Our Pick Of The Best Samsung Phones

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There are two big names in the smartphone game. Samsung might be considered the Pepsi to Apple’s Coca-Cola offering its own unique take on what is essentially the same product. While Apple may be more focused on design and aesthetic, Samsung is all about specs and innovation.

The South Korean company has made a name for itself more broadly in the tech world, selling other products such as TVs and laptops, as well as some of the most cutting-edge and highest-spec handsets on the market. Based on our research (September 2024), here’s what we consider to be the best Samsung phones on the market right now.

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Best Samsung Phones


Galaxy S24 Ultra

Galaxy S24 Ultra
5.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£1,249

Screen size

6.8”

Max camera resolution

200 megapixel

Galaxy S24 Ultra
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£1,249

Screen size

6.8”

Max camera resolution

200 megapixel

Why We Picked It

The S24 Ultra is the current pinnacle of Samsung’s smartphone technology. Features include an incredibly sharp 200 megapixel, wide-angle camera and a camera zoom capability of up to 100x.

The handset also has the largest battery in the Galaxy range at 5,000mAh, which Samsung says will give you up to 30 hours of video playback and up to 95 hours of audio playback.

Other features include the new Snapdragon 8 (third generation) eight-core processor, titanium frame and S-Pen compatibility.

Pros & Cons
  • Incredible camera specs
  • Big battery
  • Expensive
  • Can be too large for some users’ hands

Galaxy S24+

Galaxy S24+
5.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£999

Screen size

6.7”

Max camera resolution

50 Megapixel

Galaxy S24+
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£999

Screen size

6.7”

Max camera resolution

50 Megapixel

Why We Picked It

This oversized version of Samsung’s flagship S24 phone is cheaper than the S24 Ultra at £999. Its screen is almost the same size as the Ultra’s at 6.7”, and has the same resolution, refresh rate and brightness capability, but the handset weighs almost 40g less.

The battery capacity is also only slightly smaller than the S24 Ultra at 4,900mAh. That’s 200mAh more than the S23+ had. Samsung says this gives users 31 hours of video playback and 92 hours of audio playback.

Pros & Cons
  • Good compromise between the S24 and S24 Ultra
  • Good value for money
  • Expensive
  • Can be too large for some users’ hands

Galaxy S24

Galaxy S24
5.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£799

Screen size

6.2”

Max camera resolution

50 Megapixel

Galaxy S24
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£799

Screen size

6.2”

Max camera resolution

50 Megapixel

Why We Picked It

The S24 is the most affordable way to get Samsung’s latest and greatest smartphone technology, plus it’s a more manageable size for users who might struggle with the larger versions of the S24.

The camera and processor specs are the same as in the S24+, but the 6.2” screen has a lower resolution at 2340 x 1080 pixels, and the battery capacity is lower at 4,000mAh. Even so, the S24 is a very capable smartphone at the same price as Apple’s iPhone 16 flagship phone.

Pros & Cons
  • Most affordable model
  • Top Samsung tech
  • Not the highest camera specs
  • Not the biggest battery capacity

Galaxy S23 Ultra

Galaxy S23 Ultra
5.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£1,249

Screen size

6.8″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

200MP

Galaxy S23 Ultra
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Price

£1,249

Screen size

6.8″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

200MP

Why We Picked It

The S23 Ultra is Samsung’s premium handset in its latest flagship range, with a higher spec than its siblings the S23 and S23+.

On first inspection, it could easily be mistaken for its predecessor the S22 Ultra, as it includes many of the same features. However, there are a couple of crucial upgrades that justify the £100 increase in price. For instance, the S23 Ultra’s camera array includes a 200 Megapixel wide angle lens – almost double the resolution on the S22 Ultra’s wide angle lens, far surpassing offerings from rivals.

Powering the device is Samsung’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which enables smooth and seamless performance, including when gaming. This comes in addition to the best features of the S22 Ultra, the 6.8″ display with 1088 x 1440 resolution, up to 12G of RAM, 1 Terabyte of storage and a 5,000 mAh battery.

