So far 2024 has been an exciting year for the best phones, and next year is shaping up to be even better. My favorite phone this year was the Google Pixel 9 Pro, which felt totally new and fresh, and managed to do everything well, especially taking photos and letting me chat with the latest AI.
Of course, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is the best iPhone ever, but I'm still waiting for Apple Intelligence to decide if this is the best phone overall. I still love the iPhone's polished design and the new Camera Control has a lot of potential. Plus, Apple's latest iOS 18 features make it the most fun to use if your friends all have an iPhone.
I've got suggestions on this list for everybody, from photographers looking for the best camera phone, to gamers looking for the longest battery life. If you want a phone that doubles, literally, check out our list of the best foldable phones. If you need to save money, you can find the best budget phones and we've reviewed them all. We're constantly following price drops and deals, so we'll keep that list updated regularly.
📱Phil Berne is a pre-eminent voice in smartphone reviews, a professional reviewer since the Palm Treo 700 and BlackBerry Pearl days. He has used and reviewed hundreds of smartphones, including all of the best iPhone, Galaxy, and Pixel phones. Phil is TechRadar's Senior Editor for Mobile Reviews and Buying Guides.
The Best Phones
The Google Pixel 9 Pro is our phone of the year, with a fantastic design and AI features that work so well, they can be scary. It has great cameras and it's more durable than any previous Pixel. Plus, it gets seven years of Android updates, starting with the new Android 15 that just arrived.
Read more below
The iPhone 16 Pro Max gives you the best of everything Apple offers, and it's everything I want in a smartphone. The new Camera Control is useful and getting better, and Apple Intelligence is just over the horizon. Plus, it performs like a champion.
Read more below
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have identical cameras, at last. Both give you 5x optical zoom, Camera Controls, and more fine tuning than ever before on an iPhone.
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The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is like having a full camera bag in your pocket. No other phone camera is so versatile, and you'll be amazed by this phone's moon photos and food pics.
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The iPhone 16 Plus had the longest battery life of almost any iPhone I've tested in Future Labs. The Pro Max may last a bit longer, but for hundreds less the Plus is the right choice if longevity is your concern.
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OnePlus builds flagship killers, and the 12R has a great screen and a generous battery. I got better battery life from this phone than any other phone I've tested in the past few years.
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The Pixel 8a is a bargain phone with a premium processor, photos that look almost good enough to fool a pro, and a sleek design that matches the best Pixel phones. Google also keeps this phone up to date, and it just got the latest Android 15.
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The Apple iPhone 15 is a fantastic phone all around, with software that is intuitive and fun to use and great cameras. It won't get Apple Intelligence features, and maybe that's for the best when it comes to your teenager's smartphone.
Read more below
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 gives you more of literally everything, including a foldable inner screen that is as big as a tablet, and performance that will blow away the competition. This is the best of everything Samsung makes.
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The best phone in 2024
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Below, you'll find in-depth details about each of the best phones on our list. I've tested each model extensively, so you can be sure to trust our recommendations.
The best Android overall
✅ You want to create a lot of stuff using AI: The Google Pixel 9 Pro has tons of AI features to be creative. You can make your own images, tweak photos, write stories and messages, and plenty more.
✅ You want an assistant to take notes for you: Google AI can listen to your calls and take notes later, so you don't have to grab a pen when the doctor or the dog-sitter starts giving you detailed instructions.
❌ You're worried about AI: The Google Pixel can listen to your calls and make deep fake images that will fool most people. If you're worried about AI, this phone won't help.
❌ You want the absolute best cameras: While the Pixel 9 Pro is impressive, nothing beats the Galaxy S24 Ultra for camera capabilities and quality, not even with Video Boost.
❌ You want a bigger Pixel 9 Pro: If you want this same exact phone, I mean exactly the same cameras and everything, only bigger ... get the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
📱 The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a huge departure from the past few years of Pixel design, and I love the changes. It looks sleek and modern, and it features more AI tools than you could imagine. Google's AI can have a conversation, fix your photos, or fake an insurance scam. Maybe don't do that last thing. ★★★★½
The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a whole new look for the Pixel family, but it keeps the recent Pixel heritage of new AI features, outstanding cameras, and the brightest and most colorful displays you'll find on any smartphone. It's not just a whole new look for Pixel, there's a lot going on that you need to check out, even if you just want to be wary of what's coming.
