Best Samsung phones in 2024

Samsung always offers a broad line-up of phones, including the A series, S series, FE range, and foldables, and they’re all vying for your attention, so it can be overwhelming to choose. Thankfully, we’ve put the work in to test these devices to help you select the right one. So, whether you’re here for the best Android phone available or a more wallet-friendly option, there’s a Samsung phone that will meet your needs.

The Galaxy S24 series is the new hotness right now, boasting beautifully bright displays, fast processors, and more AI features than you can dream of, which may or may not be a good thing depending on who you are. The Galaxy A15 and A25 were recently released as well, but we haven’t included them on this list as we haven’t tested them yet. Remember, our recommendations are based on experience, so until we’ve had time to put those phones through their paces, we won’t recommend them.

Samsung’s top Galaxy phones

The Galaxy S24+ gets the biggest upgrades this year. The display is 6.7 inches, despite being mostly the same size as last year, and the resolution has been bumped up to 1440p, although you have to enable that in settings. Other improvements will make a noticeable difference to battery life and performance, with the RAM being increased to 12GB instead of 8GB, and the battery is now 4,900mAh, only 100mAh smaller than the S24 Ultra. Our review of the S24+ calls it the one to buy, and it’s easy to see why.

Those on-paper specs translate to a great experience in the real world. One UI 6.1 makes some welcome changes to Samsung’s software skin, from tiny quality-of-life improvements to new ways to use Google Search. Speaking of software, Samsung has decided to match Google, promising seven years of OS upgrades and security patches for the S24 series. That means this phone will be updated through to 2031 when Android 21 is released.

The cameras largely mirror last year, with the same 50MP primary camera, 10MP 3X telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide. These cameras aren’t bad by any means, but they haven’t changed in several generations and are starting to fall behind phones from other brands.

Battery life takes a big leap thanks to the larger cell. It lasts almost as long as the S24 Ultra, so unless you spend all day gaming on 5G with the brightness maxed out, you won’t kill it before bedtime. If you do want to do that, though, the phone will be more than capable. The new 1440p display reaches a ridiculous 2,600 nits, and it can now vary its refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz, so it’s more efficient than before. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is also shaping to be an excellent chip, and combined with 12GB of RAM and at least 250GB of UFS 4.0 storage, this phone is lightning fast. We should note, however, that outside of the US, the S24+ uses an Exynos 2400. We haven’t had any hands-on with that chip, so we can’t comment on how it performs.

The battery can be recharged at 15W wirelessly and 45W over USB-C, so long as you have a compatible PPS brick.

Read our full Samsung S24+ review.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Premium pick

Finally flat

The S24 Ultra is an incremental upgrade over last year’s phone, but the changes are good ones; this is the best version of Samsung’s Ultra flagship yet. The new 5x 50MP telephoto takes better photos across all zoom levels, and the flat display is welcome, especially for those of us who use the S Pen extensively.

Pros

• Flat display with anti-reflective coating
• Imrpoved 5X telepoto lens
• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in all regions

Cons

• Aging design
• $100 more expensive in the US

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best Ultra Samsung has made yet. There are upgrades here, but all foibles have been carried over with the now-aging design. The cameras are fantastic for taking photos of scenic landscapes and static objects, but they still struggle with movement. This has been a problem for half a decade now, and there’s no excuse for it.

Thankfully, the rest of the phone is mostly positive. The new 50MP 5X telephoto is better than the old 10X ever was. The problem with previous phones was the lack of quality between 3X and 10X, which this fixes, still taking better photos than the old 10X lens through to 30X.

When the S20 and S21 Ultra came out, they started with 12GB of RAM. The S22 and S23 Ultra lowered that to 8GB and made you pay for increased storage to get the extra RAM. Samsung has reversed that decision now, and all S24 Ultra models have 12GB of RAM. The phone also follows in the S23 Ultra’s footsteps by using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 worldwide, unlike the smaller S24 and S24+ that use the Exynos 2400 internationally.

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Battery life is slightly better than last year thanks to improved efficiency from the display and chipset, but it’s not groundbreaking as the battery size is the same 5,000mAh.

The display is flat this year, a welcome change for those of us who like glass screen protectors and use the S Pen extensively. Its new Gorilla Armor Glass has a new party trick — it’s 75% less reflective than conventional tempered glass. There’s a notable difference. The display maxes out at 2,600 nits; but in direct sunlight, I can easily turn the brightness down to 75% thanks to the lack of reflections, something I’d never do on anything else.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.

Samsung Galaxy A23 5G

Best value

All the essentials of a solid Android phone

The number of truly reliable phones you can buy for $300 or less is rather small, but even if it weren’t, the A23 would still be the one to buy. This phone has four years of security updates ahead of it and the same software stability and features you’d expect of One UI.

