The best Samsung phones are among the best phones in the world, as the company routinely releases some of the best Android phones we’ve ever seen. The company is the best-selling phone manufacturer worldwide with good reason.
While those top-end phones tend to be its priciest handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Samsung Galaxy S20 ranges, there are also some very good Samsung phones that don’t need to decimate your wallet. We’re thinking phones like the mid-range Samsung Galaxy A80 and Samsung Galaxy S10e that are included in this list.
Our ranking of the best Samsung phones below contains both those at the top end and those that are more affordable, so there should be something for almost everyone, but what they all have in common is attractive design and solid Android software.
There should be something that appeals then, but before dropping money on any of these phones you should note that Black Friday is on November 27 and it’s closely followed by Cyber Monday. Both of these are major sales in which we’re sure to see prices drop on at least some of these Samsung phones.
You probably won’t see big discounts on the latest models, but slightly older ones could come in at a big saving, so it might be worth waiting. This guide should help you decide which models to keep an eye out for in the sale though, and you’ll also find all the best prices below.
We’re keeping this list constantly updated, and most recently that’s meant adding the upper mid-range Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition and the super-premium Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, so read on below to see where they rank, and check back regularly for new additions.
Best Samsung phones 2020 at a glance:
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S20
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition
- Samsung Galaxy S10
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
- Samsung Galaxy A80
- Samsung Galaxy S10e
Best Samsung phones 2020
(Image credit: Future)
1. Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus is just right
Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 186g | Dimensions: 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3200 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990 | RAM: 8GB/12GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP + ToF 3D | Front camera: 10MP
Powerful yet sleek
Much-improved zoom
Ever-higher price
Improvements are mostly iterative
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus currently tops our rank of the greatest Samsung phones available, beating even the pricier Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.
So unsurprisingly this is an absolutely fantastic phone. The design isn’t massively changed from the Galaxy S10 Plus, but most other elements have been upgraded. The screen now has a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, it packs a more powerful chipset, and its cameras have had a big boost.
The most exciting lens is its 64MP telephoto one, facilitating a 3x hybrid optical zoom, but there are also 12MP main and 12MP ultra-wide ones, as well as a depth sensor.
Add in a massive 4,500mAh battery, 5G support, and all the things you expect from a Samsung flagship – like water resistance and an in-screen fingerprint scanner – and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus is clearly one of the very best phones from any company, not just the South Korean giant.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus review
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2. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Release date: August 2020 | Weight: 208g | Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.9-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3088 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
5x camera zoom crushes it
New useful S Pen features
‘Ultra’ expensive
Slower charging
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a beast of a handset with a beast of a price. According to our review it has the best-looking screen of any phone and the best camera of any Android phone – one which is also brilliant fun to use, thanks to its 5x optical zoom, fun filters, and slick camera interface.
That camera includes a 108MP main sensor, a 12MP periscope one, and a 12MP ultra-wide one, while the screen is a massive 6.9-inch 1440 x 3088 AMOLED one with 496 pixels per inch and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
But the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra doesn’t stop there, as it also stands out from rivals thanks to its S Pen stylus, letting you doodle on the screen, sync voice recordings with your hand-written notes, and more.
Plus, the phone also has top-end power of course, including 12GB of RAM and either a Snapdragon 865 Plus or Exynos 990 chipset. Which you get depends on where you are in the world, but they’re both exceedingly powerful.
There’s also 5G, loads of storage, a premium design, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and a big battery, so this is a phone that almost has it all – though the charging could be faster and it’s slightly disappointing that you can’t use both a 120Hz refresh rate and a QHD+ resolution at the same time.
The biggest stumbling block though is simply the price, but if you have the money and want everything that the Note 20 Ultra is offering, then it’s a fantastic choice.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review
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3. Samsung Galaxy S20
The most one-hand-friendly version of Samsung’s flagship
Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 163g | Dimensions: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.2-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3200 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990 | RAM: 8GB/12GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
Good camera upgrade
Samsung’s best display yet
Quite expensive
Lowest spec in the range
While slightly less exciting than the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra, the standard Galaxy S20 has a lower price going for it, as well as a more pocket-friendly size.
Though at 6.2 inches this is still far from a small phone, and with a QHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and one of the best quality AMOLED screens yet put on a phone, the display is worth shouting about.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 also has an impressive camera setup, headlined by a 64MP telephoto sensor, which is joined by a 12MP main and 12MP ultra-wide one – so it misses out only on the S20 Plus’s depth sensor.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 is also available in a 5G flavor, has a large 4,000mAh battery, and top-end power, thanks to either a Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset (depending on where in the world you buy it).