Design: The Pixel 9 Pro gets rid of the old camera bar for a newer, raised camera pill that is sleek, rounded, and very modern. The Pixel is more durable this year, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back for the best scratch and crack protection. The Pro and the Pro XL are identical, except for the bigger size, so pick your phone according to your comfort.
Display: Google continues to quietly dominate smartphone displays with the Super Actua screen on the Pixel 9 Pro. It's the brightest screen you'll find, and it looks fantastic. It also uses LTPO technology to refresh between 1-120Hz, so it works as an Always-On display without draining too much power. You won't find much better, especially if you need to take photos in bright sunlight. The Pixel 9 Pro display can handle it.
Camera: Photos looked fantastic from the Pixel 9 Pro, and video looked even better after it got an AI upgrade using Video Boost. There are still better camera phones for image quality and features, but the Pixel 9 Pro gives you a perfect starting point, and then you can jump into Google Photos for exclusive AI editing tools you'll only find on the Pixel phone.
Performance: The Pixel 9 pro lags behind all of the competition in terms of raw performance, and unfortunately that lag rears its head in the real world. I saw slowdowns and stuttering when I tried to do everything at once, even though my Galaxy S24 Ultra can handle everything and more. I hope this phone really lasts sevent years of Android updates, but the future is unclear.
Battery life: Battery life on the Pixel 9 Pro was solid, but it isn't the best around. I had no trouble getting a full day of use from my phone, but I wish it had faster charging in case I needed to top up. The Pixel 9 Pro XL charges faster than other Pixels, if you want that benefit, but otherwise I have no battery complaints, only wishes for next year.
Value for money: The Pixel 9 Pro seems a bit expensive, especially considering performance can lag behind the competition. Still, with a free year of Google One AI Premium, which includes 2TB of cloud storage, the deal looks a bit sweeter. Keep an eye out later in the year for price drops, there are usually discounts on Google phones near the holiday season.
Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | It’s a great phone all around, but performance lags significantly versus other phones in this price range, so maybe wait for a discount or a bundle deal. | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Excellent new design; the biggest change to Pixel phones in four years. Fantastic materials and a more modern look. | 5 / 5 |
| Display | Google offers the best smartphone screens around on the Pixel 9 Pro, and it’s surprising the company doesn’t crow louder. Super-bright – be careful to not overheat. | 5 / 5 |
| Software | With a grain of salt and a sense of humor, the AI stuff is A-Okay. Google avoids bad AI stereotypes, and gives us a nice glimpse of the future for mobile AI. | 4 / 5 |
| Camera | Fantastic cameras rival the best camera phones you can buy. Great new features, including Add Me for AI group photos. Camera settings are too difficult to manage. | 5 / 5 |
| Performance | Performance lags significantly, both in benchmark testing and the real world. This phone lags if you push too hard, and Google wants you to push too hard. Seven years ahead? We’ll see. | 3 / 5 |
| Battery | Solid battery life beats the iPhone, and the phone has no trouble lasting all day. You’ll want to use the cameras, so pack an extra charger, but if you’re careful this phone lasts no problem. I wish the charging was as fast as Google makes it seem. | 4 / 5 |
The best iPhone overall
✅ You want the biggest and best: The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the biggest, fastest, longest-lasting iPhone I've ever tested.
✅ You want Apple Intelligence ... eventually: Sometime in the next month this phone will get AI features, then more after that, then more...
❌ You want an affordable big screen: If you want to save hundreds, and have more AI features today, check out the Pixel 9 Pro XL instead.
❌ You want a smaller screen, actually: The iPhone 16 Pro has all the same cameras this year, so you aren't missing out by picking the smaller phone.
📱 The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the ultimate iPhone, with all of Apple's newest features inside, including the cool Camera Control and the superfast Apple A18 Pro chipset. Apple Intelligence is on the way, so this phone might get better over time, but it's a powerful, durable, stylish smartphone, if you can afford Apple's best. ★★★★½
Apple's iPhone 15 marks the most significant step up for a base iPhone in several years, earning its place as the best value phone money can buy today.
Design: This year's iPhone 16 Pro Max is recognizably an iPhone, of course, but the antenna gap is now a Camera Control that offers many new features. There's also a cool desert titanium, which is probably the best color and not just because it's the one I got.
Display: The iPhone 16 Pro Max has the biggest, brightest display ever on an iPhone, and it's a pleasure to use in any lighting conditions, even shooting photos outside under bright sunlight.
