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There’s some good news here for those eyeing the Galaxy S25 series, too.
What you need to know
Samsung has now rolled out support for unlimited, free cracked screen and glass back repairs through its Care Plus Theft & Loss package.
Consumers with an eligible devices can walk-in or mail-in their device and receive a free display repair.
Samsung states its Galaxy S25 series is included with this, which is good news as it prepares to arrive on January 22.
The company rolled out unlimited battery repairs for its Care Plus subscribers in May 2024.
Samsung is expanding its Care Plus subscription for your Galaxy devices with another type of unlimited repair.
As highlighted by9to5Google, the Samsung Care Plus with Theft & Loss package has now rolled out support for “unlimited screen repairs.” Per the company’s website, the “unlimited protection” plan now includes “same-day $0 cracked screen and back glass repairs.” Samsung adds that users will have access to these repairs at over 700 of its authorized locations. Consumers have the option of mailing-in their devices, as well, per the publication.
Things aren’t as cut and dry as Samsung states the same-day portion of this plan “may be available for eligible devices inselectareas.” While this plan supports its Galaxy devices like yourGalaxy S24 series, it reportedly does not service the brand’s foldable phones.
The folks at 9to5 were also given a quick note about this Theft & Loss addition, which states Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 is eligible for its unlimited screen repairs.
Samsung’s debut of cracked screen repairs applies to Care Plus subscribers without Theft & Loss attached, too. For this, the company states users will have to chuck up a $29 fee at any of its locations for device service. Those with Samsung Care Plus Essentials are left out of this screen repair service.
Expanding the reach of coverage occurred early last year as Samsung announcedits unlimited battery supportfor Care Plus subscribers. There was a catch to this as the company stated users will receive repairs so long as there is no “additional damage”andyour device is still covered. The battery repair service only applies to users with devices that have a total battery charge capacity under 79%.
Following the announcement last March, Samsung brought it to its Care Plus subscribers that May. However, it came with an extra $2 charge on their typical monthly bill, per an email.
The addition lets users walk into several of Samsung’s stores for battery repairs. The addition seemed to make sense, especially after the companypartnered with Batteries Plus. In 2023, Samsung and Batteries Plus got together to convert 35 stores across the U.S. into Samsung Authorization Service Centers. The work done there enables consumers to get a device fixed in two hours or less.
In other news, it’s nice to see Samsung granting its Galaxy S25 series some support — even though it’snot here until January 22.
Samsung wants to buy your old smartphone, but unlike its usual trade-in programs, its newly launchedGalaxy Easy Rewardprogram doesn’t require you to buy a new phone at all. With it, Samsung is taking on the various phone recycling and used device centers that purchase your old phone, saving you the effort of selling it privately.
Galaxy Easy Reward goes online in Korea on January 14, and the range of phones Samsung will buy is extensive. Starting out with the Galaxy S20 series, Samsung will also buy back the S21, S22, and S23 series, along with the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Fold 5. It closes out the list with the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Flip 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 5. The latestGalaxy S24series,Galaxy Z Fold 6, andGalaxy Z Flip 6aren’t included.
How much the phone is worth depends on the condition, and it appears the Galaxy Easy Reward system will initially provide an estimate, and will finalize the price once the device has been returned. It will grade phones in an unusual way too, with either “Excellent” or “Good” presumably meaning the phone can be resold, and the final “Recycle” grade meaning the phone will be broken down for parts.
It also seems Samsung will buy non-Samsung devices, but the wording isn’t clear in the translated Korean press release. Why has Samsung launched the Galaxy Easy Reward program? A quote from Samsung Electronics’ Vice President Jung Ho-jin explains:
“We expect this program to increase the long-term value of Galaxy products and contribute to the circular economy,” he said.
The Apple iPhone is well-known for retaining its value on the used market compared to most other smartphones, and it appears Samsung wants to give its phones a boost. A top-spec, mint conditioniPhone 16 Plustrades for up to $763 according to used device buyerSellCell, while aSamsung Galaxy S24 Plusfetchesup to $613. By increasing the phone’s used value, Samsung likely hopes to tempt more buyers to its brand-new phones.
The Galaxy Easy Reward program will first launch in Korea, but the press release states it will expand to other regions in the future.
Bypass charging ensures your smartphone runs cool and smooth during extended gaming, keeping battery health in check. Here’s when and why to use it.
In the world of smartphones, where power and performance go hand in hand, a new feature is making waves — bypass charging. While this might sound like a technical term, its purpose is quite straightforward. Essentially, bypass charging is a gamer-first feature, designed to help keep your smartphone cool, prolong battery health, and ensure your device performs at its peak, especially during intense gaming sessions.
What Is Bypass Charging?
Bypass charging, also known as direct power supply on some devices, ensures that your smartphone draws power directly from the charger rather than the battery while charging. This feature is gaining traction, especially in high-end and gaming-centric phones, where charging speeds are fast and continuous gameplay can lead to overheating.
The key benefit? It reduces the strain on your phone’s battery duringgaming marathonsor long charging sessions. In a typical charging scenario, power goes first to the battery and then gets distributed to the device’s components like the screen and processor. With bypass charging, power flows directly from the charger to the components, preventing unnecessary heat generation.
If you’ve ever played a mobile game while charging, you may have noticed your phone heating up. This isn’t just uncomfortable—it can also cause your device to throttle performance. Thermal throttling occurs when your smartphone reduces its processing power to avoid overheating, often leading to laggy gameplay and slower performance.
With bypass charging, the need for your battery to handle charging and powering the device is eliminated. The result? Less heat, more stable performance, and a longer lifespan for your battery.
Who Should Use Bypass Charging?
Bypass charging is particularly useful for gamers and heavy smartphone users. If you’re someone who spends hours on end playing mobile games or using your phone for performance-intensive tasks, bypass charging will be a game-changer. Not only will it help keep your phone cool, but it also reduces the risk of damaging the battery in the long run.
However, it’s worth noting that bypass charging isn’t a universal solution for all phone users. It’s specifically for those who need to push their phones to the limit without worrying about battery heating or performance throttling.
Different smartphone brands implement bypass charging in various ways. OnGoogle Pixeldevices, for example, bypass charging can be enabled only once the battery reaches 80% charge. Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra allows it to be activated during gaming, without any percentage restrictions.
To activate bypass charging on your device, make sure you’re using the recommended charger. This is crucial to ensure that your phone is getting enough power to operate at its best. When you enable bypass charging, the battery remains at a consistent level, and the phone uses the charger’s direct supply to power everything.
But keep in mind, bypass charging should be limited to high-performance tasks like gaming. If used excessively, it can lead to long-term power supply issues or wear on your charger.
The Long-Term Benefits
While bypass charging is most beneficial for gamers, it can also help your smartphone in the long run. By reducing the strain on the battery, this feature helps preserve its health, ensuring that your device remains efficient for years. The less your battery has to work under high temperatures, the longer it stays in good condition.
Bypass charging is a feature that’s making a significant impact on how smartphones manage power during intense activities. It’s an essential tool for gamers and users who demand the best from their phones. If you’re someone who wants to avoid overheating and maintain optimal performance, bypass charging might just be the solution you’ve been waiting for.
Updates from the World Power Consortium seem to hint as much.
We are a few weeks shy of theGalaxy Unpacked 2025event, where the S25 lineup is scheduled to make its debut. Ahead of the launch, theWorld Power Consortium (WPC) has all but confirmedwhat we had all been suspecting for months now. Samsung is very likely going to be one of the first major Android phone brands to adopt the Qi2 spec, and I believe this will play a pivotal role in the industry.
In mid-December, several rumors and leaks hinted that theGalaxy S25will support Qi2 wireless charging, but not in the way you’d expect. Allegedly, Samsung will use a magnetic case to enable the magnetic aspect of Qi2 instead of adding magnets natively to the S25 series. Based on the WPC’s CES 2025 announcement and theOnePlus 13 release, we can assume that this is accurate.
Samsung and the WPC made a joint statement where the Korean phone maker said the following:
You can expect to see Android devices supporting Qi2 from Samsung Galaxy devices in 2025.
Google also made a similar statement under the same press release, but no promises were made of Pixel devices picking up the standard. Instead, the Alphabet-owned tech giant vowed to bring Qi2 to more Android devices this year.
While HMD Global’s HMD Skyline is technically the first Qi2 Android phone, it didn’t make any waves in the Android space. This is why I feel that the Galaxy S25 coming with Qi2 support — with or without magnets — is what’s going to really get the Qi2 ball rolling. After all, Samsung sells more smartphones than any other phone manufacturer in the world and could easily influence the rest to follow suit.
We have been waiting for Qi2 to take off for nearly two years now. The standard hasofficially been ready since early 2023, but most devices that use it are either iPhones or accessories like power banks and chargers. Both Samsung and Google were expected to take the lead with theGalaxy S24andPixel 9lineups last year, but that didn’t happen.
Now that the OnePlus 13 has adopted magnetic charging (sort of), Samsung will look very bad if it doesn’t hop on board the Qi2 train. Just like the rumored S25 magnetic case, OnePlus also chose to rely onmagnetic casesto bring Qi2-like charging to the OnePlus 13. Based on rumors, Samsung is going to do the same with the S25 series. Even then, this is an important step in the right direction.
Major changes in the phone industry have never come about overnight or transitioned smoothly. Just look at the headphone jack, for example. People ridiculed the idea at first and were angry once the 3.5mm port was eliminated from popular Android phones. But once bigwigs like Samsung started ditching the audio jack, everyone else followed suit.
Sure, many brands compensated users withUSB-Cto audio jack converters at first, but the world eventually adapted to the change.Wireless audio accessoriesare far more popular now and the headphone jack is no longer missed by most users.
This is exactly why Qi2 adoption on the Galaxy S25 will be so important. When the most prominent Android brand makes bold moves, everyone else will surely feel the need to follow the trend, either to stay relevant or to be more competitive. There are thousands of Qi2 accessories readily available, so the market is primed for the Qi2 revolution that Samsung is likely about to kickstartwhen the Galaxy S25 launches.
More Android phones are getting modern wireless charging this year.
Samsung Galaxy phones will finally support Qi2 in 2025, according to the stewards of the standard, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). Qi2 wireless charging was supposed to bring the convenience of the iPhone’s MagSafe to any phone that supports it, but the vast majority of Android phone makers failed to to do anything with it in 2024. That set to change in 2025.
“The exceptional Qi2 growth story will continue in 2025,” Samsung shared in the WPC’s press release. “You can expect to see Android devices supporting Qi2 from Samsung Galaxy devices in 2025.” Besides requiring the inclusion of magnets to make it easier to align smartphones with wireless chargers, Qi2 also supports up to 15W charging, which means Qi2 devices should charge faster than before, too.
Alongside Samsung, Google is also throwing its hat in the ring for Qi2, specifically by contributing “its own high-power wireless charging technology to WPC” for the development of Qi v2.2. Notably missing from Google’s quote is a commitment to actually using the standard in its own Pixel devices however. The Pixel 9 was inarguably the best Android device the company has shipped to date, but it notably doesn’t support Qi2.
In the more immediate future, WPC says that Qi v2.1 will include a new design for wireless car chargers with a moving charging coil that can adjust and seek out a phone regardless of its size or how awkwardly it’s thrown on a charger.
Counting steps has become a universal way for most people to measure their daily activity – probably because it’s simple, accessible and easy to fit into daily life. But with a plethora of apps and gadgets promising accurate results, it got me thinking: are all step trackers created equal?
To put this to the test, I tracked a 10,000-step journey using four different devices, all running on different, renowned platforms. I armed myself with (a pretty retro)AppleiPhone 7 running the Apple Health app in my left trouser pocket and, in my right, one of thebest Samsung phones, the Galaxy S23 Ultra with the Samsung Health app installed. On my wrists, I sported two ofthe best running watches: the new Polar Vantage M3 smartwatch on my right and the Garmin Fenix 7 on my left. My goal was simple – to see how their step counts stacked up across a brisk 9km walk through Wellington city centre and back.
Would the fitness-focused smartwatches – which also track heart rate and other vitals – outshine the trusty smartphones that merely sat in my trouser pockets? Or would this experiment show that you don’t need fancy tech to track your steps accurately? Here’s what I discovered after using all four devices at the same time.
My 10,000-step walk was fairly straightforward: I covered 4.5km from my home to the other side of Wellington city centre, took a short break and walked back – a total of roughly 9km. All devices were set to zero before I set off to ensure a fair comparison.
After 1.5 hours of brisk walking, I paused (read: had a sit down in a café with pastry in hand) to check the halfway point readings. These were as follows:
Halfway point results:
Apple Health app:5,003 steps
Samsung Health app:5,022 steps
Polar Vantage M3:5,276 steps
Garmin Fenix 7:5,120 steps
There were already small, but notable discrepancies between the different platforms. The step counts on the two phone apps were closely matched, with just a 19-step difference, which isn’t bad for non-fitness focused gadgets shoved in pockets. The smartwatches, however, varied more – the Polar clocked in 273 steps higher than the iPhone, while theGarminwas more middle-ground at 117 steps above the Apple count.
On the return leg, I took extra care in ensuring my pace was consistent, sticking to well-trodden paths and keeping my stride as steady as possible. By the time I got home, here’s what the final step counts looked like:
Final results:
Apple Health app:10,102 steps
Samsung Health app:10,142 steps
Polar Vantage M3:10,479 steps
Garmin Fenix 7:10,305 steps
Unsurprisingly, none of the devices reported the exact same total. However, the Apple andSamsungphone apps proved to be remarkably consistent with one another, both at the halfway point and at the end, with less than a 1% variance.
The Polar Vantage M3, meanwhile, consistently overshot the mark, adding an extra 379 steps by the end of the walk compared to the iPhone. That’s roughly a 3.8% difference – enough to slightly skew fitness goals over time, especially if you’re relying on exact data for training, assuming this is the most inaccurate by nature of being the outlier.
The Garmin Fenix 7, while slightly overcounting compared to the phones, was less dramatic than the Polar, adding just over 200 steps above the Apple tally. It seemed to strike a balance between sensitivity and accuracy, which doesn’t surprise me–Garmin has a reputation for reliability among fitness enthusiasts.
Which gadget is the most accurate?
Determining “accuracy” is tricky without knowing the true step count–a problem that plagues all step trackers. Factors like stride length,armmovement and even how a device is worn can influence readings. That said, my takeaway is this: phones are surprisingly accurate for everyday step tracking.
The Apple and Samsung apps, nestled safely in my pockets, kept pace with each other consistently, even when compared against the two top-tier smartwatches. This suggests that if you’re using your phone to track steps, you’re probably getting a solid estimate – and it won’t cost you a penny beyond the device itself.
The Polar’s higher step count could stem from its sensitivity to wrist movements, especially since it was strapped to my right wrist on my dominant arm. This might interpret extra steps during non-walking activities like turning corners or gesturing. The Garmin, on the other hand, seemed to lean more conservatively but still edged over the phone tallies.
Do you need wearables to track steps?
While the Polar and Garmin offer plenty of advanced metrics and features that go beyond step tracking – like heart rate, GPS routes and workout summaries – my walk experiment has shown that they’re not strictly necessary if your goal is simply to hit your 10,000-step target each day.
That said, smartwatches do have their perks. They’re great for those who want a more comprehensive picture of their fitness, including calorie burn, sleep tracking and VO₂ max measurements. Plus, they’re often more convenient to glance at mid-walk than pulling out a phone. There are discrepancies from unit to unit because each watch uses different algorithms and technology, but they’re generally in the right ballpart. We found similar differences betweenpremium Garmin and Apple Watches when testing them against each other during a marathon.
However, if you’re just looking to monitor your movement and improve daily activity, a smartphone app will do the job perfectly well if that’s all you intend to do. As my test proved, they’re more than up to the task, and you can save yourself hundreds of pounds in the process. You certainly don’t need to splash out on fancy gadgets to track your steps accurately – your pocket companion can do the job just as well.
CES 2025 officially kicks off in Las Vegas on the morning of Tuesday, January 7 and runs through the end of the day on January 10. The “official” dates are specific to when the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center is open to attendees, and ultimately belie the show’s true duration. A pair of press days kick off Sunday with a few smaller events leading up to a scrum of press conferences on January 6.
Press conferences
AMD(Monday at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET): AMD has its work cut out for it at CES 2025. Competitor Nvidia has been sucking the oxygen out of every room it graces, as the chipmaker remains at the forefront of the AI boom. So, how will AMD compete with Nvidia’s reported RTX 5000 announcement? The company should show off its own next-gen GPU. As part of an ongoing rebrand, the RDNA 4 cards could arrive as either the RX 8000 or RX 9000 series.
Toyota(Monday at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m ET): We expect Chairman Akio Toyoda to go all in on Woven City, the carmarker’s “living laboratory.” Our automotive editor Kirsten Korosec adds: “Details are slim about exactly what will be revealed. TechCrunch, which was at the initial announcement in 2020, will be watching to see how startups will be incorporated into Woven City and whether Toyota followed through on its plans to build a fully connected ecosystem powered by hydrogen fuel cells.”
Samsung(Monday at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET): Samsung’s CES presser is always an odd duck. The Korean electronics giant generally keeps its powder dry when it comes to consumer electronics. After all, it’s expected to announce its latest flagship handset — the Galaxy S25 — toward the end of January. CES 2025 is going to continue the company’s tradition of TVs and appliances. There are also odds and ends like consumer robots that will most likely never see the light of day. Samsung has adopted the tagline “AI for All: Everyday, Everywhere” for the presentation.
Nvidia(Monday at 6:30 p.m. PT/9:30 p.m. ET): Nvidia will no doubt have the biggest CES 2025. After all, the company has pretty much the biggest everything nowadays. The chip giant is sporting a $3.4+ trillion market cap, due largely to its foundational position in the ongoing AI boom. Companies like OpenAI and Meta have purchased Nvidia processors by the boatload, and that’s unlikely to change in the new year. Founder and CEO Jensen Huang will help kick off CES 2025 “with his trademark leather jacket and an unwavering vision,” per Nvidia.
Notable keynotes from the following day include Twitter/X CEO Linda Yaccarino at 1:30 p.m. PT and Delta CEO Ed Bastian at 5 p.m. PT. The latter, notably, will take place at jam band hot spot the Sphere. Both will be available to stream at the officialCES YouTube page.
Trends
The show’shot topicwill almost certainly be the only thing anyone in tech seems to talk about these days: AI. That’s nothing new for CES, of course. The category has been at the forefront for years now, with 2024’s show delivering some of the earliest generative-AI-powered consumer devices.
TheRabbit R1was, perhaps, the most notable from last year’s show. The handheld generated a lot of buzz at the event, though as with other AI devices likeHumane’s AI Pin, the product failed to live up to any expectations.
The subject won’t be limited to this manner of product, however. This year, any product thatdoesn’tmention AI in some form will be in a small minority. As mentioned above, Nvidia and AMD will be going head-to-head on the chip front. Nvidia will be a particular focus, as the chipmaker sets the stage pace for AI in 2025, including the release of the much anticipated GeForce RTX 50 GPU. The company will also touch on other key categories, including robotics and transportation.
AI will grace everything from cars to refrigerators this year. Some applications will prove genuinely useful, but many — if not most — will be a solution in search of a problem. This is always an important thing to keep in mind at an event like CES. It’s a huge show — last year’s eventhosted4,300 companies and nearly 140,000 attendees. There’s a lot of noise, and plenty of AI “applications” exist in attempt to rise above it.
Over the past decade, CES has transformed into one of the year’s top automotive shows. This has primarily been driven by automotive manufacturers’ bids to become bleeding-edge pioneers: Where better to showcase that than the year’s biggest consumer tech show? The 2021 addition of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall has facilitated that expansion.
Questions remain about whether CES can maintain its status as a major car show. Anecdotally, fewer large names appear to be participating in a meaningful way, including U.S. manufacturers like Ford. This is likely due, in part, to Detroit’s North American International Auto Show returning after a year off. That event is set to kick off January 10, overlapping with CES.
That’s not to say that there won’t be big headlines out of Vegas next week. In addition to Toyota’s participation, Sony’s press conference should once again feature Afeela, the company’s collaboration with Honda. Firms like Hyundai —which now owns Boston Dynamics— will likely showcase its focus on humanoid and other robotics.
Robotics have increasingly become a focus point for CES in recent years. I anticipate most transportation companies discussing the topic, from manufacturing to eVTOLs. The car industry has been the tip of the automated manufacturing spear for years, a fact accelerated by various employment and supply chain crises since the pandemic. Meanwhile, eVTOLs scored a majorFAA winlate last year.
CES continues to be a major launching pad for computer monitors. In fact, Samsung, ASUS, and MSI all announced the addition of“the world’s first” 27-inch 4K OLED monitorswith 240Hz refresh rates. Smart appliances always get a lot of love at the show as well.LG has already revealeda bunch of news on that front. Samsung should follow suit at its press conferences on Monday.
After an extended lull, I anticipate a new wave of smart home devices. Between interoperability through theMatter standard, the explosion of generative AI platforms, and a second wind for smart assistants from Google, Amazon, and Apple, companies will be showcasing how these devices might excel where their predecessors failed.
After its latest hype cycle, extended reality still has a lot to prove. The Vision Pro hasn’t taken off as Apple had hoped, and competitors are struggling to compete with Meta’s ability to subsidize the cost of the Quest. Big names in the space like HTC and Magic Leap have largely pivoted to enterprise applications. Chipmakers like Qualcomm, however, are still very much focused on making a splash.
The best computing devices that Samsung has to offer.
Samsung doesn’t have a massive portfolio of laptops the way others like Dell and HP do, but the handful of models that it does offer are pretty great. There is the best Samsung laptop for everyone, especially with some of the new Copilot+ models it has introduced in 2024.
These laptops tend to be a bit pricey though, with most of them starting at roughly $900. Luckily, deals aren’t uncommon, especially during sale events and major holidays.
Of course, picking the right Samsung laptop for you is going to depend on your own personal needs, but if we had to select one device for most people, the Galaxy Book 4 Pro is still a great choice. That being said, every laptop has its pros and cons, so keep reading to find what is the best Samsung laptop orbest Chromebookthat will fulfill all your needs.
+Very affordable +Fan-less +Snapdragon processor +Plenty of ports, including USB-A
Reasons to avoid
-Battery life isn’t great -Doesn’t match Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebooks
Although it’s a few years old at this point, the Samsung Galaxy Book Go continues to be a solid option if you need an affordable laptop that you can count on. Typically retailing for less than $300, the Galaxy Book Go hits that delicate balance between budget-friendliness and quality specs. The laptop comes with the solid Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor built right in, making it fast and entirely fan-less.
The ultra-thin Samsung laptop measures just 14.9mm in height, plus you get a nice 14-inch HD display and a full-size keyboard. Dual Dolby Atmos speakers deliver surprisingly crisp and clear sound quality, plus you get all the ports you need, including two USB-C, one USB-A, a headphone jack, and a microSD slot.
At this price point, don’t expect to be blown away by the performance or battery life, but if you’re looking for a Samsung laptop that’s thin, cheap, and quiet, the Galaxy Book Go is tough to beat.
Audio:AKG Quad Speaker (Woofer Max 5W x 2, Tweeter 2W x 2), Dolby Atmos, 3.5mm jack
Camera:1080p, dual mics
Dimensions:(14-inch) 312.3 x 223.8 x 11.6 mm / 355.4 x 252.2 x 12.8 mm
Weight:2.71 lbs / 3.44 lbs
Reasons to buy
+Intel Core Ultra processors +Super thin and lightweight construction +Plenty of ports +Sturdy construction
Reasons to avoid
-No touchscreen -Expensive
Sleek and lightweight, the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Pro ticks all of the boxes if you’re looking for a new, do-it-all laptop. It comes with a vibrant 3K AMOLED display and utilizes Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors to deliver consistently excellent performance, regardless of the task.
This latest CPU also features a dedicated co-processor (NPU) for accelerating AI tasks, making it future-ready. Dolby Atmos and AKG speakers provide great sound, and you get plenty of ports on both sides of the laptop, including HDMI, two USB-C ports, amicroSD slot, and even a USB-A port, which is a rarity these days.
Although all of this sounds great as it is, the specs become even more exciting when you consider the laptop’s remarkably thin and lightweight design. The 14-inch version of the Galaxy Book 4 Pro clocks in at just 11.6mm tall and weighs a mere 2.71 pounds, despite the fact that the laptop also boasts a durable, all-metal construction.
The 14-inch model typically retails for around $1,450, while the 16-inch variant is priced at $1,750. Neither option is exactly cheap — plus you don’t get a touchscreen — but if the Book 4 Pro falls within your budget, you’re in for a powerful laptop that should work well for just about anyone.
+The thinnest and lightest Chromebook +Beautiful and massive display +Quick Insert Key is convenient when you find a use for it +Intel’s Raptor Lake chip is a welcome addition +The keyboard is excellent and comfortable to type on +Includes a surprising number of ports
Reasons to avoid
-Limited to one configuration -Might be too expensive for some -Battery life needs to be better -No touchscreen or convertible design -Lacking a fingerprint scanner -Offset keyboard and trackpad isn’t for everyone
When you’re looking for the best Chromebooks in any category, it’s important to find laptops that have a nice value-to-performance ratio. In other words, Chromebooks don’t need to blow you away with premium performance, they just need to be reliable, versatile, and powerful enough to handle most of your daily tasks. Suffice it to say, the latestSamsung Galaxy Chromebook Plusgets the job done with flying colors.
The Galaxy Chromebook Plus features a thin and lightweight design, but it doesn’t compromise on performance. Compared to our previous pick, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, the new Chromebook Plus loses the convertible design and touchscreen but I don’t think that should be a deal-breaker. In fact, it gains a gorgeous 15.6-inch AMOLED with slim bezels. The processor is also from the newer Intel ‘Raptor Lake’ series, but there’s just one configuration on offer.
It’s pricier than the outgoing model at roughly $700, but you’re also getting a much more premium experience. We found the keyboard to be excellent for typing, and the Galaxy Chromebook Plus has a surprising number of ports given its slim size. A few annoyances aside, like the lack of a fingerprint sensor and the average battery life, it’s a great package overall. Once you have it in your hands, these are thefirst things to do on your Chromebook.
Best premium laptop
(Image credit: Samsung)
4. Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Ultra
Best premium laptop
Specifications
Display:16.0-inches (16:10), 2880 x 1800
Processor:Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
Graphics:Intel Arc Graphics + Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070
RAM:16GB / 32GB LPDDR5
Storage:1TB NVMe (plus expansion slot)
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Ports:1x USB-A, 2x USB-C, HDMI, microSD, 3.5mm
Battery:76WHr
Audio:AKG Quad Speaker (Woofer Max 5W x 2, Tweeter 2W x 2), Dolby Atmos, 3.5mm jack
If money is no object, you can’t do much better than the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Ultra. This laptop is the brand’s most premium flagship yet, and it doesn’t disappoint when it comes to unique features and top-of-the-line performance. This laptop brings together all of your Galaxy devices to form a cohesive ecosystem, but that barely scratches the surface of everything the Ultra can do.
The Galaxy Book 3 Ultra boasts a vibrant 16-inch 3K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, plus you get a 1080p webcam with a two-mic system and AKG Quad speakers with Dolby Atmos. It also boasts of the latest Intel Core Ultra processors, but unlike the other laptops in the Book 4 series, the Book 4 Ultra can be kitted with up a Core Ultra 9 processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, making it very powerful for professional content production or even gaming.
Not everything is rosy with the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra, however. With a starting price of around $2,400, the laptop may be out of reach for many people. There’s also no touchscreen or S Pen support. Despite these shortcomings, if you’re already a Samsung user and you want the most premium laptop that the brand has to offer, the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra is certainly worth checking out.
+Convertible design +Touchscreen display is compatible with an S Pen +Thin and lightweight +Large battery capacity
Reasons to avoid
-No smaller display option
The new Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 comes in at a slightly higher price than the Book 4 Pro 360, but it’sthemodel you should be considering. The main reason being this is a Copilot+ PC, which means you’ll have access to all the exclusive Windows 11 AI features just like the Snapdragon Samsung laptops. The other big reason is that it has Intel’s latest Core Ultra (Series 2) processor which delivers vastly better computational and graphical performance than Series 1.
You’ll also be able to use Samsung’s excellent S Pen which will let you take advantage of the native Windows Ink functionality. But, since this is a Samsung device, the company has baked in the same Air Actions menu that you’ll find on thebest Samsung tabletsand phones. The rest of the specs are similar to the previous model.
The Book 5 Pro 360 only comes in a single display size of 16 inches. It’s a brilliant 3K AMOLED touch panel, but it’s also quite large so it might not be the best choice if you travel a lot. You also get ample RAM and storage, and an excellent set of physical ports. If you want a premium 16-inch Samsung laptop that has most of the features of the Ultra model but with a lower sticker price, the Book 5 Pro 360 fills that need perfectly.
Best Windows on Arm
(Image credit: Samsung)
6. Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge 14″
Best Windows on Arm
Specifications
Display:14-inch, AMOLED display (2,880×1,800)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
RAM:16GB
Storage:Up to 1TB
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery:61.8WHr
Audio:Quad Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos
Camera:2MP
Dimensions:325.4 x 226.4 x 14.9 mm
Weight:3.4 lbs (1.54g)
Reasons to buy
+Impressively slim design +Integrates well with Galaxy AI and Samsung ecosystem +Benefits of Copilot+ AI features +Brilliant 3K AMOLED screen +Snappy performance
Reasons to avoid
-Non-native Windows on Arm apps might have compatibility issues
The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge series of Copilot+ PCs is your best bet if you’re looking for zippy Windows 11 performance, but with the instant reponse that typically comes with Arm-based devices. The Galaxy Book 4 Edge 14″ and 16″ are the premium models with the top-end Snapdragon X Elite SoC and 3K AMOLED displays, while the Galaxy Book 4 Edge 15.6″ is an affordable option with the Snapdragon X Plus SoC and a FHD LED display. In reality, the premium Edge 14″ is often priced lower than the budget Edge 15, which makes it better value.
Our friends over at Techradar.com havereviewedthe 16-inch model, and have praised the portability of this laptop thanks to its super-slim design. The Snapdragon X Elite chip also delivers excellent performance and there’s deep integration with other Samsung devices and Galaxy AI, making it a great addition if you already own one of thebest Samsung phones. The two things going against it are the average battery life and the fact that you could face compatibility issues with apps that aren’t designed to run on Arm natively. While Windows 11’s built-in Prism emulator does its best to run x86 apps on Qualcomm’s silicon, it can be a hit or miss at times.
You get plenty of ports, storage goes up to 1TB, and there’s 16GB of RAM on all the variants. Plus, you get to use all of the exclusive Windows AI features like automatic live captions when watching videos, Windows Studio Effects, Cocreator in Paint, and lots more.
How to choose
Just like any other major device purchase, choosing the best Samsung laptop is going to come down to your budget and individual needs as a user. When you take a look at something like the Galaxy Book 4 Pro or the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra, there’s really no wrong choice, as it just depends on your budget.
With the combination of the latest processors from Intel and an ultra-slim and sleek design, the Galaxy Book 4 Pro makes for an easy choice. This latest version is even more powerful thanks to Intel’s Core Ultra processors. If you have a smaller budget or you simply want something a little different, there are plenty of great Samsung Chromebooks and tablets to choose from. The Galaxy Book Go is an old model now, but it works if all you’ll be doing is basic work like checking mails or watching videos. The Galaxy Chromebook Plus is a good choice for students too, or if you’re someone that primarily uses web apps.
The Galaxy Book 4 Edge series is also an option if you’re looking for a bit more versatility and want to take advantage of all the best Windows 11 AI features. There are multiple models and variants to choose from, that should satisfy most users.
For more serious users who don’t mind loosening the purse strings, the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra is splurge-worthy, offering incredible power for heavy work apps and gaming. If you want something of its similar calibre but at a more approachable price, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 is a great convertible for you to consider.
You can increase your internal storage on these Android phones.
Whether you carry your media library with you, shoot a lot of 4K videos, or are looking to download a few movies ahead of a long commute, having a phone with expandable storage is essential for lots of users.
Thankfully, plenty of options are still available, although most of them are budget phones or mid-rangers with a few compromises here and there. Still, you might be surprised by the quality of the phones I’ve gathered for this guide. Some of these devices may even come with features you didn’t expect, such as 3.5mm headphone jacks and 120Hz displays.
For thebest Android phoneswith expandable storage, all you need is a stellar microSD card and you’ll be all set to store as much data on your device as needed. With theright memory card, you can even store your apps on the external storage.
Main camera:50MP, ƒ/1.8, EIS, 79-degree FoV, Ultra XDR
Front camera:16MP
Battery & charging:5,000mAh, 33W wired charging
Water and dust resistance:Dust and splash resistant
Reasons to buy
+Bright and beautiful AMOLED display +Hardware can be customized +Quick processor +Three years of software updates +Excellent cameras
Reasons to avoid
-No NFC -5G support isn’t great in the U.S. -No headphone jack
Expandable storage has been relegated mainly to budget-tier phones in the past few years which normally means boring designs with disappointing performance, but withNothing CMF Phone 1, you can get microSD expansion in a phone with a flashy and unique design, great cameras, solid performance, and a nice AMOLED display. With a MediaTek Dimensity 730 SoC you’d be forgiven for thinking performance will struggle, but performance is solid with little lag, and even solid gaming performance. It’s not the fastest chip you can get, but it’s more than powerful enough for average day-to-day usage.
The main 50MP camera on the back and the 16MP front camera both punch above their weight with a responsive app and overall good quality. The battery is also good at 5,000mAh with quick 33W charging. The phone is also set to receive two Android updates with three years of security updates, which is solid for this price.
One thing to keep in mind, especially if you’re in the U.S., is that this phone isn’t really designed for the Big Three carriers, but will work on T-Mobile if you don’t mind a few connection drops here and there. The problem is, that the phone just doesn’t support all of the bands common in North America and is more suited to the European market. Still, if you’re looking for something unique and have a carrier using T-Mobile, the CMF Phone 1 is an impressive device.
+6.5-inch 90Hz AMOLED screen +Samsung’s usual five-year promise regarding updates +5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging +Decent main camera
Reasons to avoid
-So-so performance -Lacks any IP rating
Craving that signature Samsung look and feel but can’t afford much? Don’t worry, the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G is a fine choice when hunting for phones with expandable storage. The Galaxy A25 gives you a FHD+ Super AMOLED panel that measures 6.5 inches wide and has an impressive 120Hz screen refresh rate.
Now this is nearly an entry-level device, but it has just enough going for it that it sits a notch above that banner. For instance, theSamsung phoneis kept alive by a gigantic 5,000mAh cell. You also get a headphone jack and a 50MP main camera, even though it doesn’t hold a candle against the photographic capabilities of the Galaxy S series of Samsung phones.
You get the Exynos 1280 chipset from the oldGalaxy A53 5G, which is okay for everyday usage and light multitasking but stutters during intensive gaming sessions. Still, if you must have acheap Samsungwithin a very tight budget, the A25 5G is a decent option.
+Nice 120Hz OLED screen +Solid camera performance for the price +Outstanding battery and fast charging +Comfortable feel with vegan leather
Reasons to avoid
-Only water-repellent, no IP rating -One platform update -Fingerprint sensor can be slow
TheMoto G Stylus 5G (2024)is a popular budget phone thanks to its solid performance with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM. This phone has a nice AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 1,200 nits of peak brightness so you can see it outdoors. This phone comes with a 5,000mAh battery pack that can charge at up to 30W wired and 15W wireless.
The camera system is also solid with a 50MP main shooter and a 13MP ultrawide camera. You can take some nice pictures in good lighting, but keep an eye on storage. You can get it with either 128GB or 256GB of storage, so expanding this phone with a microSD card will be a must for some. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack so you may also want the storage to hold your favorite music so you can save some data.
This phone ships with Android 14, and its performance is solid, however, Motorola is only planning to give this phone a single Android version update. With phones from Samsung and Google offering much longer support, it’s a bit disappointing that Motorola is sticking to just one. Still, if you don’t mind the older operating system, strong 5G band support makes this a great phone to bring to other carriers.
Memory & storage:12GB RAM, 256GB or 512GB, expandable
Main camera:48MP wide,12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto
Front camera:12MP
Battery & charging:5,000mAh, 30W wired charging
Water and dust resistance:IP65/IP68
Reasons to buy
+The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is still fast +Strong sub-6 5G support +Water and dust resistant IP65/IP68 +Large 5,000mAh battery with 30W charging
Reasons to avoid
-Expensive -Software support could be better
Memory card expansion and 3.5mm headphone jacks have become all but extinct in high-end Androids. Good thing Sony doesn’t seem to be bothered by what the rest of the industry is doing and has release the Xperia 1 V with both. This phone comes with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC that was common in flagships from 2023, but it’s still plenty powerful for any app you’ll find on the app store. It’s got 12GB of RAM and ships with 256GB of built-in storage.
Available in either green or black, this is a sleek phone with three cameras on the back. It has a 48MP main cameras with a 12MP telephoto and 12MP ultrawide camera playing backup. Another rarity this phone ships with is a 3.5mm headphone jack. Headphone jacks aren’t necessarily a budget feature and many of the best Sony headphones ever made use a wire, so it’s nice that Sony has kept it around.
Software support could be better on this phone, though it has been updated to Android 14 already. Sony’s phones are often targeted at creators, and if you want to get high-quality video off of your memory card in a hurry, you’ve also got a USB-C 3.2 port with 5Gbps speeds supported.
+Three years of security updates +Superb 50W wired fast charging +120Hz LCD screen feels good +Great build quality
Reasons to avoid
-108MP camera is gimmicky -Only one major platform update
Like so many of the best budget Android phones, theOnePlus Nord N30 5Gsports the 6nm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset. You can insert a microSD card in the slot and add more storage in a jiffy. It’s an oldie, but a goldie.
The Nord N30 5G has a lot of neat features, but the coolest one of them all is the 50W SUPERVOOC charging. Now that’s an incredibly fast charging speed that you certainly won’t find on any other phone with expandable storage.
The 108MP camera sounds amazing, but it’s actually more of a buzzword. As per our testing, the picture quality could be better. You will appreciate the snappy 6.27-inch 120Hz IPS LCD display though.
OnePlus only promises one OS update for this model, but you get three years of guaranteed security updates. Since Android 15 is on the horizon, you won’t get anything beyond Android 14 on the Nord N30. But the phone is still a worthwhile purchase in 2024.
+Low cost or free with a plan +Large 5000mAh battery with 30W charging +Support for 5G on T-Mobile +Repairable with parts at iFixit
Reasons to avoid
-Fairly slow SoC -Not Android 14
HMD, the company that makes Nokia phones, has stayed focused on budget-friendly Androids and it continues to make some of the cheapest new phones available. The G310 is exclusive to T-Mobile carriers in the United States and comes in at well under $200. The Snapdragon 480+ 5G chipset not only gives the phone enough power for social media and messaging apps but also full 5G connectivity on T-Mobile’s sub-6 5G network.
It has a 50MP main camera on the back for decent pictures in well-lit environments. and a 5,000mAh battery that can easily make it to the end of the day. The screen is also a plus with a 6.56-inch IPS LCD running at up to 90Hz. If you like music, you’ve got a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as Bluetooth. You can even repair this phone withparts available at iFixit.
Keep in mind that this phone is only designed to work with T-Mobile, so bringing it to a Verizon or AT&T-based carrier likely won’t work out. Still, for the low price, this phone is a good fit for T-Mobile.
How to choose
With most of thebest Android phonesmoving away from expandable storage, you might think the format is becoming a dying breed, but don’t panic just yet. There are still plenty of great phones with microSD support, though the vast majority of them are budget offerings. Grab some of the best microSD cards, and you’ll be able to expand your storage with ease.
While its limited availability and carrier support mean its not the right pick for everyone, the CMF Phone 1 is a surprisingly great phone, especially when your remember it’s $200. The phone has a quick MediaTek SoC, a strong camera, and solid battery life. With three years of updates planned with two Android updates, this phone punches above its weight in several categories.
In terms of full-blown flagships that offer expandable storage, you’re out of luck with the latest releases. You won’t find a microSD slot in the Galaxy S24 lineup or the Pixel 9 series. You’re better off with mid-range value phones such as the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) or the OnePlus Nord N30 5G. You’ll find the internals to be solid in both phones, pushing out smooth performance consistently. Both devices are great hits in the camera and battery departments, too.
Not everyone that wants expandable storage is shopping for acheap Android phone. The Sony Xperia 1 V is an expensive phone that’s hard to recommend over the like of Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus, but it’s one of the few high-end phones to keep the memory card expansion around. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack making it a strong pick for content creators, or headphone enthusiasts.
Here’s what using Samsung’s upcoming XR headset might be like
(Image credit: Google)
We know thatSamsung has its own XR headsetthat will arrive at some point over the next 12 months. But beyond a few minor hardware details, like the fact it’ll run on aSnapdragon XR Plus Gen 2 chip, the device is still a complete mystery. But we may have just got our first look at what the headset’s interface and apps might look like.
This isn’t a leak per-se, since this glimpse comes directly from theAndroid XR developer blog. Since we know that the Samsung headset (aka Project Moohan) will run onAndroid XR, this is our best possible look at what the headset might be like — second only to a demonstration from Samsung itself.
(Image credit: Samsung)
The blog post features a six-second video showing off a handful of app windows overlain over the real world. While brief it does show how app windows might look if you were wearing an Android XR headset, though unsurprisingly they don’t look much different from app windows on an Android tablet.
Android XR also offers users the option to switch between two modes called Home Space and Full Space. Home Space is a multitasking view with multiple app windows, and what seems to be your real-world surroundings in the background.
Home Space (left) vs Full Space (right)(Image credit: Google)
Meanwhile Full Space only offers a single window at a time, with a virtual background. HomeSpace is the default view, and the button essentially switches back and forth from the full-screen mode.
Presumably such a feature would also be available on Samsung’s headset, though the actual design of the windows may differ. After all, Samsung Galaxy phones run on Android, but the One UI interface means that things look a little different than they do on other phones. There could be similar differences with the stock version of Android XR compared to Samsung’s take — with windows possibly even taking some design cues from the upcomingOne UI 7.
Googlealso confirmed that Android XR will support multiple inputs, including hand and eye tracking, voice control, keyboard and mouse, plus dedicated controllers. Hand tracking also enables gesture control, including a pinch gesture similar to the one we’ve already seen onApple Vision ProandApple Watch 9.
We’re expecting to see more of Project Moohan at CES 2025, which starts on January 7. So we should be seeing a lot more information about the headset, and what Samsung has in store for us, in the next couple of weeks.
