Best Samsung phone 2024: The best Galaxy handsets across all budgets

If you want the absolute best of the best that Samsung has to offer, and don’t mind the hefty price tag that comes with it, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the smartphone to go for.

It offers a combination of best-in-class display tech, processing power and camera performance that trumps not only every other Samsung phone, but most of the Android competition – though its 6.8-inch display means it’s also one of the biggest phones on the market right now, and not that easy to use one-handed, especially now that the screen has transitioned from a curved to a flat panel.

Still, that 6.8-inch display is one of the main reasons to opt for the top-end model with Samsung’s dynamic AMOLED 2X technology, 120Hz LTPO tech and support for HDR10+ that makes it an absolute treat for watching movies, especially with the screen’s 2600nit max brightness.

It’s also a great canvas for the built-in S Pen stylus that allows you to draw and write on the display with an impressive 2.3ms latency that’s among the fastest in the market.

Another feature you won’t find on many other phones – and certainly none of the cheaper Samsung phones included within this list – is a fantastic zoom camera setup, despite the fact it sports a shorter 5x periscope instead of the 10x option with the S23 Ultra. However, with a much higher resolution and improved OIS, images captured at the 10x level are near indistinguishable while also hugely boosting the quality of photos taken between the 5x and 10x mark.

The capabilities on offer easily beat the competition from Apple and Google. We’re not talking about hitting 100x – these shots still look grainy – but at 10x and below, the results are fantastic and a real reason to pick up this phone over a rival. It also retains the whopping 200-megapixel main camera from the S23 Ultra that delivers stunning results both day and night.

It boasts a 5,000mAh battery that’ll comfortably provide all-day use even with the QHD+ resolution, high refresh rate and always-on display tech, with enough left in the tank to make it well into a second day of use. That’s down to the super power efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy that also allows for on-device GenAI capabilities like real-time transcription and translation, text rewriting tech and new fancy photo editing features too.

It also has one of the best long-term promises around, boasting a whopping 7 OS upgrades that’ll take it through to Android 21.

So yes, it’s certainly the most capable of Samsung’s current smartphone collection, but the overall size – and premium price tag – may put some off. That’s why we have a few more options recommended below.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter

Full review: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

There’s a lot of love for the smaller Galaxy S24. It’s not only much cheaper than the top-end Ultra model but it’s easier to hold, especially one-handed, with a pocketable compact design that’s still very much premium.

In fact, the Galaxy S24 is one of few Android smartphones to offer truly premium specs in a smaller chassis, even if it has increased by 0.1 inches compared to the S23. The 6.2-inch display, while smaller than the 6.7 inches of the S24 Plus and 6.8 inches of the S23 Ultra, boasts the same dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a super smooth LTPO-enabled 120Hz refresh rate, delivering vibrant colours and impressive brightness.

We found it perfectly fine for watching TikToks and YouTube videos, but those who like to watch Netflix or play games on the go may prefer the larger, but near-identical, Galaxy S24 Plus.

Unlike the S24 Ultra, however, you’re not guaranteed to get that top-end Snapdragon chipset. Instead, the S24 in the UK and Europe gets Samsung’s Exynos 2400 chipset while US fans will get the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 as the Ultra. Samsung claims that the two chipsets are near-identical in terms of performance, but our testing of both models suggests otherwise.

That said, regardless of chipset, you’ll enjoy buttery smooth performance that can handle practically anything you can throw at it. It’s just that the Snapdragon variant benchmarks slightly better.

Elsewhere, we love the versatility of the camera system, sporting three rear sensors including a 3.5X telephoto zoom and an ultrawide for expansive shots. As you’d expect, images are reliably detailed and well-lit, even as light levels begin to drop, though it uses the same hardware as the S23 and S22 so it’s starting to show its age compared to non-Samsung smartphones.

There are also a bunch of ‘nice to have’ features like wireless charging, full IP68 dust and water resistance and, of course, access to Galaxy AI with its on-device capabilities including image editing, text editing and generation, voice recording dictation and much more.

It also has one of the best long-term promises around, matching Google’s impressive 7 years of OS upgrades that’ll keep it ticking along for quite some time yet.

It’s not perfect, lacking the impressive main 200MP sensor and 5x periscope of the top-end Ultra model, and it’s slow to charge at just 25W, but it’s a tempting pocketable flagship that ticks most boxes.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter

Full review: Samsung Galaxy S24 review

Sitting below 2023’s flagship S23 series, the cheaper Galaxy S23 FE remains a very good, mid-range Samsung phone that brings the core Galaxy experience down to a cheaper price point.

Based on our time with it, the S23 FE offers great value for money as a result, especially in the camera department, sporting a dedicated telephoto lens that is rarely seen in the mid-range market. It also has a bright, colourful display along with strong everyday performance and extras like wireless charging and an IP rating for added protection usually saved for flagship-level tech.

Crucially, it shares the same Galaxy S23 design DNA, making it pretty hard to tell the difference between it and the flagship Galaxy S23 when side-by-side.

