Given the sheer number of devices that it releases every year, finding the best Samsung phones can often prove to be a challenge for most customers. It doesn't matter if you want a flagship or a budget device. Samsung offers plenty of options for all price ranges.
To make it easier for you to find the one that best suits your needs, our expert reviewers have created this list of the best Samsung smartphones. We'll explain precisely why a device has made it onto our list and provide you with links to their detailed reviews. This will help you cut through the noise and make an informed decision.
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Spec Monster: Galaxy S25 Ultra
Productivity: Galaxy Z Fold 6
Compact: Galaxy S23 FE
Foldable: Galaxy Z Flip 6
Mid-range: Galaxy A54 5G
Budget: Galaxy A34 5G
Our Best Samsung Phone List For January 2025
Our January 2025 list has a great variety of phones, including Samsung's Galaxy S25 series, and the company's latest foldable phones. We have also included some of the good Samsung phones in the mid-range and affordable categories that are currently available.
Best Samsung Phone – Spec monster: Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Ultra model is the one to get every year if the absolute best-in-class specs are what you're after. It's no different with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This will without a doubt be the most well-spec'd phone that Samsung offers in 2025. The company has made some significant upgrades to the device, improving everything from the hardware performance to the software.
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S25 Ultra with a 6.9-inch flat display which is slightly larger than its predecessor. This has been made possible by reducing the bezels significantly. More advanced grade 3 Titanium has been used to craft the device's shell. It's also thinner than its predecessor at 8.2mm and lighter at 218g.
Perhaps the biggest upgrade is that of the chipset. The Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset which delivers an impressive 40% NPU, 37% CPU, and 30% GPU performance bump. the chip is paired with 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It retains the same 5,000mAh battery as last year with 45W fast charging. The handset ships with One UI 7.0 out of the box.
The camera setup consists of a 200-megapixel main sensor, an upgraded 50-megapixel ultra-wide, 50-megapixel telephoto with 5x and a 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom. A 12-megapixel selfie camera is also present on the front. Samsung has made major improvements to image processing and the Galaxy S25 Ultra yields much better photos, particularly in low-light conditions.
There's one change that a lot of fans may not like. While the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with the S Pen, Samsung has removed the Bluetooth features that made the stylus so beloved for fans.
Reasons to buy: Design improvements, Upgraded cameras, enhanced AI capabilities, better cameras.
Who should buy: Photography enthusiast, professionals, loyal Samsung fans, and AI aficionados.
Galaxy S25 Ultra Hands-on | Buy Galaxy S25 Ultra from Samsung
Best Samsung Phone – Productivity: Galaxy Z Fold 6
It goes without saying that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the best Samsung phone for productivity. It has a massive internal S Pen-compatible foldable display that's firmly in tablet territory, providing you plenty of screen real estate to get serious work done on the go. The external display is large enough that you can accomplish many quick tasks without having to unfold the device.
The external display gets a wider cover screen with a 22.1:9 aspect ratio which makes it much more comfortable to use the outer display. The internal display now reaches a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, which is seriously impressive.
The camera setup on this device includes a 50-megapixel primary sensor with Dual Pixel AF and optical image stabilization. There's also a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. A 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor is present as well in addition to a 4-megapixel Under-Display Camera and a 10-megapixel selfie camera on the cover screen.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has been introduced with many new features as it ships with Android 14 and One UI 6.1.1 out of the box. This includes several new Galaxy AI features which add to the ease of communication and enhance productivity for users. While it's also the most expensive phone on the list, Samsung routinely offers great deals through its online store to make it easier for customers to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Reasons to buy: Productivity-focused, S Pen-compatible, sleek design, latest chipset and foldable form factor.
Who should buy: Those who require a powerful device, mobile gamers, content creators, and executives.
Galaxy Z Fold 6 Hands-on | Buy Galaxy Z Fold 6 from Samsung
Best Samsung Phone – Compact: Galaxy S23 FE
The wait for a new Fan Edition smartphone from Samsung ended in October 2023 as the company unveiled the Galaxy S23 FE. Based on the popular Galaxy S23 series, there were already high expectations from this device before it arrived, and it's safe to say that it met them all very well. Retaining the compact DNA of its predecessors, the Galaxy S23 FE features a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset in some markets whereas an improved version of the Exynos 2200 powers it in most other markets. The company has added a vapor chamber to help with cooling on the Exynos variants, fixing one of the key concerns with this chipset. You can get the Galaxy S23 FE with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. It has the same 4,500mAh battery as its predecessor with support for 25W fast charging. The cameras have been upgraded on this model to include a 50-megapixel primary sensor in addition to an 8-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. You'll also find a 10-megapixel selfie camera on the front.
Much like most of the new devices in Samsung's lineup now, the Galaxy S23 FE is going to receive four years of Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates. This makes it a great future proof device for customers who don't particularly like changing their phones all that often.
