Our smartphones serve as the hubs of our digital life, where we do everything from keeping in touch with loved ones and conducting important business to watching endless hours of TikTok. Your phone will be your most used electronic device, so it’s crucial to invest wisely in one that will serve you well for years to come.
But because new phones come out every month, it can be challenging to determine which one of them is actually the best fit for you. To ensure you receive the perfect smartphone for your needs, we regularly test the latest flagship models from companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung.
Our testing methodology
Naturally, we replace our regular phones with test smartphones and use them for a set amount of time. We keep our SIM card, all of our apps, and all of our contacts in there and utilize them as our primary means of communication. This is how we put it through its paces in real life: making and receiving calls, sending and receiving texts, taking photos, indulging in games, relaxing to music, reading the news, and consuming other information.
Furthermore, four key areas receive our undivided focus. We analyze and test the design to determine the quality of a phone’s build. Is it pleasant to hold? Is it manageable in your hands or too slippery to use? We also consider whether or not the phone has a headphone jack and the many types of ports it may have. Size matters because phones are getting bigger and bigger.
Everything from the screen to the software to the network connectivity is included in the realm of performance. We utilized benchmarks on every smartphone to ensure parity in performance, similar to the tests we do on smartphones when writing reviews. The results of a custom battery test and the Geekbench 5 benchmark are emphasized. We put both cellular and Wi-Fi through their paces in various connectivity tests.
We attempted to use the cameras in the same way as you would. I was taking pictures of my family all day and night, trying out the various Portrait Modes, and practicing more basic photography techniques. We tracked shutter times and timed how long it took to take a picture while shaking our wrists to test stabilization.
Each phone’s battery life was broken down into sections, with details like total runtime, charging times, and maximum usage listed. We play a continuously looping 4K video until the gadget shuts off in our battery tests and make sure the screen brightness is at a minimum of 50% and the airplane mode is engaged.
The King: Apple iPhone 14
If you are upgrading from an iPhone 12 or earlier, the iPhone 14 is the ideal new iPhone for you. Choose the iPhone 14 Pro if you are willing to spend more money on an update that offers more significant improvements.
There’s nothing wrong with how similar the iPhone 14 is to the iPhone 13. It’s a joy to take up and hold the 6-ounce iPhone 14, slimmed down to perfect size and weight. While its aluminum body isn’t as solid or robust as the stainless steel iPhone 14 Pro, it doesn’t feel cheap either.
The dual-lens camera system in the iPhone 14 has been improved with the help of a new piece of technological magic called the Photonic Engine. In summary, the new iPhone can take wider and more detailed pictures (especially of moving subjects), has a better flash, claims far better low-light photography, and can auto-stabilize your shaky footage. Putting all of this into practice resulted in a camera that was a pleasure to use during ordinary activities like hikes and road trips.
The design and performance of the iPhone 14 are essentially unchanged from previous iterations. This means that it maintains a gorgeous display and is insanely speedy. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR screen was perfect for watching movies and shows, especially the climactic last fight of “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” which was packed with crackling neon reds, blues, and yellows. Even after all these years, the iPhone 14’s screen is a great setting to watch binge-worthy TV shows and scroll through your TikTok feed.
The iPhone 14 is more of an evolution than a revolution; it’s speedy, shoots better images than most other phones on the market, has a battery that lasts all day, and has a gorgeous, lightweight design that’s comfortable to hold for long periods of time.
The Queen: Samsung Galaxy S22
The Galaxy S22 (or the bigger S22+) is the best Android smartphone currently available. Our testing has shown that these phones have the most outstanding displays, the most extended battery life, the best cameras, and the overall performance we’ve seen in a smartphone. Moreover, these handsets are available in four attractive color options and have sturdy glass and metal construction.
The Prince: Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a is the best option if you want to spend less than $500. This stylish handset offers an all-day battery life, a pristine Android experience devoid of irritating bloatware, and a quick and responsive Google Tensor processor, just like the more costly Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
Other options
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is an excellent choice for those who have the budget for it and want a Galaxy phone with the largest screen, the most fantastic camera, and a stylus. Although the S23 is a good option, we recommend the more affordable S22 or S22+ instead.
The iPhone 13 Pro costs $200 more than the regular iPhone 13. It adds a third camera with macro and close-up shooting capabilities and increases the display refresh rate to 120 frames per second. The upgrade is worthwhile if you’re serious about photography because it improves the device’s overall image quality in terms of color accuracy, contrast, and sharpness. In all other respects, it is functionally similar to the iPhone 13, rendering the conventional iPhone the superior option for most people.
