Samsung offers some of the best Android smartphones on the market, which include the flagship S series and the more affordable A series. But what really separates the two?
Considering there’s quite a large price gap between the two line-ups, is one series better suited for you than the other?
To help you decide, we’ve broken down the key differences between the Samsung Galaxy S series from the Samsung Galaxy A series below, including the design, cameras, performance and much more.
Once you’re finished here, make sure you visit our list of the best smartphones to see where Samsung ranks.
Pricing
One of the most obvious differences is that the Samsung Galaxy S series is considerably more expensive than the Galaxy A series. In fact, the current 2025 flagship series starts at £799/$799 for the Samsung Galaxy S25 and rises to an eye-watering £1249/$1299 for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
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In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy A series is a more budget-friendly series of phones. Samsung explains that as a general rule, the “higher the number after the A in the model name, the more recent and more advanced the phone is”.
With that in mind, the cheapest is the Galaxy A16 which starts at just £139/$199 while the most expensive being the Galaxy A56 at £499/$499.
Keep in mind that both Galaxy S and A series handsets can be found with decent price cuts throughout the year, and especially during sales events such as Black Friday.
Design
Generally speaking, Galaxy S phones tend to be made from more premium materials such as aluminium and glass whereas the A series usually favours cheaper alternatives such as plastic. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that the cheapest S series is almost double that or the most expensive A series.
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Samsung Galaxy S25. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Having said that, the Galaxy A56 does boast some premium touches including an aluminium frame and glass rear, which makes the handset feel more flagship than its price tag would suggest. Unfortunately, the A56 is the only A-phone to sport such flagship features, but hopefully they’ll trickle down the series in the coming years.
Samsung Galaxy A56. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
In addition, the current flagship Galaxy S25 series offers a full IP68 protection rating, while the highest rating the Galaxy A series sees is IP67. Otherwise, cheaper Galaxy A handsets such as the A17 are only fitted with an IP54 rating.
Cameras
Considering the Samsung Galaxy S series usually makes its way onto our best camera phones list, it’s fair to say that you can expect a solid photography experience with the pricier line-up. In fact, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts an impressive four-camera set-up with a mighty 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x and 50MP 5x lenses.
S25 Ultra cameras. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
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Even the more entry-level Galaxy S25 boasts a decent line-up with a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto sensor.
In comparison, while traditionally the Galaxy A series didn’t quite measure up to the S series, recent years have bridged the gap between the two. Take the A56 for example, which is made up of a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide and a 5MP macro. While its macro lens is basically pointless, the other cameras are able to snap photos packed with light and detail in most scenarios.
Galaxy A56 cameras. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
We even found that the A56 could be “pushed to the extreme in dark outdoor conditions” although you shouldn’t expect perfect snaps.
Otherwise, generally speaking, while the rest of the Galaxy A line-up doesn’t quite offer as high-res sensors as the Galaxy S, they’re decent performers and should suffice for casual photography. However, if you’re an avid poster on social media, or photography is one of the most important aspects of a smartphone, then the S series is better suited.
Performance
Aside from pricing, one of the other biggest differentiators between the S series and A series is with their processors and respective performance. Although in the past there’s been some controversy with Galaxy S’ chipsets, the current flagships all run on Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. Although Snapdragon 8 Elite has since been succeeded by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the processor powered the majority of the best Android phones of 2025.
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Galaxy S25 Ultra gaming. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
In fact, the processor can handle near-enough everything in its stride, from scrolling, photo editing with Galaxy AI and AAA gaming.
Otherwise, while the A series might not quite offer Qualcomm’s premium chips, that’s not to say the phones aren’t solid performers. The reality is quite the opposite, especially when it comes to the Galaxy A56 which runs on Samsung’s own Exynos 1580. We even stated that most users “wouldn’t be able to tell the difference” between the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy S25, as they both perform well in everyday use.
Samsung Galaxy A36
Further down the line you’ll see Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 in the Galaxy A36, Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A26 and Exynos 1330 in the Galaxy A17. Sure, all of these chips are mid-rangers at best, but they all should offer a comfortable scrolling experience.
Finally, one of the most notorious features of the Galaxy S series is Galaxy AI which includes the AI-powered features including Live Translation, Circle to Search and access to Gemini. Fortunately, many of the current A series handsets are also fitted with at least part of the Galaxy AI toolkit, so you won’t miss out. Even the seriously affordable Galaxy A17 offers access to Gemini Live and Circle to Search.
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Now Brief on Samsung Galaxy S25 FE. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Now, whether or not AI is a valid reason to actually choose a smartphone is down to your own opinion. However, it’s unavoidable that a phone without AI will age faster than one with.
Software updates
Samsung offers some of the best software update promises on the market, with the S series guaranteed up to a whopping seven years of both Android and security updates. That’ll take the S25 series, including the S25 Ultra, up to Android 22.
While the A series doesn’t quite match that promise, the difference isn’t quite as jarring as it used to be. In fact, all phones launched in 2025 are promised to see six years of updates, which will take the handsets up to Android 21. That includes the pricier A56 and A36 alongside the Galaxy A16 too.
Verdict
Although there’s undoubtedly plenty of differences between the Galaxy S series and the Galaxy A series, it’s fair to say the gap between them has shortened over the years. We’d recommend that if you’re looking for an affordable phone that still sports AI smarts, a decent camera and solid everyday performance, then one of the latest A series handsets should be a perfectly fine choice.
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On the other hand, if you want a bit more oomph from your smartphone and particularly enjoy gaming or taking detailed photos, then the S series is a much better option. Plus, remember that you’re likely to nab a deal on both the S and A series during sales events such as Black Friday.
