We're inching closer to the end of 2023 and have already seen some great smartphones from the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, and Google. With almost all major smartphone releases out of the way, it's time to reflect and spotlight some of the best phones of the year so far. In addition to flagships like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra, I've also highlighted some best value and budget picks like the OnePlus 11, Pixel 7a, and more to provide a good mix of options. We here at XDA test almost every smartphone released to the public, so you can count on this roundup to find the right phone that suits your budget and needs. Let's dive in!
Best phones in 2023
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Best smartphone you can buy right now
The iPhone 15 Pro delivers upgraded performance with the Apple A17 Pro chip, plus a new camera system with enhanced stabilization and other improvements. It's also one of the first iPhones with a USB-C port.
- Improved performance with Apple A17 Pro chip
- Titanium chassis
- USB-C port
- Base model only has 128GB storage
- The Pro Max model has better telephoto camera
Apple's iPhones are still considered the best for "average consumers" as they offer a great experience out of the box. The iPhones deliver the best combination of performance, value, and availability, making them well-rounded devices for most people. The previous version of this post highlighted the iPhone 14 Pro as the best phone overall. That, however, has changed since the arrival of the new iPhone 15 series, and the iPhone 15 Pro is the phone to get right now.
It's true that the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a better phone overall, but it might be too big for most people, which is why I am highlighting the iPhone 15 Pro as the best pick overall. Except for the better optical zoom range and better telephoto camera, you're looking at a very similar package. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has a higher resolution panel (same PPI) and better battery life, but those are some minor tradeoffs in exchange for a smaller footprint.
One of the ways in which the iPhone 15 Pro is better than the iPhone 14 Pro is that it sports a titanium chassis, which makes it a lot lighter to hold and use on a day-to-day basis. It also sports a USB-C port instead of Apple's proprietary lightning connector. You don't get support for faster charging with the USB-C port, but it makes it a lot easier to find chargers and supporting accessories.
Notably, the iPhone 15 Pro is also powered by Apple's new A17 Pro chip for improved performance. You're less likely to notice a huge difference in performance between the iPhone 15 Pro and the older iPhone 14 Pro when it comes to day-to-day usage, but the company is promising a significant performance improvement with the updated chip, especially on the GPU side. The regular iPhone 15 also deserves a special mention here as it brings significant improvements over its predecessor this year.
OnePlus 11
OnePlus reclaimed its affordable flagship title this year
The OnePlus 11 is the company's return to form, offering an almost-flagship experience at a lower price point than what Samsung charges.
- Excellent performance-to-price ratio in flagship category
- Great cameras that can hang with the $1,000 Galaxy S23+
- Fast charging, with charger included
- No official IP rating
- The Pixel 7 Pro with better cameras is only slightly pricier
- Not available at US carriers
This category is for people who follow the smartphone market closely and want a phone with the best combination of specs, features, and value. And yes, some will take issue with us calling a $699 phone "affordable," but the OnePlus 11, for the most part, looks, feels, and behaves like a $1,000 phone. The OnePlus 11 offers a 120Hz display, a triple-lens camera system, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It might not be typically affordable, but it's affordable for what you get.
The OnePlus 11 brings back the premium design of the OnePlus 10 Pro, with a camera module crafted out of stainless steel that blends seamlessly into the aluminum railings. Its 120Hz LTPO 3.0 OLED screen is gorgeous and energy efficient, the software zips around as fast as ever, and the triple camera system is surprisingly good, with accurate colors and a fast shutter. The 50MP main camera, in particular, holds up very well against the top dogs and often handles exposure better than even the newest iPhone. The 2x zoom lens doesn't quite reach the lengths of other phones, but it's got a relatively large 1/1.56-inch sensor for a zoom lens, which results in strong bokeh for portraits and better light intake ability.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with OnePlus' in-house cooling system really shines here, keeping the phone cool even when running intensive tasks. In fact, a big reason I gave this spot to the OnePlus 11 over the Google Pixel 8 is that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is quite a bit more capable than the Tensor G3, plus the OnePlus 11 has a better display. Motorola's new 2023 Edge+ model is also a great affordable flagship that packs a lot of punch for $800. I compared the two phones not too long ago to find a definitive winner in my Moto Edge+ (2023) vs. OnePlus 11 comparison, so be sure to check out which one's better for you.