Camera: This is a big year for Apple cameras thanks to Camera Control, but Apple is also giving the iPhone 16 Pro Max more fine tuned tweaks over the tone and look of your photos, and early reviews say the results are fantastic. The high-speed video recording that enables more fluid slow motion may also be a game-changer for cinematic videos.
Performance: I couldn't find any way to slow down the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with its Apple A18 Pro chipset inside. I'll see how it handles Apple Intelligence, but in my tests with everything it can do today, the iPhone 16 Pro Max delivered all of the features with no problems.
Battery life: Our Future Labs battery test rank the iPhone 16 Pro Max as the longest lasting iPhone you can buy today. It lasted just a bit longer than the iPhone 16 Plus, but both offer incredible battery life.
Value for money: The iPhone 16 Pro Max isn't a cheap phone, but at least Apple didn't raise the price this year, even though this year's Pro Max inarguably offers more hardware and more value than before.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | A bigger phone with even more power and intelligence that holds the line on pricing | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Iconic design with excellent materials and a brand-new hardware feature | 5 / 5 |
| Display | Larger display but the resolution is unchanged. Still one of the best in the smartphone game | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software | iOS 18 full of useful updates and a handful of really big changes to digest. Apple Intelligence is an exciting addition that has yet to reach its full potential | 4 / 5 |
| Camera | Solid sensor updates but a lot ofbig changes on image processing and control. The Camera Control might be a game changer | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performance | A18 Pro is more power than most need but you will never be disappointed in performance | 5 / 5 |
| Battery | Excellent battery life and a weclome upgrade on wireless charge speed | 4.5 / 5 |
The best iPhone cameras
✅ You want Pro performance in a smaller size: Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro doesn't compromise on performance or features vs. Apple's larger iPhone.
✅ You want Apple Intelligence ASAP: There are some new features available, but when Apple Intelligence launches with iOS 18.1, the iPhone 16 Pro will be ready.
❌ You want the biggest and best screen: The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a bigger display that packs more pixels, and other small phones might be more sharp.
❌ You want more AI now: If AI is your jam, check out what the Android phone makers are doing, especially Google and Samsung, because they tend to offer more features right away.
📱 With the latest camera features and the new Camera Control, the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max give you the best iPhone camera experience ever, and it's only going to get more interesting as Apple Intelligence rolls out with new photo features and much more. ★★★★½
The iPhone 16 Pro is the pint-sized powerhouse in Apple's latest iPhone lineup. It features all the same camera capabilities as its Pro Max sibling, but at a smaller size and weight. I wish it had more than 128GB to start, because those cameras produce great images you'll want to keep shooting. Otherwise, there are no big complaints about this year's iPhone.
Design: The iPhone 16 Pro looks exactly like last year's iPhone. It's a bit heavier, but you won't notice unless you put the two on a scale. The iPhone looks sleek in the new desert titanium color, and make sure to get a case that works with the Camera Control button on the side.
Display: The iPhone 16 Pro features a 6.1-inch OLED display that can remain always-on and can refresh up to 120Hz. For folks complaining about the refresh rate on the iPhone, just go Pro, it's where the best displays can be found.
Camera: The iPhone 16 Pro has the same 5X zoom lens as the Pro Max iPhone, but its really the improved quality thanks to the A18 chip that will have folks talking. I especially like the slow motion video that looks extra smooth thanks to higher recording speeds.
Performance: The A18 Pro chipset is the most powerful mobile platform I've tested, and there was nothing I could throw at this iPhone to slow it down.
Battery life: Battery life was very good on the iPhone 16 Pro, it always lasted a day of use. The Pro Max lasts much longer, thanks to its bigger battery inside, but the iPhone 16 Pro won't let you down early. Still, buy the faster charger just in case.
Value for money: The iPhone 16 Pro is a good value for a powerhouse phone in a compact package. Apple hasn't raised the price this year, though I wish it came with more than 128GB storage standard, so upgrade if you can.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | The price holds on this lovely and slightly larger phone but the value would be better with more storage | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Iconic design with excellent materials and a brand-new hardware feature | 4.5 / 5 |
| Display | Slightly larger display but the resolution is unchanged. Still excellent | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software | iOS 18 full of useful updates and a handful of really big changes to digest. Apple Intelligence is an exciting addition that has yet to reach its full potential | 4 / 5 |
| Camera | Solid sensor updates, 5x zoom is so welcome, and the Camera Control is an exciting addition | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performance | A18 Pro is more power than most need but you will never be disappointed in performance | 4.5 / 5 |
| Battery | Excellent battery life and a weclome upgrade on wireless charge speed | 4.5 / 5 |
The best Android cameras
✅ You want more than just a smartphone: The Galaxy S24 Ultra gives you more than any other smartphone. It can act as a laptop replacement, a drawing tablet, and an entire camera bag.
