Galaxy S24 Plus is just too good. You wouldn't expect Samsung's middle child to be our top pick, but it offers the same performance, the same sharp and bright display experience, and the same great battery life as the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It doesn't make sense to pay so much more for features even premium users don't need.
Design: You don't get the titanium frame of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus comes in some great color options, and it still has a premium and modern feel.
Display: The Galaxy S24 Plus has a display that isn't just bigger than the Galaxy S24, it also has more pixels, so it has a higher resolution than the basic S24, and it's even a little more sharp than the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Camera: You could pay a lot more and get 5X zoom on the Ultra, but the Galaxy S24 Plus has a 3X optical zoom camera, plus a great main camera and an ultra wide lens. Samsung's shooting modes and AI photography expertise are what makes the cameras great, not the spec sheet.
Performance: The Galaxy S24 Plus delivers class-leading performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. In our benchmark tests, the Snapdragon occasionally beat the Apple A16 Pro chipset in the iPhone 15 Pro. The Galaxy S24 Plus will make short work of your gaming and productivity needs with no trouble.
Battery life: The Galaxy S24 Plus lasted longer than almost any other smartphone we've tested, almost as long as the larger Galaxy S24 Ultra. It also charges fast and offers charging to other devices, if you need to juice up your earbuds on the run.
Value for money: The Galaxy S24 Plus launched at close to the same price as the iPhone 15 Pro, but Samsung phones are always available for a discount, whether you're looking at Amazon, your favorite mobile carrier, or Samsung's own storefront. We've already great deals of up to 20% off in the US, and we expect more discounts soon as the 2024 Galaxy Z edition of Unpacked approaches.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | The Galaxy S24 Plus is significantly cheaper than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but it's still a mightily expensive phone. | 4 / 5 |
| Design | The phone's slim bezels and flatter sides look great, but the lack of Gorilla Armor glass is dissapointing. | 3 / 5 |
| Display | The Galaxy S24 Plus' display is big, bright, outdoor-friendly and as good as the Galaxy S24 Ultra's. | 5 / 5 |
| Software | Samsung's Galaxy AI features are welcome addition, but they don't do enough to mitigate OneUI's dizzying complexity. | 3 / 5 |
| Cameras | The Galaxy S24 Plus' camera array is objectively solid, but some hardware upgrades are long overdue. | 3 / 5 |
| Performance | Despite the region-based chipset discrepancy, the Galaxy S24 Plus is a phenomenally powerful phone. | 5 / 5 |
| Battery | The phone's class-leading battery life and speedy charging make it a battery champion. | 5 / 5 |
The best Samsung camera and battery life
✅ You want more than any other smartphone: There is no other phone that matches everything the Galaxy S24 Ultra can do, not even close.
✅ You want a phone that is future proof: The Galaxy AI features are just warming up, and with seven years of major Android OS updates, and plenty of new AI features to come, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be the first phone to take that step into the next generation.
❌ You don't need everything this phone can do: There are plenty of Samsung phones that do almost as much as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but won't cost nearly as much if you don't need the S Pen.
❌ You prefer something easier to use: Samsung keeps adding features, and the software and menus get harder to use every time. If you want a phone that makes things easy, check out an iPhone instead.
📱 The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra pushes the bounds of smartphone technology, offering top-of-the-line features and capabilities. It excels in versatility and intelligent functionality, although it comes at a premium price. if you want the absolute best in performance, camera quality, and power, the Galaxy S24 Ultra stands as the undisputed leader. ★★★★½
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra takes smartphone features further than any other phone. It's a top-performer, and in so many ways you won't find better. It has longer battery life and faster performance than the iPhone, more camera options than any other Android, and features we don't often see, like the S Pen stylus.
Design: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is a big, heavy phone, even with the new titanium frame. Samsung still manages to pack so much inside, and the design improvements are welcome. The display is easier to read this year, and the titanium finish and colors are very nice, though it's too bad the phone couldn't shave some weight.
Display: The bright, OLED display on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the best you'll find, especially with the new coating that reduces glare and makes it easier to read in bright light. Samsung's display is colorful, sharp, and bright enough for every task.
Camera: There have been plenty of changes to Samsung's cameras, even if the spec sheet looks the same as last year. The Galaxy S24 Ultra produced better images in every setting. Portrait and landscape photos look a lot better, and even zoom photos have more color and better lighting, though we do miss the 10X zoom from the last generation.
