That’s helpful because you’ll want to make use of the excellent 50Mp main camera which can capture some truly great-looking shots. Admittedly, the Galaxy A36 isn’t going to wow anyone with its looks, but if you’re the type of person who always puts a case on their phone then this isn’t going to matter all too much. Coupled with the 120Hz LPTO tech, every type of app runs so smoothly that your existing phone will feel positively ancient by comparison, and the added benefit of Galaxy AI just gets you even more bang for your buck. While this means that the phone isn’t a must-buy for anyone who’s upgraded in the last two years, it is however, a solid option for those with a much older device. The larger chassis allows the S25+ to house a massive 4900mAh cell, which, while not as expansive as what you’ll find on similarly priced handsets, is still enough to get you through an intensive day without ever needing to worry about topping up. It benefits from the super-fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which not only makes day-to-day use feel smooth, it also paves the way for Samsung’s Galaxy AI features to work brilliantly.
Photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Sure, the battery is smaller — it has to be, but beyond that, the Galaxy S25 is a powerful phone that checks all the right boxes. Furthermore, individuals who prefer a less angular or “boxy” phone design might find the standard Galaxy S25 Plus or S25 Edge models more aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to hold. Its $1,299 price point puts it out of reach for budget-conscious consumers, and users who frequently utilize the S Pen’s Bluetooth gestures for actions like remotely triggering the camera may be disappointed, as the functionality has been removed. Additionally, photography lovers looking for improved detail and color in wide-angle and close-up macro shots will find the new 50MP ultrawide camera valuable. Furthermore, the camera system is significantly upgraded with a 50MP ultrawide lens that captures landscape and macro shots with greater detail and vibrancy. The latest Galaxy AI suite brings practical and useful features like real-time call translation, voice commands that work across multiple apps, and photo editing capabilities.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Smartphone
- I had to charge the phone most nights after dinner, unless I was careful.
- The Flip 7’s Exynos processor lags behind the Snapdragon chips in other Galaxy phones, and this impacts battery life, which was 6.5 hours less than the Moto Razr Ultra in our lab tests.
- In my experience and research, Samsung’s smartphones have a track record of reliability, and because it’s a major player, it has a wider network of authorized repair centers than competing Android manufacturers.
As an alternative, I’d highly recommend the Google Pixel 8a, which offers a more reliable software and camera experience. My hands-on testing found the phone surprisingly sturdy to manage, with a smooth display that’s great for browsing and watching shows. I recommend the Samsung phone to most people who want a little more power and performance than traditional budget handsets. Crucially, its inclusion in Samsung’s five-year software and security update commitment offers longevity rarely matched by competitors in this price bracket. With the A36 5G, Samsung focused on the features users value most at this price point.
- This is the best foldable camera phone you can buy, by far.
- Nevertheless, battery life has improved, and most users can expect a full day of typical use.
- The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner than ever with bigger displays than its predecessor, and it has to be felt to be believed.
- The larger chassis allows the S25+ to house a massive 4900mAh cell, which, while not as expansive as what you’ll find on similarly priced handsets, is still enough to get you through an intensive day without ever needing to worry about topping up.
- People who like Samsung’s keyboard will also feel at home since that’s the only option when using the cover display.
If so, it’s going to get even better over the next few years as the AI develops, but for now it’s just great for playing games with the settings cranked to maximum. Very nice cameras that always deliver a great photo, no matter the lighting or subject. Samsung’s One UI 7 looks great, but many of the AI features have failed to materialize, for better and for worse.
Is the Samsung S23 worth buying?
While the A and S series of Samsung Galaxy phones cater to two different customers, there is an overlap in features and designs making both models worthy of consideration. ZDNET’s review team spends upwards of a year testing the ins and outs of every Samsung model, evaluating the day-to-day performance, camera quality, battery life and endurance, and more. An ultraportable flip phone with large exterior and interior screens for mobile entertainment, productivity, and other unique use cases. Historically, Google has leaned on Samsung to debut the latest software features, such as Circle to Search and enhanced Gemini, so you can count on Galaxy phones to field more innovative capabilities sooner. Its combination of a high-quality 120Hz AMOLED screen, a respectable 50MP main camera, and a large 5,000mAh battery addresses the core features many users look for in a reliable daily driver.
The display has expanded marginally compared to the previous year’s S24 Ultra, yet the phone’s overall weight has decreased. The trade-off for this new thinness is the loss of S Pen support and a more noticeable, uncovered 10MP punch-hole camera on the inner display. While that’s a lot for any phone, you’re essentially getting two devices in one—a flagship phone and an 8-inch tablet—which may help justify the high cost for those who want something truly special. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like a true revolution, setting a new standard for what a large-screen foldable can be.
Find the best Samsung phone, and chances are you’ve found the best phone overall.