✅ You want to feel the future: The Galaxy AI features can sometimes feel magical, especially if you use the language translation and some of the better summary features. There are definitely more AI features to come, so this phone could get better with time.
❌ You don't need all of that phone: If you don't need everything and more, you can spend less and still get a great phone. It just won't be Ultra.
❌ You prefer elegance and simplicity: The Samsung software is really showing its age, especially against newer and simpler phones like the elegant iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 17, which is sociable and fun, not confusing.
📱 The Galaxy S24 Ultra takes smartphone features to the extreme. You won't find a more capable, adaptable, and clever device for any price, but that price is mighty steep. If you don't need everything, you can keep reading, but if you want the best phone, the best cameras, and the best overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the phone to beat. ★★★★½
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra takes smartphone features to the extreme, then keeps going. It's a top-performing phone, the best phone you can buy overall in so many ways. It has better battery life and performance than the iPhone, more versatile cameras than any other Android, and it packs features you don't see in smartphones these days, like the Samsung DeX desktop environment.
Design: The differences between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and last year's phone are subtle but significant. The S24 Ultra is a big slab of phone, now more flat than before, and that makes it easier to see in bright light and easier to use, especially with the S Pen. Unfortunately, it's still a gigantic device, and titanium didn't help Samsung shed weight.
Display: You won't find a better all-around display on a smartphone than the bright OLED screen on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. You can find a bit brighter, a bit faster, but the anti-glare finish helps in bright light, and Samsung's display is colorful and sharp for every task.
Camera: Samsung has done more work behind the scenes on its Galaxy S24 Ultra cameras than on the spec sheet, and the results pay off with better images in every setting. Portrait and landscape photos are much better, but even zoom shots have been improved, though I do miss that extra 10X zoom.
Performance: If you need the fastest phone, this is the one to buy. In our benchmark tests and real world gaming and photo editing, the Galaxy S24 Ultra was the fastest phone I've ever used, even beating the iPhone 15 Pro, which is a first for Android phones since Apple starting baking its own chipsets.
Battery life: You can easily use the Galaxy S24 Ultra for two days of normal use, and it lasted through a full day of intense usage with no trouble. The battery hasn't gotten any bigger, Samsung is just better at managing power on this phone than ever before.
Value for money: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is more expensive than last year, and you don't get a lot more for the money, but what you get is a big deal. Samsung promises seven years of software updates, including major Android OS updates, and that makes this phone a better value than any Samsung Galaxy Ultra to come before.
Read our full Galaxy S24 Ultra review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Even more than last year, with fewer deals to find, but you get the best when you pay for it. | ★★★☆☆ |
| Design | It looks like last year, but the screen is flat which makes it less reflective, but also sharper. Just as heavy, even with titanium. | ★★★★☆ |
| Display | You won't find a better display on a smartphone worth buying, and the anti-glare finish really helps outdoors. | ★★★★★ |
| Camera | Better camera performance all around, even if the spec sheet looks a bit suspicious. Still the best, most versatile camera system. | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | Performance that can top an iPhone 15 Pro, for the first time in recent memory putting Android ahead of Apple. | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | Better power management this year means the Galaxy S24 Ultra has some of the best battery life I've ever seen on a smartphone. | ★★★★★ |
The best iPhone for battery life
✅ You want an a bigger affordable iPhone: The iPhone 16 Plus gives you just enough more to make it worth the extra cost.
✅ You want the best battery (almost): The iPhone 16 Plus has the second best battery life, coming behind the iPhone 16 Pro Max by mere minutes in our tests.
❌ You don't want Apple Intelligence: If you don't want the latest Apple AI stuff coming soon, you'll need an iPhone 15 .
❌ You want bigger zoom: The ultrawide doesn't compare to 5x optical zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro, but the cameras are still great.
📱 The iPhone 16 Plus is only a bit more expensive than the iPhone 16, but you get a much bigger screen and a bigger
battery inside. That extra battery makes this the affordable battery life champ among iPhones, so if you need the most possible battery life from your Apple device, the iPhone 16 Plus is the best choice. ★★★★½
Apple's iPhone 16 Plus is only slightly more expensive than the iPhone 16, but you get a much larger display and the bigger battery that extra size allows. This makes the iPhone 16 Plus not only a great bargain option versus the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but also the best choice for battery life if you need your iPhone to last the longest.
