Best Smartphones To Buy Ranked

The guide to the very Best Phones on the market today. Discover The Best Smartphone for you now. Best phones ranked

Fancy a new smartphone? This is a great time to buy. And our best phones guide will help you compare and contrast the very best handsets on the market today .

We’ll show you the very best smartphones no matter who makes them. What OS they run or how much they cost.

If you already prefer a particular platform, such as Android or iOS. We also have a dedicated guide to the best Android phones and one for the best iPhones.

Some of these phones are quite expensive. But you don’t necessarily need to spend tons of cash on a new smartphone.

In addition to the affordable models we’ve covered here we’ve also put together an entire guide to the best cheap phones.

And if you’re looking for a compact device rather than an enormous-screened obelisk you’ll find plenty of choice in Zerox24’s best small phones feature.

We’ve also put together a comprehensive roundup of the Best Gaming Phones and a guide to the fastest 5G phones, too.

Related Post: Best Wireless Chargers for iPhone and Android

And if you already have a brand affinity for your handset. Then be sure to check out zerox24’s best Samsung phones and best Huawei phones guides.

Want a phone and a tablet? Then you won’t want one the handsets listed here but instead one of the best foldable hones on the market.

These handsets tend to cost more than standard phones but combine two products in one. So really that is to be expected. Samsung, Huawei, Motorola and more have folding phones on the market, so there’s plenty of choice.

Without further ado, let’s get to the fun bit: our picks of the very best phones you can buy right now, as tested by our resident reviewers.

We’ve thoroughly tested every single one of these handsets to really put them through their paces, and we’ve used them in all kinds of environments to see how they perform in the real world. Let’s find the best phone for you.

The Best Phones For Seniors You Can Buy Today

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1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – Best phones In 2024 To Buy

The best hyper-premium smartphone on the market

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is not only the best phone Samsung has ever made, but it is one that makes history as it is the first S-series handset that comes with digital stylus support.

Just like on the Galaxy Note series of phones, the S21 Ultra can now be used in conjunction with a digital stylus, even though the phone does not come with one and, also unlike the Note series, a stylus can’t be stored in it.

Away from stylus functionality the phone is a 5-star beast in every single way, from its massive. Premium display that delivers 6.8-inches of real estate with both a 120Hz refresh rate and WQHD+ resolution. To its 5nm system-on-chip in the form of the Exynos 2100 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, and right through to its RAM (max spec is 16GB) and large, long-lasting battery (5,000mAh).

The phone is also a titan in terms of photography, with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra coming with a super powerful quad rear camera system, as well as high-resolution (40MP) selfie camera.

The main rear snapper on the S21 Ultra has a super advanced 108MP sensor which allows for insanely high-resolution shots.

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There’s an absolute bounty of shooting modes, too, including a fully manual Pro mode as well as Panorama, AR Doodle, Food, Night, and Portrait among others.

While Samsung’s excellent Single Take mode means that you can utilise the phone’s strong AI to capture multiple pictures of a single event, ensuring you don’t miss the perfect shot.

The camera goodness continues, too, in terms of the S21 Ultra’s telephoto zoom functionality, which allows for up to a remarkable 100x Space Zoom.

Throw in the very latest Android 11 operating system, as well as bevy of advanced features like the laptop-aping DeX Mode and reverse wireless charging. And you’re left with a phone that really has no weaknesses at all.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra costs, but it is absolutely worth the investment if you are looking for a premium phone upgrade.

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2. Huawei Mate 40 Pro – Best phones In 2024 Out Right Now to buy

Check Today’s best Huawei Mate 40 Pro deals

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3. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G – Best phones 2024 to buy

Despite the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra getting digital stylus support, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G remains our top choice of handset if you want stylus functionality.

This is primarily because, one, the phone comes with a stylus, and two because that stylus can be stored and charged within the device.

The S21 Ultra offers neither of these things, requiring extra spend for a stylus, and no way to dock the stylus inside the phone.

There’s also a lot to like about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G, and if you can manage the cost, it’s undoubtedly one of the best Android experiences going right now.

It features a brilliant design, a more than capable camera, and internal specs that mean it will outpace almost every phone on the market.

The biggest reason for buying the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G, though, is of course that S Pen – scribble on the lock screen, control the camera remotely, unleash your creative side, and more.

If you need a phone with a stylus for serious work on the go, this phone has you covered.