Google Pixel 7a
"Almost flagship" phone for $500 or less
Google's latest mid-ranger brings several improvements over last year's model, making it a great option for the budget conscious. The Pixel 7a packs the flagship Tensor G2 chip, flagship-tier cameras, an improved 90Hz display, more RAM, better durability, and wireless charging support.
- Overall performance very close to the flagship Pixel 7
- The best camera for a mid-ranger
- Looks and feels like a flagship phone in hand
- Really, really slow charging
The previous version of this article highlighted Google's Pixel 7 as the best value pick or the best "almost flagship" phone. The arrival of the Pixel 7a, however, has changed things up, and it's now the best value pick for offering almost a similar experience for $100 less. The regular Pixel 7 is not necessarily a bad phone. In fact, I currently use one every day, and it works very well. I just regret not waiting for the Pixel 7a for a few notable reasons, and I want everyone to make an informed decision.
As mentioned in our Pixel 7 vs. Pixel 7a comparison, the latter offers the best value for your money as it packs the same flagship-grade hardware as the Pixel 7 with a few notable changes. The Pixel 7a packs the same flagship Tensor G2 chip that's powering the regular Pixel 7. It also has a 90Hz display as opposed to the 60Hz panel seen on its predecessor, the Pixel 6a. The Pixel 7a also comes with the same Android 13 software and is promised to receive the same amount of updates as the Pixel 7.
The cameras on the Pixel 7a are slightly different, but they hold up very well against the regular Pixel 7. You also get almost the same battery life and other things. Be sure to read our Pixel 7a review to learn more about the phone in detail.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
Getting close to the premium flagship territory
The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is a great mid-range phone. It offers a sleek design, a beautiful 120Hz display, plenty of power under the hood, and a triple camera setup on the back.
- Excellent screen for a mid-range device
- Solid main camera
- Glass back this year instead of plastic
- Mediocre ultra-wide camera
- The Pixel 7 has a similar price, with a better camera and SoC
- Useless macro sensor
Samsung's Galaxy A54 is a big improvement over the company's previous mid-range A-series offerings. For one, you get actual Gorilla Glass panels on the front and back instead of a plastic body. You also get a gorgeous 120Hz OLED display on the front that looks just as good as the ones you get on Samsung's flagship offerings in the Galaxy S series lineup. Not to mention, the Galaxy A54 5G also comes with a capable camera system, which includes a 50MP, f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro sensor.
Inside, the phone runs on Samsung's Exynos 1380, which is a respectable mid-range chip that surprisingly handles thermals quite well. It also supports expandable storage, which is a rarity for phones above the budget territory. IP67 and stereo speakers round out the rest of this package that punches above its mid-range price class. There is no wireless charging, however.
Truth be told, the Pixel 7a has a better main camera and a flagship-level SoC that can handle more intelligent machine learning tasks, but the A54 has a better screen and longer battery life thanks to its large 5,000 mAh battery, so if you're on the market to buy a phone for less than $500, you have to weigh your options.
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G
Can't go wrong with the Galaxy A14 5G for $200
The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is an affordable smartphone with a beautiful display, plenty of power, and a compact design.
- Solid performance for the price
- Smooth 90Hz LCD panel
- Good battery life
- Macro and depth cameras are wasted
- The build quality could've been better
The competition in the budget phone space is heating up as more manufacturers are now showing interest in this space. Samsung's Galaxy A14 5G is one of the latest offerings in this space, and it doesn't leave a lot of room to complain about $200. It's not the most powerful or feature-packed phone in this price range, but I believe it cuts the right corners to deliver a reliable experience and become a solid budget phone for the price.
The Galaxy A14 5G features a 6.6-inch FHD+ LCD panel with support for up to 90Hz refresh rate, which is arguably better than what a lot of other phones offer in this segment. It's powered by Samsung Exynos 1330 chipset, which performs well and is good enough to keep up with pretty much anything you'd throw at it with ease. It also packs a 5,000mAh battery which should last you for at least two days on a single charge.
The Galaxy A14 5G also packs a triple camera setup at the back, out of which only the 50MP primary camera performs well, whereas there is nothing to write home about the 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. It's a good phone overall that will serve you well for many years to come, so it should definitely be on your list of phones to consider if you're on a tight budget.
OnePlus Open
The best foldable phone you can buy right now in the U.S.
