Best Samsung phones in 2024: Our top picks
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Samsung, a seasoned player in the ever-evolving world of mobile tech, keeps impressing with its cutting-edge innovations, unmatched performance, and a bunch of standout features. When it comes to smartphones, especially the flagship ones, Samsung just knows how to bring it.
Whether you're diving into the feature-packed OneUI software, dipping your toes into the recently launched Galaxy AI, enjoying those super-bright AMOLED displays that practically pop, or getting creative with the avant-garde cameras, Samsung's smartphones truly have it all. It's no wonder they always find themselves sitting pretty at the top of the smartphone game.
No matter if your priority is battery life, pro-grade photography capabilities, seamless performance for the latest gaming titles, or a captivating display for immersive binge-watching, Samsung has you covered. Let's not forget the foldable smartphones, a trend Samsung started. The Korean company was also the first one to bring an affordable foldable to the market with the Z Flip line (check out our best flip phones article as well).
Whether you desire the crème de la crème of Samsung phones, a mid-range gem, or a sleek foldable, Samsung boasts an extensive lineup, and we're here to guide you in your quest to find the best Samsung phone for you. Without further ado, let's dive right into our roundup of the best Samsung phones available right now.
Whether you're diving into the feature-packed OneUI software, dipping your toes into the recently launched Galaxy AI, enjoying those super-bright AMOLED displays that practically pop, or getting creative with the avant-garde cameras, Samsung's smartphones truly have it all. It's no wonder they always find themselves sitting pretty at the top of the smartphone game.
Which is the best Samsung phone right now? - here is our list
- Galaxy S24 Ultra - the best Samsung phone overall.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 - the best foldable phone from Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 - the best clamshell foldable phone
- Samsung Galaxy A55 5G - the best A-series Samsung phone at the moment
- Galaxy S24 - best compact flagship from Samsung right now.
- Galaxy S23 FE - an ideal option for those of you on a budget who still want a powerful, flagship-level performance.
- Best Samsung phones - benchmarks and test results. We at PhoneArena run a variety of tests on each phone we review so we can get an accurate picture of how it performs.
Honorable mentions:
- Galaxy A34 - great mid-ranger available in Europe
- Galaxy S23 Ultra - last year's flagship is still a beast today
- Galaxy XCover 6 Pro - the best rugged Samsung phone out there
Galaxy S24 Ultra
PhoneArena Rating: 8.2/10
The best Samsung phone overall
(Image credit - PhoneArena) The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best smartphone Samsung has to offer right now
Samsung has unveiled its latest Galaxy S24 series, with the spotlight on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which showcases the pinnacle of both software and hardware engineering. This flagship Android device boasts a fresh, flatter design, and the display is now entirely flat— one of the most desired features in polls and surveys.
The Galaxy S24 ushers in the AI era for Samsung with Galaxy AI, featuring an array of hardware- and cloud-based AI functionalities. These include real-time translation of both text and voice, summarization of notes, chat suggestions, and the ability to conduct visual searches within virtually any image. On the flip side, the battery capacity and charging speed remain consistent, while the price has seen a slight increase—probably due to the use of titanium in the frame. Nevertheless, despite these considerations, the Galaxy S24 Ultra currently stands out as the best Android phone available.
The now flatter screen is not only a crowd-pleaser but also brighter, reaching up to 2,600 nits, and is safeguarded by the newly introduced Gorilla Glass called Armor. Setting itself apart from the other models, the S24 Ultra introduces a new hardware component to its camera system—an innovative 50MP periscope zoom camera capable of delivering a remarkable 10x optical quality zoom (5x optical + 2x crop from the sensor). Under the hood, it boasts the latest Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the Galaxy, paired with 12GB of RAM and storage options up to 1TB.
If you want the best Samsung phone, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, without a shadow of a doubt, is your best and only choice!
The Galaxy S24 ushers in the AI era for Samsung with Galaxy AI, featuring an array of hardware- and cloud-based AI functionalities. These include real-time translation of both text and voice, summarization of notes, chat suggestions, and the ability to conduct visual searches within virtually any image. On the flip side, the battery capacity and charging speed remain consistent, while the price has seen a slight increase—probably due to the use of titanium in the frame. Nevertheless, despite these considerations, the Galaxy S24 Ultra currently stands out as the best Android phone available.