5G is on board, as the name of the phone suggests. Which means you’re covered for years when it comes to next-gen connectivity.

And considering you’ve got the Exynos 990 or Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset (depending on region) running everything. This isn’t a phone that’ll be slowing down anytime soon.

As we’ve said, the price is a little on the eye-watering side, but for something you’re going to use every day for years to come, you might consider it worthwhile.

The triple-lens rear camera with 5x optical zoom deserves a mention too, as it’s capable of capturing some fantastic snaps in any kind of lighting.

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4. Sony Xperia 1 II – Best phones to buy

With a gorgeous 6.5-inch, 21:9 display. The Sony Xperia 1 II follows on from the Sony Xperia 1 in being an excellent handset to watch movies and TV shows on.

If that’s something that you like to do. Then this is a phone that’s worth putting on your shortlist when you’re choosing the best phone for you.

We can also tell you that the camera is very impressive too. Whether you want to just point and shoot or take more control over the various on-board photography settings.

The Sony Xperia 1 II will serve you well when it comes to taking photos and making movies, and again this is something that Sony handsets are well known for.

Add in a nice design, strong battery life, wireless charging, 5G and an IP68 rating, and you can tell that this is a phone with very few flaws.

The aesthetics and the tall screen might not be to everyone’s taste. And it’s on the pricey side, but the Sony Xperia 1 II is worthy of the flagship label.

Check Today’s Best Sony Xperia 1 II Deals

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5. iPhone 12 Pro

There’s so much to like about the new iPhone 12 Pro that it’s hard to know where to start.

• There’s the blazingly fast A14 Bionic processor.
• The addition of 5G.
• The improved triple-lens camera system with added LiDAR.
• The redesigned shape of the phone, and plenty more besides.

That’s before you get to the software side. iOS continues to go from strength to strength, and iOS 14 introduces new features like:

• Home screen widgets.
• Pinned chats in Messages. and a
• New Translate app to take on Google Translate.

From both a hardware and a software perspective, it’s an impressive package.

This edition of the phone is more expensive than the standard iPhone 12. And the main difference is the camera. The Pro Model adds a telephoto lens and built-in LiDAR for better depth sensing.

Both are great phones, but we think the Pro edition will be less popular because of the higher price.

The colour choices are different too. With the iPhone 12 Pro available in:

• Blue,
• Gold,
• Graphite or
• Silver.

Whichever way you look at it, it’s an easy inclusion for our best phones of 2023 list, and we’re happy to recommend it. As long as you get along with Apple software and can accommodate the price.

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6. Google Pixel 5

The latest Google flagship phone is more of a premium mid-ranger than an actual flagship. The Pixel 5 settles for a Snapdragon 765G chip rather than the faster Snapdragon 865 processors. And it ditches some of the advanced features of the Pixel 4 (including Face Unlock, which we very much liked).

None of this really matters too much though. Because it allows the Pixel 5 to hit a lower price point. And when you take the asking price into consideration.

This is very much one of the best phones on the market at the moment. It’s especially attractive if you like the clean, stock version of Android.

There are some neat features here, including a 90Hz refresh rate for the screen. IP68 waterproofing, and wireless charging.

There are also some useful Pixel exclusives on the software side. (like the Recorder app that can turn spoken words into transcribed text in an instant).

As usual for the Pixel series, it’s the camera that helps the Pixel 5 stand out from the pack.

While the physical hardware of the rear camera hasn’t changed all that much from last year. The on-board image processing continues to impress, and it’s difficult to beat in terms of photo-taking.

Check Today’s Best Google Pixel 5 Deals

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7. Google Pixel 4A 5G

The Google Pixel 4a 5G isn’t the cheapest Pixel that Google has brought out recently. And nor is it the most powerful, but it just might be the best. Combining elements of the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 5 in one well-priced package.

It has the same excellent camera as the Pixel 5, and the same Snapdragon 765G processor, and 5G like the Pixel 5, and an even bigger screen.

Plus, like all the Pixels, it’s running a clean and bloat-free version of Android that’s guaranteed timely updates from Google.

All that said, it makes a few compromises to hit a lower price point.

• No wireless charging,
• No waterproofing, and
• Slightly less RAM than the more expensive Pixel.

Does any of that matter? It depends what you want from a smartphone.

The combination of price, performance and features that the Pixel 4a 5G manages to pull together makes it just about our favorite Pixel phone of the year. More of this please Google. It’s also an easy choice for our best phones 2023 list.

