As the company has just released its latest Samsung Galaxy S21 flagship phones series, our guide to the best Samsung phones is likely to change a lot in the next couple of weeks.
The company has announced the new Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra alongside the Samsung Galaxy S21. These are top-end handsets, and once we’ve completed thorough reviews of each, we plan to include them in the ranking below.
You’ll find an option below if you need to buy a new phone today, but we’d suggest waiting until the Galaxy S21 series is out on January 29 to make sure you’ve made the right decision.
From flagships like the Galaxy S20 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra to more affordable (and unusual) options like the Samsung Galaxy A80, and even foldable cutting-edge Samsung phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung offers ideal handsets for almost all.
In our list, you will find all these and many more, ranked from best to worst. But don’t only buy the top-rated one, as one of the others you might think suits you better. All of these phones are highly recommended, and we have included a summary and spec list for each one, so you can see what makes them shine at a glance.
So if you are seeking for a new Samsung phone, read on for a detailed guide, be sure to check back regularly, as not only is the Galaxy S21 series on the way, but we also expect to see the Samsung Galaxy Note 21, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 during 2021, among possibly other great Samsung phones, as well.
Best Samsung phones 2021
1. Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus – Just a perfect choice
Specs:
- Release date: March 2020
- Weight: 186g
- Dimensions: 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm
- OS: Android 10
- Screen size: 6.7-inch
- Resolution: 1440 x 3200
- CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990
- RAM: 8GB/12GB
- Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB
- Battery: 4,500mAh
- Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP + ToF 3D
- Front camera: 10MP
Currently, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus tops our rank of the most fantastic available Samsung phones, beating even the more expensive Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.
So, unsurprisingly, this phone is excellent. The Galaxy S10 Plus is not massively updated, but most other elements have been upgraded. The screen now has a silky-smooth refresh rate of 120Hz, it packs a more powerful chipset, and there has been a significant upgrade to its cameras.
Its 64MP telephoto one is the most thrilling lens, facilitating a 3x hybrid optical zoom, but there are also 12MP primary and 12MP ultra-wide lenses, as well as a sensor of depth.
Add a massive 4,500mAh battery, 5G support, and all the features you demand from a flagship Samsung – such as water resistance and an in-screen fingerprint sensor – and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus is obviously one of any company’s best phones, not just the South Korean giant.
2. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra – Everything you Need
Specs:
- Release date: August 2020
- Weight: 208g
- Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm
- OS: Android 10
- Screen size: 6.9-inch
- Resolution: 1440 x 3088
- CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB
- Battery: 4,500mAh
- Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 12MP
- Front camera: 10MP
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is an expensive beast of a smartphone. According to our review, thanks to its 5x optical zoom, fun filters, and slick camera interface, it has the best-looking screen of any phone and the best camera of any Android phone.
This camera has a main sensor of 108MP, a periscope one of 12MP and an ultra-wide one of 12MP, while the screen is a huge 1440 x 3088 AMOLED 6.9-inch one with 496 pixels per inch and up to 120Hz refresh rate.
But the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra doesn’t stop there because, thanks to its S Pen stylus, it also stands out from rivals, allowing you to doodle on the screen, match voice recordings with your handwritten notes, and more.
Of course, the phone also has the top-end capacity, including 12 GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 865 Plus or Exynos 990 chipset. Which one you get depends on where you are in the world, but both are extremely strong.
There are also 5G, storage tons, a premium build, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and a massive battery, so this is a Samsung phone with almost everything, but charging may be faster. It is somewhat frustrating that at the same time, you can not use both a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a resolution of QHD+.
However, the biggest obstacle is simply the cost, but if you have the cash and want all that the Note 20 Ultra offers, it’s a great option.
3. Samsung Galaxy S20 – One-hand-friendly Smartphone
Specs:
- Release date: March 2020
- Weight:163g
- Dimensions:151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm
- OS: Android 10
- Screen size: 6.2-inch
- Resolution:1440 x 3200
- CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990
- RAM:8GB/12GB
- Storage:128GB
- Battery:4,000mAh
- Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP
- Front camera:10MP
The regular Galaxy S20 has a lower price going for it and a more pocket-friendly size, albeit slightly less exciting than the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra.
