Normally, your best bet would be to buy one of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 phones, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra topping that lineup. There’s a lot to recommend the S22 Ultra, from its excellent cameras to its ample screen space. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus have their own strengths while costing less than the Ultra model. But we could see new Samsung phones very shortly, as Samsung is reportedly working to ready the Galaxy S23 lineup for a launch in early 2023. The S23 and S23 Plus may be modest upgrades, but it sounds like the Galaxy S23 Ultra could be a substantial upgrade over what’s come before it. Beyond flagships, Samsung’s other handsets include everything from unique (and pricey) foldables to more affordable budget models. It’s a diverse set of offerings, and you can potentially benefit from the company’s wide array of phones. Our list of the best Samsung phones includes devices from al those categories. See what you can save with the best Samsung Galaxy S22 deals along with our Samsung promo codes. If you do wind up grabbing a Samsung device, make sure you check out the first app you should install on your Samsung Galaxy phone and all of the Samsung hidden features that will change the way you use your phone.
The best Samsung phones you can buy right now
Looking for the best Samsung phone right now? Then look no further than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the crown jewel in Samsung’s new lineup of flagship phones. The S22 Ultra rises to the top of our list by drawing upon an old familiar phone to Samsung fans — the design looks like a Galaxy Note model, right down to the slot for the included S Pen. This is more than just a rehash of the Galaxy Note, though, as the Galaxy S22 Ultra delivers the brightest display we’ve yet tested, a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and terrific camera improvements. The larger sensor on the new Ultra’s main camera lets in more light for better low-light photography, and we also appreciate software improvements like the more advanced Portrait mode. Samsung has even begun to roll out updates for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra camera, including a performance boost to portrait mode. We wish battery life was a little better, though we appreciate that Samsung has gone back to 45W charging for this model. All told, this is a fine phone — one of the best phones overall, in fact — and it will wow any Samsung fan who wants the best possible handset and can’t way until the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s arrival. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review. As good as the Galaxy S22 Ultra is, it also has the second-highest starting price of any new Samsung phone — only the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will cost you more. While you certainly get what you pay for with the Ultra, you can get a lot of the same features for hundreds of dollars less with the Galaxy S22. The Galaxy S22 boasts the same chipset found in more expensive S22 models, and it also has a brighter screen than its predecessor, even if the S22 Ultra and S22 Plus outshine it. Samsung also improved the cameras on the Galaxy S22, which takes excellent low-light photos and compelling portrait shots. Unlike other flagship phones in its price range, the Galaxy S22 even has a dedicated telephoto lens which now supports a 3x optical zoom. You won’t get the fast wired charging found in other Galaxy S22 models, and the S22’s battery life leaves a little bit to be desired. But at $799, this model delivers the right balance of premium features and value for your money. It also compares quite favorably to Google’s latest phone as we found out in our Pixel 7 vs. Galaxy S22 face-off. The Galaxy S22 also wins our phone display face-off with the Pixel 7 and iPhone 14. With the Galaxy S23 only expected to see modest upgrades, you can make the case that the Galaxy S22 is the phone to get right now, especially if you can find the handset at a discount. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 review. It’s tempting to overlook the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, wedged as it is between the low-cost Galaxy S22 and the feature-packed Galaxy S22 Ultra. But make no mistake — the Galaxy S22 Plus is a stellar Samsung phone in its own right. Owners of 2021’s S21 Plus may not notice much of a difference, but if you’ve had the same phone for more than two years, the Galaxy S22 Plus can offer you a premium experience without the Ultra’s stratospheric price tag. You get the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor that powers the S22 Ultra, and while the latter phone has more sophisticated camera specs, the Galaxy S22 Plus can hold its own, particularly when it comes to low-light photography. You also can enjoy the same bright display and fast 45W charging found in the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but for $200 less. The Galaxy S22 Plus is the big-screen phone to turn to if you can’t swing the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It’s proof again that Samsung really know its way around a device with welcoming display. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus review. Samsung continues to show that it’s serious about midrange phones with the Galaxy A53. Opt for this model and you can get a device with a screen that refreshes at 120Hz and delivers reasonable performance for hundreds less than what Samsung charges for one of its flagships. Yes, the $449 price of the Galaxy A53 means some compromises, such as a less powerful Exynos 1280 chipset instead of the top-of-the-line Snapdragon silicon found in the Galaxy S22 series. We also wish Samsung didn’t include a superfluous macro camera with the A53’s array of lenses. But that low price — equal to the cost of the Google Pixel 6a — is hard to beat, especially in a phone that comes with a solid design and a generous amount of software updates. If you’re a Samsung fan in search of the best cheap phone under $500, the Galaxy A53 is the phone to get. Read our full Samsung Galaxy A53 review. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 takes the best foldable phone and makes it better in multiple ways. For one, Samsung and Google made it much easier to multitask by adding a taskbar, and you can now drag and drop content between more apps when you’re running them side by side. We also really like the improved camera system on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, headed up by the same 50MP main sensor as the Galaxy S22 series. In our testing, the Fold 4 held its own against the iPhone 13 Pro Max and beat it in a few shots. Other highlights of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 include a slimmer hinge and narrower bezels, as well as a brighter main display. The battery lasted longer, too, in our testing. However, $1,799 is still a lot to spend on a phone — even one that doubles as a tablet — and this is still one thick and heavy device. But if you want a foldable phone that can do it all, this is it. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review. You don’t need to pay full price to get the big features in Samsung’s Galaxy S series. For $100 less than the standard Galaxy S22, the Galaxy S21 FE lets you enjoy a Snapdragon 888 processor, a fast-refreshing display and cameras that can hold their own against the top camera phones. There are some trade-offs. Samsung puts less RAM in this device than in its earlier Galaxy S21 models, and the refresh rate on the 6.4-inch display is not adaptive — you have to manually adjust it. And that can adversely affect battery life. Still, everything else you’d want in a Samsung phone is here with a larger screen than what you get with the standard S21. With the Galaxy S22 available at $799, there’s only a $100 difference from the Galaxy S21 FE. That’s not a lot to pay for a more updated phone, but if you can’t go any higher than $699, at least the Galaxy S21 FE still delivers plenty of features for less than you’d expect to pay. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is an impressive foldable phone for someone who wants a big screen in a compact design. Not only is the design ever so slightly sleeker, the battery life has vastly improved over the Galaxy Z Flip 3 last year. In our custom battery life test, the Flip 4 went for considerably longer than its predecessor. The folding 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display is beautiful, even though the display crease remains very noticeable. The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 certainly makes this foldable a little powerhouse, turning in excellent scores in our benchmarks. While the cameras saw minimal upgrades this year, the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s night mode is something to behold. It gives Apple and Google a run for their money, but daytime photos could be better. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review.
How to choose the best Samsung phones
Picking which Samsung phone to buy is primarily driven by budget considerations. You’re not going to spring for a Galaxy S22 Ultra, for example, if you’re not prepared with at least $1,199 even if you opt to spread those payments out over time. But other factors need to be taken into consideration as well. Start with how you use your smartphone. If it’s primarily a productivity device, the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 4 are appealing, despite their high price tags, because they both support the S Pen. (The S22 Ultra now comes with an S Pen, in fact; it’s optional with samsung’s foldable.) If you turn to your phone for photography, the Galaxy S series is usually first in line for Samsung’s camera innovations, and all three S22 models offer impressive camera features. Budget-minded shoppers will want to look at the Galaxy S21 FE, which costs $100 less than its fellow Samsung flagships. For a lower cost and a step down on some more features, there’s the Galaxy A lineup. You can also find discounts on Samsung phones by buying directly from the phone maker and trading in your current device. Check out the best Samsung phone deals for the latest savings. Expect a shake-up to Samsung’s phone lineup in early 2023. Galaxy S23 release date rumors point to an early February unveiling for Samsung’s Galaxy S22 successors. Don’t hold your breath for a Galaxy S21 FE replacement, though — reports are that the Galaxy S22 FE has been dropped from Samsung’s plans.
How we test the best Samsung phones
In order for a smartphone to make our best phone list, it needs to excel on several tests that we run on every handset. We perform some of these tests in our labs and some in the real world. When it comes to performance, we rely on such synthetic benchmarks as Geekbench 5 and 3DMark to measure graphics performance. These tests allow us to compare performance across iPhones and Android devices. We also run a real-world video transcoding test on each phone using the Adobe Premiere Rush app and time the result. (We unfortunately have to skip this test on some phones due to app compatibility issues, but we attempt this benchmark with each device we get in to review.) To measure the quality of a phone’s display, we perform lab tests to determine the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as how colorful each screen is (DCI-P3 color gamut). In these cases, higher numbers are better. We also measure color accuracy of each panel with a Delta-E rating, where lower numbers are better and score of 0 is perfect. One of the most important tests we run is the Tom’s Guide battery test. We run a web surfing test over 5G (or 4G if the phone doesn’t have 5G support) at 150 nits of screen brightness until the battery gives out. In general, a phone that lasts 10 hours or more is good, and anything above 11 hours makes our list of the best phone battery life. Last but not least, we take the best phones out in the field to take photos outdoors, indoors and at night in low light to see how they perform versus their closest competitors. We take shots of landscapes, food, portraits and more, and also allow you to be the judge with side-by-side comparisons in our reviews.
