After testing the main Galaxy A and S series products for 2024, the new foldables Galaxy Z Fold 6 (hands-on) and Galaxy Z Flip 6 (quick review) are now official. As such, we’ve updated our overviews below with our suggestions for different price points.
The best Samsung Galaxy phones in comparison
As of July 2024, you will find Samsung phones from five different product families on the market, each of which generally covers its own price range. We have also divided this article into different series accordingly. For each product family, we reveal our favorites and of course present the alternatives. The jump labels in the table of contents will take you directly to the relevant Galaxy series.
In case you’re wondering why we still have last year’s Foldables in the best list: We only have brief hands-on impressions of each of the new foldables. We are quite sure that they will find themselves at the top of the table of the best after our test. Until then, however, we’ll keep our feet still and take a closer look at the devices first. You can of course find them further down in the foldables category so that you can compare the specifications in the table.
The best Samsung phone: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung’s 2024 update to its flagship model, the Galaxy Ultra, at first glance (and second, and third) looks exactly like its predecessor. In true « if it ain’t broke don’t fix it » fashion, the S24 Ultra brings small design changes, with some refinements in display, camera, and of course, performance. Firstly, the display is flat, as can be seen in the picture above, which solves problems when using the S Pen around the edges.
Not only the S24 Ultra pack the latest and fastest Android chip for 2024, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Samsung is heavily touting its own « Galaxy AI » sauce to improve the overall experience with the phone, with some useful features and other not so much. Performance clearly outmatches 2023’s phones, even if frame delivery consistency is not the best.
Finally, the camera is « always good no matter the conditions » according to my colleague Antoine Engels, who also found that the change from 10x optical zoom to 5x made sense for most usage scenarios. Even if going beyond that magnification leads to some color inconsistencies, and worse image quality when compared to the S23 Ultra.
Read the Galaxy S24 Ultra review
Good
- Premium titanium design
- Flat 120 Hz screen, more ergonomic, and as bright as ever
- Top performance and battery life
- Efficient and (slightly) less versatile camera module
- Integrated S Pen
- 7 Android updates & 7 years of security updates
Bad
- Expensive
- Galaxy AI functions are still too gimmicky
- Charging speed is far too slow
Best foldable: Galaxy Z Fold 5
Similar to the S24 Ultra, not much has changed in the Galaxy Z Fold 5 compared to the third and fourth generation. Nevertheless, the Fold 5 is the evolution of arguably the most reliable and durable foldable phone on the market, but it demands a high price for the privilege. However, its place on the foldable throne is a shaky one, as the new 6th-generation models are official and will be delivered in just a few days. It is quite possible that one of the new devices will then take the foldable crown.
You will find the best features currently available on the market here: a bright and fast display, first-class performance, excellent cameras, a long battery life, and the best update support among foldable phones…
In addition to the high price, there are also some disadvantages: The Fold 5 gets hot during more demanding tasks (such as gaming or navigation), charging isn’t particularly fast despite the marketing branding, and although there is support for the S Pen, the stylus needs to be kept in a special case. This is perhaps the price you pay to hold this technical masterpiece in your hands.
Read the review of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 here
Good
- Good build quality
- Great battery life
- High-quality camera performance
- Consistent performance
- Best Android update policy
Bad
- Under-display selfie camera is still noticeable
- Design feels stuck in time
- 25 W charging is not fast
- Still missing a stylus garage
- Gets hot under demanding tasks
- Still expensive
Best alternative in the mid-range price segment: Galaxy A35
For 2024, the mid-range Galaxy A series moved slightly upward towards a more premium look. While still keeping the same overall design used on the Galaxy S series, the new Galaxy A35 and A55 now sport the same big 6.6-inch OLED display and are differentiated mostly on the faster processor and metal frame used on the more expensive model.
The new Galaxy A35 dropped the V-shaped notch in favor of a punch-hole for the selfie camera, making it indistinguishable from the more expensive model. The performance also got a boost by inheriting the competent Exynos 1380 chip used on Galaxy A54, which should offer more than enough performance in daily tasks and most games.
There are better options in the price range if your priorities lean heavily toward photography, fast battery charging, or gaming performance, but the Galaxy A35 offers a decent balance of performance and features, boosted by the best software update policy in the category.