Performance: This is the fastest phone you can buy right now. In our tests playing games and editing photos, the Galaxy S24 Ultra was the fastest we've used, beating even Apple's iPhone 15 Pro,. That's a first for Samsung phones ever since Apple starting designing its own chipsets.
Battery life: I had no trouble using the Galaxy S24 Ultra for two days when I used it normally, and it lasted through a full day of camera usage and gaming with no trouble. The battery hasn't gotten bigger, Samsung manages power on this phone better than ever before.
Value for money: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is expensive, even more than last year, but the upgrades are a big deal. Samsung now offers seven years of software updates, including Android updates, and that makes the Galaxy S24 Ultra a better value than any Galaxy Ultra to come before.
Read our full Galaxy S24 Ultra review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Even more than before, but you get the best when you pay for it. | ★★★☆☆ |
| Design | It looks very familiar, but the screen is less reflective, and also sharper. It's still as heavy, even with titanium. | ★★★★☆ |
| Display | There isn't a better display, and the new anti-glare finish really helps outdoors. | ★★★★★ |
| Camera | The cameras are better all around, even if the spec sheet looks a bit suspicious. Still the best, most versatile camera system. | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | Performance that beats an iPhone 15 Pro, for the first time we can remember, putting Android ahead of Apple. | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | Better battery life this year means the Galaxy S24 Ultra can last a very long time. | ★★★★★ |
The best tablet foldable Samsung phone
✅ You want two devices in one: There's a decent, if narrow smartphone on the outside and a lovely mini tablet within. It's a flexible and versatile Android 13 device.
✅ You're ready to try a foldable phone: Even though the Google Pixel Fold has a better cover display, Samsung's Z Fold 5 is the more refined foldable experience, especially when you unfold it and look at the main screen, which cuts down the bezel and gives you a more expansive display.
✅ You want quality photography: Samsung didn't change the cameras on the Z Fold 5, but they're still a formidable collection of lenses and are now backed by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, for better image processing.
❌ You're on a budget: At $1,799, this is one of the most expensive Android phones on the market. At the very least, look for deals before you buy.
❌ You want faster-charging: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 can fast charge at an okay speed, through wired or wireless powering, but most top-end and even mid-range phones power up more quickly.
❌ You demand the best in camera optics: For the best in Samsung photography, you'll have to look elsewhere, like at the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which has higher megapixels and 10x optical zoom.
📱The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a do-everything device that presents few compromises. It's good for photography, multi-tasking and watching Netflix, and it finally folds flat. However the high price might put off some buyers. ★★★★½
What you need to know
With the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung hasn’t tried to reinvent the genre or radically alter the foldable’s display or design, save for the ability to finally fold flat. Instead, it brings a number of small-but-welcome enhancements over the Z Fold 4, plus a new processor but leaves further room for improvement.
Design: While the Z Fold 5 isn’t radically different from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, its flat-folding form design finally addresses the series' biggest design faux pas. Excellent build quality and IP-certified water resistance make it a trend-setter.
Display: The main screen is a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 2176 x 1812 resolution and which supports an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120Hz. The low end of the range is useful for saving battery life by not refreshing the screen when it’s not needed, while the high end means smoother gameplay and video action. The cover screen, meanwhile, is a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel with a 2316 x 904 resolution. It also has an adaptive refresh rate, but the narrow aspect ratio isn't the best.
Camera: The Z Fold 5 has similar sensors underneath (though they’re backed by a more powerful chipset here) to the previous two generations of Fold, and the same. There’s also a selfie camera on the cover screen, and a low-grade selfie cam under the main screen.
Performance: We’re happy that the Z Fold 5 has Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, as it needs all the power it can get for the multi-tasking gymnastics it's capable of.
Battery life: The battery lasted approximately 15 hours, which is pretty good, though we would've liked more. Still, getting that far is a testament to the chipset's power-management capabilities.
Value for money: It's one of the most expensive phones – especially if you go for more than the base 256GB of storage. But if you want the best foldable on the planet, that's the current price you'll have to pay.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Expensive, but it's a 2-in-1 device. Price should include S Pen | ★★★★ |
| Design | Samsung made it thinner, lighter, and flatter but might want to rethink the cover screen width | ★★★★ |
| Display | Cover display is pretty but now fees cramped. Even with crease, Main display is excellent | ★★★★ |
| Camera | These are good cameras but no movement on optics and sensors since Z Fold 4 | ★★★★ |
| Performance | Qualcomm's custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Samsung is a winner | ★★★★½ |
| Battery life | Improved battery life over the Fold 4 but could be better | ★★★★½ |