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What impresses me the most about the Samsung Galaxy S24 isn't the new Galaxy AI features, brighter screens or solid cameras. It's the battery life. After testing, I can say the larger battery in the Galaxy S24 has no trouble plowing through a long day of use on a single charge.
The S24 is a wonderful, well-built phone that is excellent right out of the box just as the nearly identical S22 and S23 were before it. This similarity to the S22 and S23 can be viewed as either a strength because the design reflects three years of refinements, or as a weakness. Features like the camera hardware are essentially identical to what came out in 2022. All of this is overshadowed by the great battery life. You'll never hear anyone complain about getting too much battery life. Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 review.
When I consider the Motorola Razr Plus on its own terms, it is outstanding. And, perhaps more importantly, it's a delight to use. The 4-inch cover screen makes the Razr feel like two phones in one. You can use pretty much any app on the outer display as well as respond to messages, watch videos, make video calls and even play games -- all without opening the Razr Plus up.
Add to that a long battery life, fast charging, improved cameras and an IPX8 rating that certifies that the Razr Plus will survive temporary dunking and you realize just how much value Motorola has poured into its flagship foldable. Its $1,000 price is steep, but you're getting one of the best clamshell style foldables you can buy.
With a sharper 5x optical zoom, a faster new processor and that familiar giant display and 100x digital zoom, the Samsung’s “Ultra” phone remains a top choice for mobile photographers that want plenty of screen space. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is also one of the first phones with Samsung’s new Galaxy AI features, which include tools for translating text messages and phone calls instantly and Circle to Search, a new gesture that lets you launch a Google search for almost anything simply by drawing a circle around it. Like the previous two generations, the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with an embedded S Pen for those who like jotting down notes or doodling. But perhaps best of all, Samsung has committed to updating these devices with new versions of Android for seven years, meaning it shouldn’t feel out of date anytime soon.
Still, there are still some important downsides to consider. At $1,300, this phone is expensive, so be sure to look for trade-in discounts if you plan to upgrade. And for that high price, I had hoped Samsung would’ve added extra Galaxy AI features that are specific to the Ultra -- perhaps some that take advantage of the S Pen. But Galaxy AI is the same on all Galaxy S24 devices, and it’ll be coming to the Galaxy S23 lineup soon too, so you don’t have to splurge on Samsung’s top-of-the-line phone if you just care about those features. Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.
Apple gave its Pro models a glow-up with a refreshed lighter build, a new shortcut button and the world's smallest processor. It did all this while managing to keep that tried-and-true iPhone aesthetic front and center. They also made more of a differentiation between the Pro and Pro Max models. The 15 Pro also still has the same familiar 3x telephoto camera found on previous models.
The brain behind the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is the A17 Pro chip, which has the performance chops to handle console-tier video games like Resident Evil Village. If the A17 Pro chip is the brains, then iOS 17 is the 15 Pro and Pro Max's soul. The new OS is filled with lots of quality-of-life improvements throughout like StandBy mode, Check-In, Stickers in Messages and better autocorrect for the keyboard.
The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are some of the best phones released by Apple or any phone maker this year. Read our Apple iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max review.
The Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL have a lot going for them, from their shiny new designs to the long software support period. But it's the AI skills that really stand out, from the deep integration of the conversational Gemini Live, to the new Pixel Studio that creates weird and wonderful images from your text prompts.
The phones aren't perfect. While the cameras are good and can take excellent photos in bright light, they're just okay in low-light and in night mode. The best AI features will require a monthly subscription (though you get the first year for free). But if you're keen to experiment with AI on your phone then the new Pixel 9 Pro range is a superb way to experience it.
The Motorola Moto G Power 5G is the most versatile option in this roundup, offering wireless charging, a 120Hz high refresh rate screen, Google Pay for contactless payments and a fantastic vegan leather design. Combine that with a camera that takes decent photos in bright environments, and a processor that is capable for most daily tasks, and you have a phone that’s both fun to use without cramming itself with the extra bells and whistles we see in higher priced phones.