The now flatter screen is not only a crowd-pleaser but also brighter, reaching up to 2,600 nits, and is safeguarded by the newly introduced Gorilla Glass called Armor. Setting itself apart from the other models, the S24 Ultra introduces a new hardware component to its camera system—an innovative 50MP periscope zoom camera capable of delivering a remarkable 10x optical quality zoom (5x optical + 2x crop from the sensor). Under the hood, it boasts the latest Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the Galaxy, paired with 12GB of RAM and storage options up to 1TB.
Galaxy Z Fold 6
PhoneArena Rating:TBC
The best foldable phone from Samsung
(Image credit - PhoneArena) Samsung's latest and greatest foldable is here!
The next chapter in Samsung's foldable journey has been written. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is finally here with improvements all around. The phone features a new wider and shorter design, a lighter chassis, a stronger hinge, and of course the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, specifically optimized for the Galaxy lineup.
The main display is now much brighter than the panel found on the previous model, and the cover screen has grown in size by 0.1 inches. A lot of things have stayed the same, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, such as the hardware inside the camera system, the battery and the charging speeds, but sometimes minor upgrades are what it takes to elevate an already great phone.
There's a $100 bump in price, which is fair considering the economy, and as always, there are great Galaxy Z Fold 6 deals available, including trade-ins and promos, so you don't have to pay the full $1,899 asking price.
This foldable is one of the top Galaxy phones for a good reason, and it also ranks as one of the best Samsung phones and best smartphones overall.
This foldable is one of the top Galaxy phones for a good reason, and it also ranks as one of the best Samsung phones and best smartphones overall.
Galaxy Z Flip 6
PhoneArena Rating:TBC
The best clamshell foldable phone
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with a brand-new main camera sensor!
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 builds upon the popularity and success of Samsung's previous flip model, the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The new phone adds a long-awaited upgrade to the camera system, switching the old 12MP sensor for a brand new 50MP high-resolution one.
The battery has been upgraded with a whopping 300mAh and now we have a pretty hefty 4,000mAh cell (they are two cells, to be absolutely correct), which is great considering the compact form factor. The hinge of the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 has also been redesigned to be more stable, and as a bonus result we have a less prominent crease in the screen.
On the hardware front we have more RAM, a healthy 12GB, and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the 8 Gen 3, specifically optimized for the Galaxy lineup of phones. This means a bump in clock speeds and a better performance potentially, compared to the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
These refinements have also resulted in a price hike with $100, which is not the end of the world but something to be aware of. Of course, Samsung is famous for its great trade-in deals and promotions, so at the moment there are huge Galaxy Z Flip 6 deals and discounts to be had, so that Benjamin on top of the price of the previous model is not that important.
Samsung Galaxy A55 5G
PhoneArena Rating:5.7/10
The best A-series Samsung phone at the moment
(Image credit - PhoneArena) The best midranger Samsung has to offer at the moment
When it comes to midrange phones, Samsung offers a great bang for your buck with its A-series devices. The Galaxy A55 5G is no exception. This phone will get some flagship-level features and specs at a fraction of the price.
Let's start with the screen. It's a gorgeous 6.6-inch Super AMOLED panel, capable of going up to 120Hz, and displaying very accurate colors as well. The brightness is top-notch (we measured almost 1,000 nits typical during our display tests), and the resolution is also pretty good.
You also get a potent camera system, improved performance compared to the old model, and get this: a microSD card slot that supports up to 1TB card to expand your built-in storage. Even flagship S-series devices lack this option.
Read More: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G review
Galaxy S24
PhoneArena Rating:7.4/10
The best compact flagship from Samsung right now
You can't go wrong with the Galaxy S24 if you want a compact flagship
The Galaxy S24 is the 'vanilla' model from the Galaxy S24 lineup. It is a great, compact-ish flagship phone for all of you who want to spend less but still get the best from Samsung. Basically, the best compact Samsung phone at the moment.
