The best Samsung phones in 2024 are market leaders, whether it’s the high-end flagships like the S24 Series, more affordable devices like the A34 and 54, or alternative form factors like the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. Samsung is also Apple’s biggest competitor, and other Android brands like Motorola, Google Pixel, and Honor are all trying to play catch-up with the Korean tech giant’s stellar offering of devices.
The aim of this guide is to help you decide the best Samsung for you, no matter your needs or budget. We’ve tried and tested all the handsets we’ve included, so we think we’re pretty well placed to point out each entry’s highlights and caveats compared to other Android phones. You won’t find anything specialist here, like gaming phones or rugged devices, but the approachability of Samsung phones is why the company is one of the biggest names in tech on the planet. So, let’s get into it.
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Samsung Galaxy S24
The best balance of price and features in a Samsung phone.
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| Display | 6.2-inch 120Hz AMOLED (2340 x 1080) |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB |
- Value for money
- Flagship chip
- Great cameras
- Smaller battery
- Lower-res screen
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is the best phone for most people. It has many of the benefits of its bigger brother (the Ultra), but cuts back on certain aspects to reduce the cost, resulting in a fantastic flagship that won’t see you spending upwards of $1,000.
The best news is that it shares the same chipset as the Ultra, at least in the US, meaning its performance is mightily impressive at this price. You should have no problem running demanding games like Honkai Star Rail or Diablo Immortal at the highest possible quality on the S24, which is something we can’t say about some flagships from other Android brands.
It’s also just as capable in the Galaxy AI department as the S24+ or S24 Ultra, giving you the ability to communicate in other languages with Live Translate or take your photo editing skills to the next level with Generative Edit. While other brands might be jumping on the AI bandwagon, Samsung is still leading the pack in terms of useful tools, at least until the arrival of the iPhone 16 and iOS 18 later this year.
The sacrifices come in obvious places: the screen isn’t as high resolution and the battery is a little smaller. Battery life shouldn’t be a huge worry, however, as Samsung’s software is very good at managing battery, and 45W charging speeds mean it takes just over an hour to get from 0-100%. For more details, check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 review.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The best Samsung smartphone overall.
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| Display | 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED (1440 x 3088) |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
- Best in class
- Exceptional display
- Top-tier camera system
- Flagship price
- Few changes from S23 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a formidable contender in the 2024 smartphone arena. With its overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset powering best-in-class performance, an improved display on last year’s S23, chassis refinements, and an upgraded camera system, the S24 Ultra is a versatile flagship catering to diverse user needs, from gaming to photography and productivity.
Notable among its strengths is the integration of Galaxy AI, a suite of tools enhancing productivity and imaging capabilities. Features like Chat Assist, Transcript Assist, and Circle to Search with Google underscore Samsung’s focus on user experience and innovation. While the long-term pricing implications of these features remain uncertain, the same is true for all Galaxy AI devices.
Design-wise, the S24 Ultra refines its predecessor’s aesthetics with a titanium frame and matte finish, elevating durability and tactile appeal. The flat display, with Corning’s Gorilla Armor glass, promises improved visibility and scratch resistance. It’s also IP68 rated, which means you don’t have to worry too much about dust or waterproofing even without a case.
Despite minor drawbacks such as speaker placement and potential pricing uncertainties surrounding AI features, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a compelling option for users seeking a premium Android experience. Its blend of top-tier performance, innovative features, and refined design reaffirms Samsung’s position as a leader in the smartphone market, setting a high standard for flagship devices. For more on this one, read our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
The best budget Samsung phone
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| Display | 6.4-inch 120Hz AMOLED (1080 x 2340) |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Chipset | Exynos 1380 |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB |
- Value for money
- Flagship elements
- Lower-res screen
- Less versatile cameras
The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is a great mid-range option for anyone after a Samsung phone. Even if you’re on a tighter budget, it’s worth shopping around for deals on this handset – it has many flagship features without the high price.
With a 120Hz display, lovely build quality, and a shared design language with the big boys in the bunch, it definitely feels like a premium product. The battery is big and efficient, the main camera is pretty ace for the price, and all around, for day-to-day tasks, this is more than enough.
Still, there are of course drawbacks to buying a phone at a third of the cost of a flagship. The chip inside is nowhere near the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 if you really want to push your phone – the A54 is enough for standard stuff, but don’t expect to max out the graphical settings or do some in-depth photo editing.
That’s the main drawback, mind you. The camera is good enough – nowhere near the low-light or zoom performance of the S24 Ultra, however – while the trusted Samsung software support is a boon against some of the smaller-scale competition. It’s a great deal. For more information, read our Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review.
Samsung A14 5G
The best cheap Samsung phone.
