The two most widely used phone brands in the United States are Samsung Galaxy phones and the iPhone. However, despite the fact that Apple is the only company that developed the iOS mobile operating system, even the best Samsung phones face fierce Android competition. (Although Samsung refers to its layer over Android as “One UI,” Galaxy phones are, in fact, Android phones.) My favorite Android device is the Pixel phone from Google, but Samsung’s options are just as good and frequently have better hardware.
Samsung, like Google, says that its low-cost and high-end devices will have the longest software support. That means you don’t have to upgrade your phone as often, as it will stay up-to-date, secure, and free of bugs for longer. But the Korean giant has many, many models at varying prices. Which Samsung phone is best? I sort it out here, starting with the Galaxy S25. Additionally, I have advice on how to get the most out of your brand-new hardware. When considering a Samsung smartphone, the company’s current flagship lineup, the Galaxy S25 series (7/10, WIRED Recommends), should be considered as a starting point. Not much has changed from its predecessors (seriously, many of the specs are identical), but that doesn’t stop them from being excellent and reliable smartphones. The Galaxy S25, which has a screen of 6.2 inches, is the smallest of the bunch. The Galaxy S25+, on the other hand, has a screen of 6.7 inches. Choosing between the two largely depends on whether you want a big display or a small, pocketable phone. The S25+ has 256 GB of storage, while the larger model has a bigger battery because of its larger size, but their specifications are more or less identical than ever before. You get every high-end feature you can think of, from UFS 4.0 storage speeds to brilliantly bright AMOLED displays with high 120-Hz refresh rates that ratchet down to 1 Hz to be more energy efficient. There is an excellent triple-camera system with a 3x optical zoom, an ultrawide in addition to the primary camera, and a strong selfie shooter. The batteries typically last a full day of typical use with approximately 30 to 40 percent remaining. Additionally, these phones provide some of the best pre-loaded video footage, making them ideal for new TikTok users. Arguably, the most notable improvement over prior models is performance—the efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset paired with Samsung’s improved cooling technology means it can handle demanding games like Genshin Impact with fewer stutters and without getting warm too quickly.
