Samsung Electronics’ new flagship smartphones, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, took the top spots in smartphone ratings by the US consumer magazine.

Consumer Reports said on Wednesday the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus ranked first and second with 82 points each in its latest smartphone ratings.

Galaxy S8’s predecessor Galaxy S7 Edge placed third with 77 points followed by LG Electronics’ premium smartphone G6 and Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus, also with 77 points each. 

Jerry Beilinson, a writer from Consumer Reports, said, “If you want a stunning camera, long battery life and gorgeous display in a water-resistant package, (the S8 or S8 Plus) could be the right phone for you.”

He also said the look of the phones was minimalist, modern and elegant -- and the design allows for a bigger screen in a same-size device.

Consumer Reports, however, pointed to its fingerprint scanner, which is awkwardly placed on the back, as a weakness.

“(The fingerprint scanner) is right next to the rear camera, and we found ourselves repeatedly poking around to locate it and smudging the camera lens in the process,” Beilinson said.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)