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Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The best iPhone you can buy
$999 at Apple
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Apple iPhone 14
A good upgrade for most people
$799 at Apple
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Google Pixel 7 Pro
The best value for a premium Android phone
$749 at Google Store
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Best Android phone
$1,000 at Samsung
Price alerts on for Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (128GB, Phantom Black)
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Google Pixel 7
Best Android phone for under $600
$599 at Google Store
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Google Pixel 6 Pro
Best high-end phone at a discount
$595 at Amazon
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Apple iPhone 13
Best everyday phone
$599 at Apple
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OnePlus 10 Pro
High performance flagship with a lower price
$600 at Best Buy
Price alerts on for OnePlus 10 Pro (128GB, Volcanic Black)
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Google Pixel 6
Best flagship Android phone at a discount
$700 at Best Buy
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Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Most affordable iPhone
$429 at Apple
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Google Pixel 6A
Best Android phone under $500
$449 at Amazon
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
Best foldable phone
$600 at Amazon
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Apple iPhone 13 Mini
Best small phone
$599 at Apple
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Samsung Galaxy S22
Best small Android phone
$700 at Samsung
Price alerts on for Samsung Galaxy S22 (128GB, Phantom Black)
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Sony Xperia Pro
Best phone for creatives
$1,098 at Amazon
Price alerts on for Sony Xperia Pro
Show More (10 items)
This story is part of Gift Guide, our year-round collection of the best gift ideas.
The best phones that 2023 has to offer tend to have a slew of things in common. From high-powered processors to amazing camera systems to vibrant, crystal-clear displays, there are a plethora of quality phones you can buy right now. But with so many different options available — and so many key features being common across all these devices — deciding which one’s right for you isn’t always easy. To make selecting simpler for you, we’ve rounded up our top picks for the best phones to buy in 2023. From flagship phones to budget phones under $500 and everything in between, there are plenty of great phones around with all the features you expect in this day and age.
From battery life to camera performance, every phone on this list has been thoroughly reviewed and tested. You’ll find options across the iPhone and Android lines, in different sizes and budgets.
The Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Pro impressed us with excellent performance from their processors and the cameras. But if you aren’t after the best iPhone around, you still have plenty of smartphone choices, including the Pixel 7 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. They both offer everything you could want, from high-end performance to superb cameras.
Those who want something cheaper should consider the $599 Pixel 7, while the Galaxy S22 may be more suitable for people who prefer smaller phones. Note, though, that the Galaxy S23 is likely to be revealed soon.
There are a number of other great smartphones with eye-catching features, such as Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 4, which has a bendy screen. These can be quite expensive, but if your cash doesn’t stretch that far, worry not. More and more affordable phones, such as the new Pixel 6A, pack great specs, high-speed 5G connectivity and more-approachable prices.
Most of the phones below are available unlocked and should be compatible with the big four US wireless carriers, unless otherwise specified. Many of the best phones of 2022 remain available below, but we review and update this list regularly and will keep you posted as we test new models in the year ahead. For more info, read our guide to help find the best phone for your needs and take a look at our tips on how to buy a new Apple iPhone or Android phone and where to snag the best phone deals.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The best iPhone you can buy
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce sweeping changes like the Dynamic Island, a new 48-megapixel camera system and Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor. All of these upgrades come together to make for an experience that feels fresh and fast. The upgrades to the main camera allow it to take some truly stunning photos, making the phone a solid option for those of you into your mobile photography.
As Apple’s top phone it doesn’t come cheap — especially if you want the larger Max model — but if you’re looking for the best all-round performance in an iPhone, then the 14 Pro is the phone to get.
Read our Apple iPhone 14 Pro review.
$999 at Apple
James Martin/CNET
Apple iPhone 14
A good upgrade for most people
While the base iPhone 14 doesn’t have the same triple camera array or new Dynamic Island notch as its pricier 14 Pro sibling, it still offers a lot to be excited about and comes with a more affordable price. CNET editor Patrick Holland describes it as “a good upgrade for most people” thanks to its solid performance, updated main camera and various other tweaks including a more repairable glass back in case it takes a tumble.
It’s not a huge overhaul from last year’s models, but if you’re in the market for a new iPhone and you don’t fancy spending the big bucks on the Pro series, then it’s a great option to consider.
Read our Apple iPhone 14 review.