Samsung has opted for a chipset split with the S23 FE, meaning you’ll either get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 depending on where you are in the world. The good news for European users is that the Exynos-powered variant we reviewed delivered exceptional performance and strong battery life, though it’ll be interesting to see how the 8 Gen 1 variant from the US compares.

In essence, if you want the core Galaxy S23 experience without spending flagship-level cash, the Galaxy S23 FE offers a comfortable middle ground.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter

Full review: Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review

A solid mid-range handset that includes most of the features you’d want from a smartphone, the Galaxy A55 5G may not be Samsung’s flagship model but it is more than capable for everyday use with meaningful upgrades over last year’s Galaxy A54. 

Improving on the already-premium design of the A54, the A55 is equipped with a glass back and a metal frame that makes it feel a lot like the S24. Not only that but the A55 is impressively durable too, with an IP67 dust and water resistance rating that promises to keep it protected from accidents, and premium Gorilla glass Victus+ screen tech. 

The camera setup remains near-identical, however, with a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide and 5MP macro lenses. Although not as flashy as the S24, the A54’s camera setup is more than capable of producing a decent image in most lighting conditions with largely realistic colours, healthy amounts of detail and plenty of light. 

Inside, you’ll find Samsung’s new Exynos 1480 processor that’s exclusive to the A55, having launched with the phone. It shouldn’t be considered a competitor to the newer Exynos 2400, which is what the S24 runs on, but the 4nm chipset can still hold its own in everyday use with a largely lag-free experience. It offers a big boost to performance compared to the A54, though competitors like the Poco X6 Pro do leave it in the dust.

It’s worth noting that, despite a 5000mAh battery that’s larger than most of the S24 collection, this doesn’t mean the Galaxy A55 is a two-day device. Our reviewer found that it’d last a single day without issue, but getting to bed with around 20% of charge left, it’s certainly not a battery warrior.

Still, for those looking for an affordable Samsung smartphone that doesn’t compromise on quality and features, then the Galaxy A55 5G is one of the best options out there.

Reviewer: Andrew Williams

Full review: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G review

Samsung’s latest edition of its flagship foldable is the best we’ve reviewed, though it’s far from a redesign of what we already know.

It’s incredibly similar to last year’s Z Fold 4, with plenty of similarities. It sports the same combination of a tall-and-narrow 6.2-inch cover display, flanked by a larger 7.6-inch AMOLED panel within, the same trio of rear-facing cameras, the same battery capacity and the same charging speeds despite costing a little more in the UK and US.

However, there are a bunch of small improvements that bring the Z Fold 5 closer to its initial vision. That includes a new teardrop hinge system that finally allows the phone to fold completely flat with no gap, and it’s both lighter and thinner as a result. There’s also the Snapdragon and 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy delivering some of the best performance around, foldable or not.

Samsung has also done a lot of work with app developers to bring support for the boxy inner display, with Samsung’s book-style foldable boasting much better support than the likes of the Google Pixel Fold.

So while it might not be a complete reimagining of the foldable, the Z Fold 5 does just enough to make it the best book-style foldable around.

If you’re after a foldable that’s a little cheaper and smaller, there’s the Z Flip 5. This is Samsung’s other foldable and it mimics the look of a classic flip phone.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter

Full review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review

If, instead of a book-style foldable, it’s the clamshell-style that has caught your eye, look no further than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. This modern flip phone is cheaper, more compact and just as eye-catching as the larger Z Fold 6, though there’s no telephoto camera on the Flip. 

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 appears very similar to the Z Flip 5 but Samsung has improved the phone’s durability with a stronger and more impact-resistant hinge. The Flip also has a dust resistance rating for the first time with its IP48 certification, while the ‘8’ in that label means it’s about as water resistant as it gets. 

Samsung has stuck with the same handy 3.4-inch cover display found on the Z Flip 5, which is useful but smaller and more limited in its usefulness compared to the 4-inch cover screen found on the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra. You can’t load any app you want on the outer screen as you can on the Razr, but the small display is still handy for replying to messages, skipping music tracks and navigating with Google Maps. It’s also quite customisable with widgets and ideal for capturing selfies and videos hands-free thanks to that sturdy hinge. 

Open up the phone, and the larger 6.7-inch display is bright and crisp for a foldable display, though not quite up to par with the best flat glass panels. 

The Z Flip 6 includes the same cameras as the Z Fold 6 this time around, with the only omission being the telephoto lens. The foldable also packs the same 50-megapixel primary sensor as the Galaxy S24+, which we found to be a strong performer in a variety of situations. 4K/60fps video is vibrant with good handling of light and contrast, though it does feature Samsung’s trademark artificial colouring. 

Finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 packs the same custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset as the Z Fold 6 making it a powerful phone with impressive benchmark results. It can run games with high frame rates enabled, but it does tend to get hot quite quickly when put under this strain, For casual gaming, social media and everyday use, we encountered no sluggishness, slowdown or overheating. 

The battery life can be hit and miss depending on your usage and charging is relatively slow. However, if you’re looking for Samsung’s best clamshell foldable, the Z Flip 6 is it. 

Reviewer: Cam Bunton

Full Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6