Although this seems far from a small smartphone at 6.2 inches, and with a QHD+ resolution, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and one of the highest quality AMOLED screens ever mounted on the phone, the display is worth screaming about.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 also has an incredible camera setup, led by a 64MP telephoto sensor joined by a primary 12MP and ultra-wide 12MP one, so it just lacks the depth sensor of the S20 Plus.
With a Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset, the Samsung Galaxy S20 is also offered in a 5G flavour, has a massive 4,000mAh battery, and has the highest level capacity (depends on where in the world you buy it).
4. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – Samsung phones – An ultimate flagship
Specs:
- Release date: March 2020
- Weight:166g
- Dimensions:166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm
- OS: Android 10
- Screen size:6.9-inch
- Resolution:3200 x 1440
- CPU: Snapdragon 865
- RAM:12/16GB
- Storage:128/512GB
- Battery:5,000mAh
- Rear camera:108MP + 48MP + 12MP + ToF 3D
- Front camera:40MP
If money were not an item, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra would rank higher on this list, as it is arguably the best Samsung phone you can buy in many respects.
It has a massive 6.9-inch 1440 x 3200 display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, plus a quad-lens camera, headlined by a primary sensor of 108MP and a periscope zoom of 48MP, one capable of up to 100x optical zoom.
For instance, it has the same highest level chipset as the rest of the Galaxy S20 series, combined with up to 16 GB of RAM, which is more than the two other versions.
Maso you get a bigger screen, more strength, and obviously higher camera spec (though inconsistent) and a massive 5,000mAh battery, but the price and size will prove impractical for users.
5. Galaxy S10 Plus – Samsung phones
Specs:
- Release date: February 2019
- Weight:175g
- Dimensions:157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm
- OS: Android 9
- Screen size:6.4-inch
- Resolution: 1440 x 3040
- CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820
- RAM:8/12GB
- Storage: 128GB/512GB/1TB
- Battery:4,100mAh
- Rear camera:12MP + 12MP + 16MP
- Front camera:10MP + 8MP
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus has been at the top of this list for a long time and valid reason.
It’s a significant improvement over the previous year’s model, with a newer all-screen design, favouring a punch-hole camera, by Samsung ditching bezels. If we talk about its cameras, you get three on the rear and two on the selfie side, making this a very impressive camera phone.
The fingerprint sensor is on the phone, which, as was the case with the S9 series, is much more suitable than being on the rear, and there is a massive 4,100mAh battery, which gives much life to the Galaxy S10 Plus. To juice up other devices with it, you might even consider using its Wireless PowerShare functionality.
The Galaxy S10 Plus has a wide 6.4-inch screen display and all the power you would demand from a flagship in 2019.
6. Galaxy Note 10 Plus – One of the best Samsung phones on the planet
Specs:
- Release date: August 2019
- Weight:196g
- Dimensions:162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9mm
- OS: Android 9
- Screen size:6.8-inch
- Resolution:1440 x 3040
- CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9825
- RAM:12GB
- Storage:256GB/512GB
- Battery:4,300mAh
- Rear camera:12MP + 12MP + 16MP + ToF 3D
- Front camera:10MP
The Note 20 Ultra may have superseded the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, but it’s still one of the highest quality stylus-toting tablets. They come with a big monitor, a strong processor, and four cameras.
This phone’s highlight is the above S Pen, a stylus that allows your device to hold loads. It is used to make notes and draw; you get the most out of your smartphone with several gesture controls.
Yeah, the phone is expensive (for some, prohibitively so), but every penny you pay goes straight into one of Samsung phones and one of the best full stop handsets.
7. Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition – Samsung phones
Specs:
- Release date: October 2020
- Weight:190g
- Dimensions:159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4mm
- OS: Android 10
- Screen size:6.5-inch
- Resolution:1080 x 2400
- CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990
- RAM:6GB/8GB
- Storage:128GB/256GB
- Battery:4,500mAh
- Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 8MP
- Front camera:32MP
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is a Samsung Galaxy S20 Lite, but it does keep many of the best parts of the Galaxy S20.