Read our Samsung Galaxy S20 review
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4. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
The ultimate flagship – at an ultimate price
Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 166g | Dimensions: 166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.9-inch | Resolution: 3200 x 1440 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 12/16GB | Storage: 128/512GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 48MP + 12MP + ToF 3D | Front camera: 40MP
Best specs of 2020, period
5x optical, 100x digital ‘Space Zoom’
Enormous 6.9-inch display
Very expensive
Extras not worth price bump
Space Zoom dubious worth
If money were no object then the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra would rank higher on this list, as in many ways it’s arguably the best Samsung phone you can buy.
It has a massive 6.9-inch 1440 x 3200 screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, plus a quad-lens camera, headlined by a 108MP main sensor, and also featuring a 48MP periscope zoom one capable of up to 100x digital zoom.
It also of course has the same top-end chipset as the rest of the Galaxy S20 range, coupled with up to 16GB of RAM – which is more than the other two models.
So you get a bigger screen, more power, an arguably higher spec (though inconsistent) camera, and a massive 5,000mAh battery, but the price – and size – will prove impractical for many.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra review
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5. Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
A still-great Samsung flagship
Release date: February 2019 | Weight: 175g | Dimensions: 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.4-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3040 | CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128GB/512GB/1TB | Battery: 4,100mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 16MP | Front camera: 10MP + 8MP
Excellent screen-to-body ratio
In-screen fingerprint sensor
Sizable price hike
Slippery design
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus spent a long time at the top of this list, and with good reason.
It’s a big upgrade over the previous year’s model, with a newer all-screen design, enabled by Samsung ditching bezels in favor of a punch-hole camera. Speaking of the camera, you get three on the back and two on the front, making this a very versatile camera phone.
The fingerprint scanner is in the screen, which is far more ideal than it being on the back as was the case with the S9 range, and there’s a big 4,100mAh battery, which gives the Galaxy S10 Plus a lot of life. So much so you might even consider using its Wireless PowerShare feature to juice up other devices with it.
The Galaxy S10 Plus also has a big 6.4-inch screen and all the power you’d expect from a 2019 flagship.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review
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6. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
This is a top Samsung phablet
Release date: August 2019 | Weight: 196g | Dimensions: 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.8-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3040 | CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9825 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256GB/512GB | Battery: 4,300mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 16MP + ToF 3D | Front camera: 10MP
Handy S Pen stylus
The best screen on a smartphone
Supremely expensive
Camera isn’t ‘the best’
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus might have been superseded by the Note 20 Ultra, but it’s still one of the best stylus-toting phones available. It comes with a massive screen, powerful processor, and four rear cameras.
The highlight of this device is the aforementioned S Pen, a stylus that helps you do loads with your device. It isn’t just used for drawing and taking notes; a range of gesture controls help you get the most out of your handset.
Yes, the phone is expensive (prohibitively so, to some), but every penny you pay goes straight into one of the top Samsung phones about, and one of the best handsets full stop.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus review
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7. Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition
Basically the Samsung Galaxy S20 Lite
Release date: October 2020 | Weight: 190g | Dimensions: 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.5-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990 | RAM: 6GB/8GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 8MP | Front camera: 32MP
Can take great pictures
Powerful processor
Not very ‘lite’ in price
Cheap-feeling design
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is basically a Samsung Galaxy S20 Lite, but it retains many of the Galaxy S20’s best bits.
The highlights are its screen, camera, and chipset. For the first of those you get a 6.5-inch 1080 x 2400 Super AMOLED screen with a silky smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
The camera meanwhile is a triple-lens one, consisting of a 12MP main snapper, a 12MP ultra-wide one, and an 8MP telephoto one, ensuring all the main photography bases are covered. In our review we also found that these lenses performed well.
Finally, the chipset is either the Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 – the former is what you get with the 5G version of the phone, while the latter comes with the 4G model, but both are high-end. The build could be a better and the price is perhaps a bit steep, but otherwise the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition really is a fan pleaser.
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8. Samsung Galaxy S10
Similar to the S10 Plus, but smaller
Release date: February 2019 | Weight: 157g | Dimensions: 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.1-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3040 | CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB/512GB | Battery: 3,400mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 16MP | Front camera: 10MP
In-screen fingerprint sensor
Wireless PowerShare feature
Another price hike
Not the best camera
Samsung’s Galaxy S10 is largely similar to its plus-sized sibling, just a slight downgrade and slightly more compact.
You miss a few features by opting for the S10 over the Plus, but if you’re looking to save a little money it’s still going to offer the core highlights, such as that Infinity-O screen, the slick design and high-end internals.
The fingerprint scanner is also in the screen on the Galaxy S10, plus it looks gorgeous with an incredible 550 pixels per inch on this model. You’ve got a variety of color options, plus there’s the choice of either 128GB or 512GB depending on how much space you’ll need.
The battery life on the standard S10 isn’t as great as it is on the Plus, but it’s not something to turn your nose up at as it can still easily survive a full day of use.