The OnePlus Open is the company's first foldable, featuring a sleek design, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform chip, advanced camera system, and more. It is available in two colorways and starts at $1,500.
- Excellent displays
- Impressive camera hardware
- Great multitasking capabilities
- Main camera takes in too much light
- A bit on the expensive side
OnePlus Open is essentially just a rebranded Oppo Find N3 Fold, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it's a great foldable phone. In fact, it's among the most polished phones I've used all year and is very recommended to those who are in the market to buy a new foldable. The OnePlus Open is better than both the Pixel Fold and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in many ways, making it the best foldable phone you can buy in the U.S.
The OnePlus Open may not be the thinnest or the lightest foldable on the market, but it's sturdy and well-constructed, and it's also very comfortable to use both folded and unfolded. Both a 7.8-inch folding screen and a 6.3-inch secondary screen on this phone are LTPO 3.0 panels with refresh rates that vary between 1-120Hz. They also support a peak brightness of 2,800 nits, which is simply great. The highlight of this phone, however, is the internal display, which leaves no visible crease when it's unfolded. It also has a matte finish that keeps fingerprints and reflections at bay.
OnePlus Open also comes with a great set of cameras that are capable of taking some stunning shots, and it also has a powerful set of internals to go against the latest flagships out there. I suggest reading our OnePlus Open review to learn more about the phone, its cameras, and all the multitasking features you get as a part of OxygenOS. The OnePlus Open is definitely a better foldable phone than the Galaxy Z Fold 5, as mentioned in our OnePlus Open vs Galaxy Z Fold 5 comparison, but Samsung's best folding phone is still a great alternative to consider.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Samsung's best foldable phone is still worth considering
Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a further refinement of the Z Fold lineup. The smartphone looks similar to past Z Fold iterations, featuring a 7.6-inch main screen and a tall cover screen. On the inside, it's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a 4,400mAh battery.
You can score up to $1,000 off with trade-ins at Samsung.com.
- Updated hinge that makes the phone fold flat
- Lighter than its predecessor
- Still the best hinge in the business
- Other foldables are thinner with bigger batteries
- Design starting to look very dated
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 isn't a significant upgrade over its predecessor, but it remains a great option to consider in the U.S. if you don't want to buy the OnePlus Open. It performs great, looks and feels like a true flagship, and it also has great software support. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 also has a superior hinge, which allows it to fold completely flat now. You still see a visible crease in the middle, but it makes the phone lighter and the overall form factor better.
One of the highlights of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is that it brings new internals to the table to go against the top flagships out there. It's powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, making it one of the most powerful smartphones out there on the market. Samsung has made some other minor improvements, but it's largely the same as the Fold 4 overall.
Samsung has retained the same $1,800 price for the Fold 5, making it a good option to consider in 2023. You can also take advantage of some carrier and trade-in deals, so be sure to check out the links in the box above to find the best price for it online right now.
Motorola Razr+ 2023
Tough competition to Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5
Motorola Razr+ (2023) is a clamshell foldable phone with a large 1:1 3.6-inch outside screen that allows the user to get a lot done without unfolding the phone.
- Large outer screen lets you do more
- Beautiful 165Hz folding OLED screen
- Sleek and compact form-factor
- Battery life could've been better
Motorola's new Razr+ is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, and it is currently the best clamshell foldable you can buy. The Moto Razr+ (2023), as you can see, sports a big 3.6-inch outer screen that spans across the entire front half of the device. It even wraps around the camera module, which looks pretty neat.
The bigger outer screen eliminates the need to constantly unfold the phone to check on the inner folding display. The outer screen is also quite sharp, and it supports up to 144Hz refresh rate. Once you unfold the phone to reveal the main screen, you are greeted with a 6.9-inch OLED panel with 165Hz refresh rate support. The crease at the folding point on this display is also faint and hard to see, so it's a beautiful screen to look at overall.
