Selecting best smartphones of 2023 can be challenging due to the numerous excellent options available. Whether you are an iPhone enthusiast, an Android user, or open to any smartphone, finding the perfect one for you can be overwhelming. However, we are here to assist you! We have compiled a list of our top picks for the best phones that you can currently purchase. We think that there is a phone on this list that will meet everyone’s preferences, and we are certain that the user will discover a device that is just right for them.
- Google Pixel 8 pro
- Apple iPhone 15 plus
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Sony Xperia 1 V
- iPhone SE
- Oppo Find X5 Pro
- Samsung Z Flip 5
1. Google Pixel 8 Pro
It is best overall smartphone
Rating: 10/10
Price: 128GB (999$), 256GB ($1,059) and 512GB ($1,179) models
The Pixel 8 Pro has addressed the major issue of its predecessor by offering significantly better battery life. Google claims that it can last up to 36 hours on a single charge, which means that users no longer have to worry about constantly looking for a USB-C charger, as was the case with the Pixel 7 Pro. As usual, the Pixel offers a lot of features for its price, even at a high cost of £1,179 for the 512GB model. The 6.7-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate is stunning, and the phone’s build quality feels great in the hand, with a new flat design compared to the curved panels of previous models.
Another significant innovation is that the phone will receive software support for seven years, until 2030, which surpasses any other Android device on the market. Google also pledges to provide more AI-powered features for the phone in the coming months, with American users already having access to an app that reads and summarizes websites for them.
Features
- Operating system: Android 14
- Screen: The device has a 6.7-inch OLED display with a pixel density of 489 ppi and a 120 Hz refresh rate.
- Cameras: The main camera is 50MP, the ultrawide camera is 48MP, the telephoto camera is 48MP with 5x zoom, and the selfie camera is 10MP.
- Battery life: 36 hours
- Processor: Google Tensor G3
2. Apple iPhone 15 Plus
It is found at best value
Rating: 9/10
Price: 128GB (899$), 256GB ($999) and 512GB ($1,199) models
The iPhone 15 Plus is Apple’s more affordable large smartphone, and this year’s model provides several compelling reasons to purchase it. The most significant change is the adoption of USB-C charging, which means that iPhones no longer require a unique cable and can use the same one as all other tablets, phones, and gaming consoles in the home.
The phone has a 6.7-inch OLED screen that is both large and stunning. The device’s large screen makes it ideal for viewing videos and playing games.
According to Apple, you can watch videos for 26 hours consecutively, and our tests showed that it can last a full day of heavy usage without running out of power. If you tend to forget your charging cable, this phone is ideal for you as it can last for several days with light usage.
Features
- Operating system: iOS 17
- Screen: The phone has a 6.7-inch Super Retina OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate.
- Cameras: Camera: dual 48MP Main, 12MP selfie camera
- Battery life: 26 hours of video playback
- Processor: Apple A16 Bionic chip
3.Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
It is the best Camera phone
Rating: 9/10
Price: 256GB ($1249), 512GB ($1,399) and 1TB ($1,599) models
Samsung has put a lot of effort into its S23 Ultra, equipping it with the most powerful Android processor available and an impressive array of cameras, including a 200-megapixel sensor on the back. The phone’s unique features set it apart from other devices in its category.
The 120Hz display is vibrant and full of colors, outperforming any Android device currently available and matching even the best iPhones.
The 200-megapixel camera merges 16 pixels into one 12.5-megapixel image in standard mode, resulting in vibrant and detailed photos. For zooming and cropping, capture images in full 200-megapixel mode. Night photography, enhanced by AI, is truly remarkable, and the two telephoto cameras produce stunning close-up shots. This includes a 100x zoom shot of the moon’s surface that even impressed Elon Musk, although some have claimed that the feature uses pre-existing moon images to fill in the details.
Features
- Operating system: Android 13
- Screen: The device has a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Cameras: The smartphone features a 12MP selfie camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens with an aperture of f/2.2, a 200MP wide lens with an aperture of f/1.7, and a 10MP telephoto lens with an aperture of f/4.