Pros

• 120Hz display
• Sub-6 5G connectivity
• Security updates into 2026

Cons

• Budget price, budget camera performance
• No IP-rated water resistance

For $300, the Samsung Galaxy A23 is a meaningful upgrade from Samsung’s more entry-level smartphones like the ultra-affordable Galaxy A03s. Compared to that much less expensive phone, the A23 boasts a Snapdragon 695 chipset (whereas the A03s has a budget MediaTek CPU), plus the A23 has an additional gigabyte of RAM for 4GB total. This smartphone also has double the built-in storage at 64GB, and its screen — a 120Hz, 1080p LCD panel — is excellent for the price. Plus, it has a 5,000 mAh battery to keep it going all day. It’s also guaranteed security patches for four years from its initial US release. That’s well into 2026.

The Galaxy A23’s cameras aren’t anything special, though, despite the primary sensor’s 50MP resolution. The better-equipped and newer Samsung Galaxy A54 has also seen sale prices as low as $375, occasionally complicating the A23’s value proposition. Still, if you cannot get a higher-end phone at a steep discount, the A23 is a great way to spend 300 bucks, especially if your carrier is offering any appealing incentives.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A23 5G review.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Best big foldable

The foldable to beat

$1500 $1800 Save $300

Samsung won’t win any awards for innovation with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but if you’re looking for a reliable foldable, this is the one to buy. This year’s device takes everything we liked in last year’s model and upgrades it with a thinner, lighter chassis, bringing it closer than ever to the size of a standard phablet.

Pros

• Thinner and lighter than ever
• One UI is excellent on foldables
• Good battery life

Cons

• No new sensors
• Design is feeling outdated
• Slow charging speeds

If you thought the Galaxy S23 Ultra was an incremental upgrade, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 makes it look like a revolution. While Samsung’s Note replacement came packed with new camera tech and a meaningfully refreshed processor, the Z Fold 5 only makes a couple of small leaps ahead of its own predecessor, the most significant one being the removal of the gap in the display hinge. This tweak results in a significantly slimmer 13mm chassis, a difference you’ll truly notice in everyday use, particularly when slipping it into your pocket.

Otherwise, you won’t find much more than iterative, by-the-numbers changes here. The overall design and the ultra-narrow 6.2″ outer screen remain largely unchanged, practically nudging you to unfold the device for serious tasks. The camera lineup is unchanged, though some improvements to Samsung’s processing seem to deliver slightly better results compared to last-gen if you’re willing to pixel peep. Powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, similar to the S23 line, the performance and battery life upgrades from the 2022 model’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 are not significant.

Given these nuances, the Z Fold 5 might not convince Z Fold 4, or even Z Fold 3 users to upgrade, especially with competitors like OnePlus Open outshining it in several aspects. Yet, features like an IP68 rating, wireless charging, and Samsung’s reputable after-sales support make the Z Fold 5 an appealing choice for those venturing into the world of foldable phones for the first time.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review.

Samsung Galaxy S24

Best small Galaxy

Phenomenal power, small design

The Galaxy S24 hasn’t changed much from last year, but there are still improvements to be mildly excited about. The display can now dynamically change its refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz vs the 48 to 120Hz of its predecessor. That, combined with a slightly larger battery and more efficient chip, leads to a more manageable battery life.

Pros

• Brighter display
• Larger battery
• Larger screen in the same sized phone

Cons

• Aging design
• Only 8GB of RAM
• 128GB base storage

The Galaxy S24 is the pocket flagship many would have you believe died years ago. The S24 packs a 6.2-inch display into a frame that’s only 2mm taller than the Asus Zenfone 10, which settles for a 5.9-inch screen. That screen is backed up by flagship specs as well, although there are some caveats.

The display is still 1080p, but it’s more efficient now. It can adjust its refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz versus the 48 to 120Hz from last year. That means it’ll sip power when sitting on the always-on display or when you’re watching a 30fps video. The screen is brighter this year as well, reaching 2,600 nits, while the S23 maxed out at 1,750. It’s a shame the S24 and S24+ are missing the anti-reflective glass we find on the S24 Ultra, but at least they’re bright enough to be more than usable in even the harshest of sunlight.

As with the S24+, the cameras are good, but not class-leading, which is a shame. Hopefully, after this many years with the same optics, the S25 will shake things up. Performance is good on the S24 thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but international models use the Exynos 2400, which we haven’t tested. The S24 didn’t see any RAM or storage upgrades, sadly. It’s only available with 8GB of RAM, and the 128GB still uses UFS 3.1, stepping up to UFS 4.0 on the 256GB model. If you want more than 256GB, you’ll need an S24+.

