1. At a glance
2. Best overall
3. More for less
4. All-day power
5. The upgrade pick
6. The entry-level option
7. The latest and greatest
8. How to choose
Samsung is the largest Android manufacturer by some margin, and the South Korean brand has managed to extend its lead over the last two years. That's largely driven by best-sellers in the entry-level and budget Galaxy A series, with Samsung now offering a diverse portfolio of devices that start at just $159 and go all the way to $1,899.
If you're looking to pick up a Samsung phone on a budget, there's never been a better time. The latest Galaxy A series combines powerful hardware with a lot of features that have traditionally been limited to Samsung's costlier phones. So without further ado, these are the best budget Samsung phones.
At a glance
Best overall
The Galaxy A33 5G continues to be the best overall choice if you want a Samsung phone for less. The AMOLED screen has vibrant colors, you get powerful hardware, the camera takes great photos, and the battery lasts well over a day. Combine that with long-term Android updates, and you get a fabulous budget phone.
More for less
The Galaxy A14 5G is proof that you don't need to shell out a lot of cash to get a good phone. It has a modern design, doesn't lag in daily use, and the 50MP camera at the back is good in most situations. The best part is that you get 5G, and the battery easily lasts two days on a full charge.
All-day power
Powered by Qualcomm hardware and a 5G modem that lets you take full advantage of the latest cellular connectivity, the Galaxy A23 5G nails the fundamentals. It has a decent 50MP camera that's joined by a wide-angle lens, and it will pick up four Android OS updates, putting it on par with the best Samsung phones.
The upgrade pick
The Galaxy A53 5G is what I'd suggest if you want a phone that's designed for long-term use. The stylish design combined with powerful internal hardware makes the phone stand out in its category, and you get versatile cameras, gorgeous AMOLED screen, excellent battery life, exhaustive software features, and long-term updates. If you need a mid-range Samsung phone, this is still the one to get.
The entry-level option
Need a basic phone that doesn't miss out on the essentials? You should take a look at the A03s. It doesn't have 5G, but you get a familiar design, decent hardware, a large battery, and good software features.
The latest and greatest
The Galaxy A54 5G doesn't differ too much from its predecessor, with Samsung introducing iterative changes. It's slightly faster in daily use, the camera is slightly better, and the design is a little more modern. But if you need the best that Samsung has to offer in this category, the Galaxy A54 is the one to get.
Best overall
If you want a flagship-level experience without paying flagship prices, then the Galaxy A33 5G is an easy recommendation. Samsung made a lot of changes this year, and the result is that the phone is markedly different to the Galaxy A32 5G.
To start off, the phone now comes with an AMOLED panel, offering much better color vibrancy and contrast levels. The 90Hz refresh rate ensures the screen feels smooth in daily use, and whether it's playing games or streaming videos, the screen is a delight.
The phone also has much better hardware in the form of the Exynos 1280, and you'll notice the difference immediately. There's no noticeable lag in daily use, and the phone is decent enough for gaming as well.
There's also IP67 dust and water resistance this time around, ensuring the Galaxy A33 withstands the elements. Other than that, the essentials are intact: the large 5000mAh battery lasts nearly two days on a full charge, you get a reliable camera at the back that takes great photos in any scenario, and the software is among the best in this category.
Sure, the phone misses out on a 3.5mm jack, and thanks to all the upgrades, it is costlier than its predecessor. But if you want a budget Samsung phone right now, the Galaxy A33 5G is the obvious choice.
More for less
If you want a Samsung phone that delivers the essentials, the Galaxy A14 5G may just be the ideal choice for you. The phone has 5G connectivity, and it comes with reliable hardware that's decent in daily use, and a massive 5000mAh battery that lasts two days between charges.
There's also a large LCD screen with 90Hz refresh. Now, while it's great to see the phone get a high refresh rate screen, the LCD panel isn't as good as the AMOLED screens the brand uses on other Galaxy A devices, and it doesn't get as bright in outdoor use. Still, it has good colors, and you get a Full HD resolution.
