The Galaxy S24 series arrived earlier this year. All three models, the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus and S24 Ultra, got new AI features in addition to the regular slew of performance, camera and battery upgrades.
Looking for a versatile camera setup and a big screen? A great choice may be the $1,300 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. A much more budget-friendly option is the Galaxy A14, which carries a price tag of roughly $200. You could buy six of them for the price of one S24 Ultra. Foldable models come in various selections: The Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are the newest Samsung devices in this category. As more Samsung phones are tested, we’ll be sure to update this list.
What is the best Samsung phone?
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra — priced at $1,300 — comes packed with maximum features which, for most people, is more than necessary. For the rest of us, the $800 Galaxy S24 is a standout among its Galaxy counterparts. It has the same Snapdragon customized chip as the S24 Ultra, runs the same version of Android and costs $500 less. The Galaxy S24 has a very capable triple rear camera setup that is versatile in capturing both bright outdoor scenes and candid moments inside under mixed lighting. Overall, the Galaxy S24 is ideal for Android fans who prioritize fast performance, solid cameras and a spacious, bright screen in a compact package.
How to pick the right Samsung phone for you
Deciding which Samsung phone is right for you comes down to what you want in a phone and how much you’re willing to spend. If you want the largest screen available on a standard Samsung phone, enjoy note-taking with a stylus and need a camera with a significantly closer zoom, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the right choice. You’ll also have to spend more than $1,100 unless you score a trade-in deal.
Those who don’t need the stylus, prefer more compact devices and still want a top-notch camera should consider the Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Plus. If you just want the basics, like a spacious screen, 5G and a decent camera, consider the Galaxy A54 5G. Those looking for the flashiest tech around — and who also have deep pockets — should consider the Galaxy Z Fold 5 or Galaxy Z Flip 5.
It’s also important to consider whether now is the right time to upgrade. If you have a relatively new phone that’s two to three years old and still functions properly, you can probably wait. Samsung committed to supporting seven generations of Android operating system updates for devices like the Galaxy S24 series, which improves their longevity.
Finding the best Samsung phone will ultimately come down to preference. Choosing among so many options can get complicated, so here’s how to decide which Samsung phone is best for you. Check out our phone buying guide for more tips on how to choose the right device. Not sure whether it’s worth upgrading to the Galaxy S23? We have a guide for that too.
Best Samsung phones in 2024
With a sharper 5x optical zoom, a faster new processor and that familiar giant display and 100x digital zoom, the Samsung’s “Ultra” phone remains a top choice for mobile photographers that want plenty of screen space. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is also one of the first phones with Samsung’s new Galaxy AI features, which include tools for translating text messages and phone calls instantly and Circle to Search, a new gesture that lets you launch a Google search for almost anything simply by drawing a circle around it. Like the previous two generations, the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with an embedded S Pen for those who like jotting down notes or doodling. But perhaps best of all, Samsung has committed to updating these devices with new versions of Android for seven years, meaning it shouldn’t feel out of date anytime soon.
Still, there are still some important downsides to consider. At $1,300, this phone is expensive, so be sure to look for trade-in discounts if you plan to upgrade. And for that high price, I had hoped Samsung would’ve added extra Galaxy AI features that are specific to the Ultra — perhaps some that take advantage of the S Pen. But Galaxy AI is the same on all Galaxy S24 devices, and it’ll be coming to the Galaxy S23 lineup soon too, so you don’t have to splurge on Samsung’s top-of-the-line phone if you just care about those features. Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.
After testing the 6.7-inch Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus by playing games, texting and calling in multiple languages, taking photos, recording videos and trying out all that Galaxy AI has to offer, I’m happy to say it’s outstanding. Samsung didn’t reinvent the phone, but it did take a great phone and make it better.
The challenge for the S24 Plus is that Google’s Pixel 8 Pro has the same price and slightly better cameras. I do think the S24 Plus is an overall better phone in nearly every other respect, even software, which has been rock solid in my testing. Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review.
What impresses me the most about the Samsung Galaxy S24 isn’t the new Galaxy AI features, brighter screens or solid cameras. It’s the battery life. After testing, I can say the larger battery in the Galaxy S24 has no trouble plowing through a long day of use on a single charge.
