If you're a fan of Samsung smartphones, our guide can help you match up the best phone at the right price for you.
Fast Samsung phone facts
- Samsung makes its own Exynos-based processors, which you'll find in all its premium smartphone lines in Australia.
- Samsung's also responsible for the explosive growth of larger smartphones, having innovated with its very first Galaxy Note phone back in 2011.
What to consider when choosing a Samsung phone
Choosing from Samsung's formidable line-up of smartphone handsets can be a daunting challenge. There's the allure of the premium lines, but those come with premium pricing. There's the considerably more affordable Galaxy J entry-level handsets, but what are the differences there, especially compared to the mid-range Galaxy A devices? It's not always an easy matter to sort out which features are mere gimmicks and which are must-have essentials.
Knowing what to shop for, and what the features actually mean in your day-to-day usage is key to working out how to properly compare Samsung smartphones. We've created a primer on the key features you should consider to make those comparisons as easy as possible, guiding you to the right Samsung phone for your needs.
Which Samsung phone is best?
User needs will vary, not just by budget but also by what it is you want from your smartphone. As such, it's impossible to single out a "best" Samsung phone for every user. What we can do is point you in the direction of the best Samsung phone to cover a variety of usage scenarios, such as the best budget model, the best camera phone and so on. You'll find these recommendations below.
Still, it's wise to consider our recommendations against your own personal situation and preference. Our team has decades of experience in testing and evaluating smartphones, but your tastes, preferences and dislikes could vary from ours, making a phone that we don't rate more valuable to you or vice versa.
finder's pick
Samsung's current flagship Galaxy S phone is the generally excellent Galaxy S9+ handset. Combining exceptional style (and some very flashy colour options if that's your thing) with great battery life, a smart and very capable camera and a processor that plays as well as any Android phone we've seen this year, the Galaxy S9+ lives up to the premium status its price commands.
Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S9+ here
Best Samsung phone for photography
Samsung Galaxy S9+
Dual aperture camera is a winner
The Galaxy S9+'s camera performance is exceptional in the right circumstances.
The Galaxy S9+ gets our nod here again, but it's not hard to see why. The regular Galaxy S9's camera isn't a huge jump over the Galaxy S8, but the dual aperture lenses on the Galaxy S9+ put it in a class of its own among Samsung Galaxy handsets, and in the top tier of smartphone cameras generally. Its low-light ability is exceptional thanks to its ability to switch apertures automatically when taking shots in darker conditions, pushing the boundaries of what's possible with a smartphone camera.
It does have some gimmicks, such as the animated personal emoji – animoji in Samsung's language – but if you're after the best possible camera experience on a Samsung phone, the Galaxy S9+ is where it's at.
Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S9+ here
Best cheap Samsung phone
Samsung Galaxy J2
Galaxy style at a fraction of the price
The Samsung Galaxy J2's bright and colourful display and prolonged battery life make for a clean day-to-day experience
Premium phones are Samsung's calling card in terms of the brand, but that doesn't mean that folks on more modest budgets have to miss out. The Samsung Galaxy J2 combines the style of its more expensive siblings with more modest processing power, but its battery life is very good as a result.
It's also super-affordable, with typical prices under $200 easy to secure.
Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy J2 here
Looking for a Samsung phone on a plan?
Samsung's premium smartphones are among the most popular in Australia, and that means that there's plenty of competition in the carrier space to offer the best deals on Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Note phones. There's less pressure on the Galaxy A series, although it does get offered by a few carriers. The Galaxy J series phone's low cost means that if they are offered by telcos, it's pretty much always on an outright basis to pair with a prepaid phone SIM.
Here's the current rundown of Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Note plans in Australia:
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