Best Samsung Smartphones of 2026: Ultra, Foldable, Affordable

Best Samsung Smartphones of 2026: Ultra, Foldable, Affordable

Alternative Samsung Phones to Consider

If a Samsung device isn’t mentioned in this guide, it may be due to its limited accessibility in the US, making it challenging to evaluate. Nevertheless, here are several other Samsung phones we’ve assessed.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra for $2,100: An upgrade from the Z Fold7, the Z Fold8 Ultra is designed for foldable phone aficionados willing to pay for excellence. Its book-style layout features a 6.5-inch cover display and unfolds to reveal an 8-inch tablet-sized screen with a less prominent crease and improved hinge durability. It provides top-notch performance, extended battery life, and features Samsung’s best camera in a folding format, boasting a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE for $700: The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is a capable phone providing robust battery life, a large display, and a dependable triple-camera system; however, the added $100 over the nearly identical S25 FE is hard to rationalize. The only significant enhancement is a marginally better processor, while Samsung even downgraded the USB-C port to USB 2.0 in the S26 FE. You might be better off choosing the S25 FE while it’s still available.

Z Fold7 for $2,000 or Z Flip7 for $1,100: For a Samsung foldable that’s budget-friendly, consider the 2025 Galaxy Z Fold7 or Galaxy Z Flip7, particularly if available at a discount. The Fold7 is marginally thicker, features a more prominent screen crease, and has average battery life, but the differences from the Fold8 Ultra are not significant. Likewise, the Flip7 only has slight variations compared to the Flip8, which includes minor hinge upgrades, a more refined design, a more efficient processor, and enhanced software for the external display.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge for $1,300: Have you ever desired an exceptionally slim and lightweight phone? The Galaxy S25 Edge attempts to fulfill that need with its 5.8-mm thickness, sacrificing certain features like a stylus, a telephoto camera, and battery size for its sleek profile. While the thin design is striking, its 3,900-mAh battery life is short-lived – regular charging was essential. Nonetheless, if you are often near a power source and lean toward a slender design, it may suit you.

Samsung Galaxy A17 5G for $249: On paper, the Galaxy A17 seems to provide excellent value, featuring six years of software updates, an AMOLED display, expandable memory, and a decent camera; however, its performance is curtailed by the 4 GB RAM in the US variant. The insufficient RAM leads to a less stable user experience, making it inadequate for urgent needs. If your needs are minimal, it could be a viable choice.

If saving money is your aim, the Galaxy S24 series from 2024 may be worthwhile, provided their prices are significantly reduced from the original retail values. These products will continue to receive support and remain relevant. Older models are not advised.

Investing in Samsung’s Ecosystem

Samsung provides an ecosystem comparable to Apple, with hardware that includes smartphones, the <a href="https://cna.st/affiliate-link/HJ99Tbj4dgEhtDLnr

Methods to Simplify Reading on Your Phone

Methods to Simplify Reading on Your Phone

Phone displays have notably advanced—growing larger, clearer, and brighter—but they might not always be the best choice for prolonged reading sessions. For longer texts, you could opt for a Kindle or a conventional physical book.

Nonetheless, you can modify your screen settings on your iPhone or Android device to boost readability. These adjustments can assist in reducing eye strain and cutting down on screen clutter, making reading more pleasurable. Although it won’t convert your phone into a full-fledged e-reader, it can bring you closer to that experience.

**Adjust the Display Settings**

You wield more influence over your phone’s font sizes, styles, and colors than you might realize, enabling you to enhance text readability with just a few taps in the main Settings menu.

For Android devices, the menu labels may differ, but on Pixel phones, navigate to **Display size and text**. You can modify text size, boldness, and the dimensions of on-screen elements, plus there’s a **Dark theme** option to help ease eye strain.

On iOS, head to **Display & Brightness** in the Settings. Here, you can adjust the **Text Size** slider and enable **Bold Text**. Additionally, a dark mode option is available via the theme selector at the top of the screen—select **Dark** to dim the iOS interface colors.

Both Android and iOS come equipped with a night reading mode that diminishes blue light and warms the display, improving the reading experience. On Android Pixel phones, select **Display and touch > Night Light** from Settings, and on iOS, go to **Display & Brightness > Night Shift**. You can activate these features manually or on a schedule.

**Utilize Your Browser’s Reading Mode**

A large portion of reading on your phone occurs via web browsers, and most contemporary browsers provide a distinct reading mode. These modes declutter the screen, simplify colors, and highlight article text.

If Google Chrome is your default browser on Android, tap the three dots (top right) and select **Show Reading mode** for the current article. Swipe up on the panel at the bottom to change font and color options. To return to the standard view, tap the reading mode icon (next to the address bar).

9 Best Android Smartphones of 2026, Evaluated and Assessed

9 Best Android Smartphones of 2026, Evaluated and Assessed

Other Phones to Explore

We have evaluated numerous Android smartphones. Although we appreciate the models listed below, the earlier mentioned options may serve you better. For additional recommendations, refer to our Top Budget Phones and Best Foldable Phones.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

Photo: Julian Chokkattu

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE priced at $650: If the Google Pixel 10 doesn’t excite you, this Samsung model that hovers around $500 (frequently discounted) is certainly worth a look. The Galaxy S25 FE is a “lite” variant of the Galaxy S25, offering a 6.7-inch display, a larger battery capacity, and a triple-camera setup, featuring a 3