The cameras include a 12MP ultrawide lens, 10MP telephoto lens and periscope telephoto lens, and can shoot footage in 8K – the best resolution available on a smartphone. However, the 12MP selfie lens is a downgrade on the S22 Ultra’s 40MP selfie lens. Samsung’s signature S Pen also comes with this model, for writing and drawing capabilities, and the ability to copy and lift text from images.

Pros & Cons
  • 12GB RAM
  • Large capacity battery
  • 200MP camera w/ 100x zoom
  • Expensive
  • No expandable storage
  • May be too big for smaller hands
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 12GB
Max storage capacity: 1TB
Screen resolution: 3088 x 1440 pixels
Screen PPI: 500
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
Battery capacity: 5,000mAh
Camera F-stop range: 1.7-4.9
Max camera zoom: 100x

Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
5.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£1,149

Screen size

6.8″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

108MP

Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
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Price

£1,149

Screen size

6.8″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

108MP

Why We Picked It

This handset costs the same as its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, did at its launch.

While the Galaxy S21 supported the Samsung S Pen, the Galaxy S22 integrates the accessory with a slot for stowing and charging it – much like Samsung’s Note range of smartphones.

The camera looks very similar to that of the S21 Ultra, but the lenses no longer protrude from the back of the device, which means it can be set down flat more easily than its predecessor.

The main camera again features a huge 108 Megapixel sensor, and Samsung has done some work on the software side of things to make night time photography sharper. Night mode can now also be applied to videos as well as stills. Curiously, the 6.8″ AMOLED 2 display has a lower resolution than its predecessor, which in turn means it has fewer pixels per inch. It does, however, support HDR 10+ where the S21 Ultra only supported HDR 10.

The most expensive version of the phone has a maximum RAM of 12GB, which is less than its last-generation equivalent, which went up to 16GB. In terms of storage, however, the new phone goes up to 1 Terabyte, which is almost double the S21’s maximum.

Pros & Cons
  • 12GB RAM
  • Large capacity battery
  • 108MP camera w/ 100x zoom
  • Expensive
  • No expandable storage
  • May be too big for smaller hands
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 12GB
Max storage capacity: 1TB
Screen resolution: 3088 x 1440 pixels
Screen PPI: 500
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
Battery capacity: 5,000mAh
Camera F-stop range: 1.8-4.9
Max camera zoom: 100x

Galaxy S22+ 5G

Galaxy S22+ 5G
5.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£949

Screen size

6.6″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Galaxy S22+ 5G
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Price

£949

Screen size

6.6″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Why We Picked It

The middle child in Samsung’s S22 range, the Galaxy S22+, has undergone some upgrades on its predecessor, the Galaxy S21+. Where the latter was backed with plastic, the new device has a Gorilla Glass Victus+ rear, which makes the device feel more premium without sacrificing too much in durability.

For some reason, Samsung saw fit to have off 0.1″ off the handset for this iteration, making it ever so slightly smaller, which can be a plus if you have smaller hands. The bezels have been shrunk slightly though, giving over more space for the new AMOLED 2X screen, which Samsung markets as the best display it’s ever made. That said, it comes with fewer pixels per inch than the base Galaxy S22 because its resolution is the same, despite being a larger display panel.

In terms of photography, it’s not quite up there with the S22 Ultra’s four-lens 108MP main camera setup, but its 50MP main lens is still much higher resolution than what’s found in its Apple equivalent. The selfie camera on the front is also of a lower resolution than its bigger sibling, at 10MP rather than 40MP. The handset comes with a more-than-sufficient 8GB of RAM and a choice of either 128GB or 256GB of storage.

