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The Best Phones to buy in 2024

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The iPhone 16 Pro Max keeps the signature features of the previous 15 Pro Max model – it has the same titanium material and 5X “tetraprism” camera – but improves in a few important areas.

The screen on the iPhone 16 Pro Max grows extra large to 6.9 inches, and the borders around it are now even slimmer. The new A18 Pro chipset is again faster, but the best improvement might just be the longer battery life.

Apple has not improved charging speeds via a cable in the 16 Pro Max, but MagSafe wireless charging is now much faster at 25 watts, so basically wireless charging is now as fast as wired top-ups. You do need to buy a new MagSafe charging puck, though, to benefit from this.

Display: 6.9-inch 120Hz screen
Processor: Apple A18 Pro
RAM: 8GB
Cameras:48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (5x optical zoom), 12MP front-facing
Battery: 4,685 mAh
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

PhoneArena Rating: 7.6/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 7 hours 38 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 154

The Galaxy S24 Ultra combines an extra large screen, long-lasting battery, an extremely versatile camera and a stand-out S Pen, that altogether make it the best premium Android phone for most people. It is this all-around package that we think earns it the top spot over rivals like the OnePlus 12, which has slightly worse camera performance, and Google’s Pixel 8 Pro, which is less powerful and lacks the versatility of One UI and the S Pen.
New to this version of the Galaxy Ultra is the switch to a 5X zoom camera. That might seem like a downgrade, given that those previous models used a 10X zoom camera, but it really isn’t. You get better quality at the native 5X zoom, which we find more useful, and the drop in quality at 10X on the S24 Ultra is tiny, as you can see in our Galaxy S24 Ultra vs S23 Ultra comparison.
We were also impressed by one particular feature: a new screen coating that reduces reflections dramatically. This Galaxy S24 Ultra reflection-free screen makes it so much easier to use the phone outdoors on a sunny day, and while other phones boast higher brightness, we think it’s this feature that makes the biggest difference for readability. All these features definitely also make it the best Samsung phone around.
You also get the usual upgrades, such as a new and faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. There is also a few cool new Galaxy AI features sprinkled throughout the Samsung One interface.
In our PhoneArena Battery Score tests, the Galaxy S24 Ultra clocked up a good, but not quite great, 6 hours and 46 minutes – a bit less than, say, the OnePlus 12. On the PhoneArena Camera Score, it achieves a big jump over previous Galaxies and enters the top three ranking, losing only to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. With 45-watt charging speeds, it tops up fully in just over an hour, which is decent, even if not the fastest around. If you want to learn even more, check out our detailed guide to the best Android phones around, and don’t forget that we have the best current Galaxy S24 series deals too.

Key Galaxy S24 Ultra specs: 

Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1440 x 3120 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM: 12GB
Cameras: 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (3x optical zoom), 10MP telephoto (10x optical zoom), 12MP front-facing
Battery: 5000mAh

Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Best iPhone for Most People: iPhone 16

PhoneArena Rating: 7.3/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 21 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 149

While there is no “one size fits all” smartphone, it seems that most people would be perfectly happy with the baseline iPhone 16 model.
One big reason for this recommendation is that iPhone 16 is the first base iPhone that can run Apple Intelligence (the base iPhone 15 does not support it). The iPhone 16 also arrives with a new A18 chipset, which is a notable leap over the previous model and makes the iPhone 16 future-proof and one of the best phones out right now.

On the list of new features, you get an Action button and a Camera Control button, as well as a slightly larger battery. We also like little improvements like the screen that can now go extra dim at night, and you get a big boost in MagSafe wireless charging speeds.

For all else, the iPhone 16 has the same compact 6.1-inch size and a price that is not too high at $800. If you prefer a bigger screen and longer battery life, though, consider the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus, which will set you back a $100 extra, or $900.

All in all, the iPhone 16 is a reliable workhorse that does most things very well, even if other phones might beat it in some individual categories.

