Samsung is one of the most recognized names in modern smartphones, boasting a well-deserved reputation for offering a wide range of excellent phones that cater to different needs and budgets. If you're in the market for an Android phone, you're likely to find a Samsung model that fits your requirements. While the variety of choices can be a bit overwhelming, the good news is that we have explored the entire lineup and selected the best Samsung smartphones available in 2025.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is our top pick for the best overall Samsung phone. On paper, this shouldn’t come as a surprise until you release last year’s best Samsung phone was the Galaxy S24 Plus, not the Galaxy S24 Ultra. We feel, however, that this year’s flagship once again takes the title for various reasons mentioned below.
If the Galaxy S25 Ultra doesn't meet your preferences, there are many other excellent Samsung smartphones available, including the Galaxy S25 Plus, ensuring that one will be perfect for you. Of course, if you'd rather get an iPhone, there are plenty of those available too.
The best Samsung phone overall
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Lighter than previous models
- Anti-reflective screen looks amazing
- New wide-angle camera takes great photos
- Powerhouse processor
- Long software update commitment
- One UI 7 is the best version yet
- No Bluetooth on the S Pen
- Galaxy AI features have limited appeal
- Main camera disappoints
- Qi2 wireless charging not built in
Why you should buy this: It's the pinnacle of Samsung's smartphone creation.
Who it's for: Someone who wants the most impressive Samsung smartphone, regardless of cost.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra:
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra stands as the pinnacle of Samsung's smartphone lineup, seamlessly merging cutting-edge technology with a stunning and premium design. One of its standout features is its exceptional camera system, which often includes multiple high-resolution sensors, such as a 200 MP primary sensor, ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, and advanced AI capabilities. These elements work together to deliver incredible photography and videography, allowing users to capture breathtaking images in various lighting conditions, including low light.
Under the hood, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is powered by a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite for Galaxy with generous RAM options. This powerful combination ensures smooth multitasking and seamless performance for demanding applications, including intense gaming and professional-grade editing.
The device also features a stunning display, a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel with QHD+ resolution, and high refresh rates of up to 120Hz. This results in vibrant colors, deep blacks, and an immersive viewing experience, whether you're watching videos, playing games, or browsing content.
Additionally, including the S Pen enhances the Galaxy S25 Ultra's versatility. It allows for precise navigation, note-taking, and creative projects. Its Bluetooth functionality enables users to control their phones remotely, making it a valuable tool for presentations and photography.
Samsung continues prioritizing long-term software support, promising several years of updates and security patches that keep the device running smoothly and securely. Coupled with robust build quality, water and dust resistance, and a premium materials finish, the Galaxy S25 Ultra delivers an all-encompassing and top-tier smartphone experience that caters to professionals and technology enthusiasts alike.
The best runner-up Samsung phone
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
- Excellent battery life
- Superfast performance
- Powerhouse processor
- Fantastic size
- One UI 7 is Samsung's best yet
- Excellent software longevity commitment
- Build durability is questionable
- Ultrawide and telephoto cameras are very disappointing
- Galaxy AI features are still fairly limited
- Qi2 wireless charging not built in
Why you should buy this: It's the second best 2025 Samsung phone of the year.
Who it's for: Anyone who wants one of the best Samsung phone around, but for less than the Ultra.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus:
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is designed for those seeking a top-tier smartphone experience without the hefty price tag of higher-end models. This mid-range phone balances performance, features, and comfort, making it ideal for tech enthusiasts and everyday users. While it is a more affordable option than the Ultra model, it does not compromise performance; you can expect a high-performing device that competes well with other flagship smartphones.
One of the standout features of the S25 Plus is its display, which utilizes Samsung’s acclaimed AMOLED technology. Whether watching videos, gaming, or browsing photos, you'll enjoy vibrant colors and deep blacks. The boundaryless design maximizes screen space and enhances the overall realism of the viewing experience, delivering high-definition images and easily readable text.
The Galaxy S25 Plus has a cutting-edge processor and substantial RAM, ensuring excellent performance even with resource-intensive apps and multitasking. This device is engineered to provide a smooth, interruption-free experience for gaming, streaming, or productivity. Its efficient thermal management system also helps keep the phone cool during extended use.