Pros & Cons
  • Large display
  • Powerful processor
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Expensive
  • May be too big for smaller hands
  • No 512GB model
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 8GB
Max storage capacity: 256GB
Screen resolution: 2340 x 1080 pixels
Screen PPI: 393
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
Battery capacity: 4,500mAh
Camera F-stop range: 1.8-2.4
Max camera zoom: 100x

Galaxy S23+

Galaxy S23+
5.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£1,049

Screen size

6.6″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Galaxy S23+
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£1,049

Screen size

6.6″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Why We Picked It

An upgrade to its S22+ predecessor, in terms of size, the S23+ falls inbetween the S23 and S23 Ultra, with a 6.6″ AMOLED 2X display.

Users can benefit from Samsung’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which also features in the more expensive Ultra version of the phone, for super smooth functioning while carrying out data-heavy activities, such as gaming, even with multiple apps open at once.

The camera array does not include the 200MP lens, that feature’s in the Ultra’s, but still offers a decent 50MP wide angle lens, 12MP ultrawide lens, 10MP telephoto lens and 12 MP selfie lens. Users can also shoot video in groundbreaking 8K. There’s the option of 128GB or 256GB of storage with this device. Either way, it comes with 8GB of RAM.

Pros & Cons
  • Large display
  • Powerful processor
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Expensive
  • May be too big for smaller hands
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 8GB
Max storage capacity: 512GB
Screen resolution: 2340 x 1080 pixels
Screen PPI: 393
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
Battery capacity: 4,700mAh
Camera F-stop range: 1.8-2.2
Max camera zoom: 100x

Galaxy S22 5G

Galaxy S22 5G
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£769

Screen size

6.1″

Launch Price: £ Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Galaxy S22 5G
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£769

Screen size

6.1″

Launch Price: £ Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Why We Picked It

The entry-level Galaxy S22 offers a competitively priced upgrade to the Galaxy S21, but Samsung has perhaps made a number of sacrifices to keep its price down.

For example, The S22 has a smaller screen than the S21 with a slightly lower resolution, which means it does get a marginal boost in its number of pixels per inch. Samsung has also downgraded the S22’s main camera resolution from 64MP to 50MP and shrunk its battery capacity from 4,000mAh to 3,700mAh.

One improvement over the S21 is that its adaptive AMOLED 2X display has a more flexible refresh rate, dropping as low as 10Hz for still images then back up to 120Hz for fast-moving images. The S21 could only drop to 48Hz, which should mean the new handset can better optimise battery use.

Pros & Cons
  • Sharper screen than the S22+
  • May be a better fit for smaller hands
  • Powerful processor
  • Smaller battery than its S22 siblings
  • No 512GB model
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 8GB
Max storage capacity: 256GB
Screen resolution: 2340 x 1080
Screen PPI: 425
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
Battery capacity: 3,700mAh
Camera F-stop range: 1.8-2.4
Max camera zoom: 100x

Galaxy S23

Galaxy S23
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£899

Screen size

6.1″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Galaxy S23
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£899

Screen size

6.1″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

50MP

Why We Picked It

As to be expected of Samsung’s standard version of its flagship model, it houses the smallest display in the S23 range, at 6.1″, but this is reflected in the price.

The display resolution mirrors that of the S23+, but as it is smaller than on the S23+, there are more pixels per inch, which creates a slightly sharper image. As an upgrade on the S22, it has a larger battery and the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset which keeps the device running smoothly throughout the day.

Pros & Cons
  • Sharper screen than the S23+
  • May be a better fit for smaller hands
  • Powerful processor
  • Smaller battery than its S23 siblings
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 8GB
Max storage capacity: 512GB
Screen resolution: 2340 x 1080
Screen PPI: 425
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
Battery capacity: 4,500mAh
Camera F-stop range: 1.8-2.4

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£1,329

Screen size

6.8″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

108MP

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£1,329

Screen size

6.8″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

108MP

Why We Picked It

If you want a Samsung handset that performs well despite not using the most advanced technology, the S21 Ultra 5G is where it’s at.

It’s not quite Samsung’s most expensive model, but at £1,329 it’s a seriously pricey phone. For your money, you’ll get massive memory in the form of 16GB worth of RAM and 512GB of ROM. This means it can handle more than even the most demanding applications without slow-down or stutter, and with more than half a terabyte of storage you can download and capture media to your heart’s content.

