The Phone Shelf

Which Samsung phone to buy, from the A17 to the S26 Ultra

One Samsung pick per budget, from a $269.99 A17 to a $1,399.99 S26 Ultra, with prices after the October rises and where the update promise changes.

Published by Yuriy Andreyev

Published October 30, 2026

Top half of a Samsung Galaxy A17 5G on a store display, its screen reading "Galaxy A17 5G" above Compare and Colour buttons
Photo: Captainmorlypogi1959, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped) (license)

Buy the Galaxy A37 5G if you want the best balance in Samsung's lineup: it lists at $489.99, has an IP68 rating and gets six years of updates. Go down to the Galaxy A17 5G if $269.99 is your ceiling, and up to the Galaxy S26 FE at $699.99 if you want seven years of updates. The rest of this page walks through each step and what the extra money adds, according to Samsung's published specs.

Samsung raised US prices on several of these phones after launch, so older articles quote lower numbers. Every price below is the one Samsung listed on samsung.com/us on October 15, 2026.

The short list

  • Lowest price: Galaxy A17 5G, $269.99
  • Best middle option: Galaxy A37 5G, $489.99
  • Cheapest seven-year phone: Galaxy S26 FE, $699.99
  • Small flagship: Galaxy S26, $999.99
  • Biggest and most capable: Galaxy S26 Ultra, $1,399.99
  • Foldable: Galaxy Z Flip8, $1,199.99

Where the update promise changes

The line that matters most sits between the A series and everything above it. Samsung promises six years of Android and One UI upgrades and six years of security updates on the A17 and A37. The S26 FE, S26, S26 Ultra and Z Flip8 get seven years of both.

In calendar terms, the A17 is covered to August 2031 and the A37 to March 2032. The S26 FE runs to September 2033, the Flip8 to July 2033 and the S26 and S26 Ultra to February 2033. For a full brand-by-brand picture, see how long phones get updates.

Best under $300: Galaxy A17 5G

The A17 launched at $199.99 in January 2026, and Samsung now lists it at $269.99. That is $70 more than at launch, and it is still the cheapest phone here by $220 over the A37.

On paper it has a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen at 90Hz, a 5,000 mAh battery, 25W wired charging and a 50MP main camera. It has 4GB of RAM and an Exynos 1330 chip, so it is a phone for calls, messaging, maps and video rather than heavy games. It also has a microSD slot, which the higher models in this list do not list. The rating is IP54, which covers splashes, not submersion.

If this is your budget, also look at our page on the best phones under $300.

Best for most people: Galaxy A37 5G

The A37 launched at $449.99 in April 2026, and the maker listed it at $489.99 on October 15, 2026 for the 128GB model. The 256GB version was $609.99. That extra $220 over the A17 buys several concrete changes: a 120Hz screen instead of 90Hz, 6GB of RAM instead of 4GB, an IP68 rating instead of IP54 and 45W charging instead of 25W.

The battery is the same 5,000 mAh on paper. The chip is an Exynos 1480. The rear cameras are a 50MP main, an 8MP ultra wide and a 5MP macro. Support is still six years, so you are not paying for a longer promise here.

Best for a long update promise: Galaxy S26 FE

The S26 FE launched at $699.99 in September 2026 and the price has not changed. That is $210 more than the A37, and the headline reason to pay it is the extra year of support: seven years of upgrades and security updates, through September 2033.

It also has a faster Exynos 2500 chip, 8GB of RAM, and a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display at 120Hz. The battery is listed at 4,900 mAh with 45W charging. The camera list adds an 8MP 3x telephoto to the 50MP main and 12MP ultra wide, which neither A phone lists. On October 15 Samsung ran a $100 sale on it that was scheduled to end October 26, so check the current price before you buy.

Best small flagship: Galaxy S26

The S26 launched at $899.99 in March 2026, and Samsung now lists it at $999.99 for 256GB. On October 15 the same model was on sale for $899.99. It is $300 more than the S26 FE at the regular price, and what that buys is a different kind of phone rather than a longer promise, since both get seven years.

The S26 is small and light: a 6.3-inch screen and 167g, against 193g for the FE. It uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip with 12GB of RAM and starts at 256GB. The tradeoff is battery and charging. It lists 4,300 mAh and 25W, while the FE lists 4,900 mAh and 45W. Our Galaxy S26 page goes through the full spec sheet.

Best for a big screen and cameras: Galaxy S26 Ultra

The S26 Ultra launched at $1,299.99 in March 2026 and is listed at $1,399.99 for 256GB. Samsung showed a $200 sale price of $1,199.99 on October 15, and a separate promotion of up to $350 off select Ultra models through October 19.

On paper it is the largest phone here, with a 6.9-inch screen, a 5,000 mAh battery and 60W wired charging. It is also the heaviest at 214g. The camera list is the longest in the lineup: a 200MP main, a 50MP ultra wide, a 10MP 3x telephoto and a 50MP 5x telephoto. It shares the S26's chip and seven-year promise. For details, see the Galaxy S26 Ultra overview.

Best foldable: Galaxy Z Flip8

The Z Flip8 launched at $1,199.99 in August 2026 and the price is unchanged. It folds to fit a pocket, has a 6.9-inch main screen and a 4.1-inch cover screen, and carries the same chip, 12GB of RAM and seven-year promise as the S26. The rating is IP48, so it is protected against small solid objects but not rated for dust-proofing or deep water the way the IP68 phones are.

It costs $200 more than the S26 at their regular prices and has the same 4,300 mAh battery. Samsung's own listing showed it from $1,049.99 on October 15. For another foldable option, see the best foldable phones.

Compare the four middle picks

SpecGalaxy A37 5GGalaxy S26 FEGalaxy S26Galaxy S26 Ultra
Launch price$449.99$699.99$899.99$1,299.99
Released in USApril 2026September 2026March 2026March 2026
Screen6.7-inch Super AMOLED 120 Hz6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120 Hz6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120 Hz6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120 Hz
ChipExynos 1480Exynos 2500Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for GalaxySnapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
RAM6 GB8 GB12 GB12 GB
Storage128 / 256 GB128 / 256 GB256 / 512 GB256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
Battery5,000 mAh4,900 mAh4,300 mAh5,000 mAh
Wired charging45 W45 W25 W60 W
Rear cameras50MP main, 8MP ultra wide, 5MP macro50MP main, 12MP ultra wide, 8MP 3x telephoto50MP main, 12MP ultra wide, 10MP 3x telephoto200MP main, 50MP ultra wide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x telephoto
Weight196 g193 g167 g214 g
Water resistanceIP68IP68IP68IP68
Updates promised6 years of OS and security updates7 years of OS and security updates7 years of OS and security updates7 years of OS and security updates
US carriers (maker and carrier listings)AT&T, Verizon, T-MobileAT&T, Verizon, T-MobileAT&T, Verizon, T-MobileAT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile

How to choose

Start with how long you want to keep the phone. If you replace phones every two or three years, the six-year A series promise is already more than you need, and the A37 is the sensible stop. If you keep a phone for five years or more, the extra year on the S26 FE costs $210 over the A37 and also moves you to a faster chip.

Next, decide on size. The S26 is the only compact option, and the S26 Ultra is the biggest. Then check the carrier. Samsung lists all six of these phones as available through AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. If you buy unlocked, our guide to unlocked versus carrier phones explains the differences.

Prices on Samsung's site can change within days, as they did on the A17, A37, S26 and S26 Ultra after launch. Check the listing before you buy.

Sources

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