Design: The iPhone 16 Plus looks like the iPhone 16 and not the Pro models, so you won't get the titanium frame, but you do have better color options with brighter hues. The USB-C port is also there, as well as the Dynamic Island camera, which used to be for Pro iPhone users only.
Display: The iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display, and that 0.6-inch difference versus the iPhone 16 is actually pretty big. Apple didn't just blow up the same resolution, either, you get more pixels to keep the same sharpness as the smaller iPhone.
Camera: There are only two cameras on the iPhone 16 Plus, a 48MP main camera and a 12MP ultra wide. You might wish for a zoom lens, but these cameras still take stellar pics. It's an iPhone, after all.
Performance: The iPhone 16 Plus has a brand new Apple A18 chipset inside, which means it's ready for Apple Intelligence AI features that will be invading more powerful iPhone and iPad models in the next month or so. Even before the AI gets here, this phone is a powerful device that could easily handle anything I threw at it.
Battery life: In our battery tests in Future Labs, the iPhone 16 Plus was the second best iPhone I ever tested in terms of battery life, only minutes behind the much more expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max. It lasted well over 16 hours of runtime, versus a scant 12 hours of battery life on the smaller iPhone 16.
Value for money: If you were already considering the iPhone 16, you should probably just spend a little more and have more battery life and a much bigger display. The next upgrade, to the Pro-level chips, is the one that hurts the wallet more.
Read our full iPhone 16 Plus review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
| Design | The iPhone 16 Plus offers a 6.7-inch screen in a lightweight design that comes in fun colors. | 4.5 / 5 |
| Display | While it's not 120Hz, the 6.7-inch is expansive, rich with details, and gets quite bright. | 4 / 5 |
| Performance | The A18 makes the iPhone 16 Plus fly and provides ample headroom for years of use. | 4.5 / 5 |
| Camera | Camera Control steals the show, but both the main and ultra wide benefit from improved low-light performance. | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software | iOS 18 runs really well here and provides a lot of functional enhancements. | 4 / 5 |
| Battery | While it's no longer the best battery life of any iPhone, the 16 Plus still easily lasts all day long. | 4 / 5 |
| Value | At $899, you're getting plenty of performance in a polished build that should last for years... and get software updates. | 4 / 5 |
The best Android for battery life
✅ You watch and play: With great performance, a dazzling display, and long battery life, this is a phone that's great for gamers and folks who binge-watch shows.
✅ You miss curvy phones: Samsung phones and iPhones have gotten a bit flat, but the OnePlus 12R has a curved display and an elegantly curved design.
✅ You want long battery life: Let's cut to the chase, this phone lasts a long time, and that's one of the best reasons to buy it. That huge battery lasts and lasts.
❌ You need the best camera: The main camera is great, but those other cameras have tiny little sensors that don't produce images that you'll want to share.
❌ You need to get wet: The OnePlus 12R is sadly not IP67 rated for water resistance, unlike many other phones in this price range. If you need durability, look somewhere else.
📱 The OnePlus 12R brings the OnePlus bargain phone formula to more markets, and folks looking for the best battery life on a phone that performs as well as many premium flagships should stop looking. It doesn't have the best camera options, and it's not the most durable, but it delivers performance with style. ★★★★
The OnePlus 12R is the bargain phone version of a great phone that was already a good bargain. For an even lower price, the OnePlus 12R gives you a bigger battery than the OnePlus 12, but you lose out on many of the best camera features. It's still a great choice.
Design: I like the stylish looks and even the round camera bump on the recent OnePlus models, and the OnePlus 12R looks snazzy and comes in a nice blue color, in addition to grey and violet. Unfortunately, OnePlus hasn't gotten the message that water resistance is very important, so this phone can only handle a light rain, not a serious dunk.
Display: The OnePlus 12R has a remarkable display that is big, bright, and colorful. It's incredibly bright, in fact, with a standard 1,600 nits of brightness normally, but under very specific conditions portions of the display can peak up to 4,500 nits, which is beyond dangerous for eyeballs. Still, you get the point, it's very bright.
Camera: The big 50MP main camera is nice, but the other two cameras, an 8MP ultra wide and a laughable 2MP 'macro' camera, are forgettable. That's fine, stick with the main lens and you'll take good shots, but don't expect to win any competitions.
