The best Samsung budget, midrange, and high end phones you can buy

February 18, 2022 2

Feb 17, 2022, 3:15 AM

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Samsung is the leading global phone maker for a reason, and that reason is innovation. Ever since the first Galaxy S, Samsung has been relentlessly pursuing unique technologies like OLED display panels, or innovative camera solutions like dual optical zoom, culminating in phones like the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Apart from selling top-notch and crazy powerful flagship phones, Samsung has a rich variety of handsets for every user out there, from 5G midrangers, to innovative foldable phones. Samsung has it all, and does it well, all the while it keeps introducing new designs with the same powerful experience it’s famous for. The Galaxy S22 lineup reveal only confirmed those impressions, as the three phones joined the multitude of great Samsung phones for all needs right off the bat.

So, what is the best Samsung phone?

Best Samsung 5G phones list

Best Samsung flagships

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The grandest, the meanest, the best Samsung Galaxy S line phone right now – the S22 Ultra! The unique Galaxy S21 Ultra is present in two of our “best” awards rarely seen together in a flagship – for camera and display, and battery life. The S22 Ultra has the brightest phone screen we’ve tested, and a rather long battery life for its class, not to mention the RAW power of its camera detail.

Sporting Qualcomm’s premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, or the Exynos 2200 outside of the States and Korea, this phone can easily handle any task you throw at it. It sports a gorgeous 6.8-inch 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED display, which delivers a great viewing experience from all angles, making sure you enjoy looking at this phone while gaming, scrolling through social media, or browsing.

This phone is a beast in terms of performance. But the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s prowess doesn’t end here. It is one of the best camera phones in 2021 with its quad camera system, sporting a 108MP main sensor, two zoom cameras and an ultra-wide one. Features the S21 Ultra’s camera brings to the table are 12-bit HDR RAW photos, Bright Night mode, Portrait mode with improved separation for selfies, Zoom Lock for clear shots at up to 100x.

On top of everything we already mentioned, the S21 Ultra has a generous 5,000mAh battery cell, which ensures the phone keeps the lights on for a day of heavy, intensive usage. It beats the best in battery life out there. And it supports the Note’s S Pen. And it supports 5G… Well, if you want to go all-in and get the best Samsung phone in 2021, the Ultra is the one to get.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The one and only Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the pinnacle of a futuristic foldable phone trend that Samsung single-handedly crafted from scratch! Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 fulfills the true promise of foldable phones – a big display only when you need it – better than anyone else due to Samsung’s unique flexible screen expertise.

The Z Fold 3 is a headturner with a durable build, cool color combos, and a unique S Pen stylus support that is hard to replicate. To top it all off, Samsung is increasingly moving the Z Fold 3 price point towards the mainstream despite its futuristic looks and feel in your palm and pocket.

Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+

Going down the best 2022 Samsung phones totem pole we find two options rolled into one – the Galaxy S22 and S22+ – equal in hardware and performance but not size and fit. And yes, you get big new 50MP camera sensors as well as adaptive 120Hz screens!

The Galaxy S22 and the S22+ are a part of the flagship S22 series, and both feature quite the similar specs. The slightly smaller Galaxy S22 is for you if you want the flagship experience with a more compact phone size. The S21 features a 6.1″ AMOLED display, a versatile triple camera system with a new 50MP Samsung GN3 sensor, and of course, Qualcomm’s mightiest at the moment Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor (or the Exynos 2200 with AMD graphics outside of the States and Korea).

The Galaxy S22+ is slightly bigger than its sibling with a 6.6-inches display. The triple camera system here is the same as the regular S21; however, it does have a bit more battery at 4500mAh in compared to the vanilla S22’s 3700mAh. Both phones can handle any task you would expect a modern flagship to handle perfectly, with no hiccups whatsoever. Plus, they now have a great main camera and a quality 3x telephoto zoom shooter.

