The S25 series is launching in a few months. You might want to wait and get the latest for that extra year of software support.
I have an S22 Ultra, and it’s holding up well after almost 3 years. I’m a heavy user, so the battery has been through a lot, but it’s still doing fine. I suggest waiting for the S25, though. The new Snapdragon chip will be amazing in terms of performance and efficiency. I’ll probably get it in 2025.
I’m an iPhone user, but I wouldn’t recommend one. I got the iPhone 14 Pro last year, and the battery health is already at 85%. Once it drops below 80%, it starts acting weird. What’s the point of spending so much on a phone when the battery gets bad so quickly? I never go a day without charging my iPhone. My Samsung lasted way longer without needing to be charged so often, and it kept working well even years later. I can’t say the same about my iPhone.
Phones with Exynos chips don’t seem to last as long.
If it wasn’t for my own carelessness, I’d still have my Note 9. I’ve had Samsung phones since the Note 3, and they’ve all been amazing, even after a lot of use. My Note 20 Ultra survived being used in the ocean for filming and still lasted until I cracked the screen. The screen replacement was $400, though, so I never bothered fixing it.
It’s basically the same with both brands now. Both Samsung and Apple phones will work well for at least a few years. The S24 series is now getting 7 years of software updates, which is 3 more years than most other brands. Personally, I never really liked Apple, so I went with Samsung. Go to a store, try the phone out, and see how you feel about it. If you don’t like it after buying, you should be able to return it. In terms of performance, you’ll likely upgrade your phone before it starts having any issues. I can vouch for how well my Samsung performs. I’m using the Ultra model, and it’s amazing. Right now, I have about 90 tabs open in Chrome, plus 30 other apps, and a game I haven’t touched since yesterday still stays open in memory. Battery life is great too. I use GPS for at least an hour daily, and I listen to books and reports for 4-8 hours a day. I still get home with 20-30% battery left. I never had a phone perform this well before. If you decide on Samsung, the S25 series will drop between January and February. Last year, I saved about $500 on my S24 Ultra with discounts and a cashback offer. Prices for the S24 models will drop once the S25 comes out, so it might be worth waiting.
Both brands are about the same. Flagship Samsung and Apple phones will last 5+ years.
Just don’t buy anything with an Exynos chip. Those don’t age well.
I’m still using my S8+, and it’s my only phone. I hope it keeps working for at least another year.