While Apple only launches a handful of phones a year, Samsung is more prolific. That gives prospective buyers plenty of options to pick between, which is both good and bad – there’s probably a Samsung phone out there to suit just about anyone, but it can be tricky to figure out which one is right for you. Do you want the flagship-class (but expensive) experience offered by the Galaxy S range or Z-series foldables? If you’re on a tighter budget, one of the more affordable FE models may appeal more, or any of the handsets from the expansive Galaxy A range, or the even cheaper Galaxy M line. We review as many Samsung Galaxy phones as we can every year, and right here you’ll find our pick of the bunch. We’ve not just included the expensive models – though they’re here too – but have also picked out our favourite cheaper Samsung handsets, so there should be something to suit any budget. If you’re considering a new Samsung phone, remember that the Galaxy S23 line will be revealed on 1 February – so there are new phones on the horizon, and potentially discounts ahead for last year’s S22 models.
Best Samsung Galaxy phones 2023
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Excellent camera Phenomenal display Integrated stylus
Bulky Expensive Sluggish charging
The design is distinctly different from the other entries in the Galaxy S22 range (which is to say very ‘Note-like’) and features an integrated S Pen stylus that expands functionality beyond most rivals, especially in terms of productivity. Despite familiar-looking camera hardware, the upgrades made by Samsung render it one of the best systems in any phone right now; with a 108Mp main shooter backed up by an ultrawide and two telephoto lenses at different zoom levels – with the zoom performance particularly improved on previous models. The expansive 6.8in LTPO AMOLED display delivers both high WQHD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, while long-term software support that surpasses even Google’s Pixels rounds out an impressive list of pros.
Elegant folding design Water-resistant Affordable (for a foldable)
No telephoto camera Still needs to be tougher
Improvements to both battery life and camera quality have fixed the most notable flaws of the previous generation, meaning there are now few compromises to the design. The main one is that you’ll have to live without a telephoto camera – included on all of Samsung’s other flagships – and accept the risk that it may not be as durable as a traditional slab-shaped phone. Still, the combo of a beautiful, compact design with top-notch specs, water-resistance, and now enough battery to last the day comfortably makes this a difficult phone to turn down.
Premium design and build Excellent AMOLED display Solid flagship camera performance
Sub-par battery life Only 25W charging Expensive
Highlights include a premium compact design, excellent camera performance, 120Hz display, IP68 rating, and Samsung’s One UI skin. Battery life aside, there are barely any major downsides to the S22. If you are a heavy user, get prepared to charge the phone more than once a day or carry a portable power bank. It is not worth upgrading from last year’s S21 though, as the improvements are marginal. If you need better battery life and a larger screen and can stretch your budget, the S22+ (below) is worth considering.
Nice display Strong performance Capable cameras
Underwhelming finish Middling battery life Slow charging
The Snapdragon 778G renders the A52s far more competitive in the heated mid-range space, outpacing favourites like the OnePlus Nord 2 in our CPU benchmarks. Perhaps surprisingly, it even leaves the A52s faster than its otherwise similar successor, the Galaxy A53, so we’d still recommend this model over the more recent one. Battery life is good (even if charging is still relatively slow), there’s a rich array of cameras to leverage and a great user experience comes backed up by excellent long-term software support from Samsung.
Great for multitasking Powerful rear cameras All-day battery life S Pen support
Array App support is hit-and-miss
An upgrade to the Snadpragon 8+ Gen 1 guarantees top performance, while the rear cameras are lifted wholesale from the S22 series to deliver excellent photography too. New software features including a task bar improve multi-tasking further too, helping the Fold 4 realise the full potential of the form factor. Not every app supports that form factor well though, so some software is still a little awkward on the big screen. You’ll also have to put up with a rubbish under-display selfie camera on the inside of the phone.
Beautiful 120Hz display Premium build quality Great long-term support
Cameras need tweaking Slow charging Underwhelming battery life
Great performance, especially in terms of graphical ability, may temporarily be hamstrung by a lack of optimisation but the S22+ feels like a well future-proofed device nonetheless, not least because of the excellent long-term update support that Samsung is offering with it. You also get a stunning display, superb build quality that’s both elegant yet hardy and some promising cameras. Battery life and fast charging are the biggest speed bumps to making this an instant recommendation, however.
Clean design Good cameras Great long-term support
No water resistance Pricey No 5G
The result is great hardware that looks far less competitive than it would have had the S21 FE gone on sale only a few months earlier, as originally intended. Nonetheless, if you can find it at a discount, it sports a sleek, understated design, great cameras and top-notch long-term software support from Samsung.
Nice 120Hz display Compact design Strong performance
Some downgrades over S20 Plastic build
It doesn’t push the envelope in any one area does address its predecessor’s bland design with some fresher aesthetic and colour choices – something that Samsung’s continued with the design approach taken by the S22. Add to that still-great performance from the Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100 and improved long-term software support and the S21 still has a lot to offer, especially now that it’s dropped in price.
Rich camera experience Great performance Stunning screen Good battery life
Big and heavy Expensive
In terms of versatility, the camera stands unrivalled, with a 108Mp main shooter, backed up by an ultrawide and two telephoto lenses at different optical zoom levels (3x and 10x) – a trait that Samsung’ decided to carry across almost verbatim on its 2022 successor. The expansive 6.8in display delivers both high WQHD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz – making it great for gaming, while Samsung’s long-term software support means this Ultra has the potential to outlast equivalent Pixels.
Nice 120Hz display IP67 rating Attractive design
Middling performance Slow charging
It’s held back by the fact that its Snapdragon 778G chip is outclassed by rivals at the same price, and the 25W charging is pretty sluggish. Still, few other phones at this price offer IP67 water-resistance or a commitment to four years of Android updates. Just bear in mind that the A73 isn’t available worldwide, so readers in the US or Europe may find it harder to buy. ‘S’ is used to mark its flagship phones – the S22 line is the latest, with the S23 phones launching in February. These are among Samsung’s most expensive and powerful smartphones, marked by powerful specs and capable cameras. The ‘Z’ branding is reserved for the company’s foldables, which are further split into the ‘Fold’ (larger book-style foldables) and Flip (smaller ‘clamshell’ foldables). Then the ‘A’ and ‘M’ lines are Samsung’s cheaper phones. The A-series sprawls from mid-range phones right down to cheaper models that cost as little as $100/£100, while the M-series overlaps with the lower end of the A-range and goes even cheaper – though Galaxy M phones often don’t launch in the US and Europe. Beyond that, Samsung phones are known for slick designs and impressive cameras. They also all run One UI, the company’s customised Android skin, which is among our favourites – making Samsung phones easier to use than a lot of Android alternatives. Within the Android space, the other options depend on where you live. If you’re in the US or Canada then the main alternatives are Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Motorola phones. Google and OnePlus offer stiffer competition at the flagship end, but Motorola has a range of handsets to match Samsung’s at every price point. Outside of the US you may have more options. 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. They tend to have a little less polish than Samsung’s offerings, but often deliver better specs for the price. There are two reasons for this. One is that we can only review the phones we have to test, and Samsung doesn’t tend to send us samples of its cheaper phones, making it harder for us to review them. The other is that, to be honest, we don’t think Samsung’s cheaper phones are usually all that great. While its flagships and foldables are excellent, we often find that Galaxy A and M phones are under-powered and over-priced, meaning we usually point budget phone buyers towards other brands. Tech Advisor’s Deputy Editor, Dom covers everything that runs on electricity, from phones and laptops to wearables, audio, gaming, smart home, and streaming - plus he’s a regular fixture on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