The software has a lot of features, and Samsung will deliver two Android OS updates to the phone. Again, this is more than what other devices in this category receive, but half of what Samsung promises to the likes of the Galaxy A53 and A54. Given that the A14 costs less than half of those devices, it's still a decent trade-off.
All-day power
The Galaxy A23 5G is an outlier in that it uses Qualcomm hardware while most other models in the Galaxy A series feature Samsung's own Exynos designs. The result is that the A23 offers stellar performance, particularly during gaming. The 5G modem has global connectivity, ensuring the phone has adequate 5G coverage no matter where you are in the world.
The screen on the Galaxy A23 goes up to 120Hz, but unlike the A33, it isn't an AMOLED panel — you get a standard LCD instead. That said, it is decent enough most of the time, and while it doesn't quite have the same color vibrancy, it gets sufficiently bright.
The cameras are also reliable, and the 5000mAh battery under the hood lasts two days between charges. You also get a decent software package on the A23, and overall, it is a great option to consider if you want a good phone under $300.
The upgrade pick
With the Galaxy A53 5G, Samsung solidified its position in the mid-range category. Although the device launched back in mid-2022, it continues to be a great option today.
A big part of that has to do with the software choices. The Galaxy A53 will get four guaranteed Android OS updates, same as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Z Fold 5. And the best part is that Samsung rolls out monthly security updates to the phone, making sure that it gets all the patches that Google makes available.
Then there's the hardware itself: the Galaxy A53 has a sublime 120Hz AMOLED panel, cameras that take great photos in challenging situations, and outstanding battery life. Sure, it isn't quite as good at gaming as the Pixel 7a, but it still does a decent enough job with most titles.
What makes the Galaxy A53 tick is the fact that it brings the best features from Samsung's high-end phones to the mid-range category.
The entry-level option
The Galaxy A03s is a step above the bottom of the barrel with its 6.5-inch HD+ LCD screen. Meanwhile, it retains the classic design of the screen, bezels, without the home button. The Galaxy A03s is something that will appeal to those who don't want the latest and greatest, but just something that looks familiar from Samsung.
Samsung did make it possible to increase the base storage with the help of a microSD card. There is also a 5MP front camera, with a triple-camera system with a primary 13MP lens paired with 2MP depth and macro sensors, which aim to provide decent photos while you're out and about. You get all the basics of a budget phone: a large battery, USB-C charging, a fingerprint scanner, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
That said, 32GB of storage is rough, even with the ability to use a microSD card. This is particularly true when much of that base storage will be taken up by pre-installed software. Plus, users have to deal with the sluggish MediaTek Helio P35 chipset and only 3GB of RAM.
The latest and greatest
The Galaxy A54 5G doesn't differ too much from its predecessor, with Samsung choosing to retain much of the same features. That's understandable given the A53 is one of the best Samsung phones introduced in the last 18 months.
That said, the A54 covers the basics: it has a bright AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh, terrific cameras, outstanding battery life, and an excellent software package with plenty of features and four guaranteed Android OS updates.
It is also marginally faster than the A53, and the design feels refined. Outside of that, this is still one of the best overall packages you get in the mid-range segment.
How to choose
If you want to live in Samsung world but don't want to pay a premium price tag, then the Galaxy A33 5G is your best bet. It delivers all the essentials while still being affordable, and it will get long-term updates.
If you need powerful hardware and better cameras, you should turn to the Galaxy A54. The phone isn't too different to the A53, but it will pick up one more software updates, and now that it's been in the market for a while, it is seeing lucrative discounts.
On the other side, if you want an entry-level device that nails the basics, the Galaxy A14 is a solid pick. It has 5G and most of the software features you'll find in costlier Samsung phones, and while it won't get as many updates, it still outshines its rivals.
