Samsung is the dominant Android emblem for just right reason why. Past its spectacular lineup that spans the entirety from price range units to ultra-premium flagships and foldables, Samsung assists in keeping each {hardware} and device polished to a constant usual.
When any person asks what telephone I’d suggest, I nearly at all times inform them to get the most efficient Samsung they are able to find the money for. On the other hand, regardless of persistently recommending them, I haven’t individually owned a Samsung software in nearly a decade, and I don’t plan on going again. Permit me to give an explanation for.
Samsung telephones are the most secure advice I will give to somebody
“Dependable” and “predictable” are the phrases you wish to have to listen to when describing a telephone
Samsung makes some in point of fact just right telephones; there is no wondering that. Whether or not it is the baseline flagship Samsung Galaxy S26, the futuristic Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, or one among its budget-friendly A-series units, Samsung has a powerful contender in each and every worth bracket.
Irrespective of how a lot you are paying, the core enjoy is in large part the similar: polished, most commonly bug-free device with a number of years of updates via One UI, very good top refresh price AMOLED shows (even on less expensive fashions), forged Exynos or Snapdragon SoCs, and cameras with one of the most highest post-processing round.
For those who pay extra, you’ll be able to recover specifications, construct high quality, and additional options, however even the inexpensive telephones do not really feel all that dangerous to make use of—you want to be an actual telephone fanatic so as to inform the variation between the $550 Galaxy A57 and the $900 Galaxy S26, as an example. One UI makes all Samsung telephones really feel polished, trendy, and feature-rich.
That consistency is precisely why I think so at ease about recommending Samsung telephones. Most of the people shall be proud of a Galaxy software and really feel absolutely built-in into the wider Android ecosystem, without reference to which type suits their price range.
During the last few years, I have really helpful or even purchased a number of Samsung Galaxy A and S Sequence telephones for members of the family, and I have heard only a few court cases.
My spouse remains to be the use of a Samsung Galaxy S23+ and plans to stay it for a couple of extra years, and I latterly upgraded my mother to a Samsung Galaxy A55—it was once through a long way the most efficient used telephone I may just to find underneath $200. Each are proud of their telephones and already acquainted with the enjoy, as they would used Samsung telephones prior to now.
The issues that make Samsung nice also are what grasp me again
What works for everybody else isn’t what I need in a telephone
Samsung telephones all feel and look acquainted, polished, and dependable, however the similar characteristics that cause them to a very easy advice for most of the people grasp me again from purchasing one—I in truth simply to find them somewhat too generic and dull.
I am roughly like a hypothetical automobile man buddy: they may force one thing amusing like a Toyota GT86 or an outdated BMW, however whilst you ask what to shop for, they’ll inform you to get a Toyota Corolla or Honda CR-V. Their very own vehicles are amusing and thrilling, however no longer probably the most sensible, dependable, or fuel-efficient. For those who simply want to get from level A to indicate B, you wish to have one thing loyal—no longer a automobile that also leaks oil even after a $2,000 restore invoice.
In the similar method, I would not in point of fact revel in proudly owning and the use of a Samsung telephone all that a lot. The entirety about Samsung telephones feels protected and predictable fairly than state-of-the-art, discounting the folding telephones, which aren’t my cup of tea. I favor one thing quirky, and I do not thoughts taking a possibility if it way getting higher specifications for a similar cash.
That’s why I picked a OnePlus 15—in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup, the device will not be as polished or supported for as lengthy, and the cameras are almost certainly somewhat worse, however I am getting a 165Hz show and an enormous 7,300mAh silicon-carbon battery with 120W charging, which dwarfs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely’s 5,000mAh battery and 60W charging, whilst additionally paying a greater worth.
Samsung Galaxy has misplaced its method, and I do not know the place to show
The Galaxy S26 collection is a well-recognized pattern.
I was a Samsung consumer too, again when the telephones nonetheless sucked
TouchWiz spoiled my enjoy early on
I’ve to confess one thing: I used to in point of fact like Samsung telephones. They’d first class shows, robust specifications, and stylish designs that made the early Galaxy flagships really feel nice at the {hardware} facet.
Sadly, I purchased them in an generation after they had been nonetheless working the horribly laggy and bloated TouchWiz Android pores and skin, which soured my enjoy. I at all times ended up flashing CyanogenMod or different customized ROMs on my Samsung units, and after a couple of years of dwelling with beta ROMs that stored breaking core capability, I determined sufficient was once sufficient and began purchasing telephones with near-stock Android, just like the Nexus 4 and Motorola DROID Turbo.
By the point a cleaner new UI known as One UI changed TouchWiz, that early enjoy had already caught with me. Even supposing I will recognize how a lot Samsung has progressed submit–One UI, I simply can’t rather deliver myself to provide the emblem every other likelihood.
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I’ll stay recommending Samsung, despite the fact that I’ll by no means purchase one once more
I admire their merchandise, however my pursuits lie in different places
Samsung is the main Android smartphone emblem, and until they do one thing critically mistaken, that’s prone to stay the case for future years. That’s in truth a just right factor for somebody who already owns or doesn’t thoughts proudly owning a Samsung, as it way forged device give a boost to and a transparent improve trail when it’s time for a brand new telephone.
On the other hand, I individually favor telephones that lean extra towards experimentation, particularly at the {hardware} facet. As an fanatic, a telephone with a battery that lasts two complete days feels infinitely extra thrilling to me than a generic glass sandwich with “Samsung” imprinted on the again.
9/10
- SoC
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Show
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6.78-inch 2772*1272 (FHD+)
The OnePlus 15 options the most recent Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC that permits gaming options by no means prior to noticed on a smartphone. The 165Hz show is best possible for cellular gaming, and when no longer gaming, it runs at 120Hz, making it excellent for on a regular basis utilization. The triple digital camera array is lovely nice, and the 7,300mAh battery lasts a couple of days on a unmarried fee.
