Which is the best phone to buy right now, in 2024? Should you get the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL or is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra a better choice? Or… is there some low-key great smartphone that you might not even know about?
We made this list of the best phones on the market in an effort to help you find the phone for your specific needs. Some people may want an all-out premium smartphone, whilst others want a more compact device. Some might be picky about camera quality and battery life. Below, you will find the best new phones across these different categories and we will explain why we think our nominees stand out.
You should also know that absolutely all phones in this top phones list have been rigorously tested and used by the PhoneArena team. We run various performance tests, including thorough battery and camera testing, and use specialized equipment to measure display quality. We combine this extensive research data with our reviewers’ real-world user experience to form a recommendation. And we never recommend a phone that hasn’t been through this extensive testing process.
How we test phones
We have included the most important results from our in-house benchmarks next to each phone in this ranking. Here is what you should know about these numbers: first, the PhoneArena Review Rating accounts for a dozen different categories, ranked by importance (so battery life has more weight in the final score than other categories like design). The numbers here are on а 0 to 10 scale, with the best 2024 phones scoring around the 7.5 to 8 mark.
As a reader, you might be wondering: “why such a low score for the top rated smartphones currently around, and don’t they deserve a nine or even ten out of ten?”. This is a peculiarity of our review rating system, as it looks further into the future. This way, a phone might score a nine out of ten in a few years, and then you will be able to see the exact evolution and improvements in a much clearer way. Just remember that the best way to interpret the score of a particular phone in this system is in comparison with others in its class, rather than relying on the number alone to guide you.
Second, we have the PhoneArena Battery Score, which aims to give you an approximate number for screen time use. It is calculated based on scores from our web browsing, video streaming and 3D gaming tests. Anything above 7 hours is considered very good here, while a score of around 5 to 6 hours is typical for smaller phones.
Third and last, we have the PhoneArena Camera Score, our comprehensive camera benchmark that looks at each camera separately, assigning scores for both photo and video performance, and averaging them for the final score. The maximum possible score is 200 points, and the best camera phones currently hover around the 150-160 mark.
With all of this in mind, let’s get to the best cell phones of 2024.
Best smartphones of 2024 at a glance
- Best Premium iPhone: iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Best Premium Android Phone: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Best iPhone for Most People: iPhone 16
- Best Android Phone for Most People: Google Pixel 9
- Best Camera Phone: Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Best Foldable Phone: OnePlus Open
- Best Flip Phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
- Best “Almost flagship” Phone (Around $600): Galaxy S24 FE
- Best Android Phone Under $500: Google Pixel 8a
- Best iPhone on a Budget: iPhone 14
- Best Battery Life: iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Best Compact iPhone: iPhone 16 Pro
- Best Compact Android Phone: Galaxy S24
- Best Phone Under $300: Galaxy A25 5G
- Best Gaming Phone: Asus ROG Phone 8Pro
- Fastest Charging Phone: OnePlus 12
Best Premium iPhone: iPhone 16 Pro Max
PhoneArena Rating: 8/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 8 hours 30 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 154
If you are looking for the most premium and newest iPhone with the biggest screen and best battery life, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the one to get.
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.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max battery life is an hour longer than the previous generation and we estimate use time of around 8 hours and a half in our PhoneArena Battery Score. It has the longest battery life around.
Unfortunately, we did not spot any major changes in the camera department, and despite a brand new, 48MP ultrawide camera, the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera system overall ranks similarly to the previous model. Well, at least you get a new Camera Control button!
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.
For alternatives, you are not losing out too much with the previous generation iPhone 15 Pro Max, so if you find it at a good price, it’s definitely a good buy. Those who want to save up should consider the $900 iPhone 16 Plus, which also has a big screen and solid battery life, but lacks the ProMotion tech and the zoom camera.
To dig deeper into the differences between iPhones, read our best iPhones breakdown.
Key iPhone 16 Pro Max specs:
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
Best Premium Android Phone: Galaxy S24 Ultra
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 3chipset. 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 phonesaround, 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 9is 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 cameraranked 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.
We should note that the Xiaomi 14 Ultra actually edged out the Galaxy in our testing, but since you cannot buy the Xiaomi in the United States, it only gets an honorable mention here. Check out our full ranking of the best camera phones.
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.
If you want a slightly larger flip phone, then you should conisder the Motorola Razr Plus 2024, a phone that has a true edge-to-edge front screen, longer battery life and a cheaper price. Learn everything about the Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Motorola Razr Plus (2024) differences here. And we also have a separate breakdown of all the rest best flip phones on the market.