Battery life is a pleasant surprise. The battery grows from 3,900mAh to 4,000mAh, which offers a meaningful uplift when combined with the more efficient display and processor. Sadly, charging is still limited to 25W. It’s not intolerable with a battery this small, but it lags far behind what other OEMs are offering.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 review.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

Best flip phone

The small phone with double displays

$900 $1000 Save $100

You can keep your folding tablets; the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a foldable phone that’s a reasonable price, a captivating size, and super fun once you get a good case on it. This phone will fit into any pocket you own, including the front shirt pocket, and is more useful than ever thanks to a larger external display that can even run a few full apps.

Pros

• Fun form factor
• Speedy performance
• Larger, more useful cover screen

Cons

• The cameras aren’t the best
• Still a bit expensive

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is Samsung’s more affordable foldable phone, although you’d never call it cheap. Unlike the Fold 5, it has had a bit of an overhaul this year, with an all-new external display that fills most of the phone’s front side and is now large enough to offer a keyboard and even run a limited selection of full Android apps. That means that, in addition to the old widget and selfie options, you can send text messages, watch videos, or navigate with Google Maps, all without ever opening the phone.

The Flip 5’s hamburger-style folding screen means it’s more or less a normal phone when it’s open and an eminently pocketable little square when it’s closed. It also benefits from similar hinge upgrades to the Fold 5, closing flat for a thinner and more durable device.

There are downsides. Samsung hasn’t touched the cameras, meaning you get the same mediocre pair of main and ultrawide lenses as before, though computational upgrades deliver some slight improvements to photos despite that. It’s a similar story with the battery, which is still smaller than your average flagship phone, though the added efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip helps a little there.

If you can live with a midrange camera and a battery that demands a daily charge, it’s hard to deny that the Flip 5 is extremely cool. You’ll be paying a premium compared to picking up another Samsung phone, but none of those other phones fold in half — well, not more than once, anyway.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

Affordable flagship

90% of the flagship experience for $200 less

$550 $600 Save $50

The Galaxy S23 FE aims to make Samsung’s flagship line more accessible by cutting some of the luxuries while providing the parts of the flagship experience people care about.

Pros

• Solid Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 performance
• Good battery life

Cons

• Average cameras
• Exynos 2200 outside the U.S.

We loved the S20 FE when it launched. It was a phone that made sense when the smallest S20 cost $1,000. Fast-forward to today, and the regular Galaxy S23 is $800, which makes it difficult for Samsung to produce a more affordable phone. Thankfully, the S23 FE makes smart sacrifices. If you’re in the U.S., you get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (Exynos 2200 outside the U.S.) instead of the 8 Gen 2 on the flagship S23 series. The main camera is the same as the regular S23, and it’s backed up by slightly downgraded telephoto and ultrawide lenses.

Unfortunately, some more notable compromises need to be made due to the already lower cost of the S23 versus its predecessors. While the screen is good, with a 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, the bezels are significantly larger than those on the S23, larger even than the S20 FE that came before it. The cameras aren’t awful, but they’re worse than expected. And despite sharing the same primary sensor as the S23 and S23+, the photos that come out of the FE are consistently worse.

Crucially, the S23 FE grapples with lingering issues tied to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (and even more so on the Exynos 2200 model), notably the heating problems and battery drainage that marred its performance last year. Nevertheless, considering its price, this phone offers solid value, and it’ll be even easier to recommend if it goes on sale.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

Best midrange

Stellar features at a great price

$350 $450 Save $100

Samsung’s Galaxy A54 is one of our favorite midrange phones. With a 120Hz AMOLED display, a 50MP camera that promises to be capable even in low-light situations, and a fast processor, the A54 is one of the more impressive phones of 2023, under $500. It has stiff competition from Google, but with an excellent update policy, this device should last buyers for half a decade before it needs an upgrade.

Pros

• Beautiful display
• Improved design
• Excellent battery life

Cons

• Only Sub-6 5G in the U.S.
• No wireless charging

The Galaxy A54 is one of the best budget phones right now. Samsung is using a vibrant and smooth 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate that makes everything from watching content to just scrolling through your settings look immaculate. Plus, it delivers excellent battery life thanks to the 5,000mAh capacity that can keep you going for two days.

While there’s no doubt that the Samsung Exynos 1380 isn’t the most powerful chip — meaning you’ll still run into some sluggishness if you try to push it too hard — all of your day-to-day tasks can be handled with no problem.

