The current Galaxy lineup, by price
Samsung's refurbished market covers everything from this year's newest release back to genuinely capable flagships from several generations ago — all real, live prices below, updated daily.
1. Galaxy S26 Ultra — best overall, newest release
From £589.00 refurbished
Samsung's newest flagship, and genuinely the most current Galaxy phone available refurbished right now — the strongest all-round pick if you want the newest hardware Samsung makes.
Why buy it: the newest chip, camera and display Samsung currently offers, with the S Pen included as standard.
Don't buy it if: you don't need the very newest generation — several older Ultra models below deliver most of the same core experience for meaningfully less.
Compare Galaxy S26 Ultra prices →
2. Galaxy S25 — best standard flagship
From £515.00 refurbished
The standard-size flagship from the S25 generation, without the Ultra's S Pen and largest display, but at a genuinely more manageable size and price.
Why buy it: current-generation Samsung hardware in a more compact, pocketable size than the Ultra models.
Don't buy it if: you specifically want the S Pen — that's an Ultra-exclusive feature across every generation Samsung has released it on.
Compare Galaxy S25 prices →
3. Galaxy S24 Ultra — best value flagship
From £429.95 refurbished
One generation back from the newest release, at a real, substantial saving over the S26 Ultra above — still a genuinely capable flagship with the S Pen included.
Why buy it: flagship performance and S Pen support at meaningfully less than the newest model.
Don't buy it if: having the absolute newest hardware matters more to you than the price difference.
Compare Galaxy S24 Ultra prices →
4. Galaxy S23 Ultra — best S Pen value
From £289.95 refurbished
Two generations back from the newest release, and the point where S Pen flagships become genuinely affordable without a major compromise on the core experience.
Why buy it: S Pen productivity and a strong camera system at close to half the price of the newest Ultra.
Don't buy it if: you want the newest camera and chip improvements specifically.
Compare Galaxy S23 Ultra prices →
5. Galaxy S22 Ultra — most S Pen value for the money
From £249.95 refurbished
The most affordable genuinely capable S Pen flagship in Samsung's current refurbished range — a real option if budget matters more than having recent hardware.
Why buy it: S Pen and flagship-tier build quality at the lowest price point where those features remain genuinely well-represented.
Don't buy it if: camera and chip performance from more recent generations matter enough to justify the extra spend.
Compare Galaxy S22 Ultra prices →
A real pricing quirk worth knowing
Refurbished pricing doesn't always track generation in a straight line — right now, the S25 Ultra is actually priced higher than the newer S26 Ultra, most likely reflecting current stock and grade availability rather than any rule that older automatically means cheaper. It's a good reminder to check live prices rather than assume newer costs more or older costs less — the gap between generations shifts constantly.
How to choose between them
If you want Samsung's best, full stop, the S26 Ultra is the newest and most current option. If S Pen support matters more than having the newest generation, the S23 Ultra or S22 Ultra deliver real value without the premium of the newest release.
Why the S Pen is Samsung's most distinctive advantage over the iPhone
It's worth dwelling on this specifically, since it's the single feature that most separates the Ultra line from anything Apple offers. The S Pen isn't a gimmick bundled in for marketing — it's a genuinely functional stylus for note-taking, sketching, signing documents, and precise editing, built into the phone itself rather than sold as a separate accessory you have to remember to bring. If you've ever wanted to jot a quick note, mark up a photo, or navigate a phone one-handed with more precision than a fingertip allows, it's a feature that's hard to go back from once you've used it regularly. Every Ultra model across every generation in this guide includes it as standard.
Non-Ultra models: when the standard or Plus size makes more sense
This guide has focused on Ultra models specifically, since they represent Samsung's strongest all-round picks, but it's worth being honest that the standard and Plus-sized models in each generation are genuinely good phones too, at typically lower prices. If the S Pen and largest display don't matter to you, checking the standard-size equivalent of whichever generation you're considering is a reasonable way to save further without a meaningful compromise on core performance.
Samsung vs iPhone — the honest ecosystem question
Choosing Samsung over iPhone (or vice versa) is rarely just about the phone itself — it's about which ecosystem you're already invested in, or want to move toward. If your family, friends, or workplace primarily use iPhones, features like iMessage and FaceTime work more seamlessly within that ecosystem. If you value more customisation, want the S Pen, or already use Google services heavily, Samsung's Android experience tends to fit more naturally. Neither is objectively the "better" phone in a vacuum — the right choice depends on the ecosystem question more than any single spec.
Frequently asked questions
Is the S Pen exclusive to Ultra models?
Yes, across every generation currently in GadgetRank's refurbished range, the S Pen has remained an Ultra-exclusive feature — standard and Plus models don't include it.
How long do Samsung phones receive software updates?
Samsung's more recent flagships typically receive several years of both OS upgrades and security updates, broadly comparable to Apple's support window, though the exact length varies by specific generation.
Is it worth buying an older Ultra model just for the S Pen?
Often, yes — if S Pen functionality is your priority over having the newest chip or camera, an older Ultra model at a significantly lower price delivers the same core stylus experience as the newest release.
Why is the S25 Ultra more expensive than the newer S26 Ultra right now?
This reflects current stock and grade availability rather than any general rule — refurbished pricing depends on how much stock retailers have at each grade, which can temporarily push an older model's price above a newer one. Always check live prices rather than assume generation alone determines cost.
All prices above are live and checked daily — compare every Samsung model side by side to see today's actual figures.
Related reading: Best Phone Under £300 UK 2026 · Best Phone Under £400 UK 2026 · Best Phone Under £500 UK 2026 · Should I buy an iPhone 16 in 2026? · Compare all refurbished phones · Condition grades explained
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