Even though this phone does suffer from having a shorter software and security support timeline (1 year of major Android OS, three years of security updates) than Samsung’s Galaxy A25 5G, it is a more useful device. And it's this appeal that makes the Moto G Power 5G our top recommendation for a phone that costs $300 or less.
There’s a lot to like about the Pixel 9, from its respectable camera to its classy new design and lengthy 7-year timeline for software updates. But Google’s phones have always shined for their clean, slick software and that once again applies to the Pixel 9 series. Pixels are also among the first to get new software updates, making them an ideal choice for those who want to get their hands on the latest version of Android first. Aside from Android updates, Google also brings new features to Pixel phones throughout the year through updates it calls Feature Drops.
The Pixel 9 comes with a few new AI tricks that you may find useful, like the ability to search for content in screenshots, generate images from scratch in the Pixel Studio app and add new objects in photos. These features aren’t must-haves, and they’re not without flaws. Plus, at a starting price of $799, the Pixel 9 has a higher bar to live up to. But the Pixel 9 feels like it belongs in that class of device.
For better or worse, Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 foldable is packed with AI. It can take a rough sketch and turn it into artwork or help me have a conversation in French or Korean despite me only knowing a few words of either language. The new autofocus/auto zoom feature lets you prop the phone in a half-open position, the Z Flip 6 will automatically zoom in or out (switching between the main and ultrawide cameras) to get a photo that best suits the moment.
Samsung's latest clamshell style foldable has a new 50-megapixel main camera, a smaller hinge and crease, a larger battery and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. But all this comes at a higher starting price: $1,099 which makes it hard to appreciate the Galaxy Z Flip 6 for the absolute great phone that it is.
The Pixel 8A is so good it makes the regular Pixel 8 almost feel irrelevant. It shares so much in common with its pricier sibling, from its selection of AI-powered features like Circle to Search to its cool aesthetic and powerful Tensor G3 processor, that it’s hard to see why anyone would buy the Pixel 8 instead.
The Pixel 8 does offer a marginally better camera system, a slightly larger screen and the ability to charge other phones and accessories wirelessly on the back of the device. Those features don’t feel significant enough to impact the buying decision for most people. As I wrote in my review, the Pixel 8A raises the bar for what a $500 phone should be. That also means I’ll be expecting more from the Pixel 9 this fall.
The $599 iPhone 13 is still an excellent phone. If you're considering buying an older iPhone to save money, the iPhone 13 is the best choice for most people.
It has a lot in common with the iPhone 14, considering both phones run on the same A15 Bionic processor and have a 12-megapixel camera system. The iPhone 14's processor has an extra GPU core, but those who primarily use their phone for casual gaming, social media, checking email and watching video likely won't mind.
The iPhone 13, like the 12 before it, is defined by its square-sided design. It supports 5G, MagSafe charging and has cameras on par with the ones from 2020's top-of-the-line iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The iPhone 13's best feature is its larger battery that, in our tests, lasted 4.5 hours more on a single charge than the iPhone 12, and nearly 3 hours longer than the more recent iPhone 14.
The 13 also has Cinematic mode, which is essentially a video version of Portrait mode, and iOS 17. The iPhone 13 earned a 2021 CNET Editors' Choice Award. Just remember the iPhone 13 lacks satellite connectivity for contacting emergency services without a cell service and car crash detection, both of which are available on the iPhone 14 and 15 series. Such features may be important to consider if you're purchasing a phone for your child. Read our Apple iPhone 13 review.
If fast charging, powerful performance and having a large, bright screen matter most to you in a phone, check out the OnePlus 12. OnePlus’ new phone can go from empty to full in less than 30 minutes thanks to its 80W charging in the US, a perk that can be helpful if you have a long day ahead and forgot your charger. It runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which feels swift and zippy whether you’re playing games or just scrolling around the interface. The OnePlus 12’s 4,500-nit peak brightness also makes it ideal for outdoor use, since its screen is noticeably brighter than rivals like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
But there’s room for improvement when it comes to the camera. While shots taken on the Plus 12 are decent, CNET’s Andrew Lanxon found nighttime photos look too dark and described the optical zoom as “very hit or miss.” It’s also worth noting that the OnePlus 12 gets four years of software updates. That would have been fine by 2023’s standards, but Google and Samsung now offer seven years of Android updates, which keeps those devices fresh and relevant for a longer period of time. Read our OnePlus 12 review.