The new Moto Razr+ clamshell foldable is also packed with some solid internals. You get a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The phone also has a 3,800mAh battery with support for both wired and wireless charging. In addition, it has an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance, which is nice. It's a great clamshell foldable, and you can't go wrong with it for $1,000.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 is also a close competitor to the Razr+ in the clamshell foldable space in the U.S., and I'd say they're almost evenly matched. The Flip 5 also has a lot going for it, including a bigger outer screen, Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, and Samsung's unmatched software support. You can't go wrong with either of them if you're looking to buy a fun foldable phone in 2023, and I suggest you stop by our Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Moto Razr+ comparison to find out which one is better for you.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Pixel camera dominates, as usual
The Pixel 8 Pro is the latest flagship from Google, and it packs the best the company has to offer in 2023. It features the newest Tensor G3 processor, like its regular Pixel 8 sibling, but it comes with a 6.7-inch OLED display, a brighter screen, a larger battery, and more storage options.
- Great Generative AI capabilities
- Excellent cameras
- Comfortable to hold
- Not a significant upgrade over the Pixel 7 Pro
- Not the fastest phones around
Google's new Pixel 8 Pro isn't a significant departure from its predecessor, but it brings a few notable improvements that make it worth considering. The new Tensor G3 chip plays a big role in making the Pixel 8 Pro shine, as it's the first silicon to support Google's on-device machine learning algorithms. It allows the Pixel 8 Pro to perform some really neat software tricks.
A lot of the new generative AI features primarily improve the camera experience. The Pixel 8 Pro's triple camera setup includes a 50MP main camera and two 48MP sensors with ultrawide and telephoto lenses. The camera hardware is capable of taking some good shots, but it's the software that truly shines here to deliver some great results. I suggest reading our Pixel 8 Pro review to check out all the camera samples and learn more about the software features.
Besides that, the Pixel 8 Pro retains the same design as its predecessor, with a minor change to the overall shape. The Pixel 8 Pro has rounded edges to give it the signature candy bar design. It's also available in a couple of new colors. As far as the specifications are concerned, the Pixel 8 Pro sports a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with 1344x2992 resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. It comes with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage, and it also packs a 5,050mAh battery with support for both wired and wireless charging.
Lastly, it's also worth noting that the Pixel 8 Pro ships with Android 14 out of the box with a promise of seven years of updates.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
All the shooting modes you can ask for
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the best phones on the market, packing an all-new 200MP sensor, a refined design, a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, and One UI 5.1.
- Two zoom lenses
- S Pen stylus adds useful features
- Customized Qualcomm chip performs well
- A bit too big to hold comfortably
- Main camera isn't as good as Pixel 7 Pro or Xiaomi 13 Pro
- Pricey
Samsung's absolute top slab phone, the Galaxy Ultra series, has held this "most versatile" spot for three years running, thanks to it being the only widely-released phone to pack a 10x optical zoom (Huawei has two phones with a 10x zoom lens too, but they were mostly sold in China) and the usual ultrawide, wide, telephoto focal lengths. This year's S23 Ultra steps it up by upgrading the main camera to a 200MP sensor, which not only allows the phone to use 16-in-1 pixel binning for more computational trickery but also allows the phone to use an in-sensor crop to achieve another near optical zoom length. It's unlikely any phone launching in North America the rest of the year will come close to challenging this level of versatility.
The rest of the package is excellent but unexciting since it either has the same components or the expected generation bump. The S23 Ultra runs on the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy that's a bit overclocked, specifically for this phone, and the 6.8-inch display gets a bit brighter than last year's. Other than that, virtually everything else — from the S Pen to the ultra-wide and two zoom lenses to the in-display fingerprint scanner — are the same components as last year's S22 Ultra.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the Galaxy S22 Ultra remained a top-dog phone for the past calendar year, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra will keep this title easily.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
The biggest and the best iPhone you can buy right now.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces an all-new, customizable Action button, a titanium chassis with round edges, and a USB Type-C port. It exclusively offers up to 5x optical zoom, too.
- Has a better telephoto camera than smaller iPhone15 Pro
- Titanium chassis
- Comes with a USB-C port
- Expensive price tag
- Massive footprint
If you want an unapologetically big phone, then the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the one you should be looking at right now. The new Pro Max model, however, is more than just a big phone in the lineup this year. This particular model is even better than the regular iPhone 15 Pro in a few ways. It features a 10x optical zoom range as opposed to the 6x optical zoom range offered by the iPhone 15 Pro. The Pro Max model also supports 5x optical zoom-in and a whooping 25x digital zoom-up, whereas the regular iPhone 15 Pro tops out with 3x optical zoom-in and 15x digital zoom-up capabilities.