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| Display | 6.6-inch 90Hz LCD (1080 x 2408 pixels) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
| Chipset | Exynos 1330 (5nm) – SM-A146B |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB |
- Affordable 5G phone
- Vibrant display
- Two-day battery
- Significant bezels
- Outdated notch
- Low RAM
We’ve already included a budget option on this list, but if you want the absolute cheapest Samsung phone, the A14 5G delivers on that brief. Despite its low cost, it still offers a 6.6-inch Full HD+ LCD screen that looks beautifully vibrant.
The biggest setback for this model is that it uses One UI Core, rather than the standard One UI that other Samsung phones have in place. This sacrifices a few playback enhancements, Smart Suggestion, and a few other features, but all the essentials are still there.
Its 50MP sensor is physically much smaller — at 1/2.54 inches — than the premium S24 series, but during testing our reviewer was able to capture some high-quality shots in a range of lighting conditions. If you want the full lowdown, see our Samsung A14 5G review.
Samsung Galaxy A34
The Samsung phone with the best screen.
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| Display | 6.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED with waterdrop notch (1080 x 2340 pixels) |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 (6 nm) |
| RAM | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB |
- Big screen with nice visuals
- Cheap
- IP67 rated
- Middling performance
- Cameras could be better
The Samsung Galaxy A34’s large 6.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen is perfect if you like playing mobile games or streaming shows on the go. It’s a well-designed model, with IP67 dust and water resistance certification that’s impressive for a model of its price.
Its cameras leave something to do desired, however. It’s absolutely fine for selfies and off-the-cuff snaps of locations and objects, but it falls flat when it comes to ultrawide snaps. Things end up getting weirdly distorted by the fish-eye perspective, and it’s disappointing for anyone who likes to take photos like that. Still, with a large screen, stylish design, and a fairly decent price, this phone is an excellent choice. Read our Samsung Galaxy A34 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
The best foldable Samsung phone.
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| Display | 7.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED (1812 x 2176 pixels) |
| Battery | 4,400 mAh |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
- Foldable form factor
- Fast chip
- Big screen inside
- High price
- Poor durability
The best foldable Samsung phone is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, at least until we get our hands on the upcoming Z Fold 6. What you get for the high price is a fast and powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, enough RAM and storage space for most people, plus a gorgeous tablet-style screen hidden away in an easy, foldable package.
The foldable screen means you can still carry the phone in your pocket, but if you need to do things like gaming, editing, or movie watching, you don’t need another device for the bigger screen experience.
There are drawbacks, of course. The price is high. And foldable screens don’t offer the same durability as standard ones so that investment isn’t as long-term as a flagship. Oh, and then there are little niggles, like the weird aspect ratio of the big screen, the width of the handset when folded, the mediocre battery life, and the slightly annoying visible crease in the screen.
These drawbacks are pretty inevitable right now in the foldable market, so you need to make sure you need a foldable before diving in. If you are set on getting in on the hinge action, this is definitely a great choice – if not the best. For more information, see our in-depth Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The best Samsung flip phone.
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| Display | 6.7-inch 120Hz Foldable Dynamic AMOLED (1080 x 2640 pixels) |
| Battery | 3,700 mAh |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB |
- Stellar performance
- Exciting form factor
- Capable cameras
- Poor battery life
- Durability
- Visible crease
The best clamshell Samsung phone is the Galaxy Z Flip 5, though this could soon change with the imminent arrival of the Z Flip 6. The form factor is fantastic, and even though others like Oppo and Motorola have tried, no one can seem to get a flip phone feeling quite as nice as Samsung.
It helps that the folding display is fantastic in its own right, with a 120Hz refresh rate ideal for a bit of mobile gaming and the AMOLED screen making content pop whether you’re streaming YouTube, Netflix, or anything else for that matter. The cameras are great, too, even if the low megapixel count of the 12MP wide and 12MP ultrawide might have you thinking otherwise on paper. We were pleasantly surprised with them while testing it out for our review.
Caveats, however, can be just as big as above. The crease from the screen can annoy some, the battery life isn’t anything to write home about, and the durability on foldable screens is still sub-par. The weirder thing is that a clamshell doesn’t have the big-screen benefit of a book-type foldable.
Still, this isn’t about whether foldables are worth it yet or not – this is simply the best Samsung clamshell, hands down. While the competition is heating up with every year that passes, there’s still that tried-and-true Samsung trustworthiness here, and a clear reason why the Korean brand leads the growing flip phone market. If you still want to know more, see our Samsung Z Flip 5 review.
How we chose the best Samsung phones
When picking out devices for our list of the best Samsung phones, the first thing we take into account is pricing. We want to make sure to include phones that cover the big three price ranges; budget, mid-range, and premium. That way, we can be sure there’s something for everyone, no matter how much you have to spend on a new phone.