Editor's note: Google released the Pixel 8A, also $500. You canread our Pixel 8A review here. If you're buying a Pixel 7A make sure it's on sale.
Google's budget phone took a leap forward in 2023 with the Pixel 7A, which offers many of the same benefits as the Pixel 7 but at a cheaper price. Like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A runs on Google's Tensor G2 processor, meaning it has many of the same photo editing and language translation features as its pricier sibling. The Pixel 7A's 64-megapixel camera also takes excellent photos that rival the Pixel 7's in quality.
While we still like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A's lower price makes it a better deal for most people. Otherwise, the main differences between the Pixel 7 and 7A come down to the former's more durable build, slightly faster charging and its ability to wirelessly charge compatible accessories. The Pixel 7 also has a larger camera sensor that's more sensitive to light, according to Google, but CNET's Lisa Eadicicco didn't notice much of a difference.
At $429, you might think the only appeal of the iPhone SE (2022) is its price. Admittedly, that's a big factor, but now that Apple has stopped selling the iPhone 13 Mini, it's also a solid option for those who prefer smaller phones.
On the outside, the iPhone SE has the same body as the iPhone 8, which makes it the only iPhone on this list that still has Touch ID. On the inside, the SE has the same A15 processor as the iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 14 and 14 Plus which takes the 2017 camera hardware and gives it an injection of Apple's computational photography magic.
The SE represents the classic iPhone design but with the added ability to run the latest version of iOS and apps. One of the quieter updates in 2022 was that the SE's back was upgraded to the back glass used on the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini. It's also your most affordable way into all of Apple services like FaceTime, iMessage and iCloud. Read our Apple iPhone SE (2022) review.
CNET's Lisa Eadicicco called the Pixel 6A the "best Android phone under $500" in her 2022 Pixel 6A review, calling out how it keeps the same Tensor chip seen in the $599 Pixel 6 and many of its features. In 2024, it's one of the best phones you can get for under $350. We've seen the price drop even as low as $180
The phone is slightly smaller than the Pixel 6, featuring an 6.1-inch OLED display and a refresh rate of 60Hz. And it has a similar camera to the Pixel 5A, including a 12.2-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. But by including the Tensor chip, photos can benefit from its Real Tone skin tone feature, Face Unblur, Night Sight for darker photography and the Magic Eraser for removing unwanted elements from a photo.
The $450 Samsung Galaxy A54 5G proves you can get a phone with solid performance for a very reasonable price. It packs a 6.4-inch display, an octa-core processor that offers enough power for daily essentials (including light gaming) and a camera that does a decent job of handling your out-and-about snaps. Its 128GB of storage will be enough for most people, and those who need more space can expand it with microSD cards up to 1TB in size.
The $1,400 Sony Xperia 1 V retains all the best features of previous Xperia 1 phones, like a 4K high refresh rate display, expandable storage, cutting-edge cameras with eye-tracking autofocus, a 5,000-mAh battery, a dedicated hardware shutter button and a headphone jack, all wrapped in Sony's lovely, mundane utilitarian design. The phone brims with numerous quality-of-life improvements for its target audience of creative types like photographers, filmmakers, musicians and gamers who want nuanced control over the content they make. Its $1,400 price tag keeps this phone squarely aimed beyond most consumers.
The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is a $1,200 gaming phone that takes nearly every feature to the extreme. It has a 5,500-mAh battery, a 6.78-inch AMOLED with a high refresh rate and touch sampling rate, 65-watt wired charging and even a door on the back for a detachable fan to keep the phone's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip as cool as possible. The software is optimized and easily customized for gaming including touch-sensitive areas on the sides of the phone that double as shoulder buttons for games.