Performance: OnePlus didn't skimp on the processor, and the OnePlus 12R gets the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the best Snapdragon I saw for most of 2023. Performance was great, whether playing games or ... ok, we mostly played a lot of games. It's a really nice screen for games.
Battery life: With a big 5,500 mAh battery inside, the OnePlus 12R delivers the best battery life of any premium smartphone I've tested. It edged out the Galaxy S24 Plus by an hour in our rundown tests, and beat the iPhone 15 Pro Max by more than four hours of active time. If you need longevity, this is a great choice.
Value for money: With a low price of $499.99 / £649 at launch, the OnePlus 12R could have easily been our pick for the best bargain phone, but instead our best battery life pick is also a great bargain. It delivers top-notch performance, the only real sacrifice is durability.
Read our full OnePlus 12R review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | So long as you're happy with the OnePlus 12R's weaknesses, there's a lot of great smartphone for your money here. | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Beautiful fit and finish hides lackluster ingress protection against dust and water. | 3.5 / 5 |
| Display | A superb display, that's stunning, bright, power efficient and smart. As long as you're happy with the size and resolution, there's little wrong here. | 5 / 5 |
| Software | OxygenOS 14 on the 12R is full of features without feeling overwhelming. The phone's long-term update roadmap is behind the curve, though. | 4 / 5 |
| Camera | A superb main 50MP snapper should cover you for most things, but the secondary cameras don't justify their presence on the 12R, especially that macro snapper. | 3.5 / 5 |
| Performance | Last year's flagship silicon still packs plenty of punch, supported by OnePlus' efforts with the Trinity Engine. Thermals could be better, despite the company's claims, though. | 4 / 5 |
| Battery | A big battery that results in the brand's best longevity to date in our tests. No wireless charging is the only misstep here. | 4.5 / 5 |
The best bargain phone
✅ You want to save money on a Pixel 8: The Pixel 8a is so close to the Pixel 8 in performance and quality that it hardly makes sense to spend more.
✅ You want to try AI on the cheap: Google Pixel phones have the best AI features so far, and the Pixel 8a is the most affordable Pixel to get all of the best features first.
✅ You want a cheap phone that lasts: With a promise to update this phone with new Android for the next seven years, this is the cheapest way to keep a phone longer than ever before.
❌ You need serious performance: You can find better performance for less, like the OnePlus 12R, but you won't get all the Google goodies with it.
❌ You need versatile cameras: Don't be fooled by the 64MP sensor, the Pixel 8a can only produce 16MP images. They look good, but there aren't a lot of options.
❌ You really need a seven year phone: In seven years this phone will get Android updates, but if you need a phone that will actually perform well for that long, buy the fastest thing possible.
📱The Pixel 8a continues Google's grand A-series tradition of offering the latest Google features, along with the latest Google processor inside, on an affordable phone (that will probably get a great discount sooner or later). This year is better than ever, thanks to Google's promise to support the Pixel 8a for seven years. ★★★★
The Pixel 8a is a confident entry into Google's budget-friendly A-series family, bringing the same Tensor G3 processor and, shockingly, the same promise of seven years of Android OS updates that you'll find on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Design: The Pixel 8a is recognizably a Pixel phone, but it's the biggest departure from the norm that I've seen in a long time. The colors are not subdued, unless you're boring and you get black or porcelain. The edges are much more rounded and curved, making it a stylish phone, not a boring slab.
Display: There's a bright display on the Pixel 8a, and it performs about as well as the Pixel 8, which had bragging rights for its impressively vibrant 'Actua' display. For the price, you can find a bigger screen, but the smaller size is part of the appeal.
Camera: Photos taken with the Pixel 8a look very similar to the photos I took with the Pixel 8 Pro ... until you zoom in close. Google has done a great job with color and light balance on this phone, and even though it lacks the detail and zoom power of more expensive phones, especially more expensive Pixel phones, the Pixel 8a will produce photos that are crowd-pleasing and easy to share.
Performance: The Tensor G3 chip doesn't have the raw power of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or any recent Apple Bionic chipset, but it's good enough to drive Google's Gemini Nano LLM on the device, and it can handle Google's interface with ease. With a promise to support the phone for seven years, I hope this processor holds up. Time will tell.
Battery life: The Pixel 8a has better battery life than its predecessor phones, but that isn't saying much. It still could use a battery boost, plus faster charging. If you need a lot of battery, look elsewhere. It's the Pixel 8a's weak point.
