7 Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Phones Still Worth Buying

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When new devices are released, it can be tempting to run out and get them as soon as possible. Fear of missing out certainly plays a role, and marketing encourages us to keep upgrading to bigger and better phones, but that feeling may be changing. Not everyone can afford the latest things anyway, and not everyone has the budget to buy new things. Frankly, there’s nothing wrong with that, even though brands like Samsung release half a dozen new phones every year. This doesn’t mean you should miss out entirely. There is another upgrade path available if you want a new phone, whether you’re upgrading from an aging model or need to replace one that’s broken or frustratingly slow. This involves purchasing renewed or refurbished options, which in many cases can arrive in near-new or well-maintained condition.

There are many names for remanufactured, including renewed, open box, restored, factory refurbished, and even certified pre-owned. They all describe essentially the same thing. A device that has been returned or exchanged and has been tested, cleaned, repaired or reinstalled, and then reconditioned. But the key point is that they are restored to as close to new condition as possible and have been tested to ensure they are fully functional and reliable. The moment you get them, it’s like having a contemporary phone, which brings us to Samsung’s long line of premium handsets, primarily in the Galaxy series. There are so many Samsung Galaxy phones that are still worth buying even if they are not new. Let’s take a look at the most viable candidates to save money and, if possible, avoid a major upgrade.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S24 phone series belong to the last two generations, but there’s really no reason to consider them “old.” The biggest change for Samsung’s latest models, the Galaxy S26 series, is the privacy screen. Otherwise, everything is pretty much the same, especially since the S24 and S25 models recently received the One UI 8.5 software update.

The Galaxy S24 lineup includes the standard S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra, and the S25 series follows the same structure: S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra. There are six different phones to choose from across these two generations, allowing you to tailor the power of your new phone. And believe me when I say they are no slouches. I have the Galaxy S25 Ultra and will be carrying this phone for the next few years. My S22 Ultra lasted a while, and the Galaxy Note 9 before that.

The S24 and S25 models have powerful processors, plenty of RAM, excellent cameras, and have received praise from a myriad of outlets. What’s really attractive are the prices. The renewed Samsung Galaxy S24 128GB at Amazon starts at $370, while the Galaxy S24+ 256GB costs just over $400. The unlocked 256GB S24 Ultra model costs between $622 and $700, depending on the color you want. Compared to the introductory prices, these are all very competitive. The Galaxy S25 series is only slightly more expensive. The S25 128GB, unlocked and renewed, costs $450, compared to the S25 Ultra 256GB at $769, normally over $1,000. Of course, if you buy during a sale or discount, they will be even cheaper.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7 and Flip 7 FE are the newest models in the Flip and Fold series. But you don’t have to go to the tip, especially with the MSRP so high. The brand new Galaxy Z Fold 7 256GB model costs almost $2,000 full price and $1,800 with Samsung’s current deals. Still, the Series 5 and 6 of the Flip and Fold, respectively, will serve very well and are a bit cheaper.

The Fold and Flip 6 have a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which is still quite capable, while the Fold and Flip 5 have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile. They all have at least 12-megapixel cameras, with 50-megapixel cameras on the Fold models. Additionally, if you work backwards and look at all the Samsung phones that will no longer receive updates in 2026, none of the newer Fold or Flip models are included. However, they are on the list of Samsung phones that will receive the Android 17 update. In short, they have everything they need in terms of hardware and performance to last for a while longer, and with these software updates, they should perform just as well as the top models.

The prices aren’t bad either. The renewed Galaxy Z Fold 6 256GB at Amazon costs $570. The Galaxy Z Flip 6, 512GB, factory unlocked and renewed, costs $390. For comparison, the unlocked and renewed Fold 5 512GB costs around $440, and the unlocked and renewed Flip 5 512GB costs $300, so a similar price, if not cheaper. If you’re willing to pay a little more but want absolute peace of mind, Samsung’s Certified Renewed Deals are also an option. Best Buy is another option for renewed Samsung Galaxy devices.

The Samsung Galaxy A35 and A36 models are included in the list of Samsung phones getting new Camera Assistant features, are set to receive software and security updates in the future, and are also included in devices with Android 17. They are still very active, responsive and excellent phones everywhere, and thanks to renewed prices, they are more accessible than ever.

The Galaxy A35 5G 128GB, unlocked and renewed by Amazon, costs $170, while the A36 128GB costs $195. Both cost less than $200 for relatively new phones. The biggest downside to these models is that they only include 6GB of RAM. These days, the amount of RAM your smartphone needs for reliable multitasking is ideally 8GB or more. If you just want something that lets you do light browsing and normal phone tasks like calls and texts, the Galaxy A series is a great candidate. Not to mention, you really can’t beat that price when the newest models, like the Galaxy A37 5G 128GB, cost $450 or more brand new.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is available through Amazon’s renewed program at a range of prices, from $130 for the 128GB GSM renewed version to $155 for the unlocked and renewed 128GB variant. You can also really stretch your savings while waiting for a good sale or discount. This is a solid option if you don’t mind making a few sacrifices for an older model that holds up, especially if you want to save some of your money and invest it in bigger expenses. This is another phone somewhat limited by 6GB of RAM, but it can handle 5G wireless, HD streaming, and light browsing very well.

The camera isn’t as high quality as Samsung’s higher-end models, with a 12-megapixel optical sensor and a 32-megapixel front-facing camera, although Samsung lists it as “pro-grade” in the product description. Take that as you will. PCMag, TechRadar, and Consumer Reports all reviewed the S20 FE 5G positively with fairly high scores across the board when it launched in 2020.

As you can see from the list, there are a variety of options available, ranging from premium and more expensive, even renewed, to cheaper and more budget-friendly options. This was important to ensure that everyone could find a device that met their needs. However, the main quality of all these devices, old or relatively new, is that they still hold up to daily use for anyone who acquires them today. That means proper hardware inside, even if it’s not expressly mentioned, including a decent processor, enough RAM for a responsive and reliable experience, and backup features like good cameras, good battery life, and attractive displays. For the A series and S20 FE, which only have 6 GB of RAM, the lower amount is justified by their competitive prices. They should still offer decent performance for most basic tasks.

Beyond hardware and performance, additional priorities include high availability, easy access from various retailers even beyond Amazon Renewed, and reasonable pricing. The latter can be further enhanced with great sales and promotions, depending on where you shop.