Pre-Owned Galaxy S24, S25, Z Fold and Z Flip: How to Choose

The Galaxy S24 and S25 are the core of Samsung's pre-owned offer: recent phones with long software support and a spec sheet that won't look dated any time soon. The Z Flip and Z Fold foldables answer a different need and call for a different eye when you buy. This guide compares these models, explains what really changes from one generation to the next and tells you what to check before you pay.

The models we carry change as new stock arrives. To see what is available today, browse the pre-owned Samsung selection: it is the reference, not this guide.

BestMobileCanada is a Quebec wholesaler. Here you buy direct from the wholesaler that supplies the marketplaces: every phone is inspected and graded before it is sold, with a 3-month warranty on hardware defects.

Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S25: what really changed

The two generations look more alike than you might think. The Galaxy S24 (January 2024) and the Galaxy S25 (February 2025) have the same 6.2-inch 120 Hz screen, the same 4000 mAh battery, the same 25 W wired charging and the same trio of cameras: a 50 MP main sensor, a 3x telephoto and a 12 MP ultrawide.

What changes: the chip, which goes from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (built on 4 nm) to the Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm), the weight (167 g versus 162 g) and wireless charging, Qi2 Ready on the S25 versus Qi on the S24.

Day to day, the gap is hard to feel. The S24 is the value pick. The S25 makes sense if you want the longest software support, since it came out a year later, or Qi2 Ready wireless charging. To put two spec sheets side by side, use the comparison tool.

On the screen side, the base, Plus and Ultra versions of the S24 and S25 list a peak brightness of 2600 nits, versus 1900 nits for the FE models. For storage, the S24 and S25 come in 128, 256 and 512 GB, the Plus models start at 256 GB and the Ultras run from 256 GB to 1 TB.

The Ultras: S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra

The S24 Ultra and the S25 Ultra have a 200 MP main sensor, a 3x telephoto, a 50 MP 5x periscope and an S Pen stylus. Their battery is the same (5000 mAh), and so is the 45 W wired charging.

The S25 Ultra is 0.1 inch bigger (6.9 versus 6.8 inches), 14 g lighter (218 g versus 232 g), and its ultrawide goes from 12 MP to 50 MP. If photography and the stylus matter most, the Ultra is the model to look at. The S24 Ultra keeps the essentials for anyone who doesn't need that new ultrawide.

Plus, Edge and FE

The S25 Plus (6.7 inches, 4900 mAh, 190 g) is the choice for a big screen without a stylus. The S25 Edge (May 2025) bets on lightness: 6.7 inches at 163 g, but with a 3900 mAh battery, smaller than the S25 Plus's. The FE models (S24 FE and S25 FE) also have a 6.7-inch screen, an Exynos chip and batteries of 4700 and 4900 mAh.

Z Flip or Z Fold: two very different devices

A Z Flip is an ordinary phone that folds into a pocket-sized square. A Z Fold is a small tablet that folds into a phone. Choosing one in place of the other means getting the need wrong.

Z Flip: the pocket foldable

The Z Flip has a 6.7-inch inner screen (6.9 inches on the Flip7) and weighs 183 to 188 g depending on the model. The battery has grown from one generation to the next: 3300 mAh for the Flip3 (2021), 3700 mAh for the Flip4 (2022) and the Flip5 (2023), 4000 mAh for the Flip6 (2024) and 4300 mAh for the Flip7 (2025).

On the chip side, the Flip6 gets the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, like the S24, and the Flip7 moves to the Exynos 2500. The Flip3, 4 and 5 remain working foldables for a tighter budget, with shorter software support (see below).

Z Fold: the tablet that folds

The Z Fold opens a 7.6-inch inner screen (8.0 inches on the Fold7). Its weight has dropped with every generation: 282 g for the Fold2 (2020), 271 g (Fold3), 263 g (Fold4), 253 g (Fold5), 239 g (Fold6) and 215 g (Fold7). Since the Fold3, the battery has stayed at 4400 mAh.

The models to consider are the Fold4, the Fold5 and the Fold6. The Fold6 brings the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and a weight of 239 g, a clear step up from the Fold4 (263 g). On the camera side, the Flip6 and Flip7 have a 50 MP main sensor, like the Fold6, while the Fold7 moves to 200 MP.