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9. Samsung Galaxy Note 20
The world’s priciest plastic phone?
Release date: August 2020 | Weight: 192g | Dimensions: 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 4,300mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
Versatile three-camera array
S-Pen is brilliant, as ever
Expensive for a phone with a plastic back
Only has a 60Hz display
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is less exciting than the Note 20 Ultra. In fact, given its plastic back and FHD+ screen, it’s rather less premium than you might expect from a handset in the Note range, but it’s still well worth considering if you want a relatively affordable phone with an S Pen.
And this phone has more than just the S Pen going for it. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 also has high-end power, thanks to its Snapdragon 865 Plus or Exynos 990 chipset (depending on region) and 8GB of RAM. Plus its triple-lens camera (with a 12MP main, 64MP telephoto, and 12MP ultra-wide sensor) allows for versatile photography.
Despite its lesser specs this is still far from an affordable handset, but if you can’t stretch to the Note 20 Ultra and you want something newer than the Note 10, then it remains a good choice.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Note 20 review
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10. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
The most futuristic phone of 2020
Release date: August 2020 | Weight: 282g | Dimensions: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm (unfolded) | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 7.6 and 6.23-inch | Resolution: 1768 x 2208 and 816 x 2260 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256GB/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP + 10MP
Much bigger front Cover Display
Refined second-gen hinge
As expensive as phones come
Lacks Samsung’s best cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the company’s best foldable yet at the time of writing, improving on the original Galaxy Fold in a number of ways, and offering a more premium experience than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
This really is a tablet and a phone all in one, and it looks and feels suitably futuristic, while also packing a much bigger (and therefore more useful) Cover Display than its predecessor. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is power packed as well, and has the same 120Hz refresh rate as other premium Samsung phones.
However, it lacks Samsung’s best cameras and makes most smartphones look cheap, which is why we can’t rank it higher. But if Samsung can fix those issues for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 then it might have a masterpiece on its hands.
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11. Samsung Galaxy A80
Samsung’s best affordable smartphone so far
Release date: May 2019 | Weight: 220g | Dimensions: 165.2 x 76.5 x 9.3mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 730 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 3,700mAh | Rear camera: 48MP, 8MP, ToF 3D camera | Front camera: Same as rear
Novel pop-up spinning camera
High quality screen
Fast charging is speedy
Slow to use
Camera is OK, not great
Unreliable data connection
Samsung’s premium Note and S-series aren’t its only good phones, as it has the Galaxy A devices that provide toned-down specs at lower prices. However A phones are also Samsung’s testing grounds for more novel ideas, and that’s exactly what the Samsung Galaxy A80 is, with its cameras.
When you want to take a selfie on the Samsung Galaxy A80, which has no front-facing camera (in order to make way for a full screen with no complications), a panel housing the device’s rear cameras pops up and spins around, which is a quirky and fun gimmick.
There’s more to the phone than its cameras though, with a 6.7-inch AMOLED display and impressive charging speed, making it a decent option for people who don’t need one of Samsung’s premium devices.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy A80 review
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12. Samsung Galaxy S10e
Release date: March 2019 | Weight: 150g | Dimensions: 142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 5.8-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2280 | CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820 | RAM: 6/8GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 3,100mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 16MP | Front camera: 10MP
Superb camera for price
Easy to use in one hand
No in-screen scanner
Thicker than the S10
Fancy an S10 but don’t want to spend lots of money? Samsung has you covered with its more affordable Galaxy S10e, which is a new addition to the company’s range of flagship phones for 2019.
The S10e loses a lot of the top-end features you’ll find on the two S10 products above in this list such as the in-screen scanner or high-res display, but it has a slick design for its lower price.
There’s a dual rear camera that can take some impressive shots considering the price of this handset, plus you’ll be sporting a top-end chipset inside alongside either 6GB or 8GB of RAM.
Overall, the Galaxy S10e isn’t anywhere near as impressive as the other two parts of the S10 range but if you’re not looking to spend lots of money, this is one of the top Samsung phones for you.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy S10e review
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Round up of today’s best deals
Galaxy S20 Plus 5G Cosmic Grey
Unlimited mins
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Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G 256GB…
Unlimited mins
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30GBdata
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60GBdata
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G…
Unlimited mins
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100GBdata
Galaxy S10 Plus 128GB Black
Unlimited mins
Unlimitedtexts
50GBdata
Galaxy Note 10 Plus Aura Black
Unlimited mins
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100GBdata
Galaxy S20 FE Cloud White
Unlimited mins
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30GBdata
Samsung Galaxy S10 (128GB)…
Unlimited mins
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100GBdata
Galaxy Note 20 Mystic Bronze
Unlimited mins
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100GBdata
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G…
Unlimited mins
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2GBdata