Its panel, camera, and chipset are the highlights. You get a 6.5-inch 1080 x 2400 Super AMOLED screen with a perfectly soft refresh rate of 120Hz for the first one.
Meanwhile, the camera is a triple-lens one, comprising a primary 12MP snapper, an ultra-wide 12MP snapper, and an 8MP telephoto one, guaranteeing that all the primary bases of photography are protected. We also found in our analysis that these lenses worked well.
The chipset is, lastly, the Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 – the latter is the 5G, the second with the 4G, but the two are the high-end versions. The construction might be a better one, and the price could be a little steep, but the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is a beautiful fan friend otherwise.
8. Galaxy S10 – Smaller but similar to the Galaxy S10 Plus
Specs:
- Release date: February 2019
- Weight: 157g
- Dimensions: 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm
- OS: Android 9
- Screen size: 6.1-inch
- Resolution: 1440 x 3040
- CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB/512GB
- Battery: 3,400mAh
- Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 16MP
- Front camera: 10MP
Samsung’s S10 Galaxy resembles it’s a more extensive, slightly downgraded and slightly more compact twin.
You skip many features by going for the S10 over the plus but if you want to save some money, the key highlights, such as the Infinity-O screen, the slick design and the high-end interiors, will still be available.
The Galaxy S10 fingerprint scanner is on show, and with an unbelievable 550 pixels per inch, it looks superb on that model. You can choose between 128GB or 512GB depending on how much room you need. You can use different colour choices.
9. Galaxy Note 20 – Most expensive Samsung phones
Specs:
This is still far from an inexpensive device considering its lesser defined features, but if you cannot expand to Note 20 Ultra and would like something different than Note 10, it’s a nice option.
10. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 – Samsung phones
Specs:
- Release date: August 2020
- Weight: 282g
- Dimensions: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm (unfolded)
- OS: Android 10
- Screen size: 7.6 and 6.23-inch
- Resolution: 1768 x 2208 and 816 x 2260
- CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 256GB/512GB
- Battery: 4,500mAh
- Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP
- Front camera: 10MP + 10MP
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the most excellent foldable company yet when it is written, enhancing in many ways the original Galaxy Fold and delivering a better experience than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
This is actually a tablet and a smartphone in one and looks appropriately modern, and packaging a cover monitor that is far bigger (and thus more useful) than its predecessor. It also has a power-packed Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and a refresh rate of the same 120Hz as other Samsung phones.
11. Samsung Galaxy A80 – A most affordable phone so far
Specs:
Samsung’s premium grade and S-series are not only decent phones, since they have Galaxy A devices that deliver tone down specs at lower prices. However, A smartphones are also testing grounds for more new concepts by Samsung, and the Samsung Galaxy A80 with its cameras is precisely what that means.
A panel containing the smartphone’s rear cameras pops in. It spins out, which is strange and enjoyable if you want to take a selfie on the Samsung Galaxy A80, which has no front-facing camera (to make room for a complete screen, without any problems).
12. Samsung Galaxy S10e – Samsung phones
Specs:
- Release date: March 2019
- Weight: 150g
- Dimensions: 142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9mm
- OS: Android 9
- Screen size: 5.8-inch
- Resolution: 1080 x 2280
- CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820
- RAM: 6/8GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Battery: 3,100mAh
- Rear camera: 12MP + 16MP
- Front camera: 10MP
Would you like an S10 but don’t want to spend much cash? With its more reasonable Galaxy S10e, which is a beautiful addition to the company’s line of smartphone for 2019, Samsung has you protected.
In this list, the S10e lacks many of the top-end features you can find on the two S10 items above, such as the in-screen scanner or high-res monitor, but for its lower price, it has a slick design.
Given the price of this phone, there is a dual rear camera that can take some fantastic shots, plus you will be sporting a top-end chipset inside alongside either 6GB or 8GB of RAM.
Overall, the Galaxy S10e is not as impressive as the other two parts of the S10 series, but this is one of the top Samsung phones for you if you don’t want to spend much money.