Notably, the iPhone 15 Pro Max also features a slightly higher resolution panel to ensure it has the same pixel density despite having a relatively bigger display than the iPhone 15 Pro. The bigger footprint also allows Apple to pack a larger battery, which is why you can also expect the iPhone 15 Pro Max to last longer between the charges.
The rest of the features are all the same as the iPhone 15 Pro, meaning you get the same titanium chassis and color options. It also features an Action Button instead of the regular mute switch, so it's a lot more useful. Then there's the A17 Pro, which, according to Apple, brings a lot of improvements over the existing A16 Bionic chip. Apart from raw performance, Apple's hardware and software integration is unmatched in the mobile space, so you're getting the best hardware and software synergy in the mobile industry.
Asus Zenfone 10
One-ups its predecessor to become the best
The Asus Zenfone 10 takes what was great about the previous generation and improves on it without losing what made the phone so wonderful. It's still compact but full of high-end specs and helpful software features to make it to perfect small phone.
- Compact form factor
- Impressive performance
- Digital gimbal feature works well in video mode
- 144Hz refresh rate is limited to gaming
The ASUS Zenfone 10 comes with plenty of upgrades to offer a better package overall compared to the Zenfone 9. It continues the tradition of offering flagship specifications and features in a compact form factor. It's similar to its predecessor in many ways, but you are looking at things like an updated chipset, support for wireless charging, and more to go against the modern flagships out there.
The Zenfone 10 sports a 5.92-inch display with support for up to 144Hz refresh rate. The 144Hz refresh rate mode, however, will only kick in when you're gaming, and it tops out at 120Hz otherwise. That's still on par with a lot of other flagships out there, so no complaints there. New to the ASUS Zenfone 10 is support for up to 15W wireless charging, which was missing on the previous-gen model. Alternatively, you can also use a 30W wired charger to top up Zenfone 10's 4,300mAh battery.
The Zenfone 10 is among the last remaining compact phones on the market in 2023; be sure to add it to your list of phones to consider. The only other phone that's worth recommending for those looking for a compact phone is the Galaxy S23. It's the smallest member of the Galaxy S23 family, and it's plenty capable for what it brings to the table. Apple's iPhone SE 3 (2022) is also a good option to consider, but it only has an HD display and a single camera sensor at the back, meaning it's not nearly as capable as the newer iPhones on the market.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
Ultimate flagship for gaming
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is one of the most powerful smartphones that you can buy on the market in general, and it packs everything and the kitchen sink into one device.
- Everything you could ever need in a smartphone
- Impressive performance
- Great battery life
- Expensive price tag
- The cameras could've been better
If you are in the market to buy a new gaming phone, then look no further than the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. This phone, as the name implies, is the ultimate flagship for gaming. It comes with all the latest and the greatest set of internals, and it also carries the aesthetics to match. In fact, it looks very similar to last year's model, which is good because neither of them screams "gaming," as most other gaming phones do.
As far as the internals are concerned, the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and it's coupled with 16GB of RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage. You also get a beautiful 6.78-inch OLED panel on the front with support for up to 165Hz refresh rate and 1,500 nits brightness. The internals of this particular phone, as you can tell, are pretty powerful, and ASUS also includes its AeroActive Cooler 7 accessory with the phone in its box.
The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is among the most powerful devices out there on the market. We have a lot of details about the performance of this phone in our ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review, so be sure to check it out. You also get a decent set of cameras at the back of this phone, and there's also a massive 6.000mAh battery inside to keep the lights on for hours. Some other highlights of the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate include two USB-C ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Wi-Fi 7, and more.
Best phones in 2023: The bottom line
There are lots of excellent phones on this list, but the one that suits the most people would be the iPhone 15 Pro because it has global availability, the best chipset and screen, and is surrounded by the best ecosystem of apps and peripheral devices. Finding accessories or software that play nice with the iPhone is also an easier task than with, say, a Pixel. The iPhone 15 Pro also has longer software support and holds its resale value better than all Android phones.
Now, that was the safe choice for the average consumer. If you're a gadget enthusiast who wants something more exciting with better cameras, I'd recommend the Pixel 8 Pro. Or, if you want a phone that can do more things, get the OnePlus Open or the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro delivers upgraded performance with the Apple A17 Pro chip, plus a new camera system with enhanced stabilization and other improvements. It's also one of the first iPhones with a USB-C port.