- Battery life: 13 hours
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
4.Sony Xperia 1 V
It is the best smartphone for watching videos
Rating: 9/10
Price: 256GB ($1299) model
Sony’s smartphones have a unique design with a long and narrow aspect ratio of 21:9, as well as other luxurious features such as a headphone jack. The latest Xperia 1 V is a stunning phone with a slim profile that feels good in the hand without sacrificing screen size, and a textured finish that adds to its elegant and distinctive appearance. In a world where most smartphones look similar, this stands out.
The power button serves as a quick and reliable fingerprint sensor. The latest phone model features a significantly improved rear camera system, including a cutting-edge 52-megapixel EXMOR T sensor. Additionally, the device’s processing chip has been enhanced, resulting in more efficient cooling and overall performance.
The camera is outstanding, featuring a new, larger sensor and a 24mm wide-angle lens along with an 85-125mm periscope telephoto lens. The most impressive aspect is the presence of a real, tangible camera button. This phone has the highest screen resolution of any phone on the market, but its screen is not as bright as some of its competitors.
Features
- Operating system: Android 13
- Screen: 6.5-inch 4K OLED
- Battery life: 20 hours of video playback
- Camera: The device features a 12-megapixel front-facing camera, a 52-megapixel main rear camera, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens.
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
5. iPhone SE
It is the best budget smartphone
Rating: 8/10
Price: 64GB(429£), 128GB(499£) and 256GB(609£) models
The biggest difference between this phone and the iPhone 14, however, is the battery. A day’s charge is the absolute minimum you’ll get out of this phone. Even with light usage, I was in the low-20% range at 6pm. The culprit for this is Apple’s powerful A15 Bionic chip, which is the same chip found in the iPhone 14. This chip makes the phone’s software run very fast and smoothly, but unfortunately, the smaller battery just can’t keep up.
Features
- Operating system: ios16
- Screen: 4.7inchretina HD
- Battery: up to 15 hours video playback
- Camera: 7MP selfi-camera 12MP main rear camera
- Processor: A15 bionic chip
6. Oppo find X5 pro
It is the best camera phone
Rating 7/10
Price: 256GB(600£) model
There are many reasons to recommend the Find X5 from China’s Oppo, and one of them is that it charges from 0 to 100 percent in just 47 minutes. The cameras, however, are the real star of the show. Oppo and sister-company OnePlus partnered with Hasselblad, a Swedish camera manufacturer, to create two high-resolution cameras on the back: 50MP for the main camera and 32MP for the front camera. The partnership has proven to be a huge success, taking Oppo’s camera technology from merely good to truly excellent. From a hardware point of view, I would say that the cameras on Oppo and OnePlus are among the best on the market. The wide-angle lens on the Oppo P20 Pro is absolutely stunning.
Features
- Operating system: Android 12
- Screen: 6.7 inch AMOLEd, 120Hz refresh rate
- Cameras: 50MP main, 50MP wide, 32MP selfie
- Battery life: 24-48 hours, depending on use
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8
7. Samsung z flip 5
It is the best foldable smartphone
Rating:9/10
Price:256GB(1049£), 512GB(1149£) models
It’s been a year since we last saw a foldable phone, and Samsung’s Z Flip 5 finally addresses the issues that plagued its predecessors. The Z Flip 5 is an adult, beautiful phone that makes you feel flip phones are here to stay. In fact, it’s about the most visually appealing foldable phone on the market. The redesigned hinge makes it feel surprisingly sturdy as it folds and unfolds, and it folds entirely flat. The problem with previous foldable handsets (and most of its rivals) was that they always felt breakable and a bit toy-like: now it’s gone.
Combine that with an ultra-fast 120Hz display, and you get a premium-feeling experience comparable to many flagships, only with an extra rear-facing display. The screen is 3.5 inches in size and has been significantly updated to make it actually useful. You can reply to text messages and WhatsApp messages without having to open your phone, and there are a bunch of helpful and semi-helpful widgets like calculators. This reduces the number of times you have to open your phone each day, so you don’t waste time scrolling through social media when all you want to do is find out what that ping means.
Features
- Operating system: Android 13
- Folding screen: 6.7-inch AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate, cover screen 3.4-inch AMOLED
- Cameras: 10MP front-facing, dual 12MP rear
- Battery life: The device can be used for up to 11 hours on a single charge and has a standby time of up to 35 hours.
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2