The 6.1-inch AMOLED display that the Galaxy S24 sports is a pleasure to look at. It has vivid colors and a sharp image, and now it's turning up the brightness a notch to 2,600 nits of peak brightness (a big improvement compared to the previous model), so you won't struggle to look at it even in the bright sunlight.
Hardware-wise, the processor under the hood, the flagship-grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the Galaxy, performs excellently with any task you throw at it. Thanks to the better heat dissipation in the S24 over its predecessor, the performance remains fast and furious over longer periods of time. Ideal for heavy users and gamers, we might add.
As for the camera, the Galaxy S24 camera doesn't bring an upgrade over its predecessor, at least on paper. It's still a pretty good 50 MP main, 12 MP ultra-wide, and 10 MP telephoto combo, like last year. However, the Galaxy-edition Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor this phone is sporting, and its power changes things—the S24 has more realistic colors and a powerful HDR, not to mention the Galaxy AI features added on top.
Another area of improvement over last year is in the battery department. Samsung has graced the Galaxy S24 with a slightly bigger battery compared to the S23. The phone performs better than the S23 in battery life across all our extensive battery tests. Sadly, the charging speeds remain the same.
Hardware-wise, the processor under the hood, the flagship-grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the Galaxy, performs excellently with any task you throw at it. Thanks to the better heat dissipation in the S24 over its predecessor, the performance remains fast and furious over longer periods of time. Ideal for heavy users and gamers, we might add.
As for the camera, the Galaxy S24 camera doesn't bring an upgrade over its predecessor, at least on paper. It's still a pretty good 50 MP main, 12 MP ultra-wide, and 10 MP telephoto combo, like last year. However, the Galaxy-edition Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor this phone is sporting, and its power changes things—the S24 has more realistic colors and a powerful HDR, not to mention the Galaxy AI features added on top.
Another area of improvement over last year is in the battery department. Samsung has graced the Galaxy S24 with a slightly bigger battery compared to the S23. The phone performs better than the S23 in battery life across all our extensive battery tests. Sadly, the charging speeds remain the same.
Galaxy S23 FE
The ideal option for those on a budget
Samsung's S-series Fan Edition models are usually widely popular, however, there's no S22 FE this year. The Galaxy S21 FE was one of the top Samsung phones and a very popular choice when it first launched three years ago. And now it's time for the successor, the Galaxy S23 FE.
The phone launched on October 26 and comes with a premium S-series design, a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with HDR10+ support and a variable refresh rate of 120Hz, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 from Qualcomm, and a quite decent camera system as well.
Samsung has upgraded the main camera from the first FE, and now it boasts 50MP. The other two cameras are the same - a 12MP ultrawide and an 8MP telephoto, but still, it's more than most midrange phones offer these days.
The best thing about the Galaxy S23 FE is its price. The phone starts at $599, which is really close to Samsung's top midrange phone, the Galaxy A54. Speaking of which...
The phone launched on October 26 and comes with a premium S-series design, a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with HDR10+ support and a variable refresh rate of 120Hz, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 from Qualcomm, and a quite decent camera system as well.
Samsung has upgraded the main camera from the first FE, and now it boasts 50MP. The other two cameras are the same - a 12MP ultrawide and an 8MP telephoto, but still, it's more than most midrange phones offer these days.
The best thing about the Galaxy S23 FE is its price. The phone starts at $599, which is really close to Samsung's top midrange phone, the Galaxy A54. Speaking of which...
Honorable mentions
Samsung has loads of phones and some deserve to be mentioned even though they didn't make it to the above list for different reasons. Despite that, they're still quite good and deserve to be included, so we're sharing them with you in the honorable mentions category. Now, onto the list!
Galaxy A35
PhoneArena Rating: 5.4/10
Now available in the U.S at a great price-to-quality ratio
The Galaxy A35 is now available in the US and it's great bang for the buck
The Galaxy A35 is now available in the US, unlike its predecessor, which is good news! It's a mid-range phone announced together with the Galaxy A55 in March 2024.
The camera is also quite good. You get a standard for a mid-range phone: a 50MP main camera, complemented by an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 5MP macro snapper. The camera performs similarly to its predecessor, the A34. The colors are bright and cheerful, and the details are good.