The iPhone 13 was our previous top selection because it improved upon the iPhone 12 in all the ways that mattered most to us: with a more extensive and detailed screen, faster internals, and a more capable camera.
With its excellent screen, sleek design, and lightning-fast charging, the OnePlus 10 Pro is a formidable rival to the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 6 Pro. But its speed and camera capabilities fall short of our top picks.
The iPhone SE is the best iPhone you can buy for less than $500. In addition to the speedy A15 Bionic processor and 5G connectivity included in the iPhone 13 series, you also get a camera that’s decent for the price. It’s a no-brainer if you’re committed to Apple products yet strapped for cash. The Pixel 6a has a better camera, design, and battery life. Therefore, we recommend it to everyone else.
The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, released nine months after the initial S20, improved upon the predecessor in practically every way. It is a $699 hybrid of Samsung technologies housed in a polycarbonate plastic body. It offers a triple-camera configuration on the back that is compatible with Space Zoom.
The photographs and videos it takes are high quality, although it needs more effort on your part than our top choice. Featuring a 120 Hz refresh rate, the 6.5-inch front-facing Super AMOLED display is a real treat. The increased refresh rate is excellent, and we wish it were available on more phones, such as the iPhone 12. Overall, though, the Pixel 4a 5G is significantly less expensive, and the iPhone 12 is only $100 extra.
With a 6.7-inch screen, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple’s largest smartphone to date. It has a triple camera setup with LiDAR, like the 13 Pro, and a high refresh rate display. The clarity enhancements, in particular, make the argument for using the phone’s camera as your primary camera. Although its battery life is the longest of the new iPhones, we still recommend the basic iPhone 13 unless you know you’ll be using the camera features heavily.
The Pixel Pro 7’s powerful processor, excellent camera, and valuable software make it an all-around good choice for a modern smartphone. Still, the phone’s battery life leaves plenty to be desired for its $899 price tag. It becomes uncomfortably warm while performing even routine operations.
With a bigger screen, high-end aluminum frame, and six cameras, the S21 Ultra seeks to improve the experience similar to the Pro iPhone models. Throughout our testing, we saw a performance that was on par with that of the S21. The S21 has more memory than the standard model. Still, most users won’t notice the difference unless they are performing intensive exports or editing videos.
Other improvements can be found in the camera. We found that the twin telephoto lens, which provides 10x optical zoom, changed the game. Compared to the ordinary S21’s 3X optical zoom and software processing, this one is a considerable upgrade, allowing us to take distant shots with breathtaking clarity. The essential Galaxy S21 is less expensive and has roughly the same features if you don’t need to take long photos.
The iPhone 13 Mini is our top pick’s smaller brother, with a 5.4-inch screen and a smaller battery. It maintains the same excellent performance standards and can last for an entire day. This is the best option for those who prefer a more compact iPhone. Unless you have tiny pockets, the standard iPhone 13 is the better choice; the larger display makes it easier to use, and the keyboard is less claustrophobic.
The Google Pixel 7 is the most fantastic Android phone in terms of value, thanks to its excellent cameras and refined software. However, we expected better battery life and less frequent charging from a brand-new version.
Foldable smartphones
Smartphones with foldable displays are gaining popularity. Even though the market for foldable phones is small now, its possibilities are promising. The revolutionary form factor paves the way for technological advances and the birth of exciting new experiences. It’s possible that all of your communication demands can be met by a tablet. A small device like the Z Flip might help you approach your relationship with technology with more mindfulness.
Right now, we recommend the Z Flip 3 5G. It’s the greatest foldable available and cheap overall or after a trade-in. Folded up, the screen is a modest 1.1 inches, but when opened, it expands to a whopping 6.7 inches. At its launch, it was sold at $900, making it more affordable than the Galaxy Z Fold 3 ($1,800). The hinge is immensely satisfying to use and includes added features to prevent dirt or other particles from getting caught under the screen. The phone has an excellent camera setup, including a wide and ultrawide lens and various shooting modes.
Nexym's editorial team handpicks all of the products and services it recommends, regardless of external influences. Affiliate links appear in some of our stories. We may receive an affiliate commission if you purchase something through one of these links, which helps us stay independent and support our great team.
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