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Pick the most important feature: Is it screen size? Camera quality? Battery life? This will help narrow down your choices. Phones like the iPhone 15 Pro Max or Galaxy S24 Ultra cost well over $1,000, for example, but pack large batteries that will last most people a day and a half to two days on a single charge.
Don't dismiss $500 to $700 phones: You can get a great phone that does almost everything that a more expensive flagship model can do for a fraction of the price. Google's Pixel 8 (which starts at $699) packs a great camera, a bright screen and unique AI features, but the $499 Pixel 7A has most of the same key specs and comes at a lower price.
Shop Black Friday: Look for sales and deals close to holidays, especially Amazon's Prime Day and Black Friday.
Consider last year's models: When a new phone gets launched, stores and carriers discount their older phones to sell off existing stock.
See the phone in person: It's worth going to a store and trying out a potential phone. You may love or hate the way it looks and feels.
Decide on Android or iPhone: Do you have a lot of iPhone apps and Apple subscriptions? Stick with an iPhone. If you've invested in loads of Android apps, you may want to stay on that side of the fence. Otherwise, it's simple enough to switch platforms.
Budget for a case and screen protector: Phones sold today are more durable than phones from even a few years ago, but it still might be a good idea to protect your phone with a case to keep it in tip-top shape.
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We test every phone in real-world scenarios, focusing on its features, design, performance, cameras, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in an initial review that is periodically updated when there are new software updates, or to compare it against new phones from competitors such as Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus.
Photography is a major focus for most phones these days, so we take pictures and videos of various subjects in a variety of settings and lighting scenarios. We try out any new camera modes, such as ProRes Log video that debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, or the Magic Editor photo tool that launched with the Google Pixel 8 series.
Battery testing is conducted in a variety of ways. We assess how long a phone lasts during a typical day of use and note how it performs during more focused sessions of video calls, media streaming and gaming. We also conduct a video playback test, as a simple, replicable measure of pure battery life, which isn't always included in the initial review but sometimes added later in an update.
We use benchmarking apps to measure each phone's performance, alongside our own anecdotal experiences using the phone for our review. Most noteworthy is how graphics and animations look. Are they smooth? Do they lag or stutter? We also look at how quickly the phone switches between horizontal and vertical orientations, and how fast the camera app opens and is ready to take a photo.
We perform processor-heavy tasks like editing photos, exporting videos and playing games. We evaluate whether a newer version of a particular phone includes enough features to make it worth upgrading from older models.
Read more: How We Test Phones
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All of today's phones pack some kind of camera setup on the back, with most packing multiple ones like ultrawide or telephoto zooms. More expensive phones, like the iPhone 15 Pro, use larger image sensors, better-quality lenses and image stabilization that let in more light, capturing detailed images with beautiful colors in daylight and at night. Typically, the more you pay, the better quality you'll get, with the most advanced features being reserved for the most expensive flagships.
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There's a vast array of case options for almost every phone on the market, so which one is best comes down to what you need it for. Many cases are simply there for the style. These cases will certainly help keep light scratches and scuffs off your phone, you should look toward more specialized rugged cases if you want to take your smartphone on a rough-and-tumble adventure into the outdoors.
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Most smartphones -- even those at the top end -- should be able to deliver a full day of mixed use out of a single charge. That means you should have a bit of juice left at the end of your day, but you should expect to give it a full charge when you plug it in next to your bed at night.
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Most phones tend to come with a minimum of 128GB of storage, which is a good amount for apps, games and locally stored music. It's important to think about what you'll be doing with your phone: If you want to download and play a lot of games, then consider opting for a higher-capacity version.
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Smartphones let you do more than just make calls; they connect to the internet for web browsing, you can download apps and games, and they typically have cameras capable of taking (and displaying) photos and videos. In short, they're just what we know of today as a "phone," and everything on this list qualifies as a smartphone.
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Source: cnet.com