Under the hood, the A35 is powered by an Exynos 1380 chipset—a mid-range chip that ensures good performance while doing basic tasks like browsing the web or social media. The chip struggles slightly with heavier games and tends to stutter (we tested it with some demanding games like Apex Legends), but with some lighter games, it performs alright.
And as for the battery, the Galaxy A35 is solid. It comes with a generous 5,000mAh battery capable of lasting up to two days with regular use, and even more if you use your phone less often.
Galaxy S23 Ultra
PhoneArena Rating: 7.7/10
Last year's flagship.
Although not as good as the S24 Ultra, the S23 Ultra is still a powerhouse in 2024
The pinnacle of Samsung's Galaxy S line-up in 2023 is without a shadow of a doubt the remarkable S23 Ultra! This device was at the top of our list before its Galaxy AI-clad successor, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, came with a bang.
The S23 Ultra boasts a gorgeous display, bright and vivid, with a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. But the Galaxy S23 Ultra is not just a pretty display, this phone is a photographic powerhouse, featuring a cutting-edge quad-camera system.
The powerful camera system consists of a 200MP primary sensor, two zoom lenses, and an ultra-wide lens. The phone performs well in various lighting conditions, producing detailed photos with a great dynamic range. Night photography and Portrait mode have been substantially enhanced compared to their predecessors as well.
The previous generation Samsung flagship comes equipped with ample Qualcomm silicon too. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is on duty, further fortifying the smooth user experience. In the battery department, the S23 Ultra ranks among the longest lasting Samsung phones.
The previous generation Samsung flagship comes equipped with ample Qualcomm silicon too. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is on duty, further fortifying the smooth user experience. In the battery department, the S23 Ultra ranks among the longest lasting Samsung phones.
With its big 5,000mAh battery, it guarantees an entire day of heavy use, outshining most of the competition. During our testing, this phone endured 18 hours and 57 minutes of continuous web browsing, 8 hours and 54 minutes of non-stop video streaming, and 7 hours and 13 minutes of relentless 3D gaming.
All in all, if you want a solid Samsung flagship phone and don't mind buying one generation back, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is your best bet.
All in all, if you want a solid Samsung flagship phone and don't mind buying one generation back, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is your best bet.
Galaxy XCover 6 Pro
Some people just don't like using cases on their phones. And some of you may remember the old days of rugged phones, they were abundant! Nowadays, though, rugged phones are severely underpowered, and their specs are putting them out of competition with true flagships. The Galaxy XCover lineup is an exception. This series offers almost flagship performance and specs in a rugged enclosure.
The latest iteration is the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro, a phone with a 6.6-inch AMOLED display offering a 120Hz refresh rate. Granted, the processor inside is not a flagship one, but the Snapdragon 778 offers plenty of power. There's a 4050mAh battery and a dual camera system with a 50MP main snapper. This phone is also available in the US through AT&T, so if you're a fan and use this carrier, there might be a sweet deal on the model available.
The latest iteration is the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro, a phone with a 6.6-inch AMOLED display offering a 120Hz refresh rate. Granted, the processor inside is not a flagship one, but the Snapdragon 778 offers plenty of power. There's a 4050mAh battery and a dual camera system with a 50MP main snapper. This phone is also available in the US through AT&T, so if you're a fan and use this carrier, there might be a sweet deal on the model available.
Best Samsung phones - benchmarks and test results
As we mentioned already, we have extensive tests that we put every phone through to ensure it is up to standard. Here, you can see the results from our battery, performance, and display tests for all the phones in this list.
First off, starting with displays:
Then, let's see how all these top Samsung phones perform on benchmarks.
And last but definitely not least, check out the results from our extensive battery tests on all of the best Samsung phones available right now.
Why should you trust this buying guide
The Author
Mariyan Slavov is a technology enthusiast and expert in mobile phones. With a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, Mariyan is the former Editor-in-Chief of PCWorld Bulgaria and currently writes for PhoneArena. He enjoys writing about emerging technologies such as graphene batteries, holographic smartphone displays, smart contact lenses, and nanotechnology. In his free time, Mariyan can be found playing guitar, practicing Japanese, or hitting the running track.