Best midrange Samsung phones

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

The Note 20 Ultra is now the budget Samsung phone option for lovers of the Note line and its S Pen silo.

Equipped with the Snapdragon 865+, it is powerful enough for most all games and tasks you want to achieve on a phone. Its big 6.9-inch AMOLED display is what we have come to expect from a Note phone.

On top of that, the Note 20 Ultra comes equipped with a mighty 108MP main camera, complemented by a 12MP telephoto and a 12MP ultra-wide cameras, capturing beautiful images with saturated and vivid colors, a bit “better than reality” actually. Combine this with the S Pen and the largest battery in the Note line, you are in for a win if you go for the Note 20 Ultra. And let’s not forget the gorgeous design the Note 20 Ultra sports, with trendy look and slim bezels.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

The Galaxy S21 FE is one of the best Samsung phones in 2022 because it is a success across all categories necessary for a great user experience – versatile camera, display refresh, and long battery life.

Equipped with the 2021’s flagship processor, the Snapdragon 888, a fast 120Hz display refresh rate and a telephoto zoom, it comes at a way cheaper price than one would expect for such specs. Samsung has cut corners exactly where it should have (glasstic body, for example) with this one, achieving a great performing phone for a midrange price.

The S21 FE is the best value-for-money Samsung phone you can get your hands on right now. Everything you would need from a good phone is present here: Samsung has equipped the S21 FE with a great triple camera system that includes 12MP main and ultra-wide shooters, and an 8MP 3x telephoto optical zoom camera as well. There is a generous 4500mAh battery and fast 25W charging to round up the great $600 offering. If you want a flagship performance in a mid-range phone, the Galaxy S21 FE is the one to get.

Samsung Galaxy A71 5G

With a Verizon UW version, the Galaxy A71 is the best midranger Samsung currently has with a 5G connectivity on top.

The Galaxy A71 offers most of what’s great about flagship Samsung phones for a much lower price now that our Galaxy A72 review didn’t find a compelling reason to upgrade from the excellent A71.

The A71 5G comes with the fast mid-range Snapdragon 765 processor, which provides smooth experience while using the phone with no stutters whatsoever. Gaming is smooth also, although heavier games may need to be set to Medium settings. Its display complements the good user experience with this phone, as it is a sharp and beautiful 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen.

A 4,500mAh battery ensures you can go even two days on a single charge with medium or light usage, or one day of heavy usage. Overall, it is quite a good phone for a reasonable price.

Best value Samsung phones

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G

As the successor of the bestselling Galaxy A51, we can safely say Samsung has improved the Galaxy A52 5G where it matters the most.

The A52 comes with a fresh new colors and trust-worthy performance. On top of that, its camera has been improved and its main sensor is now a 64MP one, assisted by optical image stabilization, which makes it the best Samsung phone for people who want a budget-friendly and reliable phone. The cameras on the A52 deliver great images with good dynamic range and a reasonable amount of detail and sharpness.

In addition to 5G Ultra Wideband support, you get a respectable screen resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, 128 gigs of internal storage space, single 32MP selfie shooter, in-display fingerprint sensor, microSD card slot, and… a headphone jack, woohoo! While not perfect, there is a reason the A51 was been the most popular Samsung phone on the market in 2020, and its 2021 successor can’t be an exception at its sub-$400 price point.

A great Galaxy for everyone

The best Samsung phones - updated February 2022

As the market leader, Samsung has built expertise on adapting the phone experience towards the user. The flagship phones that Samsung releases are always next to impeccable performance and camera beasts with features hard to replicate by the direct competition.

The value Samsung phone users can be certain they get a great phone with little compromise in design and features, too. And, on top of everything, all of our entries in the best Samsung phones list now support 5G, the future of mobile network standards.

Arguably the best thing about Samsung phones is that the company makes products across all categories: from budget-friendly devices for your mom (if she’s not a tech nerd, though) to mid-rangers, to top-performing premium phones. This means that there is a great Galaxy phone for everyone.