Samsung has a phone for all budgets, from high end Galaxy S21 Ultra, with its incredible zoom capabilities, and the Galaxy z fold 3 and Z Flip 3 foldable phones, down to inexpensive but still 5G compatible phones Galaxy A32. Then there’s the new Galaxy S21 FE, which offers high-end specs at a more reasonable price. The amount of phones the company offers can be sky-high, but that means there’s likely a Galaxy phone for everyone, whatever your tastes.
However, it’s hard to sift through everything the company has to offer to see which Samsung phone is truly worth considering. I did the hard work and put together all of the current major smartphones from Samsung so you can determine exactly which one might be the best fit for your needs.
But before you shop too seriously, keep in mind that the company needs to launch its next flagship – the Galaxy S22 – in February, so if you’re looking for the latest and greatest mobile tech Samsung has to offer (and you don’t mind paying what will no doubt be a lot of money), then it’s worth the wait to see what the new model has to offer.
Sarah Tew / CNET
With its supercharged processor, 5G connectivity, S Pen stylus support, and incredible camera capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G represents the pinnacle of what Samsung currently offers in its phones. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the one for you if you truly enjoy taking great photos with your phone, or just want to know that you have the latest and greatest tech in your jeans.
Read our Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G review.
Lisa Eadicicco / CNET
The first S20 FE (see below) seriously impressed us with its balance of performance and price, and the new S21 FE takes it a step further with a solid triple camera, large dynamic display, and the same powerful processor as the flagship S21. . Competition from Google’s Pixel 6 is stiff, but if you’re looking for a great Samsung phone overall and don’t want to pay top dollar for flagships, the S21 FE is worth considering.
Andrew Hoyle / CNET
Although the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE came in to replace it, you can still buy last year’s S20 FE for $ 100 less than its replacement. We liked the S20 FE enough to give it a coveted CNET Editors’ Choice award and its solid spec lineup and affordability mean it’s still worth considering in 2022. Especially if you can get it. with an attractive discount via an operator.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition review.
Drew Evans / CNET
Unlike the Ultra, the S21 Plus doesn’t support the S Pen, it has a slightly smaller screen, and it doesn’t have the incredible zoom capabilities of the top-of-the-line model. However, this Samsung smartphone uses the same processor, has a meaty battery and still has this 5G connectivity. Its lower price makes this smartphone a more affordable Samsung mobile option than the Ultra, but you still get a premium flagship experience with the Gorilla Glass Victus mount that’s also featured on the S21 Ultra.
Sarah Tew / CNET
With its more modest price tag, the base Galaxy S21 is a great combination of the performance and value of the Android phone that CNET reviewer Patrick Holland called “the obvious upgrade phone.” It doesn’t have the zoom capabilities of the Ultra’s camera, but this smartphone can still take great pictures, has the same powerful processor and a large, vibrant display. Moreover, it is able to take advantage of super fast 5G speeds.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S21 review.
Andrew Hoyle / CNET
The Note series has generally been where Samsung packs its absolute best tech and this is certainly the case with the Note 20 Ultra of 2020. The cell phone screen is gorgeous, it has immense power, 5G connectivity and an incredible camera that seriously impressed me on a photographic road trip. The S-Pen stylus is great for note taking, which means this smartphone is a very solid option for the more professional of you who want a phone to work and play.
Read our review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Angela Lang / CNET
Samsung’s original foldable phone was a new idea, but the latest generation – the Galaxy Z Fold 3 – refines it further. It’s still a Samsung device which is basically a tablet that folds in half to become a phone, but this smartphone has an improved hinge, better specs all around, 5G connectivity, and a larger screen on the outside that makes it. actually makes it usable as a phone. Foldable phones might not be to everyone’s liking and they certainly come with a price tag, but if you’re looking for a futuristic foldable, the Z Fold 3 is the best one to buy.
Patrick Holland / CNET
While the Galaxy Fold is a tablet that folds in half to become a phone, the Z Flip is a phone that folds in half to become a smaller phone. When opened, this Samsung Galaxy smartphone has a large 6.7 inch display, but fold it in half and it becomes a small square that is easy to slip into a jeans or jacket pocket. We love its clean design, decent full specs, and 5G connectivity and it’s a more affordable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip folding option than the mighty Galaxy Fold 3.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip review.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Samsung’s A52 5G sits at the top of Samsung’s more affordable A series of phones. It has a large 6.5-inch display, 6GB of RAM, a multiple rear camera setup (including a 64-megapixel main lens, wide-angle and macro cameras), and 5G connectivity. It’s a budget phone option that offers a full set of specs at a much more affordable price than the top S21 models.
Samsung
The A42 5G Android phone sits right below the A52, provides less RAM, loses the macro camera, and has a lower resolution front camera. However, it still has 5G connectivity, a bigger battery, and a slightly larger screen, which could make it a great affordable Samsung phone option for those of you who watch a lot of videos in the online store. shift.
Andrew Hoyle / CNET
If 5G speeds are your Android phone’s top priority but you don’t want to spend a lot of money, Samsung’s Galaxy A32 5G is where you should be looking. Its low price makes it one of the cheapest 5G-capable phones you can buy right now, but it also gives you a 6.5-inch big screen and multiple rear camera setup. That doesn’t compromise the overall performance of the S21 range, but it’s a solid all-rounder for the money.
Samsung
The Galaxy A12 is the cheapest phone Samsung sells and it’s the one to consider for those of you who just want a phone for all of life’s essentials and don’t need to waste money. on fancy cameras or supercomputer processing power levels. It doesn’t have 5G, but it does have four rear cameras, a 6.5-inch display, and a large 5,000mAh battery which, given the generally low specification requirements, I would easily expect to give a day out. full battery life power.
Andrew Hoyle / CNET
Usually, you can buy last year’s Samsung phone models for a big saving compared to the current generation, but that is not the case with the S20 and S21 series. Last year’s Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra are still available at stores like Best Buy and they’re still great phones. However, Samsung has made a special effort with this year’s S21 series to be more affordable and as such all S21 phone series are cheaper than their counterparts from last year.
When it comes to specs, there isn’t really a huge difference and some of the S20 series building materials are arguably a bit more upscale, but overall we recommend buying the latest models, especially in this case because it saves you money.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S20 5G review.