I’ve spent over a decade reviewing Android phones and tablets, and I’ve tested almost every flagship Samsung Galaxy phone released over the last 14+ years. Some were certainly better than others, from plastic shells and removable batteries to the premium models we have today.
My very first Android phone was the original T-Mobile G1. Then I got the Moto DROID, quickly left Verizon for Google’s Nexus One, but the first Samsung phone I reviewed was the Galaxy S II in 2011, with the most recent being the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Here are my 5 favorite Galaxy phones that I absolutely loved.
The Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung’s bestseller that finally convinced me
I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S2 in 2011, then the S3 in 2012, and they were my first real introduction to TouchWiz, Samsung’s interface on top of stock Android. And while it was one of Samsung’s best, I preferred my Galaxy Nexus, and quickly yanked my SIM out of the S3. However, the following year, Samsung delivered a game-changer when I reviewed the Galaxy S4.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is still one of my all-time favorite phones. It had a bigger 1080p screen, a better camera, longer battery life, tiny bezels (for the time), a slim, lightweight design, and was just a fantastic phone. TouchWiz improved enough that I could tolerate it, and my Galaxy Nexus had terrible battery life; I couldn’t stand it anymore.
The Galaxy S4 is widely considered Samsung’s best-selling flagship smartphone, with roughly 80 million units sold following its 2013 release.
I loved my time with the Galaxy S4, although I will admit that when Google and Samsung announced the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition (GPE), I quickly bought one. A Samsung Galaxy with stock Android. Joy!
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
I still have it somewhere, too
I didn’t really love the Galaxy S5 with its dimpled back and weird micro-B charging port, even though I was at Samsung’s NYC event for its announcement. I also got hands-on with the first curved-screen phone, Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge, a year later.
At this point, Samsung was making everything from S-series phones to Note phablets to budget phones. I was using a Galaxy S6 with no microSD slot and a fancy new metal-and-glass design, but after reviewing the Galaxy Note 5, I ditched my S6 and never looked back.
To this day, I still consider Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 to be one of the best phones the company ever made. It felt great in the hand, was incredibly thin, powerful, the S-Pen was getting more useful, it had a fingerprint scanner, and every Samsung release was getting better and better. The only negative was the lack of a MicroSD slot.
Samsung Galaxy S10+
Those dual front-facing cameras were wild
After heavy backlash for removing the microSD slot and user-replaceable battery on the Galaxy S6 and Note 5 series, Samsung brought MicroSD back for the Galaxy S7 series, Galaxy S8, and more, all the way until it permanently removed MicroSD slots on the Galaxy S21 and Note 21 family.
While I really enjoyed the Galaxy S8, which many consider peak Samsung design, the Galaxy S9+ (last two photos above) was pretty amazing, with the row of cameras and fingerprint sensor all centered. And who remembers the dual-aperture lens on the S9? I wanted to love the Galaxy Note 7, but we all know how that went. The Note 8 was decent, and I briefly used the Galaxy S9+.
However, the Galaxy S10+ quickly took the crown, and it’s one of the few Samsung phones I felt was so good that I owned it for more than a year. Those triple rear cameras were great, too. I tried the OnePlus 7T, reviewed the Pixel 4 XL, but nothing compared to the Galaxy S10+ back in 2019.
Samsung Galaxy has lost its way, and I don’t know where to turn
The Galaxy S26 series is a familiar trend.
In fact, it was such a good phone that I didn’t see a reason to upgrade to the Galaxy S20 series or even try the boxy Galaxy Note 20 lineup. This was one of the first times I didn’t upgrade after one year, and in a way, it was a sign that the tides were changing. Samsung’s design and naming changed, upgrades slowed, and I didn’t feel the need to switch.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
So much bang for your buck
I loved the Galaxy S10+, but eventually I replaced it with the excellent Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which took everything Samsung learned from the S20 series and made it even better. Of every phone I’ve ever bought or reviewed, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the one I used the longest.
The S21 Ultra has a stunning 6.8-inch screen that isn’t as wide or hard to hold as current models or the Note series. It packed highly capable cameras, fast performance, an under-display fingerprint scanner, and more.
If you have read any Galaxy S review since, not a lot has changed. I skipped the entire Galaxy S22 series, S23, and even the S24 series, simply because the Galaxy S21 Ultra is/was still a highly capable phone. I reviewed a few, but kept my S21 Ultra. In 2023, I even wrote an article about how it’s still absolutely worth buying at a discount.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is no longer receiving updates, which is why I finally replaced it with my current phone.
Samsung Galaxy S25+
No Ultra, but it’s good enough
Last but not least, we come to my current daily driver, the Samsung Galaxy 25+, which I reviewed. I actually bought and returned the Galaxy S25 Ultra in favor of the slightly smaller S25 Plus.
Why? Just as I said in my review, the Galaxy S25+ isn’t the Ultra, but it’s close enough. It has nearly everything from the Ultra model, with a screen that’s a hair smaller, a more ergonomic design, solid cameras (even if they don’t zoom as far), and absolutely excellent battery life. There simply isn’t enough to justify the Ultra’s higher cost and unwieldy design. Not in my opinion.
These days, the Ultra series is too big, too wide, and too squared off to be comfortable for daily use. Samsung finally rounded off the corners even more with the all-new Galaxy S26 Ultra, and after my review, I switched back to the S25+. The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s cameras are so big that the phone wobbles like crazy on a table, making the S-Pen useless unless you’re holding the huge phone in your hand.
The Galaxy S25+ is a better buy, even in 2026.
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- SoC
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
- Display
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6.7″, 3120 x 1440, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is a premium smartphone with a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and a 120Hz refresh rate. It features the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 4,900mAh battery with 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0.
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- SoC
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Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Display
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6.9-inch Dynamic Super AMOLED 2X
Get the new Galaxy S26 Ultra with AI smarts and an all-new privacy display.
A Samsung fan
The secret’s out. I’m a die-hard Samsung user. Even though I’ve tried and reviewed a few Galaxy folding phones, like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, they’re not my favorite and are just too fragile. I loved the Galaxy Camera, or that wild Samsung Galaxy Beam with a built-in projector. Over the years, I also reviewed dozens of HTG phones, LG models, Pixel, OnePlus, Huawei, and others, but I always go back to my Galaxy.
Unfortunately, just like the previous 4–5 generations, there’s not enough that’s exciting or new with the Galaxy S26 series to justify upgrading from my current Galaxy S25+ that I love. I have a feeling I’ll be keeping this one for a while.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