The only major weakness of the iPhone 16 is the lack of a 120Hz ProMotion display. At 60Hz, scrolling on the iPhone 16 feels choppy, and it is the only phone in this price range to lack that feature. Apple has reserved ProMotion for its Pro phones, and if you want to learn more about the iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro differences, it’s here.
On our PhoneArena Battery Score, the iPhone 16 battery life gets 6 hours and 21 minutes, a bit better than the previous model. It will comfortably last one full day, but not more. In our PhoneArena Camera Score, it also performed well, but there were very few changes from the previous year. Still, it got an improved score thanks to new features like Macro support on the ultra-wide camera.

Key iPhone 16 specs:

Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR, 60Hz refresh rate
Processor: Apple A18
RAM: 8GB
Cameras: 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP front-facing
Battery: 3,561 mAh
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Best Android Phone for Most People: Google Pixel 9

PhoneArena Rating: 7.1/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 7 hours 31 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 144

It’s so hard to pick just one in the heated competition among Android phones, but ultimately, we recommend the Google Pixel 9 as the best Android phone for most people (and the best value Google Pixel phone around).

The Pixel 9 comes with a brand new design with flat sides, and it feels more premium than earlier models by the company. Heck, it might just have our favorite design among all the best new cell phones around.

There are three major upgrades here: the phone now comes with 12GB of RAM, great for AI tasks, you get a new ultrasonic fingerprint reader, more reliable than the optical scanner used before, and finally, you get the same main and ultrawide camera as on the Pixel 9 Pro series.

All of that comes at a slightly higher than before price of $800 (but you could probably score a sweet discount if you keep an eye on our best current Pixel 9 deals).
The Pixel 9 also checks all the boxes you would expect at this price point and from Google: a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and seven years of Android OS updates.
On our PhoneArena Battery Score the Pixel 9 is estimated to last nearly seven hours and a half, impressive for a phone of its size, as those typically get an hour less. This score also means the Pixel 9 beats the iPhone 16 on battery life, but it still won’t last more than a day between charges.
Meanwhile, in our tests the Pixel 9 camera ranked lower compared to main rival Galaxy S24, so if camera and especially zoom is your priority, you should definitely take a closer look at the rest of the Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S24 differences.

Key Pixel 9 specs:

Display: 6.3-inch AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Google Tensor G4
RAM: 12GB
Cameras: 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 10.5MP front-facing
Battery: 4,700 mAh
Storage: 128GB, 256GB

Best Camera Phone: Galaxy S24 Ultra

PhoneArena Rating: 7.5/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 46 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 154

Our rigorous camera testing shows that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best camera phone you can buy, largely thanks to having four cameras on its back, including two excellent telephoto cameras. In contrast, most competitors only have a single zoom camera.

So what are the key advantages of the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera? Well, there’s 3X and 5X zoom cameras, which make for great quality shots for people and pets. Combined with industry leading subject separation, the Galaxy captures incredible portrait mode photos too.

Previous camera issues are now largely resolved. For example, in our Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S23 Ultra comparison, the older model captured shots with excessive sharpening, which could look really bad when viewed on a larger screen. Some issues also existed with corner sharpness when using the ultra-wide camera.

All of these refinements have pushed the Galaxy to the highest rankings. Still, it’s not a perfect camera. We do find some problems with color fidelity and noise in darker scenes, but those are relatively minor issues. 

Key Galaxy S24 Ultra Camera specs:

  • 200MP main camera, 23mm lens, f/1.7 aperture
  • 12MP, 13mm, f/2.2 ultra-wide
  • 10MP 3X zoom, f/2.4
  • 50MP 5X zoom, f/3.4
  • 12MP front camera

Best Foldable Phone: OnePlus Open

PhoneArena Rating: 6.5/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 34 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 144

The OnePlus Open has snatched the title of best foldable phone from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series, which they dominated for years.

We love the large screen that opens with almost no crease, a notable improvement over one of the biggest shortcomings of the Galaxy Fold series. We also just love the speed and refinement of OnePlus software, and that Open Canvas multitasking is a really cool feature on a foldable phone!