Value for money: This phone is a great value at launch, but Pixel A-series phones have a history of amazing discounts. In the past, I saw the Pixel 7a drop from $499 to $349 in the US on Amazon. I'll be following the deals closely on this one.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | The same price as last year (in the US at least), and a good value for Google’s long-term software updates and Android support. | ★★★★★ |
| Design | Unimpeachably a Pixel, but with great color and a nice finish, it feels both premium and youthful at once. I especially appreciate IP68 water resistance. | ★★★★★ |
| Display | Great, bright display, just like the screen I loved on the Pixel 8. It could be bigger, sharper, faster, but it’s very bright, and that’s good enough. | ★★★★★ |
| Software | Google’s AI features are getting more useful and more prevalent, and with seven years of Android updates, this is a phone to watch for a long time. It could get even better. | ★★★★☆ |
| Camera | Photos look very similar to Pixel 8 Pro shots, until you zoom in close. Still great for a phone at this price. The AI editing features are the real standout. | ★★★★☆ |
| Performance | Google’s Tensor G3 has us questioning whether this phone will last seven years, but for now it’s capable of running all of Google’s best features… with help from the cloud, of course. | ★★★☆☆ |
| Battery | The battery is smaller than the Pixel 8, and battery life suffers. Charging is also a bit slower, whether wired or wireless. If you need more screen time, I have other suggestions. | ★★★☆☆ |
The best phone for Teens
✅ You want an affordable iPhone: The iPhone 15 strikes a nice balance between price and cutting-edge features, so you don't feel like you're missing out.
✅ You want a camera upgrade: Between the new 48MP main camera and some excellent portrait photography capabilities, the iPhone 15 offers strong camera specs for the price.
❌ You want Apple Intelligence: If you want the upcoming Apple AI features, you'll need a Pro model or better.
❌ You want bigger zoom: The 2x optical zoom on offer here doesn't quite compare to 3x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S24.
📱 The iPhone 15 has all of Apple's best software features, and that's what makes iPhone owners happy. You get great hardware that will last years, without paying too much for extra cameras and titanium you don't need. Plus, this one comes in better colors than the Pro iPhone. ★★★★½
Apple's iPhone 15 marks the most significant step up for a base iPhone in several years, earning its place as the best value phone money can buy today.
Design: The iPhone 15 does what the iPhone 14 did not: it moves the base model forward with a refreshed chassis design, a brand-new (and eye-catching) rear glass panel, and a compatibility-improving USB-C port.
Display: The iPhone 15's 6.1-inch Super XDR OLED display is bright and responsive, however, as on the iPhone 14, its refresh rate is locked to 60Hz. You do get Apple's Dynamic Island this time around, though.
Camera: There are still just two lenses on the back of the iPhone 15, but one of them is vastly improved over the iPhone 14. The 12MP ultrawide is basically the same, but the main camera is now the same 48MP lens that you'll find on the excellent iPhone 14 Pro (and indeed the iPhone 15 Pro).
Performance: The iPhone 15 uses the iPhone 14 Pro's superfast A16 Bionic chipset, which should provide more than enough power for most iPhone owners (for context, the latter was the most powerful handset of 2022).
Battery life: The iPhone 15 is rated for 20 hours of video playback, 80 hours of audio-only, and a 50% recharge in 30 minutes with the optional 20W charger. In my testing, I was able to use the phone casually for a full day.
Value for money: In recent years, Apple's standard models have felt like minor upgrades that pale in comparison to their respective Pro-level counterparts, but the iPhone 15 bucks that trend by being a genuinely great value product.
Read our full iPhone 15 review
The best Samsung phone
✅ You want a tablet in your pocket: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 lets you carry both a 6.3-inch smartphone and a mini tablet, without feeling like you're overloaded.
✅ Foldable have you curious: If you've been waiting to buy a foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 gives you everything you might want, and it's Samsung's best yet.
✅ You want to try cool AI features: Samsung's Galaxy AI can be very fun, especially cool new features like sketch to image, which works great on the big Z Fold 6 display.
❌ You have rent to pay: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is unbelievably expensive, more than buying a premium phone and pro tablet together.
❌ You need the best cameras: The only way the Galaxy Z Fold 6 isn't the best phone ever is in the cameras. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is still tops for image quality.
