Even as a Samsung fan, I wouldn't buy these 5 models right now

While Google might be the official force behind Android, it’s no secret that Samsung is the most popular phone maker in the Android world. Samsung produces a wide variety of devices across all price points, primarily under the Galaxy brand. Many of these phones are well worth the money, but 2026 is proving to be a difficult year for many smartphone manufacturers.

As we’ve already seen with Motorola, the RAM crisis has forced many players to raise pricing while offering little new in exchange. Samsung is no different here. Below are just five models Samsung sells that I would caution against buying right now.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip was my first serious dive into foldables, though ultimately I moved away from the form factor mostly for durability reasons. As much as I still like foldable flip phones like this, I feel like the Z Flip series is stuck in a bit of a limbo.

While the Z Flip 8 is thinner than ever and has a slightly less visible crease, there’s not much else new here. The cover display remains limited to 16 apps by default, though you can work around it with the optional Samsung software Good Lock. Beyond the crease change, the screens are the same size and specs. Even the processor is only a minor upgrade for most users.

The only major positive for the Z Flip is that it makes the switch from Exynos back to a Snapdragon, but that’s really just a return to the old norm. In fact, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 arguably compares better to the newest flagship as both phones pack Snapdragon 8 processors; it’s just that the Flip 8 is two generations newer.

Personally, I’d pick the Galaxy Z Flip 6 ($364 on Amazon) if you really want a Samsung foldable flip phone. Sure, it’s two years old and in renewed condition, but it’s under $500 and still has about half a decade of updates ahead of it. If you don’t mind considering another brand, the Motorola Razr ($799.99 at Amazon) is worth a look, or even the Razr Ultra ($1499.99 at Amazon) if you can find it at a sharp discount.

Samsung Galaxy S26

I want to be clear: the Samsung Galaxy S26 is a powerful phone with plenty of solid features. If you want the absolute newest from the company and prefer smaller displays, it is a no-brainer. That said, it’s a pretty poor value.

The base model is now $100 more expensive, but that’s not surprising since you also get double the storage. That increase isn’t why this is a poor value, as it’s really more down to the fact that the newest model doesn’t bring much else to the table. The processor is a newer variant of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the battery sees a minor bump, and the screen is now .1-inches larger.

Those are the only major changes, as you’ll find the same general design, same aging cameras, and almost the exact same product dimensions. If you were only paying $100 more for this model, I’d say it was worth it. You can now find an unlocked Galaxy S25 ($449 on Amazon) for under $500 in renewed condition, and that makes the Galaxy S26’s $900 asking price much harder to swallow.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE

Despite arriving with a $50 increase over last year’s model, the Galaxy S26 FE ($950 on Amazon) is yet another fairly minor update. The processor now bumps up to the Exynos 2500 from the Exynos 2400, the design is slightly refined over last year’s model, and it packs newer software out of the box. That’s really it here.

It’s a decent enough phone, and in a bubble, I’d recommend it. At its retail price of $700, you’ll find it’s not much cheaper than true flagships from Samsung, Google, and Motorola.

I’d personally recommend picking up something like the Pixel 11, or if you really want a Samsung phone, consider the Galaxy S26 Ultra. There’s also the option of picking up older models like the Galaxy S25 or the Galaxy S25 FE ($365 on Amazon).

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is no longer the latest from Samsung, and the company didn’t even bother to produce a sequel, so that probably tells you all you need to know. Still, Samsung offers this phone in refurbished packaging, and it’s easy to find new online at retailers like Amazon. If the idea of an ultra-thin phone tempts you, I’d think again.

The Galaxy S25 Edge offers a thinner profile but at the cost of battery life. It also cuts out the telephoto zoom lens and, at launch, retailed for $1,100. In 2026, you can now get it for around $470, but even so, I’d pick up the Galaxy S25 or the S25 Plus over it. You’ll pay more or less the same, or slightly more, if you go with the Plus model.

The real crime for the S25 Edge isn’t just how little new it introduces; it’s that its main feature isn’t necessarily appealing. I sometimes use an S25 Edge as my daily driver (it was free in my case). It’s not a bad phone, but you need a solid case if you want it to be comfortable, which hides its thin profile in the process. The thin size and boxy shape can otherwise dig into your hands a bit and can also feel awkward as the camera package makes it pretty top-heavy.

Samsung Galaxy A56 5G

For a large portion of this list, I focused on phones released in 2026 and how you are often better off going with their predecessor right now. This is largely true of the Galaxy A57 as well.

The latest member of the Galaxy A50 series has a faster GPU and CPU, but otherwise has few changes beyond aesthetic refinements.  The new Exynos processor should result in slightly better battery life. These minor updates also come with a price increase of $50 over the Galaxy A56.

I would normally recommend the Galaxy A56 hands down as the better value, but this recently changed as the Galaxy A57 ($417 on Amazon) is currently on sale. By comparison, the Galaxy A56 is only around $20 cheaper right now. For such a small price difference, it makes sense to go with the newer model even though it’s a minor update. After all, it has its full six-year warranty ahead of it.