Water and dust

On paper, the Flip3 to Flip5 and the Fold3 to Fold5 are rated IPX8: water resistant (up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes), with no dust rating. The Flip6, Flip7, Fold6 and Fold7 move to IP48: the same water resistance, plus protection against particles larger than 1 mm. Water resistance can't be checked by eye and it can degrade with use: see it as a bonus, never as a promise.

Updates: the clock starts at the model's release

According to Samsung and GSMArena (checked October 26, 2026), the S24 and S25 families (FE included), the Z Fold6, the Z Flip6, the Z Fold7 and the Z Flip7 are listed with up to 7 major Android upgrades. The Z Fold3, Fold4 and Fold5 are listed with up to 4. The Flip3 and Flip4 have received their last version (Android 15 and Android 16); the Flip5, like the Fold5, gets up to 4 major Android upgrades (up to Android 17).

Be careful: that count starts at the model's release, not at your purchase. An S24 bought pre-owned today has already used up part of it. That is an argument for the S25, released a year later, not against the S24, which is still well supported. For an older-generation foldable, count on fewer years ahead of you.

Battery, charging and grades

A pre-owned phone already has charge cycles behind it. That is why each grade sets a battery floor. These are the same definitions for all our phones:

• Excellent: pristine finish under close inspection, battery 85% and above.
• Good: light wear from everyday use, battery 80% and above, with the same performance as Excellent.
• Fair: visible cosmetic wear, battery 80% and above, mechanically vetted to the same standard, priced for value.

The charging speeds on the spec sheets (25 W for the S24 and S25, 45 W for the Ultras, 25 W for the Flip6, Flip7, Fold6 and Fold7) are maximums, reached with a compatible charger. On a foldable, the inner screen and the hinge are the parts whose wear shows the most: if cosmetic condition matters to you, aim for Excellent.

Our grades guide details the logic of the grading, and the one on battery health explains how to read those percentages.

What to check on a pre-owned foldable

• The inner screen: no bubbles, stains or lifting. Never peel off the layer already applied to the inner screen: it is part of the screen.
• The crease: it is visible on every foldable, but the screen must not catch or lift around it.
• The hinge: opening and closing should feel smooth and decisive, with no play or squeak.
• The outer screen and the cameras: test them, including the camera on the Fold's cover screen.
• Water resistance: treat it as a bonus, as explained above.

Every device is inspected before it is sold, and the 3-month warranty covers hardware defects. For a foldable, read the warranty terms carefully before you order, especially what touches the inner screen and the hinge. You also have 30 days to change your mind, provided the device comes back in a condition comparable to delivery, with all included accessories and no additional wear. Use that time to test the crease and the hinge as soon as the phone arrives.

Which Galaxy for which use?

• Compact and versatile: Galaxy S24 or S25 (6.2 inches, 162 to 167 g).
• Big screen and big battery: S25 Plus (6.7 inches, 4900 mAh).
• Photos, zoom and stylus: S24 Ultra or S25 Ultra (200 MP sensor, 5x optical zoom, S Pen).
• A pocket foldable: Z Flip6 or Z Flip7 for software support and IP48, Z Flip3 to Flip5 for a tighter budget.
• Multitasking and a big foldable screen: Z Fold6 first, Fold4 or Fold5 for a tighter budget.
• The longest software support: the S25 family, the Z Fold7 and the Z Flip7.

Warranty, returns and shipping

• 3-month (90-day) warranty on hardware defects: screen, charging port and manufacturing defects. On a covered defect, we provide the prepaid return label.
• 30-day return for a change of mind, from the day you receive it and even without a reason, provided the device comes back in a condition comparable to delivery, with all included accessories and no additional wear. The return label is then at your expense.
• Shipping: you choose the delivery method at checkout. Details are on the shipping page.

The full terms of the 3-month warranty spell out what is covered and what to do. The models we carry change as new stock arrives: browse the Samsung selection to see what is offered today, with the storage, condition and price on each listing. For a broader look at the brand, read our guide to the best pre-owned Samsung Galaxy.