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Samsung has announced the Galaxy S23 family of devices We’ve added more information in the What to Expect section
Best Recommendation Smartphone
There’s no one smartphone that’s best for everyone, but we’ve spent hundreds of hours testing tons of phones to help you find the one that’s right for you. The phone you buy depends on your budget, your wireless carrier, and whether you’re already invested in a major smartphone platform — Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android. But if you want a high-end phone for less, we’ve got you covered for both iPhone and Android, and all our picks are available from all major US carriers.
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The iPhone 14 has a fantastic dual-lens camera that uses Night Mode to take better low-light photos, a faster iPhone processor, longer battery life and a large, edge-to-edge OLED screen.
Who’s it for: Anyone who wants an iPhone and thinks it’s important to have the latest screen, camera, and processor to keep it looking good for years to come.
Why we love it: Apple’s iPhone 14 is as fast as any other iPhone, including the more expensive Pro model, and the battery can last nearly a full day on a single charge. The camera has two lenses and takes better photos, better low-light performance, better 4K video recording, action mode stabilization, and even better selfies.
The iPhone 14 has the same 6.1-inch screen size and body height and width as the iPhone 12 and 13. Like the iPhone 4 and 5, the edges are square, and the iPhone 14 is much easier to hold even when the phone isn’t in a case. Like all modern iPhones, the iPhone 14 is water resistant up to 30 meters up to 6 meters, so it should be able to take a sudden dip in the pool. New to iPhone 14 and 14 Plus (but not Pro or Pro Max) Advanced Repairability – According to iFixIt, Apple has made it easier to open and fix the display and back glass. And the iPhone 14 product line offers satellite SOS and car crash detection, making it easy to call for help in an emergency.
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From left: iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone SE (3rd generation), iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max Photo: Michael Hesson
Bug, but not a deal breaker: Apple replaced eSIMs for the iPhone 14 lineup, ending support for physical SIM cards. If you have a physical SIM card, you’ll need to convert it to an eSIM, which can cause problems. And those who want to zoom in on their photos will have to pay more for the telephoto lens on the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max.
To find out if the iPhone 14 is right for you, read our full guide on which iPhone to get.
The iPhone SE has a faster processor than you’d expect from a relatively cheap phone and a good camera — and it costs half the price of the iPhone 14. It has a low price, small screen, and Touch ID fingerprint reader It’s an easy upgrade for those with older iPhones or those looking to spend less, but its battery won’t last as long.
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Who’s it for: People who prefer a smaller screen, want to spend less on a phone, or prefer a fingerprint reader over Face ID.
Why we love it: The Apple iPhone SE (3rd generation) is ideal if you want a smaller phone, like a fingerprint reader over Face ID, or don’t want to pay as much for a new smartphone as a regular laptop. The iPhone SE is significantly cheaper than the iPhone 14, but it feels faster in many situations It lacks the iPhone 14’s second ultra-wide lens and night mode camera setting, so it’s hard to take good photos in dark environments. And while budget Android phones don’t get software updates after purchase, even the cheapest iPhones, including the SE, get iOS support for several years.
Bugs, but not deals: If you use your phone for more power-intensive activities, such as games, video, voice or FaceTime calls over LTE/5G, the model’s smaller battery may not last all day. If you’re not a heavy phone user, you should be able to get through the day without needing to recharge, but otherwise it’s a good idea to use a charger or wireless charger.
If the iPhone SE or iPhone 14 don’t sound right to you, or you want to learn more about the full range of iPhones Apple currently sells, read our full guide to which iPhone you should get.
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The Pixel 7 is better than phones that cost several times more, and is the best version of Android and one of the best Android smartphone cameras we’ve tested.
Who it’s for: People who want a fast, secure Android phone with the best camera and guaranteed software updates, but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars.
Why we love it: The Google Pixel 7 offers the same high-quality software and camera that made Google’s Pixel phones great, and it’s only $600. The phone comes with Google’s clean, responsive Android 13 and is guaranteed to receive updates until fall 2027. With its dual camera setup, the Pixel 7 takes better photos than any other Android phone
Even though it only has two lenses, Google’s amazing photo processing works its magic It uses True Tone technology to accurately reproduce dark skin tones, which can be a problem on other phones, and the Pixel’s camera app offers the ability to control exposure and color temperature in the viewfinder. The Pixel 7 also features Google’s Magic Eraser, which removes distractions and unwanted background objects from photos.
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The Pixel 7 has a 6.34-inch OLED screen that stretches almost to the edges with minimal bezels. It’s bright enough for outdoor use and has an extra dimming feature to make the brightness easier on the eyes in dark rooms. Additionally, there is an optical fingerprint scanner below the screen It’s not as fast or accurate as Samsung’s ultrasonic sensor, but it’s a lot better than the Pixel 6a or last year’s Pixel 6.
Flaws, but not deal-breakers: We can’t find many faults with the Google Pixel 7, especially for its price — we wouldn’t expect to see most of the “missing” features on a $600 phone anyway. We want you to charge quickly; At best you will get less than half a charge in 30 minutes
To learn more about the Pixel 7 and other Android phones we’ve tested, read our full guide to the best Android phones.
The Pixel 7 Pro takes the awesome Pixel 7 and adds a bigger, better screen and zoom camera — and it’s cheaper than the competition.
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Why we love it: The Google Pixel 7 Pro is a larger, better version of the Pixel 7 and features a 6.7-inch 1440p OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also includes an impressive 5x optical zoom lens on the back
The Pixel 7 Pro is the fastest phone you can buy Scrolling and navigating apps is very smooth, and some tasks like Google Assistant response are much faster than other phones thanks to Google’s second-generation tensor processor.
The Pixel 7 Pro improves on the Pixel 7 with an additional camera lens – a third 48-megapixel lens on the back with 5x zoom that captures detail at full zoom. We’ve tested the phone, and you don’t need to fiddle with the settings to get a great picture
Flaws, but not deal breakers: The Google Pixel 7 Pro’s large size can be troublesome even with large hands, and it’s slippery and hard to hold without a case. However, Google has relocated the phone’s power and volume buttons lower on this model, making them easier to reach than previous Pixel phones.
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For more information on the Google Pixel 7 Pro, read our complete guide to the best Android phones.
The OnePlus Nord N20 5G offers solid performance and a sharp 1080p OLED screen with an in-display fingerprint reader, but it doesn’t work on Verizon networks.
Who’s it for: People on a budget who still want a phone that does more than the bare minimum
Why we love it: Although the OnePlus Nord N20 5G costs less than half the price of a modern high-end smartphone, its screen, performance and long battery life are on par with an expensive phone. The Nord N20 has an in-display fingerprint sensor and a 1080p OLED display – features that set it apart from other budget Android phones, which have 720p LCD screens and no fingerprint sensor. It loads complex websites, runs games, and installs and launches apps better than most budget phones we’ve tested.
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Flaws, but not deal breakers: Nerd