The smartphone audience is so wide that it’s difficult to settle on just one of the best phones of 2024. Some of us want huge screens, fast processors, and tons of memory. Others want the very best camera. And then there are the folks who want the best budget phone and/or best small phone (they’re often the same thing)—just something simple and cheap that will easily fit in a pocket.
Like many things, your decision about what smartphone to buy starts with picking a side: Android or iOS? The Google-backed Android operating system is the world’s most popular, with more than 70% market share around the globe, in large part because it’s cheap and used by many small companies in developing markets. However, Android’s market share is trailing behind Apple in the U.S. and Canada, and iPhones recently scored more than 50% of the total US market for the first time ever.
What phone Should I Buy?
If you’re not into spending money, analyze our best budget picks. Here’s a little secret: most of the best budget phones are practically at feature parity with their flagship brethren. If you don’t care about having the best pictures, you can easily get a high-quality phone for less than $500.
And then there’s the big question: iPhone or Android. Android still holds down a 70% market share worldwide, but in the U.S., Apple’s devices account for nearly 50% of smartphones. The good news is the disparity and interoperability between the ecosystems isn’t nearly as bad as it once was. Apple recently allowed iPhones to message with RCS, so even though the green bubbles continue to survive you can text high-quality pics to your family and send emoji reacts to your friends.
You can choose the phone ecosystem you’re most comfortable with, unless you’re desperate to play Fortnite natively on your phone in the U.S. Currently, Android’s the only place you can load third-party app stores without much hassle, and even that isn’t all too easy. That is to say, phones are always evolving, but the point is to be satisfied with your choice if you’re going to be using the phone for the next three, five, or seven years (or until the security updates run out).
The editorial staff independently tests and reviews each product found in our Buyer’s Guides. If you purchase something using our affiliate links, Gizmodo may earn a commission. Affiliate linking does not influence our editorial content.
The Best Android Phone
Our Pick: Google Pixel 9 Pro ($1,000)
The Google Pixel phones have truly stepped up their game these last few iterations. The latest is easily the greatest. The Google Pixel 9 Pro
It’s a good phone with Pixel’s usual excellent camera suite. The one thing that may turn you off is the full integration of Gemini AI into every aspect of Google’s device. You won’t be able to use it and fully ignore it. It’s only going to get more prominent as Google expands Gemini Live. The Pro models also have exclusive camera features, and it’s still the best size for most hands.
See Google Pixel 9 Pro Best Buy
The Best Apple Phone
Our Pick: iPhone 16 Pro ($1,000)
In many ways, the iPhone 16 Pro is so damn close to the iPhone 15 Pro you won’t be the only one doing a double take. But if you wanted the latest and greatest from Apple, this is it. Even if you ignore the whole heap of promises from Apple Intelligence, the new phone’s few additional features make it a better phone. The Camera Control button doesn’t change how you use the phone; the cameras are better at capturing brighter details.
The iPhone 16 may be even better with Time. Apple promises you’ll be able to use it like a shutter button like a DSLR, but we need to wait for that to arrive. The A18 Pro chip is faster than previous iPhone CPUs. Plus, you don’t have to opt for the Pro Max to get the biggest optical zoom this time around.
However, unless you desperately need the extra camera sensors and faster chips, you should seriously consider the base iPhone 16 to save money. It has the A18 chip, the camera control button, and the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action Button. Then, you get to save several hundred dollars on a new phone.
The Best Budget Phone
Our pick: Google Pixel 8a ($500)
Google’s budget-end phones are still some of the most capable devices for their price. The 7a was great, and the Google Pixel 8a marries a solid form factor (still maintaining Google’s old sloped sides and camera bar). It has access to most of the Android 15, and Gemini features that you possibly need from Google’s ecosystem. It’s using the same Tensor G3 chip as the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. It’s so capable that it’s honestly hard to recommend most people buy the flagship phones when you mainly receive better camera quality for $200 more.