$799 at Apple
Google Pixel 7 Pro
The best value for a premium Android phone
With its stellar triple camera, refined design and spacious 6.7-inch screen, there’s a lot to love about the Pixel 7 Pro. Although it’s not very different from the previous Pixel 6 Pro, it will feel like a big change to those upgrading from a phone that’s more than 2 years old. Google has improved the zoom capabilities on the Pixel 7 Pro, giving it a 30x digital zoom compared to the 6 Pro’s 20x range for capturing tighter shots. Both the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are getting some new features powered by Google’s Tensor G2 chip, such as the ability to sharpen old photos. You’ll also get free access to Google’s VPN on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.
At $899, the Pixel 7 Pro is cheaper than both the $1,000 Galaxy S22 Plus and $1,200 at their regular starting prices, making it a solid choice for those who want a giant screen and an excellent camera for less.
Read our Google Pixel 7 Pro review.
$749 at Google Store
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Best Android phone
2022
Samsung’s latest flagship superphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra, has an impressive lineup of specs, including a quadruple rear camera, a big, vibrant display and the S Pen stylus you might remember from the Galaxy Note series. It comes with a high price, but those of you looking for one of the best Android phones around should have this on your short list.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review.
$1,000 at Samsung$949 at Amazon$1,000 at Best BuyYou’re receiving price alerts for Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (128GB, Phantom Black)
Google Pixel 7
Best Android phone for under $600
The Pixel 7 costs significantly less than the Galaxy S22 and iPhone 14, but nails the basics extremely well for a phone of its price. You’ll also get extra features that are specific to Google phones, like the ability to have the Google Assistant wait on hold for you.
The Pixel 7 isn’t very different from the Pixel 6, but it doesn’t need to be. Instead, it adds refinements like a closer digital camera zoom, a slightly upgraded design with a more prominent camera bar made of metal and face unlock. The new Tensor G2 processor also brings some new photography improvements, like Photo Unblur, which sharpens old photos.
Overall, the Pixel 7 is a great choice for those who want a new Android phone with a reasonably large screen at a price that’s more affordable than Samsung’s Galaxy S22 family.
Read our Google Pixel 7 review.
$599 at Google Store
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Best high-end phone at a discount
Google no longer sells the Pixel 6 Pro through its website, but you can still find it through some third-party retailers at a significant discount for now. The Pixel 6 Pro’s unique design, great software additions, superb camera quality and solid all-around performance earned the phone an excellent rating when CNET reviewed it in 2021. It’s only a year old, meaning many of our initial impressions still hold true. All told, it’s a worthwhile choice for those who want a spacious screen and a top-notch camera on a budget.
Read our Google Pixel 6 Pro review.
$595 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Google Pixel 6 Pro
Patrick Holland/CNET
Apple iPhone 13
Best everyday phone
While Apple’s new iPhone 14 and 14 Pro might be the more exciting options with their upgraded cameras and the Pro’s new Dynamic Island notch, Apple is still selling the base iPhone 13.
The standard iPhone 13 is a reliable choice for most people, sporting a 6.1-inch screen and two excellent rear cameras. We loved the iPhone 13’s balance of power, camera performance and price and while it’s not a huge amount of money saved over the base iPhone 14, if you’re looking for a new handset and trying to keep your costs down it could be money well saved.
Read our Apple iPhone 13 review.
$599 at Apple$829 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Apple iPhone 13 (Midnight, 128GB)
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
OnePlus 10 Pro
High performance flagship with a lower price
The OnePlus 10 Pro earned a good score in our review thanks to its slick design, its powerful performance and its price tag, which undercuts its main rivals. It needs a few improvements — most notably to the camera, which is good, but not great — but this flagship offers a great overall experience. If you’re after a top-end 5G phone that’s a bit different from your friends’ iPhones and Galaxy phones, then it’s a solid option to consider.
Read our OnePlus 10 Pro review.
$600 at Best Buy$626 at AmazonGet Price AlertsYou’re receiving price alerts for OnePlus 10 Pro (128GB, Volcanic Black)
Patrick Holland/CNET
Google Pixel 6
Best flagship Android phone at a discount
The Pixel 6 may be a previous-generation phone, but don’t let that deter you from considering it. Even though it’s sold out at Google, carriers and third-party retailers are offering compelling discounts. If you activate immediately through Verizon or T-Mobile, you can get the Pixel 6 for just $200 — making it cheaper than most 5G-enabled phones on the market.
