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 2025, 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 2025...
I've been testing the best Samsung Galaxy phones for over a decade, with the latest and greatest Galaxy handsets delivered to me to assess year on year. From flagship to affordable, flip or fold, I've been delving deep into Samsung's devices and software for a long time.
4 February 2025: Updated to include the latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for 2025, adjust SE and Fold to newer generation picks, and 'small' selection to the more widely available S24 base model.
T3's Top Picks
The champion flagship of 2025 and widely regarded as the best Android phone money can buy right now, the S25 Ultra upgrades its predecessor's design with curved edges and a new 50-megapixel wide-angle camera. That makes it more comfortable to use, great with the integrated stylus, and there are further AI features and enhancements baked into the One UI software for this generation. It's pricey, but with top-end power – and it's 'for Galaxy' Qualcomm devices across the board – it's a real flagship treat.
If you're looking for Samsung's quality of build and software, but don't have astronomical amounts of cash to spend then it's the Galaxy A series that will provide your best match. It's still relatively large scale, with a 6.6-inch display, just lowers the internal power on offer and dips the cameras below the flagship level. It's still a great handset for a little less cash though, or the previous A54 and A53 models will serve you well.
Many options could fit this slot in our guide (from the last-gen S23 or S24 series), but on a balance of price to feature set, the in-between generation 'Fan Edition' of the S24 is a great buy. Its 6.7-inch display means it's larger than the entry-level S25, on par with the Plus, yet it's more powerful than the A series handsets. Don't expect the best cameras ever, but as a balanced and sensibly priced package it's a good consideration.
Samsung also makes some stellar folding phones. Fans adore the Z Fold series, although some dislike the skinny front display for day-to-day work. Either way, once you unfold this top-tier handset the internal screen delivers a giant 7.6-inch display. We've picked the previous-gen '5' model here, rather than the more recent '6', as they're similar – and the older device is the more affordable buy.
A full-on folding phone too much for you? That's where clamshell foldables come into play, headed by Samsung's Z Fold series. Here we've picked 2023's '5' model, as the '6' didn't bring major upgrades as expected – while the '5' upgraded the outgoing Z Fold 4 with a larger cover display. It's that bigger external panel that puts this Z Fold in contention with the competition and at a sensible asking price. Open it up and the large 6.7-inch internal display makes it feel much like a 'normal' flagship in the hand.
While the newer Samsung Galaxy S25 would also sit neatly in this slot in our guide of Samsung's best phones, if you're okay with slightly older kit – which has the same design as the newer model, having done away with the legacy camera island on the rear – then the Galaxy S24 still offers a super experience. With a 6.2-inch display it's way more pocketable than your average, so if you love smaller handsets it's still a top pick.
The best Samsung phones in 2025
Best premium
The star of Samsung's show is the Samsung Galaxy S25 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 use either. But there again you don't need to, as the handset functions as any normal flagship would, just with more strings to its bow.
The S25 Ultra features a sophisticated design, which updates the previous S24 Ultra with new curved corners, which makes it a lot more comfortable – and it's great when using that S Pen for 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 Elite processor 'for Galaxy' 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. The wide-angle has been upgraded to 50-megapixels, finally, and even includes a macro close-up shooting ability now. Talk about the complete all-rounder.
Head on over to our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review to learn everything there is to know about this phone.
Best affordable
Pictured: the earlier Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
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 S24 FE could be the best choice. 'FE' stands for Fan Edition – it essentially takes all the best parts of the Galaxy S24 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 S24 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 zoom and wide-angle lenses in your arsenal anyway. That's an inevitable trade-off compared to the flagship Galaxy models in the range – although the S24 FE does opt for a 6.7-inch display, so it's closer to the Plus and larger than previous generations.
Think this could be the phone for you? Take a peek at our Samsung Galaxy S24 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 5. Sure, since its launch a more recent Galaxy Z Fold 6 did launch, but that'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 5'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 5 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 5 is easily recommendable.
Read more by checking out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 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 – and while there's a newer Z Flip 6 which jumps ahead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset on offer here, it's otherwise not hugely different at all.
However, where the Flip 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
The best Samsung phone for most people is the Samsung Galaxy S24
With both style and substance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 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 S25has also gone on sale, bringing hardware updates, but the S24 remains cheaper and is barely that different – making it a great bargain.
It also still looks great: you can buy an S24 in a wide variety of colours – from Sapphire Blue to Jade Green, if the Oxyn Black and Marble Grey aren't to your liking – with all of them looking great. And because the phone is made from Armor Aluminium 2, it should stay looking great over time. There's no longer the 'cap' design around the cameras section either, as this is the more up-to-date Samsung design.
The 6.2-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 S24 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.