Best Samsung phone design
You get fewer cameras on a thinner phone, but the main camera still takes fantastic shots, albeit ones that are a bit subdued by normal Samsung standards. Not a bad price for the svelte design and pocketability. I was most impressed by the superior cooling, as I couldn’t get the Edge to overheat, even under stress tests that break other phones.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Smartphone
That means consistent performance no matter where you buy your Galaxy S25. Samsung’s base model shares more in common with the Ultra than just Galaxy AI features. I appreciate the fact that searches now support natural language, which made it easier for me to find photos on the phone when testing out the Galaxy S25. And as we outlined in our S25 Ultra write-up, those features are pretty impressive. And that’s with the battery size on the S25 Ultra not changing from last year’s model.
While you can pick from many different phones running the Android operating system, Samsung’s handsets reside at the top of the heap. With this knowledge, you’ll enhance your online presence and make meaningful connections more easily. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In his current role, Anyron is responsible for all smartphone, tablet and mobile network coverage on the site. Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo are just a few of the Chinese phone companies that ship handsets across Europe and Asia, though not in the US.
Make sure you aren’t paying more for features you don’t need. If you’ve decided to buy a Samsung phone, the next consideration is how much you want to spend. I had to charge the phone most nights after dinner, unless I was careful. Battery life isn’t terrible considering the weight reduction, but I wish the smaller battery came with faster charging to make me forget how long I need to wait.
Best Samsung phone under $400
It’s bright too, with 2600 nits, so unless you’re after a specific use-case, there’s a good chance that you won’t need to use the interior display most of the time. Instead of the cramped and weirdly ratioed outer screen of the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the Flip 7 takes a leaf out of Motorola’s book in offering an external display that’s almost end-to-end, making it much better suited for using full-fat apps at short notice. Productivity users who need their phone to operate as a work-device with multitasking features. You can also use the form factor to prop up half of the interior display, perfect for watching content when you’re on a plane, as you don’t need to hold the phone in your hand. As with any book-style foldable phone, the reason why you would want the Z Fold 7 is for its ability to amp up your productivity on the go.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Smartphone
Unless you’re invested in a repairs and warranty plan like Samsung Care, consider suiting your phone with a protective case and/or tempered glass screen protector. When in doubt, after a year or two of usage, consider getting your phone’s battery swapped to refresh its charge cycles. This phenomenon is the reason why you shouldn’t charge your phone overnight or leave it plugged in for an extended period of time. This is because the heat generated from overcharging the phone can burn (or degrade) the battery, reducing its number of alvexo charge cycles.
Tap into each and switch from 1x (default) to 0.5x to double the speed of your phone’s animations. Tap on that seven times, and you should see a pop-up indicating that Developer Options has been turned on. Something I always do when setting up a new Android phone is dialing up animation and transition speeds. While Samsung wouldn’t be the first to do it — the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate gets that honor — it could be the first to launch a phone of such nature in the broader international market, including the US. ZDNET writers like myself spent months testing every phone in this best list while also sourcing opinions and recommendations from industry experts and analysts who have also tested the devices.
What is the best Samsung phone right now?
This is what foldable phones aspire to become.Read more below Here are the best Samsung phones you can buy, whether you want the absolute top phones or the most affordable options with all of Samsung’s best features. Those devices might be contenders for this list, but every phone you find here is a top choice if you want the most cutting edge handset with all of the best Android features. With a powerful, battery-saving Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor inside, overclocked just for Galaxy phones, it’s one of the fastest phones you can buy.
The size and abundance of features of the S25 Ultra may almost be overwhelming for some users, but you certainly get what you pay for, with its starting price of $1,299. We have tested them all, so here are our picks for the best Samsung phones you can buy today. But, like any other range of phones, Samsung has a phone for every pocket and every budget.
Its performance and multitasking capabilities are far from those of pricier Samsung phones, but they are plenty sufficient for everyday use. For less than $200 before discounts, it has a cool design, a waterproof build, and a large and bright display with a high refresh rate, plus a multi-sensor camera. Save for a slightly beefier chip, a modestly larger battery with faster charging, and an upgraded selfie camera, it’s identical to the 2024 release. I only wish the phone had ultra-wide and telephoto camera sensors with higher resolution. The camera, with a high-resolution 200-megapixel wide sensor and sharp telephoto and ultra-wide units makes the device a solid contender for the best camera phone of 2025. The S25 Ultra is the Samsung Galaxy phone to get if you want the latest and greatest in hardware specs and camera performance—if it fits your budget.
The Galaxy S25 Edge is Samsung’s thinnest, most elegant smartphone yet, and a proper product to revive the “Edge” moniker. A more affordable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 FE is also available, but its design and specs are behind the standard version. And because of its unique form, the phone offers an equally fun user experience for many common tasks.