Read the Galaxy A35 review here
Good
- Stylish and above all high-quality new look
- Solid performance in everyday use and in mobile games
- Useful cameras
- Up to five years of security updates
- Water and dust-proof
Bad
- Slow quick charging
- No wireless charging
- Cameras not well coordinated
Samsung Galaxy Z: Foldables from $999 to $2,259
August 2021 marked a paradigm shift for Samsung’s smartphones. Instead of a new Note generation, the South Koreans introduced two foldables from the Galaxy Z series: the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. With the Galaxy Z Fold 4 as well as the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung followed up with optimized versions in 2023. Samsung now continues this path with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 and updates both models in a rather conservative fashion.
The Fold remains the most impressive from a technical point of view. Samsung has packed everything into it that is possible—including S-Pen support and a camera hidden in the display. However, the wow factor is higher with the Galaxy Z Flip, which is really super-compact when folded—and it should also be clearly ahead of the Fold in buyers’ favor. Visually, the significantly larger cover display of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is striking. Furthermore, both models now fully close flat when folded.
In addition to the current models from 2023, you can also find the predecessors in the table. Since their prices have dropped rapidly since their launch, these older devices could be a good opportunity for you to get a taste of the Foldables game.
The following two links tell you what the basic differences are between Samsung’s 2023 and 2022 generations of foldables, including our impressions on the latest models.
Samsung Galaxy S: Flagships from $599 to $1,299
Samsung presents new Galaxy S models in the first quarter of each year. This happened a little earlier than in previous years in mid-January 2024. As always, the portfolio includes the base model Galaxy S24, its big brother Galaxy S24+, and finally the top-of-the-range Galaxy S24 Ultra. All three models are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in North America, while the two cheaper models are equipped with the Samsung Exynos 2400 chip in other markets.
All three models have been moderately improved in terms of hardware: slightly more performance, better telephoto camera (S24 Ultra), slightly larger displays and batteries (S24 and S24+), and brighter panels. The big trump card that Samsung wants to play in 2024 is the Galaxy AI platform, which comes with powerful AI features.
In addition to the three new devices, the table also shows last year’s S-Class alternatives. Late last year, the Korean company also announced the more affordable Galaxy S23 FE out of a hat, as a kind of link between the mid-range and high-end. Of course, you can still keep your eyes open to possibly purchase a 2023 model from the S23 series at a reasonable price. These smartphones also have nothing to hide in terms of performance in 2024.
Keep in mind, however, that devices this old will not receive many updates, even from Samsung. Unlike the S24 series, for which Samsung is promising seven major Android updates and seven years of security updates for the first time.
Samsung Galaxy A: Mid-range smartphones from $160 to $550
The Galaxy A series begins from $160 onwards and goes all the way to just under $600 featuring 256 GB of storage space. This means that mid-range handsets are more broadly positioned than many other smartphone manufacturers with their entire portfolio. The handsets of the Galaxy A series from 2022, 2023, and 2024 are—as far as we have reviewed them—a rock-solid choice in any case.
nextpit already reviewed 2024’s Galaxy A35 and A55, which unsurprisingly scored the same as (or better than) their predecessors, with good enough (but not class-leading) performance, camera, and battery life.
You can read more about the differences between the Galaxy A and Galaxy S series in the following article:
Samsung is, of course, not alone in the market with its Galaxy A series devices. If you are looking for alternatives outside the Samsung bubble, we would recommend this article on the best mid-range smartphones to choose from.
Samsung Galaxy M: Entry-level handsets from $100 to $250
Samsung has grouped its entry-level phones in the Galaxy M series. The smartphones cover a price range between 100 euros and 250 euros. Unfortunately, we have not yet had the opportunity to test any of the devices in the Galaxy M series and are therefore unable to make any recommendations.
We are still working on getting test devices of the Galaxy M models in the future. Until then, you can find our favorites in the following linked article about the best smartphones under 200 euros.
Samsung Galaxy Xcover: Robust smartphones
When you first take a look at the technical specifications, the Galaxy XCover series is not very sexy at all. But you will definitely receive maximum protection with the IP68 rating. This means these smartphones should definitely be able to survive everyday sports or even get abused at a construction site. After all, the most modern hardware is of little use to you if the smartphone screen cracks on its very first drop.
Take note that there is also an Enterprise Edition of these handsets. These models offer an extended warranty as well as options for remote maintenance and management by administrators.
How to buy good phones at good prices
Depending on when you read this article, waiting for discount promotions or bargain days can be even more worthwhile. These are promotions such as Black Friday, when cell phones in particular are even cheaper. I have summarized the dates for you in the following table.
We want to hear from you! Have you checked out our recommended Samsung devices list? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. We value your feedback!
Last updated in July 2024 with the new Foldables. Older comments have been retained and may refer to outdated versions of this post.
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