The best Samsung phones 2025: top Galaxy handsets ranked

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra on a pink TechRadar logo background, showing rear cameras
(Image credit: Samsung)
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The best Samsung phones have long been the best Android phones, because Samsung pushes its phones to extreme capabilities with the most features, and every Samsung phone gets a little bit of this magic. With the Galaxy S25 launch, Samsung took the lead making the fastest Android phone you can buy, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra packs the most impressive camera array we've ever seen.

But 2025 is only getting started for Samsung. At the end of Galaxy Unpacked in January, Samsung teased a Galaxy S25 Edge, a super-thin phone coming later this year. We'd heard rumors that Apple was working on an iPhone 17 Air, so it looks like Samsung may beat its rival to market with the latest slim phone fad. Will it be worth buying, or just a technical accomplishment? We'll know soon enough.

We're also expecting big news from Samsung's foldable team this year, because the foldable phone market is hotter than ever, and once again we have rumors suggesting Apple may make a splash. Will Samsung launch the thinnest tablet foldable to compete with the Oppo Find N5, the thinnest phone you can buy? We'll find out later this year.

I've tested all of the best Samsung phones, from the mighty (and mighty expensive) Galaxy Z Fold 6 to the brand new Galaxy 25, along with most competing Android and iPhone models, so you can trust this list to rank and explain what makes these Samsung phones the best choice.

Once you're done marveling over Samsung's phones, check out our list of the best Android tablets, because Samsung makes most of them.

Quick list

Here are the best Samsung phones you can buy, whether you want the absolute top phones or the most affordable options with all of Samsung's best features.

Philip Berne
Philip Berne

Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews. He has been writing about phones since before the Samsung BlackJack. Phil was the internal reviewer for Samsung Mobile until 2017, writing opinions and review predictions about top secret new devices months before launch. He has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets, and mobile devices.

The best Samsung phones in 2024

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I've reviewed all of the phones on this list and we have tested every Samsung phone in Future Labs, so you can be sure that we are recommending the best Samsung phone you can buy.

The best overall

The best Samsung phone

Specifications

Release date: January 2025
Weight: 218g
Dimensions: 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm
OS; Expected Upgrades: One UI 7, based on Android 15
Screen size: 6.9-inch
Resolution: QHD+
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Battery: 5,000mAh
Rear camera: 200MP (wide) + 50MP (ultra-wide) + 10MP (telephoto with 3x optical zoom) + 50MP (telephoto with 5x optical zoom)
Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+
Incredible performance and features
+
Better cameras than ever before

Reasons to avoid

-
More than even premium buyers need
-
Big, heavy, and more expensive
Buy it if

You want more than any other smartphone: There is no phone you can buy that matches everything the Galaxy S25 Ultra can do, except possibly the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

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 S25 Ultra will be the first phone to take that step into the next generation.

Don't buy it if:

You don't need everything this phone can do: The Galaxy S25 Plus can do almost as much as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it doesn't cost nearly as much, so maybe you don't need the S Pen.

You prefer something easier to use: Samsung keeps adding apps, features, and bloat, and the menus get harder to use every generation. If you want a big phone that makes things easy, look at the iPhone 16 Pro Max instead.

The bottom line

📱 The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra pushes the bounds of smartphone performance, offering top tier features and class-leading power. It comes at a premium price, but if you want the absolute best in performance, camera quality, and features, the Galaxy S25 Ultra stands in a class all its own. ★★★★½

The Galaxy S25 Ultra from Samsung elevates smartphone expectations. It exceeds the iPhone in both battery life and processing performance, and features a more adaptable set of cameras than any competing Android handset.

Design: This Galaxy S25 Ultra now countenances a curvier shape, making it somewhat more attractive, although it bears a stronger resemblance to the less expensive Galaxy S25. The display has expanded marginally compared to the previous year's S24 Ultra, yet the phone's overall weight has decreased.

Display: The brilliant AMOLED display of the Galaxy S25 Ultra delivers an unmatched smartphone viewing experience. Although slightly brighter or faster displays might be available on competing phones, the anti-reflective coating seals the deal, enhancing visibility in outdoor settings.

Camera: With its 3X and 5X zoom lenses, in addition to standard wide and an improved ultra-wide cameras, the Galaxy S25 Ultra provides the most adaptable camera setup of any smartphone. The zoom lenses utilize considerably smaller sensors, limiting image quality to sharing rather than printing, but the output remains the most remarkable of any phone you'll encounter.