The Open also makes no compromise with camera quality and comes equipped with top-notch hardware. You probably can tell by that giant camera bump, right? Learn more about all of that in our OnePlus Open review.

Of course, you also get the fast charging that OnePlus is known for too and that alert slider, all nice details that act as the cherry on top.

However, if you prefer a more established company in the foldable phone space, the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is an excellent alternative to the Open. It is arguably the biggest leap for the Fold series since its inception with a refined design, slightly wider and more useful cover screen, the best hinge in the foldable phone market and a thicker screen coating for peace of mind. And it works with the S Pen.

Key OnePlus Open specs:

Displays:

7.8-inch main screen, 2268 x 2440 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate

6.3-inch front screen, 1116 x 2484 pixels
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 16GB
Cameras: 48MP main cam, 48MP ultra-wide, 64MP 3X zoom telephoto
Battery: 4800mAh
Storage: 512GB

Best Flip Phone: Galaxy Z Flip 6

PhoneArena Rating: 6.9/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours and 46 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 137

Samsung used to be the only company making fold and flip phones, but last year it was challenged in a big way and it had to respond.

This year, it has the Galaxy Z Flip 6, which is the flip phone we recommend for most people.

The Flip 6 seems to be one of the best rated phones in terms of build quality and most importantly, the essential hinge element feels a bit more refined on the Flip 6 than on the competition.

Samsung has also addressed users concerns about battery life with a bigger sized battery, it adds a welcome new 50MP main camera, but for all else the Flip 6 design feels very similar to the previous generation.

Display: 6.7-inch OLED main screen, 3.4-inch front screen, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM: 12GB
Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP front
Battery: 4000mAh
Storage: 256GB or 512GB

Best “Almost Flagship” Phone: Galaxy S24 FE

PhoneArena Rating: 7.0/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 20 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 150

Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE is the closest you come to a flagship experience at a mid-range price, and it’s one of the best Samsung phones on a budget. This might not be the best phone to buy in 2024 overall, but it sure is a good cell phone for the price.
Equipped with a top-notch Samsung processor, this affordable phone is almost as fast as the Galaxy S24 Plus, but it has a much lower retail price of $650 (and you can easily find it on sale for around $500).

The S24 FE comes with a big, 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with 120Hz fast refresh rate, it’s got three cameras on the back including a capable 3X zoom camera, and the battery capacity at 4,700 mAh is quite good.

In fact, we had to really nit-pick to find the little differences between the S24 FE and the S24 Plus. The S24 FE has less RAM on board (8GB), but that is still enough for Galaxy AI features. It uses an optical fingerprint reader rather than an ultrasonic one, its screen does not get quite as bright, charging is a bit slower and the zoom camera has slightly lower resolution. But that’s about it! And that is why it gets an easy recommendation for those looking to save a buck.

Key Galaxy S24 FE specs:
Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED main screen, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Samsung Exynos 2400e
RAM: 8GB
Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 8MP 3X zoom, 10MP front
Battery: 4,700 mAh
Storage: 128GB or 256GB

Best Android Phone Under $500: Google Pixel 8a

PhoneArena Rating: 6.2/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 50 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 133

The Pixel A series has been our go-to recommendation for a budget Android phone under $500, and we are happy to see the Pixel 8a continue that tradition.
Google has not improved all that much on the Pixel 8a compared to the Pixel 7a or previous generations, but it has not broken anything either. And even though it is not one of the newest cell phones around, it is still great.
The Pixel 8a gets a new Tensor G3 chipset, which is still among the fastest in this price range (not the fastest, though – that would be the OnePlus 12R). It also has the familiar Google camera experience, with excellent quality photos from the main camera and very decent video recording.

Other strengths include the clean, cool Android interface and an impressive seven years of software updates.

Of course, we have to mention some of the downsides too: that huge bezel simply doesn’t belong on a 2024 smartphone and in a perfect world we would love to see a telephoto camera, too.