Another important factor is cameras. While Google Pixel might boast about its cameras a little more openly, Samsung is right up there with its Android competitor in terms of quality. This is especially true of the pricer Samsung phones, like the Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5, and S24 Ultra, but even a more affordable alternative like the A54 holds its own compared to similar products in the same price range, like the Nothing Phone (2a) and Google Pixel 7a.
Other big factors include the display, after all, you spend a long time looking at it, chipsets, battery life, and charging speeds. While not all the phones we’ve included are out of this world in every department, we’ve found them to be the best of what Samsung has to offer during testing. Some of the inclusions have specific highlights, though, like the S24 Ultra’s camera array or the A14’s two-day battery life.
Ultimately, we’re looking for value in our list of the best Samsung phones. From the flagship S24 Ultra to the ultra-affordable A14, while the specs and prices of these phones are worlds apart, they both offer value for your money. This is true of all the options on this list and it’ll be true of any options we add in the future.
What is the best series of Samsung phones?
Without a doubt, the best series of Samsung Phones is the S series, with this year’s offering including the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra. This is the brand’s flagship series, competing with the iPhone 15 Series, as well as other big-name Androids like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Honor Magic6 Pro.
In a close second place, the Samsung Z series phones, like the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5, are also very capable devices. However, you’re paying more for an exciting form factor here, with the Z Fold 5 costing you almost $500 more than the ultra-premium S24 Ultra. The cost of the Z Fold 5 might fall a little with the release of the Z Fold 6 in late July 2024, but then again, that might not matter if you’re looking to buy the latest model.
Further down the pecking order is the A series, covering the mid-range and budget price range. For those who don’t know, the higher the number that immediately follows the ‘A’ in the naming convention speaks to the quality of the phone. For example, the A54 is a solid mid-ranger that competes with the Google Pixel 8a and OnePlus 12R, while the A14 and A34 are budget phones that aren’t quite as capable when it comes to gaming and photography but cost much less than any other option on this list.
Is the Samsung foldable worth buying?
At the time of writing, there’s no disputing that the Samsung Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are the best alternative form factor devices around. Still, whether they’re worth buying depends on whether you’re willing to sacrifice durability for innovation.
Both phones are great, and the performance is just as reliable and almost as powerful as the S24 series, but neither the Z Fold 5 or Z Flip 5 are as water-tight or dustproof as other Samsung devices, including even the budget options.
As we’re still waiting to get our hands on the newly revealed Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, we can’t yet say whether either is worth picking up. However, each has seen a slight change in design and an upgrade from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform to the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. If they are worth buying, you can be sure to see them in this guide once we’ve properly tested them.
Why buy a Samsung instead of another Android phone?
One of the biggest selling points Samsung has is its slew of Galaxy AI features. While these aren’t available on the brand’s budget phones, all of its flagships are capable of utilizing tools like Live Translate, Chat Assist, and others. Better still, we learned during the July 2024 Galaxy Unpacked presentation that more features are coming, including Sketch to Image, which brings your doodles to life with a bit of AI magic.
Another big draw of Samsung devices is the One UI operating system, which is one of the more welcoming software set-ups across the Android spectrum. All devices come with One UI pre-installed, so there’s no annoying setup, and there’s very little bloatware – those annoying apps that you don’t want but come with the phone anyway – to deal with either.
Samsung also offers more robust futureproofing than other brands. The S24 Series is a great example, offering seven years of Android OS and security updates. Only Google Pixel comes close, and while it’s hard to imagine using the same phone for a full seven years, it’s nice to know that the option is there.
Outside of these software perks, Samsung also often opts for the latest hardware in its flagship and mid-range devices, giving you plenty of bang for your buck in terms of photography, performance, and battery life. At the premium price point, all the available phones are more than decent, but there’s a reason that Samsung is only behind Apple in terms of global sales.
When does Samsung release new phones?
Samsung tends to follow a pretty rigid release schedule for annual launches. In either January or February, we usually see the arrival of the latest S Series flagships with a Galaxy Unpacked showcase, as we did with the introduction of the S24 devices in January of 2024. Between then and early summer, the brand tends to release a stream of more affordable handsets without all the fanfare of an Unpacked event.
As early Summer comes around, Samsung usually launches its alternative form factor devices, bringing new handsets to the Samsung Z Flip and Z Fold lines with a second Unpacked presentation of the year. That’s what happened this year, though we’ve still to get our hands on the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, with both devices arriving with retailers in late July.
Anyway, those are the best Samsung phones. For more advice, check out the best gaming phones and the best gaming iPhone if you’re looking for something a little more gaming-specific.