Today’s best Google Pixel 4a 5G deals

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8. Xiaomi MI 11 Ultra

Xiaomi is going up against the premium smartphone players with the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. At first glance, it looks like any other flagship with a large glossy display with a tiny hole punch camera on the front.

But turn it around and you’ll see something completely different – the phone has a large camera module with a 1.1inch AMOLED display integrated into it.

You can use it as an always-on display, notification window or to quickly skip through music. One of the best uses for the tiny screen is as a selfie preview window.

Gone are the days of losing out on quality using a front camera, now you can make use of all of the benefits of the main camera system and be sure that everyone has made it into the shot.

Not only will you capture better selfies, but its point-and-shoot capabilities are excellent too.

Two screens and a superb camera system aren’t the only benefits of this phone, it’s also one of the most powerful handsets you can buy.

It handles everything from photo-editing to mobile gaming with ease – it boasted even more impressive performance than the winners on this list.

Granted, this handset is hyper-premium which is sure to be off-putting for a lot of people. Because of that, it won’t be the best phone for most people.

But if you are big on photography and want a speedy smartphone, then this one offers something just a little bit different to all the rest.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 range has been a great success for the South Korean phone maker. And the reason why can be seen clearly in the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus. Which sits between the standard S21 and flagship S21 Ultra in the range.

In the simplest terms, the S21 Plus is an S21 but with a larger screen. And what a screen that is, with the 6.7-inch AMOLED looking stunning and an absolute joy to use.

This panel delivers a 1,300 nits peak brightness, HDR10+ support, and a dynamic refresh rate that maxes out at a buttery smooth 120Hz.

This impressive screen is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 CPU. Depending on where you are in the world. Which are both rapid, as well as 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage space.

Related Post: The Best Samsung Galaxy Phones To Buy

It’s a strong core package that delivers some impressive benchmark results and rapid real-world usage. This speed is also carried into its data connection, with a state-of-the-art 5G modem on board.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus will also appeal to photographers. As it comes with a triple rear camera system and powerful selfie camera.

This camera hardware is backed up with Samsung’s excellent camera software, too. Which delivers a bounty of shooting modes and options, including Director’s View. Which shoots video from the front and rear cameras simultaneously.

Throw in the latest Android 11 operation system, an in-display fingerprint reader, and an fast charging and long lasting battery, and it’s easy to see why the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is one of the best phones on the market today.

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How To Choose The Best Phones In 2024

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Choosing the right phone is no easy task, as there are so many on the market and, truth be told, many of them are very similar. Best phones in 2023 ranked

There are some core questions you should ask yourself before pulling the trigger on a smartphone upgrade, though.

Firstly, you need to establish if you’re going to buy the phone SIM free (as in buy the phone outright upfront) or on contract. Both these options have their own strengths and weaknesses.

For example, buying a phone outright, and especially if it is a premium handset, can cost a lot of money, so you need to be able to swallow that.

Once the phone is bought, though, then it is yours and you can go about getting one of the best SIM only deals, which offer better allowances for less money.

On contract purchases are great in the sense that they often put the phone in your hand for comparatively very little money or even for nothing, but then you need to pay for the phone over the period of your contract, which is tied to a network SIM plan that, most of the time, doesn’t offer as good allowances or value as a SIM only one.

Next up you should ask yourself what you budget is, and what you’re primarily going to be using the phone for.

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If you’re a gamer then you’re going to need to ensure you have a phone with good gaming functionality, while if you’re a creative then you could benefit from a phone with digital stylus support.

Equally, if you love taking photos then you need to priorities a phone with a great camera system, while if you’re a massive streamer then bagging a phone with a large screen is smart.

If you’re a busy working professional who travels a lot, then you’ll want a phone with a large battery.

Once you’ve identified your needs and budget you can start to get more granular with your sorting. Next up we’d suggest identifying which OS and phone platform is right for you.

The two main ones are Apple’s iOS, which runs on all the maker’s iPhones, as well as Android. iOS tends to be better for people who don’t have too much technical knowledge and just want a streamlined, heavily guided usage experience, while Android is more open and complex.

Finally, once OS is decided start to add or take away features that you need or don’t.

For example, reverse wireless charging is really neat, but not every user will need it or use it, while phones that comes with huge amounts of RAM or storage may be useful for enthusiasts, but would go unused by many others.