The Pixel 6 lacks the Pixel 7’s Tensor G2 processor, improved camera zoom, face unlock and free VPN, but it has many of Google’s other Pixel benefits. Since it runs on Google’s first Tensor chip, you’ll still get photo features like Magic Eraser and Face Unblur, for example, plus older Pixel features like the ability to have the Google Assistant wait on hold for you when dialing certain businesses.
We’re still recommending the Pixel 6A as our favorite Android phone under $500 since we don’t know when the Pixel 6 will go out of stock. But for now, the Pixel 6 is an excellent choice for Android fans on a budget that want an excellent camera.
Read our Google Pixel 6 review.
$700 at Best Buy
Patrick Holland/CNET
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Most affordable iPhone
Apple’s 2022 iPhone SE may not have the incredible multiple cameras of the top-end iPhone 13 Pro, but the iPhone SE has a lot to offer if you’re looking for a great experience without spending flagship levels of cash. It’s 5G-enabled, for one, it runs the latest iOS 15 software and it packs the same A15 Bionic processor found in Apple’s top phones. As a result, performance is lightning-fast.
Read our Apple iPhone SE (2022) review.
$429 at Apple
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Google Pixel 6A
Best Android phone under $500
The Pixel 6A is Google’s newest midrange phone, replacing the Pixel 5A as the $449 device in its lineup. CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco called it the “best Android phone under $500” in her Pixel 6A review, noting that it keeps the same Tensor chip seen in the $599 Pixel 6 and many of its features.
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.
$449 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Google Pixel 6a (128GB, Charcoal)
Patrick Holland/CNET
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
Best foldable phone
Update: Samsung has released the Galaxy Z Flip 4, an updated version of its smaller clamshell folding phone with a revised design and beefed-up specs. We’re yet to give it the full review treatment so we can’t say for certain it’s a “best” phone for this list, but if you’re considering the Z Flip 3, then it’s worth holding onto your cash until we’ve given it a final verdict.
If the Galaxy Fold is a tablet that folds in half to become a phone, the Z Flip is a phone that folds in half to become a smaller phone. When it’s open, this Samsung Galaxy phone has a big, 6.7-inch display, but fold it in half and it becomes a small square that’s easy to slide into a jeans or jacket pocket. We like its neat design, along with its decent all-around specs and 5G connectivity, and it’s a more affordable folding option among Samsung Galaxy phones.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review.
$600 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (128GB, Black)
Patrick Holland/CNET
Apple iPhone 13 Mini
Best small phone
If you’re someone who prefers smaller, pocket-friendly devices, this is the phone for you. The 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Mini is easy to use with one hand and even fits into tight jean pockets. Starting at $699, this is the cheapest model in Apple’s iPhone 13 lineup. While battery life isn’t as long as on the iPhone 13, this petite Apple iPhone doesn’t sacrifice on camera capabilities or processing power.
$599 at Apple$729 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Apple iPhone 13 Mini (Blue, 128GB)
Richard Peterson/CNET
Samsung Galaxy S22
Best small Android phone
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 has a 6.1-inch screen, which technically makes it the same size as the iPhone 14 and Pixel 6A. But Samsung has managed to design this phone in such a way that it feels even more compact than those devices, while still providing a good amount of screen space. Otherwise, the Galaxy S22 has an impressive triple camera that performs better in low light than previous Samsung phones. It’s a solid choice for those who want a petite phone with a powerful camera, although keep in mind that its battery life isn’t the longest.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 review.
$700 at Samsung$614 at Amazon$650 at Best BuyYou’re receiving price alerts for Samsung Galaxy S22 (128GB, Phantom Black)
Patrick Holland/CNET
Sony Xperia Pro
Best phone for creatives
At a whopping price of $2,500, the Sony Xperia Pro isn’t for everyone. But if you’re a photographer or videographer looking for professional-level camera phone features, you can’t go wrong. The Xperia Pro is essentially four products in one: a phone, a camera monitor, a speedy photo file transfer device, and a 5G machine suitable for broadcasting and livestreaming.
Read our Sony Xperia Pro review.
$1,098 at Amazon$1,800 at Best BuyGet Price AlertsYou’re receiving price alerts for Sony Xperia Pro
How we test phones
Every phone that appears on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET’s expert reviews team. That means actually using the phone, testing the features, playing games on them and taking photos with them. No marketing promises are taken at face value, and if we find something we don’t like, be it battery life or build quality, we’ll tell you all about it.