title: “Best Samsung Phones 2023” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-19” author: “John Coleman”
Normally, your best bet would be to buy one of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 phones, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra topping that lineup. There’s a lot to recommend the S22 Ultra, from its excellent cameras to its ample screen space. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus have their own strengths while costing less than the Ultra model. But we could see new Samsung phones very shortly, as Samsung is reportedly working to ready the Galaxy S23 lineup for a launch in early 2023. The S23 and S23 Plus may be modest upgrades, but it sounds like the Galaxy S23 Ultra could be a substantial upgrade over what’s come before it. Beyond flagships, Samsung’s other handsets include everything from unique (and pricey) foldables to more affordable budget models. It’s a diverse set of offerings, and you can potentially benefit from the company’s wide array of phones. Our list of the best Samsung phones includes devices from al those categories. See what you can save with the best Samsung Galaxy S22 deals along with our Samsung promo codes. If you do wind up grabbing a Samsung device, make sure you check out the first app you should install on your Samsung Galaxy phone and all of the Samsung hidden features that will change the way you use your phone.
The best Samsung phones you can buy right now
Looking for the best Samsung phone right now? Then look no further than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the crown jewel in Samsung’s new lineup of flagship phones. The S22 Ultra rises to the top of our list by drawing upon an old familiar phone to Samsung fans — the design looks like a Galaxy Note model, right down to the slot for the included S Pen. This is more than just a rehash of the Galaxy Note, though, as the Galaxy S22 Ultra delivers the brightest display we’ve yet tested, a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and terrific camera improvements. The larger sensor on the new Ultra’s main camera lets in more light for better low-light photography, and we also appreciate software improvements like the more advanced Portrait mode. Samsung has even begun to roll out updates for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra camera, including a performance boost to portrait mode. We wish battery life was a little better, though we appreciate that Samsung has gone back to 45W charging for this model. All told, this is a fine phone — one of the best phones overall, in fact — and it will wow any Samsung fan who wants the best possible handset and can’t way until the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s arrival. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review. As good as the Galaxy S22 Ultra is, it also has the second-highest starting price of any new Samsung phone — only the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will cost you more. While you certainly get what you pay for with the Ultra, you can get a lot of the same features for hundreds of dollars less with the Galaxy S22. The Galaxy S22 boasts the same chipset found in more expensive S22 models, and it also has a brighter screen than its predecessor, even if the S22 Ultra and S22 Plus outshine it. Samsung also improved the cameras on the Galaxy S22, which takes excellent low-light photos and compelling portrait shots. Unlike other flagship phones in its price range, the Galaxy S22 even has a dedicated telephoto lens which now supports a 3x optical zoom. You won’t get the fast wired charging found in other Galaxy S22 models, and the S22’s battery life leaves a little bit to be desired. But at $799, this model delivers the right balance of premium features and value for your money. It also compares quite favorably to Google’s latest phone as we found out in our Pixel 7 vs. Galaxy S22 face-off. The Galaxy S22 also wins our phone display face-off with the Pixel 7 and iPhone 14. With the Galaxy S23 only expected to see modest upgrades, you can make the case that the Galaxy S22 is the phone to get right now, especially if you can find the handset at a discount. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 review. It’s tempting to overlook the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, wedged as it is between the low-cost Galaxy S22 and the feature-packed Galaxy S22 Ultra. But make no mistake — the Galaxy S22 Plus is a stellar Samsung phone in its own right. Owners of 2021’s S21 Plus may not notice much of a difference, but if you’ve had the same phone for more than two years, the Galaxy S22 Plus can offer you a premium experience without the Ultra’s stratospheric price tag. You get the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor that powers the S22 Ultra, and while the latter phone has more sophisticated camera specs, the Galaxy S22 Plus can hold its own, particularly when it comes to low-light photography. You also can enjoy the same bright display and fast 45W charging found in the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but for $200 less. The Galaxy S22 Plus is the big-screen phone to turn to if you can’t swing the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It’s proof again that Samsung really know its way around a device with welcoming display. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus review. Samsung continues to show that it’s serious about midrange phones with the Galaxy A53. Opt for this model and you can get a device with a screen that refreshes at 120Hz and delivers reasonable performance for hundreds less than what Samsung charges for one of its flagships. Yes, the $449 price of the Galaxy A53 means some compromises, such as a less powerful Exynos 1280 chipset instead of the top-of-the-line Snapdragon silicon found in the Galaxy S22 series. We also wish Samsung didn’t include a superfluous macro camera with the A53’s array of lenses. But that low price — equal to the cost of the Google Pixel 6a — is hard to beat, especially in a phone that comes with a solid design and a generous amount of software updates. If you’re a Samsung fan in search of the best cheap phone under $500, the Galaxy A53 is the phone to get. Read our full Samsung Galaxy A53 review. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 takes the best foldable phone and makes it better in multiple ways. For one, Samsung and Google made it much easier to multitask by adding a taskbar, and you can now drag and drop content between more apps when you’re running them side by side. We also really like the improved camera system on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, headed up by the same 50MP main sensor as the Galaxy S22 series. In our testing, the Fold 4 held its own against the iPhone 13 Pro Max and beat it in a few shots. Other highlights of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 include a slimmer hinge and narrower bezels, as well as a brighter main display. The battery lasted longer, too, in our testing. However, $1,799 is still a lot to spend on a phone — even one that doubles as a tablet — and this is still one thick and heavy device. But if you want a foldable phone that can do it all, this is it. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review. You don’t need to pay full price to get the big features in Samsung’s Galaxy S series. For $100 less than the standard Galaxy S22, the Galaxy S21 FE lets you enjoy a Snapdragon 888 processor, a fast-refreshing display and cameras that can hold their own against the top camera phones. There are some trade-offs. Samsung puts less RAM in this device than in its earlier Galaxy S21 models, and the refresh rate on the 6.4-inch display is not adaptive — you have to manually adjust it. And that can adversely affect battery life. Still, everything else you’d want in a Samsung phone is here with a larger screen than what you get with the standard S21. With the Galaxy S22 available at $799, there’s only a $100 difference from the Galaxy S21 FE. That’s not a lot to pay for a more updated phone, but if you can’t go any higher than $699, at least the Galaxy S21 FE still delivers plenty of features for less than you’d expect to pay. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is an impressive foldable phone for someone who wants a big screen in a compact design. Not only is the design ever so slightly sleeker, the battery life has vastly improved over the Galaxy Z Flip 3 last year. In our custom battery life test, the Flip 4 went for considerably longer than its predecessor. The folding 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display is beautiful, even though the display crease remains very noticeable. The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 certainly makes this foldable a little powerhouse, turning in excellent scores in our benchmarks. While the cameras saw minimal upgrades this year, the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s night mode is something to behold. It gives Apple and Google a run for their money, but daytime photos could be better. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review.
How to choose the best Samsung phones
Picking which Samsung phone to buy is primarily driven by budget considerations. You’re not going to spring for a Galaxy S22 Ultra, for example, if you’re not prepared with at least $1,199 even if you opt to spread those payments out over time. But other factors need to be taken into consideration as well. Start with how you use your smartphone. If it’s primarily a productivity device, the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 4 are appealing, despite their high price tags, because they both support the S Pen. (The S22 Ultra now comes with an S Pen, in fact; it’s optional with samsung’s foldable.) If you turn to your phone for photography, the Galaxy S series is usually first in line for Samsung’s camera innovations, and all three S22 models offer impressive camera features. Budget-minded shoppers will want to look at the Galaxy S21 FE, which costs $100 less than its fellow Samsung flagships. For a lower cost and a step down on some more features, there’s the Galaxy A lineup. You can also find discounts on Samsung phones by buying directly from the phone maker and trading in your current device. Check out the best Samsung phone deals for the latest savings. Expect a shake-up to Samsung’s phone lineup in early 2023. Galaxy S23 release date rumors point to an early February unveiling for Samsung’s Galaxy S22 successors. Don’t hold your breath for a Galaxy S21 FE replacement, though — reports are that the Galaxy S22 FE has been dropped from Samsung’s plans.
How we test the best Samsung phones
In order for a smartphone to make our best phone list, it needs to excel on several tests that we run on every handset. We perform some of these tests in our labs and some in the real world. When it comes to performance, we rely on such synthetic benchmarks as Geekbench 5 and 3DMark to measure graphics performance. These tests allow us to compare performance across iPhones and Android devices. We also run a real-world video transcoding test on each phone using the Adobe Premiere Rush app and time the result. (We unfortunately have to skip this test on some phones due to app compatibility issues, but we attempt this benchmark with each device we get in to review.) To measure the quality of a phone’s display, we perform lab tests to determine the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as how colorful each screen is (DCI-P3 color gamut). In these cases, higher numbers are better. We also measure color accuracy of each panel with a Delta-E rating, where lower numbers are better and score of 0 is perfect. One of the most important tests we run is the Tom’s Guide battery test. We run a web surfing test over 5G (or 4G if the phone doesn’t have 5G support) at 150 nits of screen brightness until the battery gives out. In general, a phone that lasts 10 hours or more is good, and anything above 11 hours makes our list of the best phone battery life. Last but not least, we take the best phones out in the field to take photos outdoors, indoors and at night in low light to see how they perform versus their closest competitors. We take shots of landscapes, food, portraits and more, and also allow you to be the judge with side-by-side comparisons in our reviews.