The S24 is a wonderful, well-built phone that is excellent right out of the box just as the nearly identical S22 and S23 were before it. This similarity to the S22 and S23 can be viewed as either a strength, because the design reflects three years of refinements, or a weakness, because features like the camera hardware are essentially identical to what came out in 2022. But all of this is overshadowed by the great battery life. You’ll never hear anyone complain about getting too much battery life. Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 review.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the biggest leap forward Samsug’s flip phone has seen in years. Samsung has significantly expanded the size of the cover screen located on the outside of the device, meaning you can look up directions, take photos and send messages without opening the phone. It’s this combined with the Z Flip’s solid battery life and sturdy design that makes it a top pick.
The Z Flip 5 may be our favorite flip phone, but there are still some drawbacks. At $1,000, it’s expensive for a phone without a telephoto camera. Not all apps work natively on the front screen as they do on the Motorola Razr Plus. Read our Galaxy Z Flip 5 review.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an incremental improvement that further refines Samsung’s large-screened foldable. If you’re looking for a phone that can double as a tablet for viewing work-related documents, running multiple apps on screen at once or watching movies, the Z Fold 5 is our top choice. The Pixel Fold may have better cameras, but the Z Fold 5’s bright screen makes Samsung’s phone better at its intended purpose: providing a big display that fits in your pocket.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5’s $1,800 price is still hard to swallow and puts it out of range for most people. If you can afford it, the Z Fold 5 is the best iteration of Samsung’s phone-tablet hybrid yet. Read our Galaxy Z Fold 5 review.
Though it’s one of the cheapest phones you can buy from Samsung, the Galaxy A54 still packs great features, like 5G connectivity, a decent multiple rear camera setup, solid battery life and power enough for your everyday essentials. It looks pretty, too, and it’s one of the few remaining phones that lets you expand the built-in storage using microSD cards.
It’s a great all-round budget phone, although generally we found that the Pixel 6A offers better camera and processor performance, and it costs less than the Samsung.
The $200 Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is one of the most functional phones under $200 available right now. Although it’s at a budget-friendly price, this Samsung phone includes 5G support for faster data and NFC for contactless payments using Google Wallet. While both of those inclusions are highlights for this price range, Samsung is also planning to support the Galaxy A14 with two years of software updates and five years of security updates, making it a phone that will be safe to use for several years.
You should still keep in mind that the phone does have trade-offs to hit its $200 price. It has a drab design, a slower processor and mixed photography performance.
Yet despite its issues, the features it does include make it an easy recommendation if you are buying the phone outright or if it’s offered for free with a carrier subsidy deal. Read our Galaxy A14 5G review.
Get more for less with cheap phones: For a fraction of the cost, you can get a solid phone that does almost everything a pricier flagship phone can do. The Galaxy A54 5G packs a good camera and costs only $450 before discounts or trade-in offers.
Be ready for Black Friday sales: The holidays usually bring big discounts and sales, even on phones.
Test your phone: It’s worth going to a store and trying out a phone before you shell out hundreds of dollars for it.
Find peace of mind with a case: You spent all this time picking a phone, now protect it from damage with a case.
We test the battery, screen, performance, cameras and more on every phone we review.
We test every phone in real-world scenarios focusing on its features, design, performance, cameras, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in an initial review that is periodically updated when there are new software updates or to compare against new phones from competitors like Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus.
Photography
Photography is a major focus for most phones these days, so we take pictures and videos of various subjects in a variety of settings and lighting levels. We try out any new camera modes such as ProRes Log video that debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max or the Magic Editor photo tool that launched with the Google Pixel 8 series.
Battery life
Battery testing is conducted in a variety of ways. We assess how long a phone lasts during a typical day of use, and note how it performs during more focused sessions of video calls, media streaming and gaming. We also conduct a video playback test, which isn’t always included in the initial review and is added later in an update.
Performance
We perform processor-heavy tasks like editing photos, exporting videos and playing games. We evaluate whether a newer version of a particular phone includes enough features to make it worth upgrading from older models.
We use benchmarking apps to measure the performance, alongside our own anecdotal experiences using the phone for our review. Of particular note are how graphics and animations look. Are they smooth? Or do they lag or stutter? We also look at how quickly the phone switches between horizontal and vertical orientations and how fast the camera app opens and is ready to take a photo.
Read more: How We Test Phones
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