Wired rounds up Samsung's phone lineup, from foldables to budget picks
Wired has published a broad overview of Samsung smartphones across price tiers, alongside explanations of the company's device ecosystem and AI features. The report also notes that Samsung's triple-fold phone was quietly discontinued.
Tech outlet Wired has put together a comprehensive rundown of Samsung smartphones spanning multiple price categories and use cases.
Foldables and flagship options
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, priced around $2,100, is described as a modest upgrade over its predecessor, featuring a 6.5-inch cover screen that opens to an 8-inch display with a less visible crease and a sturdier hinge, plus a strong camera system led by a 200-megapixel main sensor. Older models like the Z Fold7 ($2,000) and Z Flip7 ($1,100) remain reasonable choices if found discounted, though they come with thicker builds and weaker battery life.
The Galaxy S26 FE, at $700, draws more criticism — Wired says it barely differs from last year's S25 FE despite costing $100 more, and even lost its faster USB-C port in the process.
Budget models and the wider ecosystem
The budget-friendly Galaxy A17 5G ($249) offers six years of software support but is held back by just 4GB of RAM in its US variant, limiting overall performance.
Samsung is noted as one of the few manufacturers able to rival Apple's device ecosystem, offering watches, earbuds, a smart ring, tablets, and laptops that work together across the lineup.
Galaxy AI and DeX
Samsung's Galaxy AI suite, built largely on Google's Gemini models, includes real-time call translation, text summarization, and AI image generation. The latest S26-series additions include background noise removal in videos and call screening to filter spam calls. Separately, Samsung DeX lets a phone power a full desktop-style interface when connected to an external monitor.
End of the TriFold
The report also notes that Samsung's triple-folding Galaxy Z TriFold, which launched in the US in January at $2,800, was discontinued just three months later due to high manufacturing costs.