While the S25 Plus’s camera system may not include all the advanced features of the Ultra model, it still delivers impressive photography results. With advanced software and image stabilization, the multi-lens setup captures stunning, high-resolution pictures in low-light conditions. You can expect high-quality photos and videos suitable for both professionals and beginners.
In summary, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is an outstanding smartphone that meets the needs of today’s consumers. It offers high performance, an exquisite display, and solid camera capabilities, all wrapped in an attractive design at a reasonable price. If you're looking for a device to enhance your media consumption, gaming, or photography experience, the S25 Plus is an excellent choice.
The best small Samsung phone
Samsung Galaxy S25
- Compact footprint and solid build
- Beautiful 120Hz OLED screen
- Plenty of silicon firepower
- Battery can go a full day
- One UI 7 has a few functional charms
- It sorely needs a design makeover
- Cameras don’t justify the price tag
- Charging situation is just poor
- Most of the new AI tricks fall flat
- Upgrades? Don’t say that word
Why you should buy this: It's everything amazing about Samsung's phones, but smaller.
Who it's for: Someone who wants a more compact smartphone, but doesn't want to compromise on performance.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy S25:
The regular Samsung Galaxy S25 is designed for users who value a compact, pocket-friendly device without compromising essential flagship features. Its smaller size makes it ideal for one-handed use and those who dislike bulky phones. Despite its compact design, the S25 delivers impressive performance. After all, it has the same chipset as the other Galaxy S25 models. In doing so, it offers smooth multitasking and gaming experiences.
Moreover, the smartphone’s high-quality display provides vibrant visuals for an enhanced multimedia experience. While its camera system may not be as advanced as those found in the Plus or Ultra models, it still offers excellent photography capabilities for everyday use.
Additionally, the S25 comes with a more affordable price point than its larger counterparts, making it an appealing choice for budget-conscious consumers seeking a premium smartphone experience. In summary, the Galaxy S25 represents the perfect power, portability, and value for anyone looking for a compact flagship device.
The best foldable Samsung phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
- Fantastic folding design
- Refined size and weight
- IP48 water and dust resistance
- Two colorful, usable screens
- Main camera takes fun, vibrant photos
- Long software commitment
- Slow battery charging
- One-day battery life
- More expensive than last year
Why you should buy this: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a productivity buff's dream, with its dual display, up to 1TB of storage, and robust, yet light Armor Aluminum frame.
Who it's for: Anybody who wants a productivity punch and top-notch specs bundled into a foldable format.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6:
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the best Samsung phone for productivity, with a foldable form factor and dual screens. Its front display measures 6.3 inches, just slightly larger than the Z Fold 5. Once you open it up, you get the full 7.6-inch main display with the series' most seamless crease yet. Both screens reach up to a 120Hz refresh rate, too. You almost forget you’re using a smartphone instead of a mini tablet.
The Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the cover screen and back enhance durability while maintaining a sleek, comfortable hold. The IP48 rating also adds an additional layer of protection from dust and water. You can also add a special case for the S Pen, which you need to buy separately, but works wonderfully if you want to use the Z Fold 6 as a notepad.
The Z Fold 6 upgrades its processor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which provides a light performance boost and powers Samsung's Galaxy AI. Many of its specs like its 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage transfer over from the past generation. Meanwhile, AI now assists with tasks from translations to note-taking and shows up as generative AI in the camera and photo-editing apps. Speaking of which, the Z Fold 6 features the same 50MP main camera, a 12MP wide-angle lens, 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and 4MP Under Display Camera as its predecessor. It's not a camera system that'll dethrone the Galaxy S24 Ultra's, but it's still very, very good.
The Z Fold 6’s productivity is a double-edged sword. While it can juggle demanding tasks and seamlessly process them on a bright, foldable screen, those processes take a toll on its 4,400mAh battery. Two and a half hours of everyday usage already saps the energy down to 50%, even without playing games. It isn’t much of a problem, though, if you have portable batteries or alternative ways to charge while you’re outside of the house. It supports 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, but no charger in the box.
Samsung is set to support the Z Fold 6 with at least seven years of Android OS and security updates. The device runs on Android 14 OS with Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1, including the improved Taskbar that now displays up to four recent apps instead of two. The Taskbar is particularly useful for multitasking on the Z Fold 6, allowing users to drag apps onto the main screen. You can use up to three apps on the unfolded screen and add a fourth app as a floating window. You can also easily alter the shape and size of each app window and activate multitasking.
