Other Samsung Phones to Consider
If you don't see a Samsung phone mentioned in this guide, that might be because it's not sold in the US and is a little harder to source for testing. But here are a few other Samsung phones I've tested to consider.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge for $1,220: Have you ever wanted a really thin and lightweight phone? No? Well, Samsung has an option for you anyway. The Galaxy S25 Edge (6/10, WIRED Review) sits in the middle of Samsung's flagship lineup and matches several features of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, like a titanium frame, stronger front glass, and 4K 120 frames per second video recording. All the cameras even have autofocus. But it made several sacrifices to achieve its amazingly slim 5.8-mm frame (for context, the S25 Ultra is 8.2 mm thick). There's no stylus, no telephoto camera, and worst of all, the battery capacity has been slashed. We've seen this before—thin phones have always compromised on battery life, and that's no different here. I constantly had to baby this phone's 3,900-mAh battery with average to heavy usage, and that's just not acceptable. (The iPhone Air did it better.) If you find yourself constantly near a power source and you think you'll enjoy the slim and light design, then go for it. Rumors suggest that the Edge did not perform well, and it may not see a successor in 2026.
Galaxy A17 5G. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung Galaxy A17 5G for $200: On paper, the Galaxy A17 (5/10, WIRED Review) seems like a really great deal. Six years of software support, an AMOLED screen, expandable storage, and a decent camera. Unfortunately, it's held back by lackluster performance. The problem is specifically the very limited 4 GB of RAM in the US model, which severely ruins the entire experience of using the phone. If you had to use your smartphone in an emergency, I would not trust the A17 to be reliable. But if your needs are extremely minimal, it may suffice.
Galaxy A36. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G for $395: The Galaxy A36 (6/10, WIRED Review) doesn't quite measure up to its peers from Nothing and Motorola. Performance is just too choppy, and that's not acceptable at this price. It's manageable—it's not so slow that it will frustrate—but you can do better. If your needs are very minimal, it's an OK phone, and the camera system is good, with day-long battery life, a nice AMOLED screen, and 6 years of software updates.
Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 or Galaxy Z Flip6: If you don't want to pay a premium for a new folding phone, then consider 2024's Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip7 (7/10, WIRED Review). The Fold6 has a close to “normal” smartphone experience on the exterior 6.3-inch screen. Open the phone up, and there's a vast 7.6-inch AMOLED screen staring at your face, turning this folding phone into a tiny tablet. The Flip6 isn't as nice as the newer Flip7—the bigger and brighter cover screen on the latest model is a step up—but it's worth considering over the new Galaxy Z Flip7 FE. Technically, it's nearly identical to that phone, but the FE uses a Samsung Exynos chip instead of a Qualcomm processor, and performance may not be as smooth. The main drawback? Battery life isn't great. Make sure you don't pay MSRP for these 2024 phones.
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