The Publisher
PhoneArena has been around since 2001 as a platform where phones can be explored, compared, and pitted against each other. For the 20 and more years since we first started, we've been evolving and growing our expertise, leading an audience of over 5 million monthly US readers navigate through the mobile tech world.
The Approach
We believe that there is not one true phone that is “the best” as each user has their unique needs and preferences. However, we make sure to test every phone through a wide range of testing procedures and review approaches, so we can find where each phone shines and what it lacks, and we strictly follow our rating guidelines. We also give our professional opinion about each phone to help you make an informed decision on which Samsung phone is “the best” for you.
Mariyan Slavov is a technology enthusiast and expert in mobile phones. With a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, Mariyan is the former Editor-in-Chief of PCWorld Bulgaria and currently writes for PhoneArena. He enjoys writing about emerging technologies such as graphene batteries, holographic smartphone displays, smart contact lenses, and nanotechnology. In his free time, Mariyan can be found playing guitar, practicing Japanese, or hitting the running track.
The Publisher
PhoneArena has been around since 2001 as a platform where phones can be explored, compared, and pitted against each other. For the 20 and more years since we first started, we've been evolving and growing our expertise, leading an audience of over 5 million monthly US readers navigate through the mobile tech world.
The Approach
We believe that there is not one true phone that is “the best” as each user has their unique needs and preferences. However, we make sure to test every phone through a wide range of testing procedures and review approaches, so we can find where each phone shines and what it lacks, and we strictly follow our rating guidelines. We also give our professional opinion about each phone to help you make an informed decision on which Samsung phone is “the best” for you.
What makes Samsung phones stand out in the market?
As the market leader, Samsung knows how to make phones that make users happy. The flagship phones that Samsung releases are always next to impeccable performance and camera beasts with features hard to replicate by the direct competition.
The value Galaxy phones bring is also that Samsung phone users can be certain they get a great phone with little compromise in design and features. And, on top of everything, all of our entries in the best Samsung phones list support 5G, the future of mobile network standards.
Arguably the best thing about Samsung smartphones is that the company makes products across all categories: from budget-friendly devices for your mom (if she's not a tech nerd, though) to mid-rangers, to top-performing premium phones, capable of handling anything you throw at them. This pretty much means that there is the perfect new Samsung phone for anyone.
- Also check out: the Best phones to buy right now
How we picked the phones in this guide?
If this is not your first time at PhoneArena you probably know that we've tested and continue to test thousand of phones, including all the hot ones as they come out. Our tests include extensive chip and display measurements, battery tests, and real-time use. The Samsung phones in this guide have all undergone our extensive testing and have managed to earn a great score from our team of reviewers.
Finding the best device across a given price category is not an easy task, but thanks to our experience with different phones (not only Samsung phones, but other Android phones or iPhones), we've managed to establish the main categories which make a great phone great.
We test the phone's performance running popular benchmarks. For battery life, we run extensive tests on the phones to measure how much they will last given a specific task - either browsing, YouTube continuous playback, and 3D gaming. We also measure the speed at which phones charge.
Which series is best in Samsung A, Z or S (how to choose)
The most important difference between the three series is actually price. The Galaxy A series are cheaper, and therefore they come with mid-range specs, processors, and cameras. If you're on a budget, you can safely go for a Galaxy A – you will still get a great Samsung experience, just without some of the bells and whistles of a flagship phone.
The S series are the ultimate flagships – and they come with flagship prices. If you want the best processor on the market, the best performance, and the best cameras Samsung has, you should be looking into the Galaxy S-series.
The Z-series are Samsung's foldable phones. They also come with the latest processors and are very expensive. The difference between the Z and the S series is mainly the foldable factor and the camera systems. If you're looking into an innovative phone and you can benefit from the added value of a foldable screen, you may want to look into the Z series.
All in all, to make the best decision, you can check out our reviews on the phones you're interested in. We also have many comparisons like the Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Z Fold 4 which list all the differences between the most premium S and Z device right now (including chip and display benchmarks, camera samples, and battery tests!).
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