The 6.8 inch display has a resolution of 3200 x 1440, and has the closest thing to 4K on a mobile. With its 120Hz refresh rate, it should make everything look extra smooth. It’s all powered by an octa-core processor capable of speeds up to 2.9GHz and a 5,000mAh battery that should see even heavy users through a full day between charges.

For the photographers, the S21 Ultra 5G features a camera array with up to 100x zoom capability. The Ultra’s wide-angle lens clocks in at a massive 108MP, while its dual telephoto lenses come in at 10MP apiece. It also takes selfies at 40MP. What’s more, you can shoot video in 8K resolution, which is more than most televisions on the market can output, take advantage of an impressive f-stop range for a great bokeh effect on portraits and use Samsung’s S Pen for handwritten input.

Pros & Cons
  • 16GB RAM
  • Large capacity battery
  • 108MP camera w/ 100x zoom
  • Expensive
  • No expandable storage
  • May be too big for smaller hands
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 16GB
Max storage capacity: 512GB
Screen resolution: 3200 x 1440
Screen PPI: 515
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
CPU speed: 2.9GHz
Battery capacity: 5,000mAh
Camera F-stop range: f1.8 – 4.9
Max camera zoom: 100x

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Price

£999

Screen size

6.9″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

108MP

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
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Subject to phone availability

Price

£999

Screen size

6.9″

Max camera resolution (Megapixels)

108MP

Why We Picked It

A hybrid phone and tablet, the Galaxy Note Ultra 5G offers a huge 6.9″ display that wraps around the edges of the device. The Note’s almost 4K resolution (3088 x 1440 pixels) produces Samsung’s second-sharpest image based on its number of pixels per inch.

The phone is Samsung’s largest non-folding handset and is powered by a 4,500aMh battery. Its octa-core processor has top speeds of 2.73GHz. In terms of photography, there are twin 12MP lenses and a huge 108MP lens on the back of the phone that allows for 50x zoom, plus a 10MP selfie camera on the front.

Video recording goes as high as 8K, which is higher than most commercially available televisions can output, but means users can pull super-high resolution stills from the clips they shoot. Unlike Samsung’s current flagship S21 range, the Note 20 Ultra 5G has expandable storage in the form of a micro SD slot. Being able to add another terrabyte of storage to the handset’s in-built 512GB of ROM could be useful when filming in memory-hogging 8K.

Pros & Cons
  • Large display
  • 12GB RAM
  • 108MP camera
  • Expensive
  • Too large for smaller hands
  • Weaker processor than S21
Need-to-knows

Max RAM: 12GB
Max storage capacity: 512GB
Screen resolution: 3088 x 1440
Screen PPI: 496
Display refresh rate: 120Hz
CPU speed: 2.73GHz
Battery capacity: 4,500mAh
Camera F-stop range: f1.8 – 2.2
Max camera zoom: 50x

Methodology

We compared a range of Samsung phones in September 2024, including flagship, mid-range and budget handsets, to see how their displays, performance, photography, connectivity, batteries and other features measured up. We assigned a score to each category and totalled before converting their scores into a Forbes Advisor rating from 1 to 5 stars.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is the best Samsung phone?

The suitability of a device, largely depends on what it’s needed for in relation to the price. We found the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to have many standout attributes, but this comes as a cost. A cheaper alternative would be the Galaxy S23 Ultra or S22 Ultra.

Which Samsung phone has the best camera(s)?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s higher price point reflects its high spec features. This includes its maximum 200MP camera, which surpasses the offering of other Samsung smartphones as well as rival devices.

Do Samsung phones come with 5G?

Samsung’s newer devices come with 5G. This includes its latest S23 range.

Which Samsung phone has the best battery?

The flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G has a 5,000 milliamp hours (mAh) – the largest offered by Samsung. However, battery life not only depends on capacity, but factors such as the efficiency of the battery and chipset in the device.

To conserve battery power when it’s running low, it’s best not to do data-heavy activities such as gaming or streaming videos.


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