Testing a phone means testing every element of the device. Is the display bright, sharp, vibrant? Does the design feel good to hold, is it heavy, does it feel well made and is it water resistant? We test the processor performance using both standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations while navigating the interface or when playing demanding games.
All the cameras (both front and back) are tested in a variety of conditions from bright sunlight through to dark scenes (for any available night modes), and we compare our findings against similarly priced models. We run battery tests, running them down from full to see how long they’re likely to keep going out there in the real world.
We take into account additional features like 5G, fingerprint or face scanners, styluses, fast charging, flexible displays or other extras that can be useful. And we of course balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good phone camera?
All of today’s phones pack some kind of camera setup on the back, with most packing multiple ones offering things like ultra-wide views or telephoto zooms. Even a budget-focused phone should be able to take a well-exposed image in good light, using HDR techniques to balance bright skies and shadowy areas.
More expensive phones like the iPhone 14 Pro will use larger image sensors, better-quality lenses and image stabilization that let in more light, capturing highly detailed images with beautiful colors — in daylight and at night. Then there are phones like Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, which packs a huge 10x optical zoom lens that lets you zoom in close on far-away details without sacrificing image quality.
Typically, the more you pay, the better quality you’ll get, with the most advanced features being reserved for the most expensive flagships. But unless you’re a committed photographer, then most recent smartphones will be able to take good-enough shots of your kids at the beach to share with family and friends, so don’t think you need to spend a fortune to get a usable camera.
You can see our roundup of the best camera phones, with options at different prices, including budget phone cameras like the Google Pixel 6A.
What is the best phone case?
There’s a vast array of case options for almost every phone on the market, so which one is best really comes down to what you need it for. Many cases are simply there for the style. They might be made of luxury materials like leather or fabric, or simply come with some fancy design that you’ll enjoy having in your pocket all the time.
And while 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.
We’ve got great roundups of excellent phone cases to buy, whether you need the best case for an iPhone 14 or a case for your new Galaxy S22.
How long should a phone battery last?
Battery life has always been a difficult topic in smartphones. As phones get more powerful they get more power-hungry, but keeping them slim enough to slide into a pocket means little room for a battery. Long gone are the days of getting a month out of a single charge.
Most of today’s smartphones — even those at the top end — should usually be able to deliver a full day of mixed use out of a 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.
Mixed use is subjective, of course, but typically it would involve some general messaging and email, web browsing and listening to streaming music or podcasts for a couple of hours. Throw in some photos on your walk home from work, too. More demanding tasks like playing vibrant, 3D games like Asphalt 9: Legends will drain your battery much faster. If you plan on playing a lot of games, then make sure you’re within reach of a plug or carry a mobile battery pack with you.
How much storage should my phone have?
Phone storage has increased over time as our phones have to store much more data-heavy things these days. Apps and games use higher-resolution graphics or other modern features that mean they have to take up more room on your phone. It’s common for graphically intense games to take up several gigabytes of space, which is huge when you consider the first-generation iPhone came with a base 4GB of storage.
Most phones tend to come with a minimum of 128GB of storage, which is a good amount for apps, games and locally stored music. But 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.
If you’re really into your photography and expect to take a lot of high-resolution photos, 4K video or DNG raw images, then again you’ll benefit from having more storage so you don’t have to keep deleting older files before you can take new ones. Having extra storage can be great peace of mind that you’ll be able to shoot away at your kid’s birthday party without worrying about missing that crucial moment because you ran out of space.
But you’ll pay more for that storage, with the iPhone 14 Pro’s top 1TB of space costing half as much again as the base 128GB model. Whether that’s a worthwhile investment is up to you.
What makes a phone a smartphone?
Pretty much every phone you can buy today is a smartphone. 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.
They’re worlds apart from the older-style “feature” phones like the original Nokia 3210, although even those have been updated with “smart” functions. And it is still possible to buy extremely basic feature phones, with physical buttons and no internet connectivity, although these are much more niche and far fewer companies still make them.
More phone buying guides
- Best Android Phones of 2023
- Best Prepaid Phones of 2023
- Best Foldable Phones of 2023
- 8 Quality Phones for Under $200
- Best Phones Under $500
- Which of Apple’s 8 iPhones Is Right for You?