Samsung continues to battle Huawei and Apple for the crown of best smartphone, and to help sales, we find the company releasing more mid-range phones that are extremely capable while also offering innovative folding devices. Samsung is clearly the leader in foldable technology and its new S22 series shows it is working to be the best across the board.
Samsung's latest foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 3, is a stunning feat of engineering that we found to be a significant improvement over its predecessor. The Galaxy S22 series and the compelling A-Series offer more traditional smartphone designs with features that challenge the best available phones.
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The 2020 Galaxy Z Fold 2 set the bar for foldable devices that also serve as mini tablets. At first glance, the Z Fold 3 may appear to be just a minor update to the Z Fold 2, but at a starting price $200 less (with holiday discounts dropping the model even further), Samsung provides S Pen support and IPX8 water resistance. These were two features many have asked for and Samsung delivered once again.
In addition to a couple of new features, the cover display resolution and refresh rate were updated so you get a high-resolution display with 120 Hz support constructed of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The main display has improved panels and a screen protector that provide an 80% increase in its durability. The three main cameras are basically the same, but the new under display camera is a step forward in mobile technology that's great for video conferencing, even if it can't quite compete yet with its more obvious counterparts.
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Samsung's first flagship phone of 2022 was released as the Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. While the S21 Ultra from 2021 supported the S Pen, there was no way to store, carry, or charge up the S Pen. With the S22 Ultra, Samsung has fully embraced it as the Note successor with an S Pen silo, flat and square design elements, and all of the latest and greatest specifications in a smartphone.
The Galaxy S22 phones were the first to launch widely with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor inside. While the same resolution cameras are found in this year's S22 Ultra, Samsung improved the camera's capabilities, especially in terms of low-light shooting. With two telephoto cameras, Samsung stands out from Apple and Google with fantastic zoom capability.
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If you are a Note user then the S22 Ultra is the model to purchase. However, if you like a slightly smaller phone that is also extremely capable, then the S22 Plus should satisfy your needs.
The Galaxy S22 Plus has a 50MP camera instead of the 108MP one found in the S22 Ultra, but it still provides a very capable still and video camera experience. The S22 Plus supports 45W fast charging, ultra wideband, WiFi 6E, and 5G. It is constructed with an Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus Plus.
Four color options are available for the S22 Plus so you can find one that fits your style. Pricing starts at $999.99.
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While the Galaxy S22 series provide compelling options, they are flagship phones priced in the $800 and higher range. In order to offer customers another alternative, Samsung released the. Galaxy S21 FE (Fan Edition) phone. The S21 FE is available in four unique colors to suit your style.
Priced at $699.99, you may think Samsung compromised a lot to offer a powerful 5G phone. However, we see a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, large capacity 4500mAh battery, 6 or 8GB of RAM, 128 or 256GB storage with a microSD card slot, IP68 dust/water resistance, three rear cameras (one with 3X optical and 30x super-resolution zoom), and a high resolution 32MP front camera.
Where are the compromises? Exactly, there really aren't any and yet the $700 price is where we see phones in the upper mid-range with less capable specs appear. The S21 FE challenges Google's new Pixel 6 and other phones.
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Like the Z Fold 3, the Z Flip 3 is the third generation Flip device from Samsung. One significant improvement is the increased size of the cover screen display from 1.1 to 1.9 inches. The other major change is the IPX8 water resistance that gives you peace of mind when you are flipping open and closed out in the weather.
The $200 price drop on the Z Flip 3 means you can now join the foldable sector for $1000, which is competitive to other flagship smartphones and gives the Z Flip 3 the potential to seriously challenge other manufacturers while expanding the adoption of foldable devices.
Battery life was a concern with the last generation model so we'll have to see how the processor, Android 11, and Samsung software enhancements impact the battery life on the Z Flip 3.
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Samsung offers three options in the A-Series lineup with the A52 5G, A42 5G, and A32 5G. As noted by the name, this year's A-Series phones all support 5G networks and are solid options for first time smartphone owners or those looking for an affordable phone.
One distinguishing element of the A-Series is the high capacity battery that is sure to get you through a day or two. We also find water resistance, high refresh rate displays, and other core Samsung features in these affordable phones.
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We try to spend time with every phone in our best list and if we don't get that opportunity then we look to trusted reviewers in the mobile space. We only include phones that are still readily available since Samsung tends to clear the queue when new models are launched.
While we personally spend most of our time with higher-end models that help us get our work done most efficiently, there are mid-range phones worth consideration so we include them as well.
We found the best Samsung phone is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. It is superior in camera capabilities, processor speed, and battery life, and it rivals its greatest competitors like Apple and Huawei.
It was much easier to choose a Samsung phone option in the past when just the S and Note series were available, along with some low-range basic phones. Samsung has significantly expanded its offerings with the A Series, Fold, and Flip options so now the first thing to consider is your desired form factor.
First, decide if you want a standard “glass rectangle” smartphone or if you want a foliding device. For maximum screen real estate, get a Z Fold 3. Or, for taking up the minimum space in your pocket and providing that extra bit of style, get a Z Flip 3 5G.
If you choose a standard form factor, then price is the next factor to consider. With Samsung's new strategy you have phones priced from under $250 to over $1,200. So, your budget should quickly help you figure out which price point is right for your. From there, consider whether or not you need stylus support, or if you'd prefer some of the best camera arrays around.