Best Samsung phones 2024: the top Samsung phones, as reviewed

If you're looking for one of the best Android phones, chances are that Samsung's Galaxy range is high up your list. That's because the Korean company's handsets are easily among the best phones you can buy in 2024, but there are a lot of options, with varying features, screen sizes, and price points to consider.

The top-of-the-range is the Galaxy S series; then there's the Galaxy Fold and Flip models which are among the best foldable phones; while the Galaxy A series covers some of the best affordable phones on the market. They're all top-quality handsets, though, just on a sliding scale of features packed into each device.

In this guide we'll walk you through the best Samsung phones available, which include up-to-the-minute new releases, but also some previous-generation handsets that are more affordable and often so similar in feature set that they're the best consideration. So, without further ado, here are Samsung's best phones of 2024...

Now that we're in December, it's holiday shopping time, which may well mean there are some welcome festive deals on Samsung's handsets. Either way, head to the T3 Christmas hub and you'll find a heap of great gift guides, seasonal articles and more!

T3's Top Picks

The best Samsung phones in 2024

Best premium

The star of Samsung's show is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. It won’t be for everyone because it’s pricey and there's an integrated S Pen stylus pen that not everyone will want to us either. But there again you don't need to, it functions as any flagship too, just with more strings to its bow.

The S24 Ultra features a sophisticated design, which updates the previous S23 Ultra with a new and flat screen, which makes a lot more sense in this design format – especially when using that S Pen for usefully cutting through all kinds of tasks. If you’re a smartphone enthusiast and a creative or a professional then this handset is a clear winner. You can use it for work, play or life admin – and the huge 5,000mAh battery means you won’t need to worry about running out of juice.

Under the hood, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor is super-powerful and will cope with any task you could throw at it. And as you’d expect, the camera system is stellar with loads of cool features to try out, including a top-end 200-megapixel main shooter to complement the versatile zoom options. One zoom lens has been upgraded to 50-megapixels, finally, but the other could do with an upgrade (but that's about the only criticism).

Head on over to our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review to learn everything there is to know about this phone.

Best affordable

Just like its Galaxy A53 predecessor, the Galaxy A55 5G is one of the best Samsung phones around in terms of value for money. And, just in case the name didn't give it away, it's keen to tell you it can connect to 5G networks (even though that's very much the norm these days). However, despite the price, it doesn't make too many trade-offs in its quest for affordability.

For example, you get really good battery life (up to two days if you're careful), but you miss out on wireless charging here – that's an inevitable compromise that a lot of people are going to be willing to make if it means they have to spend less to get the device. Besides, not everyone uses wireless charging anyway.

The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display is something of a stunner at this level, and with a 120Hz refresh rate it ensures everything looks super-smooth - just as you'll find of many flagship devices today. The cameras aren't up to flagship levels, however, but they're still an impressive set of snappers overall.

If you think this phone could be the one for you, read our earlier Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review

Best for most people

Not everyone is willing to spend an eye-watering amount of money on their next phone. If that sounds like you, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE could be the best choice. 'FE' stands for Fan Edition – it essentially takes all the best parts of the last-gen Galaxy S23 and packs those into a more affordable device. With some compromises, of course, but that's what helps balance out the price to a much more attractive level.

In the S22 FE you still get a dazzling display with ample resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, similar to a flagship device. Interestingly, Samsung uses its own chipset in this handset, which is certainly powerful but does throttle performance and doesn't deliver the very best battery life ever. It's still perfectly serviceable though.

Big into photography? The main snapper here actually performs really well, so long as you're non-plussed about having the best masses of zoom lenses also in your arsenal then it's a decent showing. That's an inevitable trade-off compared to the flagship Galaxy models in the range.

Think this could be the phone for you? Take a peek at our Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review and know for sure.

Best foldable

If you want the very best in cutting edge smartphone technology, then you want a phone that folds, and that's exactly what you get with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Sure, since its launch a more recent Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event did reveal its follow-up, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but it's not hugely different and that's why the older and currently more affordable foldable sits in this spot in our list.

You get flagship-grade internal hardware here, the camera system holds its own, and the battery life and operating system software are top notch too. Along with that stunning screen though, it is the Fold 4's support for Samsung's S Pen stylus that has got a lot of people very excited about this phone, as it unlocks next-level creative and productivity functionality. Everything from illustrating to note-taking and annotating is now possible.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 isn't perfect though. It costs a lot of money, and there's small details like it not coming with a charger in the box, and it still showing a visible crease down the centre of the screen that take some of the gloss off the package. However, if you want a folding phone then the Z Fold 4 is easily recommendable.

Read more by checking out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review, which has our full verdict on the foldable.

Best flip phone

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is going to really appeal to some people, yet really put other people off – it all depends on what you think of that clamshell fold and form factor. Samsung hasn't skimped too much on specs here either – the Galaxy Z Flip comes with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and also has a few software tricks up its sleeve, with the ability to split the screen in half, top to bottom, if needed.