5G connectivity is great and it is the future, but if you live in an area where there is no 5G coverage then do you really need a 5G phone?

These are just a few of the things we recommend people consider before buying a new phone, but we feel that providing each person does their research well (something this buying guide can help with), there’s an ideal mobile for everyone.

Best Phones: Most Sold Smartphones Of 2024

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The most Sold Smartphone of 2023 so far is, unsurprisingly, the Apple iPhone 11. This is the phone that is currently top of Zerox24’s best phones guide, and as of early September this year it has sold 37.7 million units around the world. Best phones in 2023 ranked

Interestingly, this is then followed by some interesting runners up.

Where you would think Samsung and Huawei would be snapping at Apple’s heels with their flagship devices, in fact it is the mid-range Samsung Galaxy A51 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 that follow, with 11.4 and 11 million sales respectively.

Indeed, it is then nothing but Xiaomi and Apple phones in the remaining top 10 in terms of most sold smartphones so far in 2023, with Apple taking up 5 out of the top 10 slots.

Now, of course, we’ve still got some big releases to come this year, but considering the gap between first and second in this list, we can’t see any other phone dethroning Apple and its iPhone 11.

And, to be honest, we’re totally cool with that. The iPhone 11 is a superb phone and that’s why it is our number one phone recommendation for most people.

Best Phones In 2024: Most Sold Smartphones Brands, In Order

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The most Sold Smartphone Brands, in order are:

1. Samsung

The South Korean Maker has the largest market share in the Global Smartphone industry, with a market share of 20% in Q1 and Q2 in 2023.

2. Huawei

In terms of sales, the major Chinese brand takes the number two position, with a market share of 17% in Q1 and 20% in Q2 2024.

3. Apple

In terms of pure profits, Apple is the number one Smartphone Brand, but now sit third overall in terms of smartphone sales at 14% for Q1 and Q2.

4. Xiaomi

The second Chinese firm to make the top 5, Xiaomi has accrued a market share of 10% in both Q1 and Q2 2024.

5. Oppo

The third Chinese brand in the top 5 list is Oppo, who took an impressive 8% of the market in Q1 2023 and 9% in Q2.

As you can see, Chinese phone brands now account for 3 out of the top 5 phone makers in the world, with their ability over the past five years to deliver top-tier tech first, or for a cheaper price, ingratiating them with many users.

South Korean maker Samsung though remains at the head of the top table, though, and has a wide range of phones in its offering, including foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip, as well as 5G phablets like the Galaxy  Note 20 Ultra 5G.

Apple remains incredibly popular around the world, too, and currently retains its number two spot in terms of smartphone sales globally. Best phones in 2023 ranked

How We Test The Best Phones

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There’s a lot to consider when reviewing one of today’s Best Phones, and for Zerox24 we have a detailed five-stage process that each new device goes through.

Firstly, we judge the phone from a build quality and fit and finish point of view, as well as how comprehensive its package is.

This stage is very much ascertaining how a phone feels in the hand, how robust it looks and what extras it does or doesn’t come with. If a phone has a cheap plastic backplate and a spongy screen then we’ll find out and let you know.

Next up we review the phone from a setup and hardware point of view. This stage sees us set up the phone as we would if it were our own, as well as examine exactly what hardware it comes with, such as:

• Its processor,

• RAM, storage and

• GPU, among other things.

The goal here is to see how accessible setup is and what, on paper, your money is buying you.

Thirdly, we then move onto the phone’s software and highlight features. So, for example, on Android we test out how good the phone maker’s user interface skin is, as each one if definitely not made equal.

Or, for example, if testing a new Galaxy Note phone, we’ll absolutely test out its digital stylus. We also test features like biometric security, fingerprint readers and reverse wireless charging.

Our forth stage of testing is dedicated purely to the phone’s camera system, as truth be told they are one of the most important parts of a phone today and a primary reason why people choose one model over another.

This stage involved taking photographs with the phone and testing out each of its main shooting modes, as well as analyzing what video capabilities are on offer, too.

Lastly, we then consider each phone from a purely experiential point of view – as in, how is it like to use on a daily basis?

This is a really important part of our testing as it strips away all the technical jargon and components and is just intended to reveal how good it is use.

This procedure takes one to two weeks and often also encompasses battery testing.

Only then, when all five of these phone review procedures are complete, do we award a score to a phone, with 5 stars been the highest rank a product can get. Best phones ranked