Performance: The Galaxy S25 Ultra is the definitive option for users who require world-beating speed. It turned in the quickest performance of any phone evaluated in our benchmarks and real world testing, including gaming and productivity work, even surpassing the iPhone 16 Pro. This achievement represents a new milestone for Android phones, which fell behind Apple's iPhone for years, but not any more.

Battery: The Galaxy S25 Ultra comfortably delivers two days of regular usage and effortlessly manages a full day of intensive operation. Without a boost in battery size, that Snapdragon 8 Elite platform appears to consume power more efficiently, leading to notably enhanced battery life.

Value: The Galaxy S25 Ultra carries a premium price tag, and the upgrades might not appear revolutionary. Nevertheless, Samsung's pledge of seven years of software support, including yearly major Android OS upgrades, considerably boosts the phone's long-term value, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor is expected to be capable of supporting future AI updates for years to come.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

Photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra score card

Value

Samsung held fast on the Galaxy S25 Ultra price. it's not a cheap phone, but design updates, integrated AI and inclusion of the S Pen make it good value.

4.5/5

Design

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is now fully part of the Galaxy S-series design family and that generally improves it. We have a bigger screen, thinner and lighter body, and we still have all the things that make an Ultra special, including the titanium, the S-Pen and a big-enough battery.

4/5

Display

The biggest Ultra screen ever. It doesn't break any new ground on technology, but is still an excellent screen for all kinds of content and uses.

5/5

Cameras

There are a lot of lenses here and they're backed by high-pixel counts that will result in extremely detailed photos. Samsung only updated one lens since the last Ultra, but choosing the ultra-wide was the right move, as it improves both ultra-wide and macro images.

4.5

Software and AI

Samsung's and its partners' commitment to deep AI integration is laudable, and it makes for the most frictionless AI experience I've found on any smartphone. It's also backed by a solid and even more useful One UI update. And the AI experience will likely get richer over time

4.5/5

Performance

The S25 Ultra's Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 8 Elite for Galaxy is one impressive chip. It's a near-perfect mix of performance and efficiency.

5/5

Battery

Best battery life I've seen on a smartphone. Days of use is within reach.

5/5

The best foldable

The best Samsung foldable

Specifications

Release date: July 2024
Weight: 239g
Dimensions (open): 153.5 x 132.6 x 5.6 mm
Dimensions (closed): 153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1 mm
OS: Android 14, One UI 6.1.1
Screen size (inside / outside): 7.6-inch / 6.3-inch
Resolution (inside / outside): 1856 x 2160 / 968 x 2376
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Battery: 4,400mAh
Rear camera: 50MP (wide) + 10MP (3x zoom) + 12MP (ultra wide)
Front camera: 10MP cover; 4MP inside

Reasons to buy

+
Best cameras on a foldable phone
+
Does literally everything, including S Pen
+
Amazing power, fastest Android around

Reasons to avoid

-
Cameras aren't as good as S24 Ultra
-
Very expensive
-
Cover screen is too narrow for my taste
Buy it if

✅ You want two devices in one: There's a powerful, if narrow smartphone on the outside and a Galaxy tablet with S Pen within. It's flexible and versatile.

You need a Pro folding phone: The Pixel Pro Fold has Pro in the name, but Samsung has Pro in the software, with many more multi-tasking features

You want quality photography: Forget about foldable phones having bad cameras. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 took remarkable pics, up close and far away.

Don't buy it if:

You're on a budget: At $1,619 / £1,799 / AU $2,749, this is one of the most expensive phones on the market. At the very least, look for deals before you buy.

You a normal cover display: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is oddly narrow. It still looks great, but other foldable phones have a cover display that looks like a normal phone.

You demand the best in camera optics: For the best in phone photography, look elsewhere, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which has bigger sensors and 5X telephoto zoom.

The bottom line

📱The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a do-everything device with few compromises. It's great for multi-tasking, drawing and doodles, and watching Netflix, and it outperforms the competition. It costs a lot, but you get it all. ★★★★½

What you need to know

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is Samsung's no holds barred super-phone. Samsung took a phone that could already do everything and bent it in half, making it a phone and mini tablet in one. It has the best cameras of any foldable, bucking the trend, and it's powerful enough to replace a laptop. Seriously.

Design: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a sturdy, polished foldable phone that looks compact and clean. It is durable and water resistant, and it folds nice and flat. It isn't the thinnest foldable phone you can buy, but the difference is minimal, and the Z Fold 6 is still easy to carry and hold. I just wish the front display were wider.

Display: The main screen is a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 2176 x 1812 resolution, and it's really a big, beautiful screen. Samsung is the only foldable phone maker I've used that supports a real precision stylus, just make sure you get the right S Pen for the Fold line. The cover screen is wider this year than last year, but it still doesn't quite look normal. It offers plenty of room, though, and it makes a bright viewfinder when I'm taking photos.

