Other Samsung phones need to consider
Photo: Julian Chokkattu
If you don’t see the Samsung phone mentioned in this guide, it’s probably because it’s not for sale in the US and it’s hard to buy and test. But here are some Samsung phones I’m trying to consider.
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G, priced at $400: The Galaxy A36 (6/10, wired review) doesn’t exactly match Motorola’s counterparts. The performance is too disconnected, which is unacceptable. It’s manageable – it’s not so slow that it gets frustrated – but you can do it better. If your needs are very small, it’s a normal phone and the camera system is great, all day battery life, a nice AMOLED screen and 6 years of software updates.
Samsung Galaxy A16 costs $200: Samsung’s Galaxy A16 still doesn’t reach the Galaxy A14 high, mainly due to slow performance. Of course, Samsung is expected to have a six-year software update, but this amazing update window doesn’t matter when the phone is frustrated and you want to throw it out. If you’re barely planning on using this device but want something from a reliable brand that can stay safe, the Galaxy A16 is OK. Its performance is not competitive with other phones of similar prices.
If you want to save some cash, as long as the price is lower than the original retailer, buy Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series or Galaxy S23 FE. (It’s hard to find at most major retailers.) These phones will still be supported for a while, and they’re great. I don’t think it’s worth buying anything older.
Should you invest in Samsung’s ecosystem?
Photo: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung is one of the few smartphone manufacturers that can match Apple in its hardware ecosystem. The company can not only make smartphones, but it can also expand the experience by adding Galaxy Watch7 smartwatch, Galaxy Buds3 Pro headphones, Galaxy Ring Ningness Ring, Galaxy Tab S10+ tablets, and even Windows-powered Galaxy laptops.
There are also certain privileges, such as how certain features on the Galaxy Ring and Watch7 are available only when paired with a Samsung phone, and its earbuds will automatically switch between Samsung devices based on what you are using. When using a Galaxy phone with a Galaxy laptop, there isn’t much exclusive features, but features like Quick Sharing let you send photos and documents between devices quickly.
Again, this is not necessary, and these other devices may not fit your respective categories, but if you are chasing hardware parity, you can use Samsung.
What is Galaxy AI?
Photo: Julian Chokkattu
With the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung has launched “Galaxy AI,” a number of AI features, many of which are powered by Google’s large-scale language model of Gemini. These smart-enabled features may be useful daily smart features such as real-time translation in the phone, real-time transcription in the Samsung Voice Recorder app, the ability to aggregate text long paragraphs in the Samsung Notes app, or change the tone of a sentence with a Samsung keyboard. In the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy AI extends to the ability to use Gemini as the default voice assistant and Gemini simultaneously uses multiple applications. It also debuts in Drawing Assist, which allows you to draw or enter prompts and get AI-generated images.
You can go by Settings > Galaxy AI Turn them on or off.
What is Samsung Dex?
Courtesy of David Nield
Samsung’s Dex (short for “Desktop Experience”) was launched in 2017, a way to plug your Samsung phone into an external monitor and trigger the desktop version of Android OS, all completely powered by the phone. You can find a list of Samsung phones compatible here and you need a monitor, mouse and keyboard, as well as a cable to connect the phone to the monitor. (You can also cast DEX to select the screen wirelessly.)
In DEX mode, you can resize your Android apps and open them in a separate window. This is a proper computing platform, although you may not want to use it as a permanent laptop replacement or anything else. If you are going to another office, or exercising in a coffee shop or on a plane (if you have a portable monitor), that’s great. We have an overall guide to set up and use DEX here.
How do I test the phone
I’ve been reviewing smartphones for a decade, but one of my earliest smart devices was the Samsung Galaxy Caintivate, when I got “free” from the carrier. After working during college, I finally saved enough cash for my first flagship store to buy the Galaxy S3. I spent years using Samsung phones in my personal life and soon started to review my work.
With every Samsung smartphone, I always put my personal SIM in it and use my phone as much as possible (weeks). I did the camera test and compared the results to devices with similar prices, I benchmarked the performance and played games graphically to see their fares, I tried all the new features and even answered calls to make sure the OL’s feature still works.
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