Where the phone falls short of a flagship, and indeed where it falls short in terms of the money needed to ring it up, is in the camera department. You very much get a mid-tier camera system, which while perfectly good for shooting photos and videos, cannot match up to rival flagship phones.

If that is a trade-off you're willing to take only you can decide. There is of course the coolness factor of having a foldable flip phone on your person to consider, especially as this latest model makes the cover display much larger than the outgoing Z Flip 4 that came before it.

For all the details about this phone, our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review is the place to head to next.

Best small phone

With both style and substance, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is a people-pleaser. Not only does it look fantastic and feel durable but it also packs in powerful hardware and software. Sure, the newer Samsung Galaxy S23 and even newer Galaxy S24 have also gone on sale since, bringing design updates, but the thing about the S22 is that it's marginally smaller and way cheaper. If you can still find it, it's a great bargain.

It also still looks great: you can buy an S22 in one of four colours – Phantom Black, Phantom White, Pink Gold or Green – with all of them looking great. And because the phone is made from ArmorAluminium, it should stay looking great over time. The 'cap' around the cameras section is one of the giveaways that this is older Samsung design though.

The 6.1-inch screen is equally as good-looking and premium – as you'd expect from Samsung’s flagship series – and you’ll be able to use it for everything from gaming to photo editing. Speaking of photography, the camera system should do you well too, there are loads of different features to play around with to make your shots look like they were snapped by a pro.

Tempted by Samsung's small phone? Take a read of our Samsung Galaxy S23 follow-up review

How to choose

How to choose the best Samsung phone for you

When it comes to smartphones, everyone's needs are different of course – some people want the best Samsung phone camera (something Samsung excels at, by the way) whereas some people want the best Samsung phone on a budget, and so on. We've tried to cater for all those different needs in our guide.

Samsung's One UI layer that it puts on top of Android continues to go from strength to strength as well. The bloat has been trimmed down, the interface is now much more intuitive, and it even has a few features that Google would do well to copy for its own Pixel phones.

Almost 1 in 5 phones sold worldwide is a Samsung one – that's almost as good as Apple's figures and way ahead of anyone else in the market besides the big two. And considering Samsung's phones are well built, powerful and stylish, it's no surprise either.

Decide what's most important to you ahead of time, whether it's the screen, the performance, the quality of the photos you can get with the camera, or the overall price you're going to be paying. You can then make a more informed decision when it comes to picking the best Samsung phone for you.

If you're looking for one of the best Android phones, chances are that Samsung's Galaxy range is high up your list. That's because the Korean company's handsets are easily among the best phones you can buy in 2024, but there are a lot of options, with varying features, screen sizes, and price points to consider.

The top-of-the-range is the Galaxy S series; then there's the Galaxy Fold and Flip models which are among the best foldable phones; while the Galaxy A series covers some of the best affordable phones on the market. They're all top-quality handsets, though, just on a sliding scale of features packed into each device.

In this guide we'll walk you through the best Samsung phones available, which include up-to-the-minute new releases, but also some previous-generation handsets that are more affordable and often so similar in feature set that they're the best consideration. So, without further ado, here are Samsung's best phones of 2024...

T3 Top Picks

The best Samsung phones in 2024

Best premium

The star of Samsung's show is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. It won’t be for everyone because it’s pricey and there's an integrated S Pen stylus pen that not everyone will want to us either. But there again you don't need to, it functions as any flagship too, just with more strings to its bow.

The S24 Ultra features a sophisticated design, which updates the previous S23 Ultra with a new and flat screen, which makes a lot more sense in this design format – especially when using that S Pen for usefully cutting through all kinds of tasks. If you’re a smartphone enthusiast and a creative or a professional then this handset is a clear winner. You can use it for work, play or life admin – and the huge 5,000mAh battery means you won’t need to worry about running out of juice.

Under the hood, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor is super-powerful and will cope with any task you could throw at it. And as you’d expect, the camera system is stellar with loads of cool features to try out, including a top-end 200-megapixel main shooter to complement the versatile zoom options. One zoom lens has been upgraded to 50-megapixels, finally, but the other could do with an upgrade (but that's about the only criticism).

Head on over to our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review to learn everything there is to know about this phone

Best affordable

Just like its Galaxy A53 predecessor, the Galaxy A55 5G is one of the best Samsung phones around in terms of value for money. And, just in case the name didn't give it away, it's keen to tell you it can connect to 5G networks (even though that's very much the norm these days). However, despite the price, it doesn't make too many trade-offs in its quest for affordability.

For example, you get really good battery life (up to two days if you're careful), but you miss out on wireless charging here – that's an inevitable compromise that a lot of people are going to be willing to make if it means they have to spend less to get the device. Besides, not everyone uses wireless charging anyway.

The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display is something of a stunner at this level, and with a 120Hz refresh rate it ensures everything looks super-smooth - just as you'll find of many flagship devices today. The cameras aren't up to flagship levels, however, but they're still an impressive set of snappers overall.