📱 The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is versatile and powerful, and its the most premium and refined foldable phone Samsung has created so far. Galaxy AI offers fun new features and impressive power, though its still more of a gimmick than a necessity. If you can handle the high price tag, you won't find a better all-around mobile computer than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. ★★★★½
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is Samsung's latest tablet foldable phone, and it offers every feature Samsung is known for, including a water resistant design, plenty of productivity features, and amazing displays inside and out. It's the most expensive phone you'll find by far, but you get more than twice the device with the Z Fold 6.
Design: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is stronger and more durable than before, though it still isn't dust resistant. The crease is hardly visible and the premium finish looks fantastic, especially in the brighter colors.
Display: Amazing displays inside and out, with a huge inner screen and a big, bright cover display that's almost as large as whatever phone you're currently carrying. You can even use an S Pen, though you'll need the special version for Fold that doesn't scratch the foldable display.
Camera: Cameras on par with a great budget phone, not the best flagship phones you can buy. That's disappointing, but you'll still take good photos, especially selfies. Editing your images is more fun than ever with useful AI tools, including a sketch to image that turns your doodles into photo additions.
Performance: Incredibly performance from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset that is made extra fast for Samsung's best phones. Even the iPhone 15 Pro Max can't beat this phone in every benchmark, as Android finally pulls up neck-and-neck with the best iPhone in terms of raw power.
Battery life: Battery life wasn't bad, but it was a bit disappointing considering the size of this phone. You'll get better battery from a flat phone, but the Galaxy Z Fold 6 still lasted all day in our testing.
Value for money: Nope, keep walking, this phone is for people who want the best, the most, and the coolest, price tag be darned. You get the most amazing mobile device when you buy the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and you'll pay for the privilege.
Read our full Galaxy Z Fold 6 review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | More expensive than ever but there's no denying it's a two-for-one mobile device that's stuffed with power, fun, utility, and AI | 3.5 / 5 |
| Design | The best foldabe design Samsung has ever produced. Sharp and pro-looking at every level | 4.5 / 5 |
| Display | A wider cover display and noticeably improved Main screen prove a formidable combo | 4.5 / 5 |
| Camera | Still good camera array but Samsung could've done more for its flagship foldable | 4 / 5 |
| Performance | The best Qualcomm has to offer with a ittle bit more that shows in benchmarks and day-to-day performance | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software | A good blend of Android 14, foldable-friendly utility and Samsung's OneUI | 4.5 / 5 |
FAQs
What is the best phone in 2024?
The best phone is the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which has superlative performance, fantastic cameras and a new Camera Control, and more AI features on the way. The best Android phone is the Google Pixel 9 Pro, which has plenty of new AI features, plus a free year of Advanced AI to experiment. It also takes fantastic photos, and it looks better than almost any other Android. If you want better cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is like having a professional camera bag in your pocket.
How do I choose the best phone?
The first thing you need to decide when buying a new smartphone is how much you want to spend. The smartphone market varies dramatically, from very high-end handsets that cost well over four-figures, to much cheaper phones that can be found for only a few hundred. I have options on this list at both ends of the price spectrum.
Once you've decided how much you want to spend, you should decide whether you want to try one of the best Android phones or go for one of the best iPhones. Often, the platform decision has more to do with your work, your friends and family and what they use to share photos and messages, and what sort of computer or devices you already own.
If you're looking for something outside the norm, I have plenty of unique options, as well. There are phones with a built-in pen for writing, and phones that fold in half to be more compact. There are large phones, small phones, and Max-sized phones. I have phones with space-level zoom, and phones that specialize in touching portraits.
No matter what phone you choose, you can be sure that I've thoroughly tested and vetted every phone on this list, and I know you'll be satisfied with any of these devices in your pocket.
How we test
I've only included phones on this list that have been thoroughly tested in Future Labs and in the real world by our expert review editors. I test every feature on a phone, then we dive deeper to discover all of the hidden goodies.
I test phones rigorously for battery life and charging times, processor speed and performance, and especially for camera and video recording capabilities. I make sure that phones deliver on the promises and claims they make. If Samsung says a phone charges in 30 minutes, I time it to make sure.
I've seen every phone you can buy, so I know how each model stacks up against one another. I use both iPhone and Android phones all the time, so I know what I'm saying about the phones you buy, no matter what you pay. I make sure the phones deliver what I'd expect for the price.
Once I'm done, I never stop. I update our reviews as the phones are updated. Our reviews are always fresh, so check again before you buy to make sure you're getting the latest review on the best phones you'll find.