If you already have the Z Fold 5, it’s hard to recommend upgrading to a phone that’s almost the same. However, if you’re new to the foldable phone world, it offers plenty of pros as a smartphone that can basically double as a tablet.
The best Samsung flip phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
- Top-notch hardware
- IP48 dust and water resistance
- Very good inner display
- Fast, snappy performance
- New 50MP camera is great
- Seven years of updates
- Bad cover screen
- Slow charge speeds
- Frustrating price increase
- Extremely similar to the Flip 5
Why you should buy this: If you can afford a folding phone that costs over $1,000 right now, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the one you should buy.
Who it's for: Those who simply must have the latest and most popular foldable.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6:
There are several reasons why tech enthusiasts are buzzing about Samsung's latest folding phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 6. For starters, it boasts an improved camera, a sturdier hinge construction, a newer and faster processor, and extended software support. On top of that, it features an overall sleek and elegant build that's sure to turn heads. The Z Flip 6 offers a diverse palette of colors, including yellow, mint, blue, gray, peach, white, and “crafted black” — a black, textured colorway that makes monotone cool again.
When you flip the phone open, you'll see the 6.7-inch AMOLED 2X display and its bright, pixel-perfect 2640 x 1080 screen. Its 2,600 nits of brightness can outshine daytime glare and the 120Hz refresh rate with VRR seamlessly plays videos and games. The cover screen is a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED that's much more useful than previous models — it even allows you to run full Android apps. It almost makes up for the fact that its sluggish 60Hz refresh rate and fuzzy 720x748 resolution demystify the magic a bit.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 upgrades to the Snapdragon Gen 3, the new standard in Samsung phones. However, that’s not the biggest improvement in this model. The Z Flip 6 ramps up the RAM to 12GB (the Galaxy Z Flip 5 had 8GB) and offers up 512GB of storage. Finally, it has the same amount of processing power as its larger foldable cousin, the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It also boasts the privilege of being the first Z Flip phone with a vapor chamber 50% larger than that in the S23 Ultra. As a result, it’s cool to touch, even under stress.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has a 4,000mAh battery, which is technically more than the Z Flip 5 but still isn’t enough to call it a two-day flip phone. If you’re fine with charging overnight, you’ll have more than enough juice to make it through an early morning to a late evening. It offers multiple charging options, including 25W wired charging, 15W wireless (including MagSafe), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. It’s serviceable, but still the same as the Z Flip 5.
The 12MP ultrawide camera with a 123-degree field of view and 10 MP selfie camera on the Z Flip 6 match the specs on its predecessor. However, it does make a significant jump to its 50MP main camera from the 12MP on the Z Flip 5. It’s the same camera used in Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus phones, hailed as some of today's best camera phones.
Other than that, it's basically identical to last year's model. To Samsung’s credit, the Z Flip 6 does feature upgrades to its cameras. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s improved image signal processor provides better color reproduction, while the main and ultrawide cameras have a new "clear lens coating" to prevent lens flares. Its Android 14 OS and Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1 support are a strong start to its seven years of updates.
The best value Samsung phone
Samsung Galaxy A35
- Light and comfortable to hold
- IP67 rating makes it durable
- Main camera takes fun photos
- Long software update commitment
- Battery doesn't last two days
- No wireless or fast charging
Why you should buy this: It costs significantly less than the Galaxy S24 while still delivering a lovely display, decent cameras, and good performance.
Who it's for: Anybody who wants a dependable smartphone for under $500.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy A35:
Samsung's Galaxy S24 series is outstanding, as are its folding phones. But the truth is that a lot of people can't afford those expensive handsets — and that's why the Galaxy A35 is so important. You get many of the same features found on Samsung's more expensive phones at a fraction of the price.
For starters, the Galaxy A35 still looks like its pricier Galaxy counterparts, even though its frame is made from plastic instead of aluminum. It only weighs 209g and measures 8.2mm thick, so it’s light and comfortable to hold and thin enough to slip into the average pocket. The IP67 rating also safeguards it from dust and water, though you shouldn’t take it for a dip at the pool anytime soon. It still features Gorilla Glass Victus over the front, but it has regular glass on the rear. I wouldn’t drop the phone on purpose to test the difference, but at least one side still benefits from the higher-quality material.
