Shopping for a new Galaxy handset? These are the best phones from Samsung, including foldables, ones with styli, and options for the budget-minded.
You can always look to Samsung when shopping for a phone of any price, size, and feature set. For the indecisive, that may not be the best thing, as finding the ideal Galaxy phone is not as simple as walking into a brick-and -mortar and asking for the “Pro” and “non-Pro” models.
Also: Best Android phones you can buy right now (including flipping foldables)
Instead, finding the best Samsung phone for you boils down to your personal needs, use cases, and design preferences. Trust me, you’ll have plenty of options laid out below, and not every one of them will be the right fit for you .
To make the shopping process easy, we’ve personally tested most, if not all, the latest Galaxy phones that Samsung has to offer, and assembled a catalog of the top options for your choosing, including the more recent Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold series, the value-driven A-series, and our top pick right now, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The best Samsung phones in 2023Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraBest Samsung phone overall
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Display: 6.8 inches | RAM/Storage Options: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB | Rear cameras: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 10x optical, 10MP 3x optical | Battery: 5,000mAh
In the grand calculus of the Samsung multiverse, the Galaxy S23 Ultra reigns supreme. It’s arguably the most no-frills smartphone that you can buy on the market, let alone from Samsung, which puts it at the top spot on our list.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display, a beefy 5,000mAh battery that can last you as long as two days, a customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor to keep things running efficiently, and the sacred Samsung S Pen — ideal for jotting down notes, graphics designing, or even signing PDFs.
I tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra earlier this year and called it “one of the most complete handsets you can buy this year — whether you like and need the excessive amount of features or not.”
Being the latest and greatest also means that the S23 Ultra comes equipped with Samsung’s newest advancements in camera technology, including a 200-megapixel main lens that’s capable of capturing the highest-resolution images we’ve seen on any Galaxy phone.There’s also 8K video recording at 30 frames per second if you’re into that.
All this is to say that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is our pick for the best Samsung phone overall.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5Best samsung foldable phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Main display: 7.6 inches | Cover display: 6.2 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB internal options | Cameras: 12MP ultrawide, 50MP wide angle, 10MP 3x telephoto, 10MP cover screen, 4MP under main display | Battery: 4,400mAh
The 2020 Galaxy Z Fold 2 set the bar for foldable devices that also serve as mini tablets. The Z Fold 3 improved on that phone with two of the most highly requested features from Fold users (S Pen support and IPX8 water resistance), while the Z Fold 4 improved the rear cameras and form factor of the phone.
And now, with the Z Fold 5, you’ll get an upgraded processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which should improve the phone’s overall performance, from battery efficiency to camera capture. This year’s model is also notably thinner than the last, and thanks to the no-gap hinge mechanism, ZDNET’s Jason Hiner said in his review that “the Fold 5 feels like the way foldables always should have been.”
The Android 13 software found in the Z Fold 5 gives the phone some serious productivity upgrades, especially in terms of multi-app usage thanks to the improved Taskbar and wider support for gesture navigations that ease the transition from multiple active windows.
Like the Z Fold 4, the Fold 5’s cameras are not quite as good as the S23 Ultra’s suite, but the hardware is clearly superior to any foldable predecessor, and the competition.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Main display: 6.7 inches | Cover display: 3.4 inches | RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM with 256GB/512GB internal options | Cameras: Two rear 12MP, 10MP selfie | Battery: 3,700mAh
While the Z Fold 5 is the best Samsung foldable, it’s the new Z Flip 5 that will likely sell the most and appeal to the masses. Not only is the clamshell handset less expensive than the Z Fold, but it’s more compact and portable and has a more user-friendly learning curve.
Shape-shifting displays aside, the Z Flip 5 is very similar to the standard Samsung Galaxy S-series flagship, with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED panel that’s crisp and bright, up to 512GB of RAM for those high-resolution pictures and videos, and a healthy 3,700mAh cell powering it all.