A design update means the A54 even boasts a glass back, though sadly Samsung hasn’t offered the ability to charge your Galaxy A54 wirelessly; although you won’t have to charge often, it will take a while when you do. Still, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a midrange Android phone for under $500 that will be as stable and reliable as the Galaxy A54 — especially going into the future, thanks to Samsung’s commitment to keeping it updated for four years.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A54 5G.

Samsung Galaxy S23+

Last year’s best

Today’s bargain

The S24+ is the phone everyone is talking about, but the S23+ is still a fantastic choice, especially now that it’ll see frequent discounts. The battery lasts all day, the cameras are basically the same as the new phone, and it looks almost identical, too. If you can find it for the right price, this phone is a no-brainer.

Pros

• Frequent discounts
• Bright display with even bezels

The S24+ is all the rage right now, bringing some meaningful improvements for the same $1,000 starting price. However, the Galaxy S23+ is going to see some frequent discounts moving forward, and if you can get it at the right price, this is still a fantastic phone.

First, it uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 worldwide, not just in the US, so you can read any review of this phone and know that your experience should match. It may lack the 12GB of RAM that the S24+ gets, settling for 8GB, but for most people, that won’t matter much. The 8 Gen 3 is one of the best chips Qualcomm has ever made, and it should age well over the next few years. The phone was promised four years of Android upgrades with a fifth year of security patches. It’s already used up one of those upgrades as it updated from Android 13 to Android 14, so it will end its lifespan on Android 17 in 2028. That might not be as good as the S24s seven-year update promise, but it’s still above average.

The display is a 1080p 6.6-inch AMOLED that can dynamically adjust its refresh rate between 48-120Hz and reaches 1,750 nits. The S24+ handily beats all of these numbers, but that doesn’t make this a bad screen. Far from it, it’s one of the best, as is usually the case with Samsung phones. The 4,700mAh battery will last most people until bedtime, but you may need to top up if you push it hard. Thankfully, it can charge at 45W over USB-C just like the Ultra, so a quick boost won’t take too much time.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S23+ review.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G

Budget Galaxy essentials

The lowest-priced Samsung phone you should buy

$220 $231 Save $11

While Samsung makes phones in the Galaxy A0 series, you shouldn’t go any lower than the A14. You still get decent overall performance and a gangbusters battery, but you still have to compromise somewhere. That compromise is the cameras, which is to be expected from any phone at this price.

Pros

• Excellent display
• Large 5,000mAh battery
• Less expensive than the Galaxy A13 5G

Cons

• Only the main camera is useful
• Chipset is the same as the previous generation
• Only available in black in the U.S.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can’t do much better than the Samsung Galaxy A14, which gives you a fantastic screen and solid performance. Just don’t expect great results from its cameras. Samsung didn’t alter the power of the Galaxy A14 as it shares the same MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and 5000 mAh battery as its predecessor.

It does bump the display up to FHD+ while keeping the same 90Hz refresh rate, which is impressive for a device at this price. To make it even better, the Galaxy A14 is $50 less expensive than the Galaxy A13 5G, and it ships with Android 13 and One UI 5.0. The Galaxy A14 is only available in black if you live in the United States. The rest of the world gets to choose between black, green, red, and silver.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A14 review.

The best Samsung phone for you

The Galaxy S24+ and S24 Ultra are our top recommendations this year. The S24+ saw a huge upgrade to its display and battery. The S24 Ultra has a lot to offer with the S Pen, 200MP primary camera, and 50MP 5X telephoto, but it’s hard to justify the $300 difference over the S24+ if you aren’t an avid S Pen user. Both phones have some of the best displays you’ll see, offer seven years of OS updates and immaculate build quality.

If you want something more exotic, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 are solid contenders. The Fold 5 is a tablet when you want it and a phone when you need it. It might be lagging behind other companies in terms of bleeding-edge design, but it has reliability and build quality on its side, along with everything One UI 6 has to offer. The Flip 5 manages to feel like a normal phone when open, which is no mean feat when it has to fold in half.

Looking for basic smartphone functionality at an even more affordable price? Go for the Galaxy A23. It’s not a powerhouse, but it’s a solid smartphone with a 120Hz display, which is a great combination for just $300. If you’re interested in entertaining less expensive phones from companies other than Samsung, there are some great budget Android phones from other manufacturers, too.

Samsung Galaxy S24+

Best overall

The middle child is also the favorite

The Galaxy S24+ might lack the S Pen and fancy zoom of the S24 Ultra, but it packs some serious upgrades over the S23+ from last year. The battery is almost as big as the Ultra, clocking in at 4,900mAh. Combine that with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and you have a phone that can last all day while breezing through anything you throw at it.

Pros

• Brighter, sharper display
• More RAM
• Larger battery

Cons

• Same cameras as last year
• Aging design
• Exynos 2400 outside of the US