Other Samsung Phones to Consider
Galaxy A36. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
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 tried to consider.
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G for $400: 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 A16. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung Galaxy A16 for $175: Samsung's Galaxy A16 still doesn't reach the highs of the Galaxy A14, and that's largely due to sluggish performance. Sure, Samsung is promising six years of software updates, but that remarkable update window doesn't matter when the phone is frustratingly slow, and you want to throw it out the window. If you barely plan on using this device but want something from a reliable brand that will stay secure, the Galaxy A16 is fine. Its performance just isn't competitive with other similarly priced phones.
Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 for $1,900 or Galaxy Z Flip6 for $900: If you don't want to pay a premium for a new folding phone, then consider last year'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.
If you're looking to save some cash, it's fine to buy Samsung's Galaxy S23 range or the Galaxy S23 FE from 2023, as long as the prices are a good deal lower than the original MSRP. (They're hard to find at most major retailers.) These phones will still get support for a while, and they're pretty great. I don't think it's worth buying anything older.
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