I tested the flip phone for weeks and was left impressed by how many refinements Samsung had made when compared to the last-gen Z Flip. Thanks to the new 3.4-inch outer display, the gapless hinge design, and improved durability, I noted in my full review that “unless Samsung unveils some form of XR headset later this year, the Z Flip 5 is without question the company’s most ambitious product of 2023.”
Folks who thrive in social media and content creation especially will love the Z Flip 5’s ability to switch between shooting styles like camcorder mode and flex mode, much like its predecessor, the Z Flip 4. The camera system on this is not on the level of Samsung’s Ultra and Plus phones, but it’s reliable enough for everyday captures.
You can always look to Samsung when shopping for a phone of any price, size, and feature set. For the indecisive, that may not be the best thing, as finding the ideal Galaxy phone is not as simple as walking into a brick-and -mortar and asking for the “Pro” and “non-Pro” models.
Also: Best Android phones you can buy right now (including flipping foldables)
Instead, finding the best Samsung phone for you boils down to your personal needs, use cases, and design preferences. Trust me, you’ll have plenty of options laid out below, and not every one of them will be the right fit for you .
To make the shopping process easy, we’ve personally tested most, if not all, the latest Galaxy phones that Samsung has to offer, and assembled a catalog of the top options for your choosing, including the more recent Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold series, the value-driven A-series, and our top pick right now, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The best Samsung phones in 2023Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraBest Samsung phone overallSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with the S Pen beside it.June Wan/ZDNETpros & consprosMost complete smartphone experience money can buyReliable quad-camera setup256GB base storage leads the competitionIntegrated S Pen stylus for enhanced functionalityconsPhone can be unwieldy for some, especially with a caseFast charging is still capped at 45WPricier than most Android phonesmore details
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Display: 6.8 inches | RAM/Storage Options: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB | Rear cameras: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 10x optical, 10MP 3x optical | Battery: 5,000mAh
In the grand calculus of the Samsung multiverse, the Galaxy S23 Ultra reigns supreme. It’s arguably the most no-frills smartphone that you can buy on the market, let alone from Samsung, which puts it at the top spot on our list.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display, a beefy 5,000mAh battery that can last you as long as two days, a customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor to keep things running efficiently, and the sacred Samsung S Pen — ideal for jotting down notes, graphics designing, or even signing PDFs.
I tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra earlier this year and called it “one of the most complete handsets you can buy this year — whether you like and need the excessive amount of features or not.”
Being the latest and greatest also means that the S23 Ultra comes equipped with Samsung’s newest advancements in camera technology, including a 200-megapixel main lens that’s capable of capturing the highest-resolution images we’ve seen on any Galaxy phone.There’s also 8K video recording at 30 frames per second if you’re into that.All this is to say that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is our pick for the best Samsung phone overall.
Review: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
See price at SamsungSee price at AmazonSee price at Best BuySamsung Galaxy Z Fold 5best samsung foldable phonefold-5-open-with-zdnetJason Hiner/ZDNETpros & consprosAn innovative gapless folding designArmor Aluminum material for a lighter and sleeker phoneHigh IPX8 water resistanceS Pen supportImproved processor and software optimized for foldablesconsStill expensive, but generous trade-in offers awayS Pen purchase and store separatelymore detailsSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Main display: 7.6 inches | Cover display: 6.2 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB internal options | Cameras: 12MP ultrawide, 50MP wide angle, 10MP 3x telephoto, 10MP cover screen, 4MP under main display | Battery: 4,400mAh
The 2020 Galaxy Z Fold 2 set the bar for foldable devices that also serve as mini tablets. The Z Fold 3 improved on that phone with two of the most highly requested features from Fold users (S Pen support and IPX8 water resistance), while the Z Fold 4 improved the rear cameras and form factor of the phone.
And now, with the Z Fold 5, you’ll get an upgraded processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which should improve the phone’s overall performance, from battery efficiency to camera capture. This year’s model is also notably thinner than the last, and thanks