The Best Big Phone
Our Pick: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra ($1,300)
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is better than its predecessor. It has a 200-MP primary camera with the same 100x digital zoom as the Galaxy S23 Ultra for shooting planes, trains (from far away), and birds. The telephoto lenses are better this generation. There’s a higher resolution 50-MP sensor in the S24 Ultra with 5x optical zoom, compared to the S23 Ultra’s 10-MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Pictures taken from far away are sharper than what you get with the S23 Ultra.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is also more comfortable to hold thanks to its squared edges. It’s better for gripping long term—especially if you’re going to use that stowaway S Pen, which you can use to write, draw, crop images off the screen, or as a remote for taking selfies. While this isn’t a phone for everyone, it is an everything-you-need-whenever smartphone, which makes its $1,300 start price point a little more palatable at the end of the day.
See Galaxy S24 Ultra at Samsung
Also Consider: iPhone 16 Pro Max ($1,200)
The Max is everything we liked about the Pro but with a bigger, slimmer body. While you don’t get much more than a bigger body for meatier mitts with the Max, the iPhone 16 Pro is still a great phone for Apple fans.
See iPhone 16 Pro Max at Best Buy
The Best Small Phone
Our pick: Samsung Galaxy S23 ($800)
For Android users, give the smaller Samsung Galaxy S23 a try. This 6.1-inch device is what the doctor ordered if you’re over the giant screens taking up precious pocket space. The Galaxy S23 has improved nighttime photography over its predecessors—enough to compete toe-to-toe with Google’s algorithms.
And although the display is smaller than the norm, it is Samsung’s signature Super AMOLED with a whopping 120Hz refresh rate, so using it will feel smoother than what you’d experience with the 90Hz Google Pixel 7. The only caveat is that the small Galaxy S23 doesn’t support UWB, which you might want to get the most out of what you pay your carrier each month.
Also Consider: Apple iPhone 15 ($800)
If you are still looking for a small, pocketable phone and are committed to the Apple way of life, the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 is also worth consideration. Apple bundled this device with the iPhone 14 Pro’s A16 Bionic processor with a bit of extra oomph. It also has last year’s Dynamic Island. And like the Pro model, it’s now using USB-C.
The Best Foldable Phone
Our Pick: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold ($1,800)
For years, Samsung has reigned over foldables, but the competition has finally caught up. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a massive improvement over the 2023 Pixel Fold. It’s thinner and snappier, equivalent to the feel of the excellent OnePlus Open from 2023. It has solid cameras (though not technically as capable as the Pixel 9 Pro flagship), and its software has also gotten a big boost thanks to an easy-to-use split screen.
It’s still missing multiple app windows that Samsung has in its Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the performance isn’t quite on par with flagship chipsets from Qualcomm and Apple, despite costing $1,800. If all that’s bringing you down, just remember that half the reason you use the fold is because of the hinge. Google’s phone simply feels great, and that’s why it edges out as our pick.
See Google Pixel 9 Pro at Best Buy
Best Clamshell Foldable
Our Pick: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 ($1,100)
I have my problems with Samsung’s clamshell foldable, mostly because it’s so restrictive with what apps and widgets you can use on the exterior screen. Despite that, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 foldable’s build quality over six iterations gives it the edge. It’s fast and has solid cameras with a 50 MP photo option. For those worried about the foldable’s durability, this is the only clamshell of its kind rated for IPX dust resistance. It’s also a gorgeous phone, with our personal favorite being the yellow back with gold trim. If you’re looking for a phone that looks good as an accessory, this might be your best bet.
See Galaxy Z Flip 6 at Samsung
Also Consider: Motorola Razr 2024 ($700)
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is $1,100 MSRP. You’ll certainly find it on sale for less or get money off of trade-in, but no matter what, it’s still an expensive device for how limited it is. Then there’s the $700 2024 Motorola Razr. It’s using a less-capable CPU, and its camera doesn’t quite match the competition, but then again, it’s $700.
And for that, you get a phone that’s very open to what apps you can use on its 4-inch exterior display. The display is so large it wraps around the camera bumps. It’s a strange and sometimes awkward phone. The vegan leather and vegan suede backs are largely unnecessary. Yet, it’s such a bold phone that’s fun to have on hand. Simply put, it’s the cheapest foldable you can find today.
See Motorola Razr 2024 at Amazon
This list is updated regularly with new recommendations and product forecasts.
Want more of Gizmodo’s consumer electronics picks? Check out our guides to the best laptops, best TVs, and best headphones. If you want to learn about the next big thing, see our guide to everything we know about the iPhone 16.
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2024-12-23 17:00:00