At $629.99, the Galaxy S23 FE is $70 cheaper than its predecessor, which is just one of the many reasons why you should be picking this up in 2025. This device provides incredible value for money at this price point, a feat that few other phones can manage at this end of the price spectrum.
Reasons to buy: Respectable specs, revamped design, great performance, lower price.
Who should buy: Budget conscious customers, those who don't need a full-fledged flagship but require decent performance.
Galaxy S23 FE Review | Buy Galaxy S23 FE from Samsung
Best Samsung Phone – Foldable: Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is one of the two new foldable phones Samsung launched in July 2024. It gets a spot on this list because not only is it the most affordable of the two, but it's also a lot more versatile and this lineup itself accounts for the majority of Samsung's foldable sales.
Samsung has made some meaningful improvements to the 2024 iteration of its clamshell foldable. It has made the internal foldable panel more durable, and it has equipped the device with a new 50-megapixel primary sensor. Lastly, the company has also increased the battery capacity to 4,000mAh. All of these updates significantly improve the user experience.
It's powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset as the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and now comes with 12GB of RAM as standard. The primary sensor is paired with a 12MP ultrawide camera and a 10-megapixel selfie camera.
Samsung ships this device with Android 14 and One UI 6.1.1 with plenty of new Galaxy AI features. This is clearly one of the best Samsung phones ever made, if you were to ask foldable fans specifically, as there aren't many devices that can hold a candle to the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Reasons to buy: Durable inner display display, improved IP rating, and enhanced performance.
Who should buy: Galaxy Z Flip enthusiasts, trendy and fashionable folks.
Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review | Buy Galaxy Z Flip 6 from Samsung
Best Samsung Phone – Mid-range: Galaxy A54 5G
Samsung has further solidified its premium mid-range offerings with the Galaxy A54 5G. This device comes with several improvements that make it better than its predecessor. It's one of the best Samsung mid-range smartphones in the market right now. It has a design language similar to the Galaxy S23 models, including the three independent circular cutouts for each rear-facing camera sensor.
The Galaxy A54 5G boasts a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel itself has seen a massive reduction in blue light emissions, making it more comfortable to view, and utilizes Vision Booster technology to increase the brightness up to 1,000 nits. You'll find the Exynos 1380 chipset under the hood with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It does support memory expansion via microSD cards. The camera setup includes a 50-megapixel primary sensor alongside a 12-megapixel ultrawide and 5-megapixel macro sensor. There's a 32-megapixel selfie camera on the front.
A 5,000mAh battery keeps the lights on with support for 25W fast charging. In addition to its stereo speakers, the device also supports Dolby Atmos. Like most of its devices, the Galaxy A54 5G will also receive four years of Android OS upgrades from Samsung.
Reasons to buy: Great new design, powerful internals, brighter display, bigger battery, great software support.
Who should buy: Those who love mobile gaming, millennials, and customers looking for a great mid-range phone.
Galaxy A54 5G Review | Buy Galaxy A54 5G from Samsung
Best Samsung Phone – Budget: Galaxy A34 5G
Samsung has made considerable upgrades to this budget lineup with the Galaxy A34 5G. It gets a design refresh with a slightly curved frame and separate cutouts for the rear camera lenses. Instead of being powered by an Exynos chipset like its predecessors, the Galaxy A34 5G comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Its 6.6-inch Full HD+ resolution Super AMOLED display has an improved refresh rate of 120Hz and the brightness can now go as high as 1,000nits, thanks to Samsung's Vision Booster technology. The rear camera setup now features a 48-megapixel primary sensors alongside an 8-megapixel ultra-wide and 5-megapixel macro sensor. Ther'es a 13-megapixel selfie camera as well.
You'll get plenty of juice with the 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging. The device even has IP67 dust and water resistance. Samsung confirms that the Galaxy A34 5G will get four years of Android OS upgrades.
Reasons to buy: Efficient chipset, improved design, better battery life, elevated cameras.
Who should buy: Budget conscious customers and customers who like simple phones.
Galaxy A34 5G Review | Buy Galaxy A34 5G from Samsung
Why These Are The Best Samsung Phones This Month
Samsung's strategy has long been to offer something for everyone. We now have one of Samsung's most diverse smartphone lineups. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is in a class of its own. It's certainly the Android flagship to beat this year.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 remains one of the best foldable phones on the market and it's great to see Samsung going from strength to strength in its foldable lineup. For those who prefer a more versatile form factor, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 delivers an incredible mix of performance and functionality with style.
The Galaxy S23 FE is the best option for customers that want the most value for their money. Not only does it provide near flagship-level specifications but it also does that at lower price compared to its predecessor, making it a no-brainer if you're in that price segment.
The Galaxy A54 5G arrived in 2023 and it spectacularly builds upon the popularity of this mid-range series. It fast became one of the most sought-after phones in this segment, courtesy of its revamped design and powerful internals. The Galaxy A34 5G's upgrades have also won it a place on this list, as it's one of the best-value devices from Samsung so far.