Key Pixel 8a specs:

Display: 6.1-inch AMOLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 60Hz refresh rate
Processor: Google Tensor G3
RAM: 8GB
Cameras: 64MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 13MP front-facing
Battery: 4492mAh
Storage: 128GB

Best iPhone on a Budget: iPhone 14

PhoneArena Rating: 6.6/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 2 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 137

Shopping for a budget iPhone is no easy task because Apple simply refuses to update its budget lineup regularly.
For example, the cheapest iPhone available now, the iPhone SE 3rd Gen, was released back in 2022. Amongst its many limitations is a too-small-for-comfort 4.7-inch display that uses old LCD technology. Heck, it even has Touch ID and a big bezel! So we simply cannot recommend the iPhone SE to most people.
The cheapest iPhone we do recommend is the $600 iPhone 14. It has a much more useful 6.1-inch screen, and OLED technology for more vibrant colors. It also sports a dual camera system, Face ID and all the modern iPhone bells and whistles. 

Key iPhone 14 specs:

Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR, 1170 x 2532 pixels, 60Hz refresh rate
Processor: Apple A15 Bionic
RAM: 4GB
Cameras: 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP front-facing
Battery: 3,279 mAh
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Best Phone for Battery Life: iPhone 16 Pro Max

PhoneArena Rating: 8/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 8 hours 30 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 154

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is not only one of the best flagship phones of 2024, but it also has one specific advantage. We knew the iPhone 16 Pro Max would have longer battery life when we saw the bigger battery capacity, but it beat our expectations and also scored higher than all other current flagships in our PhoneArena battery score. 

The 16 Pro Max improved its scores on all three of our battery tests compared to the previous generation. It scored 22 hours and 39 minutes on our web browsing test, nearly three hours longer than the 15 Pro Max from last year. It also beat its score for video streaming with nearly 10 hours and a half, and finally for gaming it scored a bit more than 12 hours.

Based on these tests, we estimate that you can expect screen time of around 8 hours and a half on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, nearly an hour more than the previous generation, and that is an awesome upgrade.

In our testing, it also beat other rivals like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Pixel 9 Pro XL and the OnePlus 12. Out of these three, the OnePlus 12 was closest with a screen time of 8 hours and 9 minutes, while the Pixel and the Galaxy scored around the 7 hour mark.

Key iPhone 16 Pro Max battery specs:

Battery: 4,685 mAh
Charging: 27W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless

Best Compact iPhone: iPhone 16 Pro

PhoneArena Rating: 7.7/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 35 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 154

The definition for what goes as a “compact phone” seems to change almost every year as phones get bigger and bigger.

Currently, we classify compact phones as those with a screen size of around 6.3 inches or less, and it certainly helps if the phone is not too wide.

Of course, some people will protest and name something like the iPhone 13 mini, which had a 5.4-inch display, but we have to face the reality… that phone and those like it are simply not available anymore!
So in our current world, we pick the iPhone 16 Pro as the best of the smaller iPhones.

Despite a slightly bigger, 6.3-inch screen, it gets slimmer borders around that display and overall its size is only slightly larger than that of previous generation iPhones which had 6.1-inch displays.

The iPhone 16 Pro is also a powerful thing, equipped with the Apple A18 Pro chip, a triple camera that now gets the same 5X “tetraprism” zoom as the Pro Max, and all the other bells and whistles, such as ProMotion, long software updates and the iOS ecosystem.

Key iPhone 16 Pro specs:

Display: 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Apple A18 Pro
RAM: 8GB
Cameras: 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (5x optical zoom), 12MP front-facing
Battery: 3,582 mAh
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Best Compact Android Phone: Galaxy S24

PhoneArena Rating: 7.1/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 36 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 149

It’s more compact than Google’s Pixel phones, with a narrower body that is very easy to grasp even in small hands.

It is also a true flagship, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 120Hz screen and great camera quality.

And while other compact Android phones only have two cameras, the Galaxy has a third – 3X zoom telephoto camera – that gives you much better results for those zoomed shots.