Camera: I compared the best foldable phones, and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 took the best photos in almost every situation. It also shot the best video footage I got from a foldable phone. It isn't quite as good as a Galaxy S24, but the photos still looked clean and exciting, thanks to Samsung's dramatic saturation.

Performance: With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy inside, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is one of the fastest phones I've tested ... and that includes the latest iPhones. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 makes an excellent high-performance phones since it was so fun for gaming on the big screen, or for getting work done.

Battery life: I got more than a day of battery life on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with balanced use, but using that tempting inner display will drain the battery more quickly.

Value for money: It's incredibly expensive, but you might find a great deal if you're willing to sign a contract or trade another incredibly expensive phone to get one.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

The best foldabe design Samsung has ever produced. Sharp and pro-looking at every level

4.5 / 5

Display

A wider cover display and noticeably improved Main screen prove a formidable combo

4.5 / 5

Performance

The best Qualcomm has to offer with a ittle bit more that shows in benchmarks and day-to-day performance

4.5 / 5

Camera

Still good camera array but Samsung could've done more for its flagship foldable

4 / 5

Software

A good blend of Android 14, foldable-friendly utility and Samsung's OneUI

4.5 / 5

Value

More expensive than ever but there's no denying it's a two-for-one mobile device that's stuffed with power, fun, utility, and AI

3.5 / 5

The best battery life

The best premium Samsung phone

Specifications

Release date: January 2025
Weight: 190g
Dimensions: 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm
OS: OneUI 7, Android 15
Screen size: 6.7-inches
Resolution: 1440 x 3120 pixels
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB/512GB
Battery: 4,900 mAh
Rear camera: 50MP (wide) + 12MP (ultra-wide) + 10MP (telephoto 3x)
Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+
Display is bright enough for sunlight
+
Best battery life in its class

Reasons to avoid

-
Better cameras would have been nice
-
Maybe a little titanium next time?
Buy it if

You want top notch performance: The Galaxy S25 Plus has all the power of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the same high-resolution display and faster charging, for much less.

You want a bigger, sharper screen: The Galaxy S25 Plus gives you more than a bigger screen, it also gives you Samsung's ProScaler technology and the highest pixel density.

You want more battery life: I got amazing battery life from the Galaxy S25 Plus, and the Plus outperformed even the Galaxy S25 Ultra in our battery lab tests.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want the long zoom cameras: The 5X zoom camera and the high-resolution ultra-wide sensor are the best advantages that the Galaxy S25 Ultra has over the Galaxy S25 Plus.

You need easy software: Samsung's OneUI interface is bloated and complicated; more difficult than Apple's iOS by far. Even Google's Pixel 9 is easier to use.

The bottom line

📱 The Galaxy S25 Plus has great battery life and a big, sharp display, with fantastic performance to boot. It gives you all the Samsung features you need and nothing you don't. ★★★★

The Galaxy S25 Plus is incredibly impressive. It might seem surprising that Samsung's middle-tier model is our favorite Samsung model, but it provides identical performance, the same crisp and vibrant display, and the same excellent battery life as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It's hard to justify spending significantly more for features that even premium users won't utilize.

Design: While it lacks the titanium frame of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is available in a variety of more attractive colors and maintains a premium and contemporary aesthetic.

Display: The Galaxy S25 Plus features a display that is not only larger than the Galaxy S25 but also packs more pixels, resulting in a higher resolution than the Galaxy S25, and it even offers slightly more sharpness than the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Camera: You could spend considerably more for 5X zoom on the Ultra, but the Galaxy S25 Plus features a 3X optical zoom camera, in addition to a fantastic main camera and an ultra-wide lens. Samsung's shooting modes and AI photography also help the phone take great pics.

Performance: The Galaxy S25 Plus delivers top-tier performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset. In our benchmark tests, the Snapdragon often outperformed the Apple A18 Pro chipset found in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Galaxy S25 Plus will effortlessly handle your gaming and productivity demands.

Battery life: The Galaxy S25 Plus lasted longer than nearly every other smartphone I've tested, lasting just a bit longer than the larger Galaxy S25 Ultra. It also charges quickly and offers reverse charging, should you need to power up your earbuds while on the go.

Value: The Galaxy S25 Plus launched at a price point similar to the iPhone 16 Pro, but Samsung phones are consistently available at a discount, so check Amazon, your preferred mobile carrier, or Samsung's own online store before you make that final click.

Photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus