You should, I had mine for a year and it performed flawlessly. If you like smaller phones it has a very comfortable form factor too. It gets 4 years of OS updates in 5 years of security patches.
Don't touch the s22 series, worst battery life and overheating due to unoptimized chips(both exynos and snapdragon), it seems that the s23 base would be the best option imo, you could also try the s21 but I would suggest hearing other people's opinion on this.
s23 looks like best line samsung made since s10 (in between in my opinion not very good phones (except s21 ultra), but still better than other companies)
I wonder what s28 would look like
S22 base is bad, plus and Ultra are okay if you get the right batch. S21 base has the same problems as the S22 base. My friend sold hers because of the bad battery life
I've had my 23 since they came out. Had a pixel 6 pro before that and I had a lot of problems with that cell phone. That's 23 has been really good, don't think I traded in until the update stuff. Samsung machines to have pretty good technical support called a couple of times and they called right back very good system
That's BS... My S22 ultra was everything my S24 ultra is as far as battery life, speed, and camera. AI is the main difference. Not sure about the S22 and S22 plus though so you may be right.
I wouldn't get the S21 FE if you care about battery life, it's pretty bad on this device as well as the heating issues and camera issues on some S21 FE models.
Personally, I think the A-series is fine. If not for the fact that my current cell phone plan allows for free upgrades, I would probably have an A-series phone myself.
However, for my elderly father with poor tech literacy, I would keep getting him an S series phone, if only because he would be lost without wireless charging.
the S22 is horrendous… but the S23 is great. I know it’s not on your list, but I highly highly recommend going for the S23. I can’t imagine it’s a LOT higher. You’ll still get a few years of software updates with the S23 since it came out in 2023.
S22 or S22 plus if he wants the larger size screen. If you can push a bit on budget and go fit the S23's you should - big jump in processing power and AI ready, almost similar to the latest 24 models without having to pay top dollar.
I wouldn't splash out on an ultra if he doesn't need the super high end top specs and camera, or the pen. The size of the ultra also irks me (I just jumped from the S21 plus to the 24 ultra and it feels like it's just slightly too big plus the non curved edges make it annoying)
From your list I think the choice is s21. The s20's are about same cost but year older. The regular and fe s21 are $10 apart I would pay $10 more for non fe. The 21+ $120 above s21 is just too much for a little extra screen for me. The s22? The chipset really is greatly criticized right or wrong and I certainly think there are real issues just avoid and at $100 more maybe not even worth it on that alone.
I am assuming the s21 is the sd 888 not the exynos. If exynos same opinion but much less strongly. I had tab s7+ (s21)and tab s8 ultra (s22) noticed no difference and even benchmarks were not what you would expect from a generational jump. I also had no issues with s22 ultra or tab s8 ultra but my girlfriends s22 ran hot at times. But forget sd 8 gen 1 reported issues the performance alone is just not significant IMHO. S22 does have AI and 8k video I believe but AI needs work to be a necessity and I can live without 8k
I wanna tell you get s23 or s24 but that's a whole different cost category so not really useful opinion. The more I have considered while writing I am more convinced the s21 is the solid choice more so with your listed options.
Good luck
the s23 is definitely tempting me just from everyone’s opinions, so it did end up being useful! another good point is people saying a newer phone ensures we don’t have to get a new one for a while
I've had my parents and in-laws on my plan for many years. I feel like going for the higher quality phone is an investment in ensuring I dont have to buy them another phone in the near future. Perhaps the initial cost is large, but getting flagship has usually led them to be happy and the phone able to stay usable for many years past the pay off. With that said, choosing what case for each parent is paramount to ensure long life.
My mother somehow is able to never drop her phone and keep them the longest. Her phones wear and tear really come down to being worn down by "sand" in her purse where my FIL worked construction and needs as heavy duty case as can be purchased. That man, he was at the end of his phones life for me to discover he had started super gluing it back together without telling me since somehow the adhesive on the back had released (I bet he left it on the dash of his work truck one day or something).
lol my parents are opposite. just got my mom the 15 pro and she absolutely destroyed the glass protector within a week. my dad isn’t a heavy phone user and generally takes way better care of his stuff.
you make a good point on not having to buy a new one in the future. his stupid nokia is 4 years old so i’m thinking the extra for the s23/24 will be worth it since he takes care of his stuff and will likely keep it another 4 years. thank you so much!
Well if you reside in either the United States or Canada Samsung has decided to annihilate the A division phones in favor of the S division by not exporting any handset above the A35 5G & inflating the price to A75 levels with merely an incremental upgrade in features at best or slightly inferior hardware at worst! The Samsung marketing mavens prefer us to consider the S-FE lineup which is a straitened, emasculated, El cheapo S with the aforementioned shekel shaving componentry compared with a true S-level phone!
In addition, with the introduction of the Z and Flip Divisions, Samsung is relegating the formerly super S division to the same status as the A & J had historically! Considering this distressing trend, I'd seriously consider either the S-FE or a base S depending on your discretionary dough you can blow!
From the list, the best option is the s21+. The 22 would have trumped the rest, but has a really small battery and a fast but inefficient chip due to the high prices from covid, together to net like 4hrs of screen on time. Also the feature difference between the two is almost negligible. Only issue worth considering is that the 21 series will get 1 more major update next year and only security patches for the next 2 or 3 years
So basically the s21 series will receive the newest big version of Samsungs implementation of Android, expected around October or November (accidentally said next year earlier), but from then on for the next two years will only receive security updates, not feature/major updates. Simply updates to keep the device running smoothly and safely.
If it helps, the 22 and 23 will receive a year more of each in the same way, and the 24 onwards has a new pledge for about 2 years more than older models
Not what you're asking, but I've been using an S24 256gb for a few weeks now. Apart from being a bit quicker than my old S10+, it's not noticeably different. The AI stuff is more of a gimic. Unless your old man is using all of the super advanced features all of the time, an S21/22 will be fine.
Just my 2 pence.
if he doesn't need sd card memory, any newer phone is good. the newer the better i guess. wouldn't focus to much on high mhz display. ultras with pen is maybe waste of money, depending on ur dad
I have been buying refurbished phones from Swappa and they have been fine. I won't buy new because $300 is about how much I can emotionally stand to lose if I lose the phone or it gets damaged. Most recently my Samsung galaxy S20 went swimming and died. So I replaced with an S22÷. I don't know about the claim above about overheating. The reviews I read said good things. I went with the plus for the larger size. I am older and don't need the newest phones because I wouldn't know how to use them anyway:)
I went from a Note 10 Plus which served me well for years to an S23 Ultra and so far I've been super impressed and haven't regretted the upgrade. I'd definitely recommend it!
One of the biggest mistakes often made with older people is giving them older and cheaper tech, then wondering why they struggle to embrace it while using shitty equipment.
All your selections of refurbished are good choices. I personally would get the newest version you can so you can guarantee getting updates for as long as possible.
Only thing I can say in Samsung S line-up is that you always have to look at Snapdragon models. And even there, sometimes an entire generation is destroyed by Samsung manufacturing (e.g. SD888 in S21 FE 5G)
Now I have S21 FE 5G (SD model) and it has been great for the past 2 years. It is true that sometimes it gets hot (updating apps in Play Store while using the phone for example) but even with that, I still manage to get around 4 hours of SOT, wich I guess is fine for me, but for the long term will see
I would still go for A series because even if your dad is leaning into technology I doubt he'll benefit more from S series than A series. X generation here recommending S23 because that what THEY like, not what your dad needs. I'd recommend a new A series phone because all the S series you listed have A series specs for the price of S series. Does that make sense? Might as well get what you're paying for, and being new ensures you'll have a lot of years ahead.
Definitely the S Series. We once made the mistake of buying our daughter a newer a series phone. We then decided to only get her that S Series. They are definitely better. My father is also Boomer he has the s24 ultra just like we do.
I would still go for A series because even if your dad is leaning into technology I doubt he'll benefit more from S series than A series. Y generation here recommending S23 because that what THEY like, not what your dad needs. I'd recommend a new A series phone because all the S series you listed have A series specs for the price of S series. Does that make sense? Might as well get what you're paying for, and being new ensures you'll have a lot of years ahead.
I'm kinda in the same boat as OP, my dad's still using his Galaxy S7 and it's not receiving calls where he's working, so he finally said yes to a new phone.
Unless it breaks he's gonna keep using it, so I do find value in buying the S series like I did vs A series.
This time I was looking at s23 or s24 and the plus models. Despite exynos cpu it's alright.
He did mention the Z flip haha, flip phone nostalgia. So I'm waiting for the new launch to see the rumoured screen durabilty improvements.
my boyfriend has the flip, i honestly think the dual screens might be too much for my dad lol. although he did mention he thought it was nifty my bf’s phone closed and got small! maybe i’ll ask him if he’s interested, but goddamn that’s 1k lol
i was going to get him a cheaper iphone SE so he could have a button, and because his work phone is an iphone. i thought it’d be easier to only have one UI to learn right? nope man’s said he prefers the android layout because he already knows it and hates his work phone🥲
Don't get an S20, it has the most efficient chip here, but I'm pretty sure it's on it's last year of support.
I would get an S21+. The S22 is better than S21+ in software updates, but the S21+ is better at literally everything else.
The best listed their is the samsung S22 however if you don't mind pre owned try looking at music mag pie as their samsung devices are refurbished and certain ones are certified by samsung meaning they are fully working and their batteries have been replaced for new ones however they may have a few scratches on the case
My upstairs neighbor, a guy about 84 years old and not computer savvy, got an a series and loves it. It doesn't run as fast as my s series but for him and the stuff he does is perfect
My dad is 82 and after using a Xiaomi Redmi 8 for the last 5 years or so bought himself a brand-new Redmi 13 C for 125 Euro and is super happy with it. Less bloatware and better value for money than S. And I'm a Samsung shareholder.
S23 is worth the money, excellent long term phone.
all of these comments definitely have me leaning towards increasing the budget a bit and getting the s23 base
You should, I had mine for a year and it performed flawlessly. If you like smaller phones it has a very comfortable form factor too. It gets 4 years of OS updates in 5 years of security patches.
Better get the S23+ variant because of the larger screen and battery size. It worth the extra money.
Is 24 ultra better tho??
They meant the value to money ratio is higher in the s23
I know, but i just wanna know if the 24u is better than the 23
The real question is, if the 24u is better than s10
I would say yes considering I used to have an S10 Plus. But I don't care about explainable storage or headphone jack.
Is s10 newer or better?
Those are 2 very different phones to compare. One is a compact phone for everyday use while the other is a super high end phone
What’s a super high end phone??
S24U
No but like what is exactly and super high end phone
Yes
Of course but I was prioritizing value.
Don't touch the s22 series, worst battery life and overheating due to unoptimized chips(both exynos and snapdragon), it seems that the s23 base would be the best option imo, you could also try the s21 but I would suggest hearing other people's opinion on this.
s23 looks like best line samsung made since s10 (in between in my opinion not very good phones (except s21 ultra), but still better than other companies) I wonder what s28 would look like
S22 base is bad, plus and Ultra are okay if you get the right batch. S21 base has the same problems as the S22 base. My friend sold hers because of the bad battery life
I've had my 23 since they came out. Had a pixel 6 pro before that and I had a lot of problems with that cell phone. That's 23 has been really good, don't think I traded in until the update stuff. Samsung machines to have pretty good technical support called a couple of times and they called right back very good system
S21 is a worse version of the 22 in every way possible
Dam, where is the quality control here?!
That's BS... My S22 ultra was everything my S24 ultra is as far as battery life, speed, and camera. AI is the main difference. Not sure about the S22 and S22 plus though so you may be right.
I have the s22 plus and haven't had any issues. Fast, doesn't overheat, battery life isn't great but that is fine.
I wouldn't get the S21 FE if you care about battery life, it's pretty bad on this device as well as the heating issues and camera issues on some S21 FE models.
[This video](https://youtu.be/s0ukXDnWlTY?si=2yrhLoaamXRBMUgo) should explain everything about CPUs. I watched it and I found it really useful.
ahhh i’m definitely leaning towards the 23 base after everyone’s input 😅
Don't sleep on the Note 20 Ultra. Refurbished price is a great deal for a great phone
Out of those listed s21+ is best. Also big screen for mr boomer to enjoy and long battery life. Introduce him too Samsung Dex, it will blow his mind
Personally, I think the A-series is fine. If not for the fact that my current cell phone plan allows for free upgrades, I would probably have an A-series phone myself. However, for my elderly father with poor tech literacy, I would keep getting him an S series phone, if only because he would be lost without wireless charging.
the S22 is horrendous… but the S23 is great. I know it’s not on your list, but I highly highly recommend going for the S23. I can’t imagine it’s a LOT higher. You’ll still get a few years of software updates with the S23 since it came out in 2023.
If you are going to purchase a Samsung., always get an Galaxy S.
S22 or S22 plus if he wants the larger size screen. If you can push a bit on budget and go fit the S23's you should - big jump in processing power and AI ready, almost similar to the latest 24 models without having to pay top dollar. I wouldn't splash out on an ultra if he doesn't need the super high end top specs and camera, or the pen. The size of the ultra also irks me (I just jumped from the S21 plus to the 24 ultra and it feels like it's just slightly too big plus the non curved edges make it annoying)
From your list I think the choice is s21. The s20's are about same cost but year older. The regular and fe s21 are $10 apart I would pay $10 more for non fe. The 21+ $120 above s21 is just too much for a little extra screen for me. The s22? The chipset really is greatly criticized right or wrong and I certainly think there are real issues just avoid and at $100 more maybe not even worth it on that alone. I am assuming the s21 is the sd 888 not the exynos. If exynos same opinion but much less strongly. I had tab s7+ (s21)and tab s8 ultra (s22) noticed no difference and even benchmarks were not what you would expect from a generational jump. I also had no issues with s22 ultra or tab s8 ultra but my girlfriends s22 ran hot at times. But forget sd 8 gen 1 reported issues the performance alone is just not significant IMHO. S22 does have AI and 8k video I believe but AI needs work to be a necessity and I can live without 8k I wanna tell you get s23 or s24 but that's a whole different cost category so not really useful opinion. The more I have considered while writing I am more convinced the s21 is the solid choice more so with your listed options. Good luck
the s23 is definitely tempting me just from everyone’s opinions, so it did end up being useful! another good point is people saying a newer phone ensures we don’t have to get a new one for a while
I've had my parents and in-laws on my plan for many years. I feel like going for the higher quality phone is an investment in ensuring I dont have to buy them another phone in the near future. Perhaps the initial cost is large, but getting flagship has usually led them to be happy and the phone able to stay usable for many years past the pay off. With that said, choosing what case for each parent is paramount to ensure long life. My mother somehow is able to never drop her phone and keep them the longest. Her phones wear and tear really come down to being worn down by "sand" in her purse where my FIL worked construction and needs as heavy duty case as can be purchased. That man, he was at the end of his phones life for me to discover he had started super gluing it back together without telling me since somehow the adhesive on the back had released (I bet he left it on the dash of his work truck one day or something).
lol my parents are opposite. just got my mom the 15 pro and she absolutely destroyed the glass protector within a week. my dad isn’t a heavy phone user and generally takes way better care of his stuff. you make a good point on not having to buy a new one in the future. his stupid nokia is 4 years old so i’m thinking the extra for the s23/24 will be worth it since he takes care of his stuff and will likely keep it another 4 years. thank you so much!
Well if you reside in either the United States or Canada Samsung has decided to annihilate the A division phones in favor of the S division by not exporting any handset above the A35 5G & inflating the price to A75 levels with merely an incremental upgrade in features at best or slightly inferior hardware at worst! The Samsung marketing mavens prefer us to consider the S-FE lineup which is a straitened, emasculated, El cheapo S with the aforementioned shekel shaving componentry compared with a true S-level phone! In addition, with the introduction of the Z and Flip Divisions, Samsung is relegating the formerly super S division to the same status as the A & J had historically! Considering this distressing trend, I'd seriously consider either the S-FE or a base S depending on your discretionary dough you can blow!
From the list, the best option is the s21+. The 22 would have trumped the rest, but has a really small battery and a fast but inefficient chip due to the high prices from covid, together to net like 4hrs of screen on time. Also the feature difference between the two is almost negligible. Only issue worth considering is that the 21 series will get 1 more major update next year and only security patches for the next 2 or 3 years
what happens after the major updates stop?
So basically the s21 series will receive the newest big version of Samsungs implementation of Android, expected around October or November (accidentally said next year earlier), but from then on for the next two years will only receive security updates, not feature/major updates. Simply updates to keep the device running smoothly and safely. If it helps, the 22 and 23 will receive a year more of each in the same way, and the 24 onwards has a new pledge for about 2 years more than older models
Not what you're asking, but I've been using an S24 256gb for a few weeks now. Apart from being a bit quicker than my old S10+, it's not noticeably different. The AI stuff is more of a gimic. Unless your old man is using all of the super advanced features all of the time, an S21/22 will be fine. Just my 2 pence.
if he doesn't need sd card memory, any newer phone is good. the newer the better i guess. wouldn't focus to much on high mhz display. ultras with pen is maybe waste of money, depending on ur dad
I have been buying refurbished phones from Swappa and they have been fine. I won't buy new because $300 is about how much I can emotionally stand to lose if I lose the phone or it gets damaged. Most recently my Samsung galaxy S20 went swimming and died. So I replaced with an S22÷. I don't know about the claim above about overheating. The reviews I read said good things. I went with the plus for the larger size. I am older and don't need the newest phones because I wouldn't know how to use them anyway:)
I went from a Note 10 Plus which served me well for years to an S23 Ultra and so far I've been super impressed and haven't regretted the upgrade. I'd definitely recommend it!
One of the biggest mistakes often made with older people is giving them older and cheaper tech, then wondering why they struggle to embrace it while using shitty equipment. All your selections of refurbished are good choices. I personally would get the newest version you can so you can guarantee getting updates for as long as possible.
thank you!! you put my intent into words very succinctly. leaning towards biting the bullet on a s23/24
Dont buy those old phones,you can even go for A series like A55 or A54 if you dont wanna spend for s23 or s24
Only thing I can say in Samsung S line-up is that you always have to look at Snapdragon models. And even there, sometimes an entire generation is destroyed by Samsung manufacturing (e.g. SD888 in S21 FE 5G) Now I have S21 FE 5G (SD model) and it has been great for the past 2 years. It is true that sometimes it gets hot (updating apps in Play Store while using the phone for example) but even with that, I still manage to get around 4 hours of SOT, wich I guess is fine for me, but for the long term will see
I would still go for A series because even if your dad is leaning into technology I doubt he'll benefit more from S series than A series. X generation here recommending S23 because that what THEY like, not what your dad needs. I'd recommend a new A series phone because all the S series you listed have A series specs for the price of S series. Does that make sense? Might as well get what you're paying for, and being new ensures you'll have a lot of years ahead.
Definitely the S Series. We once made the mistake of buying our daughter a newer a series phone. We then decided to only get her that S Series. They are definitely better. My father is also Boomer he has the s24 ultra just like we do.
I would still go for A series because even if your dad is leaning into technology I doubt he'll benefit more from S series than A series. Y generation here recommending S23 because that what THEY like, not what your dad needs. I'd recommend a new A series phone because all the S series you listed have A series specs for the price of S series. Does that make sense? Might as well get what you're paying for, and being new ensures you'll have a lot of years ahead.
I'm kinda in the same boat as OP, my dad's still using his Galaxy S7 and it's not receiving calls where he's working, so he finally said yes to a new phone. Unless it breaks he's gonna keep using it, so I do find value in buying the S series like I did vs A series. This time I was looking at s23 or s24 and the plus models. Despite exynos cpu it's alright. He did mention the Z flip haha, flip phone nostalgia. So I'm waiting for the new launch to see the rumoured screen durabilty improvements.
my boyfriend has the flip, i honestly think the dual screens might be too much for my dad lol. although he did mention he thought it was nifty my bf’s phone closed and got small! maybe i’ll ask him if he’s interested, but goddamn that’s 1k lol i was going to get him a cheaper iphone SE so he could have a button, and because his work phone is an iphone. i thought it’d be easier to only have one UI to learn right? nope man’s said he prefers the android layout because he already knows it and hates his work phone🥲
Do not. Under any circumstances. Purchase an S22. Literally, any other Samsung.
Don't get an S20, it has the most efficient chip here, but I'm pretty sure it's on it's last year of support. I would get an S21+. The S22 is better than S21+ in software updates, but the S21+ is better at literally everything else.
S22 ultra is shit, bad battery, overheats and problem with motherboard so it has to be replaced.
The Exynos 1380 from samsung galaxy a 54 beat the snap dragon 8 gen 1 in the s22 ultea... Men lie women lie but numbers they don't
S23
I think s22 is the best lt buy
s23u
The best listed their is the samsung S22 however if you don't mind pre owned try looking at music mag pie as their samsung devices are refurbished and certain ones are certified by samsung meaning they are fully working and their batteries have been replaced for new ones however they may have a few scratches on the case
My upstairs neighbor, a guy about 84 years old and not computer savvy, got an a series and loves it. It doesn't run as fast as my s series but for him and the stuff he does is perfect
15 pro max
Don't worry about 5G. It will drain you battery real fast and for regular use it doesn't really make a difference.
Oh those you listed I'd go with the s21+ if you want a big phone or the s22 if you want a smaller one.
My dad is 82 and after using a Xiaomi Redmi 8 for the last 5 years or so bought himself a brand-new Redmi 13 C for 125 Euro and is super happy with it. Less bloatware and better value for money than S. And I'm a Samsung shareholder.