If you think this phone could be the one for you, read our earlier Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review

Best for most people

Not everyone is willing to spend an eye-watering amount of money on their next phone. If that sounds like you, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE could be the best choice. 'FE' stands for Fan Edition – it essentially takes all the best parts of the last-gen Galaxy S23 and packs those into a more affordable device. With some compromises, of course, but that's what helps balance out the price to a much more attractive level.

In the S22 FE you still get a dazzling display with ample resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, similar to a flagship device. Interestingly, Samsung uses its own chipset in this handset, which is certainly powerful but does throttle performance and doesn't deliver the very best battery life ever. It's still perfectly serviceable though.

Big into photography? The main snapper here actually performs really well, so long as you're non-plussed about having the best masses of zoom lenses also in your arsenal then it's a decent showing. That's an inevitable trade-off compared to the flagship Galaxy models in the range.

Think this could be the phone for you? Take a peek at our Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review and know for sure

Best foldable

If you want the very best in cutting edge smartphone technology, then you want a phone that folds, and that's exactly what you get with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Sure, since its launch more recent Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Fold 6 upgrades have become available, but they're not hugely different and that's why the older and currently more affordable foldable sits in this spot in our list.

You get flagship-grade internal hardware here, the camera system holds its own, and the battery life and operating system software are top notch too. Along with that stunning screen though, it is the Fold 4's support for Samsung's S Pen stylus that has got a lot of people very excited about this phone, as it unlocks next-level creative and productivity functionality. Everything from illustrating to note-taking and annotating is now possible.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 isn't perfect though. It costs a lot of money, and there's small details like it not coming with a charger in the box, and it still showing a visible crease down the centre of the screen that take some of the gloss off the package. However, if you want a folding phone then the Z Fold 4 is easily recommendable.

Read more by checking out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review, which has our full verdict on the foldable

Best flip phone

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is going to really appeal to some people, yet really put other people off – it all depends on what you think of that clamshell fold and form factor. Samsung hasn't skimped too much on specs here either – the Galaxy Z Flip comes with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and also has a few software tricks up its sleeve, with the ability to split the screen in half, top to bottom, if needed.

Where the phone falls short of a flagship, and indeed where it falls short in terms of the money needed to ring it up, is in the camera department. You very much get a mid-tier camera system, which while perfectly good for shooting photos and videos, cannot match up to rival flagship phones. Even the newer Z Flip 6 hasn't upped the ante here, hence the older model still being recommendable.

There is of course the coolness factor of having a foldable flip phone on your person to consider, especially as this latest model makes the cover display much larger than the outgoing Z Flip 4 that came before it. But if you want a truly huge cover display then you'll need to look away from Samsung to Motorola's Razr 50 Ultra model, which is best in this department.

For all the details about this phone, our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review is the place to head to next

Best small phone

With both style and substance, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is a people-pleaser. Not only does it look fantastic and feel durable but it also packs in powerful hardware and software. Sure, the newer Samsung Galaxy S23 and even newer Galaxy S24 have also gone on sale since, bringing design updates, but the thing about the S22 is that it's marginally smaller and way cheaper. If you can still find it, it's a great bargain.

It also still looks great: you can buy an S22 in one of four colours – Phantom Black, Phantom White, Pink Gold or Green – with all of them looking great. And because the phone is made from ArmorAluminium, it should stay looking great over time. The 'cap' around the cameras section is one of the giveaways that this is older Samsung design though.

The 6.1-inch screen is equally as good-looking and premium – as you'd expect from Samsung’s flagship series – and you’ll be able to use it for everything from gaming to photo editing. Speaking of photography, the camera system should do you well too, there are loads of different features to play around with to make your shots look like they were snapped by a pro.

Tempted by Samsung's small phone? Take a read of our Samsung Galaxy S23 follow-up review

How to choose

When it comes to smartphones, everyone's needs are different of course – some people want the best Samsung phone camera (something Samsung excels at, by the way) whereas some people want the best Samsung phone on a budget, and so on. We've tried to cater for all those different needs in our guide.

Samsung's One UI layer that it puts on top of Android continues to go from strength to strength as well. The bloat has been trimmed down, the interface is now much more intuitive, and it even has a few features that Google would do well to copy for its own Pixel phones.

Almost 1 in 5 phones sold worldwide is a Samsung one – that's almost as good as Apple's figures and way ahead of anyone else in the market besides the big two. And considering Samsung's phones are well built, powerful and stylish, it's no surprise either.

Decide what's most important to you ahead of time, whether it's the screen, the performance, the quality of the photos you can get with the camera, or the overall price you're going to be paying. You can then make a more informed decision when it comes to picking the best Samsung phone for you.

Reviewer panel

Mike Lowe

I've been testing the best phones on the market for over a decade, with the latest and greatest Samsung phones always being delivered to me to assess. From flagship to affordable, I've been delving deep into Samsung's devices and software for a long time.