The Galaxy A35 sports a slightly larger screen than its predecessor, the Galaxy A34. The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display delivers crisp text and strong, vibrant colors and reaches up to 1,000 nits of brightness with 2340x1080 resolution. Even more impressive is the 120Hz refresh rate that enables everything to feel fast and smooth. It's mostly thanks to the Exynos 1380 processor and 8GB of RAM. The Galaxy A35 isn't the fastest phone you'll ever use, but it's more than capable for anything you'd want to throw at it.
Despite the price, the Galaxy A35 also features a respectable 5,000mAh battery. One 30-minute YouTube video eats about 6% of battery life. Based on that, the battery can last over eight hours with just everyday use. It supports the USB Power Delivery 3.0 standard of 25W wired charging, which can take it from “flat to full” in 1 hour and 25 minutes or up to 50% in 40 minutes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support wireless charging or fast charging.
What about the cameras? Well, the 50MP main camera isn't the best we've ever seen, but for quick and casual photography, it gets the job done. It also tends to produce very bright and overly saturated photos, more so than its S24 cousins. It also has an 8MP wide-angle camera and fixed focus 5MP macro camera on the back, and a 13MP selfie camera is on the front. These cameras don't take nearly as detailed photos as the main one, but they still take respectable photos when used with their strengths in mind. As a plus, the editing suite in the Gallery app is easy to use.
Does that mean pictures look lifelike and 1:1 accurate to the real world? Not exactly. But if you prefer your photos to have a real punch to them, the Galaxy A35 certainly delivers.
If you have more money to burn, a phone like the Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Plus is going to deliver a better experience in every department. However, if $400 is the most you can spend, you'll find very little to be disappointed about with the Galaxy A35.
The best cheap Samsung phone
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G
- Only $200
- Large display with a 90Hz refresh rate
- 5,000mAh battery
- 50MP rear camera, 13MP selfie camera
- Respectable performance
- Unique, textured back
- Secondary cameras aren't impressive
- No water or dust resistance
- Fast charging up to 15W only
Why you should buy this: It has no business being this good when it costs just $200.
Who it's for: Anyone looking for a Samsung phone that doesn't break the bank but still performs very well.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G:
The $200 phone market is usually where you'll find phones full of compromises. A low price often means harsh cost-cutting, and as a result, you're unlikely to find something that can be described as "good". That's not the case with the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, which is a true diamond in the rough.
You'll struggle to define the A14 as a stunner, but it's not a bad-looking smartphone. The body is made from plastic, but it has a unique texture that feels good and adds grip, something glass-bodied phones can struggle with. The display is worth pausing over, though. It's a 6.6-inch LCD with a 1080p resolution, which isn't bad by itself — but the inclusion of a 120Hz refresh rate definitely pushes this phone into a higher grade. There isn't any water resistance, but hey, you can't have everything, especially at this price.
It's modestly powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, the same chip from the A13. We found it stuttered a little during use, which reduced the smoothness of the 120Hz refresh rate, and it was sometimes sluggish to open apps, so make sure to clear out those running apps once in a while to keep it speedy. Storage starts from 64GB, which is relatively low these days, but there's the option to use a microSD card to expand that by 1TB. It comes with Android 13, and Samsung has committed to two major Android updates and four years of security updates — a strong promise for a budget smartphone.
The main camera is impressive for a $200 smartphone. The main lens has a 50MP sensor, and it consistently took good, crisp images that are more than good enough for social media. Surprisingly for a cheap phone, it even takes clear night mode shots too. The second lens, a 2MP depth sensor, is there to assist the main camera in portrait shots, so it's really technically a dual-lens system. Unfortunately, the third lens, a 2MP macro lens, continues the strong tradition of macro lenses being a bit rubbish, and it's not one to rely on at all. Stick with the 50MP main lens instead, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised by how good your shots are for a $200 smartphone.
The A14 has a 5,000mAh battery, and it's capable of going for two days on a single charge. That's helpful, as the charging rate is limited to 15W, so you'll be wanting to leave it for a little while when charging. There's no wireless charging, which makes sense on a phone this cheap.
The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is available now, with prices starting from $200. As always, keep an eye on the sales, and you could snag this excellent phone for even cheaper. It's available on all major U.S. carriers, though the U.S. only gets the rather boring plain black color.