In our PhoneArena Battery Score, the Galaxy S24 battery life ranking is close to the average for such a compact phone at nearly six hours, and this results in one day of real use. The S24 scores particularly good for lighter use such as web browsing, where the battery can last longer.

Key Galaxy S24 specs:

Display: 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Cameras: 50MP main, 10MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (3x optical zoom), 12MP front-facing
Battery: 4000mAh
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Best Phone Under $300: Galaxy A25 5G

PhoneArena Rating: 5.4/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 43 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 128

What if you want an affordable phone – something really cheap, something under $300?

You have a few options, but the Galaxy A25 5G from early 2024 might be the best mobile phone on a tight budget. It has the reliability that the Samsung brand is known for and a camera quality that surpasses that of rivals such as the Moto G Power 5G (2024).
Of course, there are quite a few compromises you make at this price. We are certainly not in love with the plastic build quality and chunky bezels, but on the plus-side it’s not the slowest phone around. For example, we also reviewed the cheaper, $200 Galaxy A15 5G which we found was just too slow, and that is not the case with the A25 5G.

And compared to others like the Moto G Power, the Galaxy also has a top-notch AMOLED screen with a sharp 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate – not common in this space.

So if you are looking for a good balance of features around the $300 mark, keep the Galaxy A25 5G on your radar.

Key Galaxy A25 5G specs:

Display: 6.5-inch AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Exynos 1280
RAM: 6GB, 8GB
Cameras: 50MP main, 5MP ultrawide, 13MP front-facing
Battery: 5000mAh
Storage: 128GB

Best Gaming Phone: Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro 

PhoneArena Rating: 7.1/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 8 hours 34 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 128

Gaming phones are a special category. You need some additional controls, flawless performance and great cooling, excellent sound, and a bigger screen. Oh, and you also want this to be a great phone to daily drive too with a good camera, right?
Well, as hard as this is to pull off, one phone does it best: the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. You could also go with a Galaxy S24 Ultra or iPhone 15 Pro Max that have similar power, but they lack the added buttons, specialized features and cooling that Asus has. 

This year, Asus has gone for a more mainstream design, which adds a fashionista twist to your inner nerd. But it’s still pretty much the same great gaming phone as before with those additional buttons and exceptional cooling that helps it maintain top-notch performance for longer than an iPhone or a Galaxy.

The software is also well tuned to gamers and there are a ton of customization options to make it fit your gaming personality. Even little details like gaming wallpapers look right on the ROG Phone.

Key Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro specs:

Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 165Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM: 16GB, 24GB
Cameras: 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 24MP front-facing
Battery: 5500mAh
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Fastest Charging Phone: OnePlus 12

PhoneArena Rating: 7.5/10

PhoneArena Battery Score: 8 hours 23 minutes

PhoneArena Camera Score: 142

Hey, what if you want a great phone that helps you get rid of your charge anxiety?

While there are a few models that excel here, only the OnePlus 12 is sold widely in the United States and the Western world.

In the US, the OnePlus 12 supports 80W fast charging (100W for models in Europe and the rest of the world). In real life, this means a full 1% to 100% top up takes just 37 minutes. Say bye-bye to overnight charging! This is easily the best phone of 2024 when it comes to fast charging.

And all of this happens without destroying your battery, as OnePlus has proven protections in place. For example, most of the heat while charging stays in the charger rather than the phone. The OnePlus 12 battery is also rated for more charging cycles than rivals. Specifically, OnePlus claims at least 80% battery capacity will be maintained after 1,600 cycles, while Apple iPhones are expected to reach similar capacity much quicker, in just around 1,000 cycles.
This year, the OnePlus 12 also supports super-fast wireless charging at speeds of up to 50 watts, which makes it one of the fastest wireless charging phones. That is twice the speed of wired charging on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Key OnePlus 12 specs:

Display: 6.82-inch AMOLED, 1440 x 3168 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM: 12GB, 16GB, 24GB
Cameras: 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 32MP front-facing
Battery: 5400mAh (equivalent)
Storage: 256GB, 512GB



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