The Best Phones of 2024

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Best phone overall


Samsung's latest Galaxy S24 line is the first to go all-in on AI, and the S24 Ultra, the most premium of the three, is the best Android phone today. The new Galaxy AI model embedded in the device brings a host of generative capabilities, including real-time phone call translations, the ability to circle an object on screen to perform an image-based Google search, AI-assisted photo editing and transcriptions, and even a Chat Assist feature for figuring out how to phrase a message in different tones.

Like its predecessor, the S23 Ultra, the S24 Ultra is built with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display and a reliable 5,000mAh battery. The phone's upgrades make it well worth it: The S24 Ultra is made of a lightweight yet durable titanium frame, compared to last year's aluminum, and features Corning's new Gorilla Armor.

Under the hood, the S24 Ultra includes an upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset for improved graphics and AI features, 12GB RAM (an increase from last year's 8GB), and 2,600 nits of brightness -- a big improvement over last year's 1,750. As for the new camera system, the big upgrade comes in the form of a 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

Display size: 6.8 inches

Storage options: Up to 1TB

Rear cameras: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto (5x), 10MP telephoto (3x)

Front camera: 12MP

Battery: 5,000mAh


Best iPhone overall



The latest iPhone 15 Pro Max offers everything a premium flagship smartphone should, including a brilliant 6.7-inch AMOLED display for all the media consumption -- and mobile productivity, of course. This year's model also looks and feels different than any prior Pro Max devices, as it's made of titanium instead of stainless steel and, therefore, significantly lighter in the hand.

Another major feature of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the USB-C connector; particularly, one that supports faster charging and data transfers and can charge other devices including the Apple Watch from your iPhone, directly transfer photos and videos into a portable SSD, and connect to an external 4K monitor. These benefits are game-changing for professional content creators.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max also features a new 5x zoom camera lens -- the equivalent of a 120mm focal length on a mirrorless or DSLR camera. The far-distance capturing and improved low-light performance of the new camera system has been so reliable that the iPhone 15 Pro Max has become my go-to for video recording during product launch events. Lastly, a new Action button replaces the mute-switch toggle of older iPhones and lets you better customize shortcuts and easily open the apps you need, including firing up the camera with a press-and-hold.

And the A17 Pro chip rounds out the year's upgrades, offering improved graphical performance over last year's iPhone 14 Pro model. Multiple Best Buy customers have attested to the iPhone's improved performance, with one citing, "No glitches have come up in the several weeks I've had the phone." Given all the upgrades, Apple is charging you more for the latest iPhone 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 15 Pro Max tech specs: Processor: A17 Pro

Display size: 6.7 inches

Storage options: Up to 1TB

Rear cameras: 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (2x), 12MP telephoto (5x)

Front camera: 12MP


Best budget phone



If bang for your buck is what you're after, consider the Google Pixel 8a. There are really three key reasons why you should buy the latest Pixel over any other mid-range phone. You get a comfortable 6.1-inch OLED display that ramps up to a 120Hz refresh rate, a reliable 64MP camera system, and Google's catalog of AI features like Magic Editor, Audio Eraser, and Gemini, all backed by seven years of operating system updates.

Software is the name of the game with Google Pixel phones, and the extensive support provided for the 8a series, powered by a new Tensor G3 chip, should keep it feature-relevant for as long as until 2031. For reference, most phones in this price range, including last year's Pixel 7a, typically receive two to four years of software and security updates.

Of course, some limitations are to be expected from a phone at this price range, such as the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens and a slower wired charging rate (18W). However, from my hands-on time with the Pixel 8a, I found it just as capable of capturing various subjects and styles, and the presence of wireless charging makes up for the phone taking a few minutes longer to fully charge than flagship handsets.

Google Pixel 8a tech specs: Processor: Google Tensor G3

Display size: 6.1 inches

Storage options: 128GB, 256GB

Rear cameras: 64MP main, 13MP ultrawide|

Front camera: 13MP


Best camera phone



When it comes to camera performance, you really can't go wrong with any of the flagship devices from the big three (Apple, Samsung, and Google). Depending on your preference for color temperature and feature set, you may lean towards one manufacturer over the other. But more often than not, it's Google's Pixel camera system that satisfies the most users, and the latest Pixel 8 Pro remains a champion both for instant capturing and post-processing. 

The latest model features a reliable triple lens setup, with a 50MP primary lens, a 48MP ultrawide that's notably more capable at capturing macro and close-up photos than the 12MP sensor on the older Pixel 7 Pro model, and a 48MP telephoto lens for far-distance shots. Should you want more finite control over the Pixel 8 Pro's camera quality, there's now a series of Pro controls that allow you to tweak capture settings like the exposure and shutter speed.

But real-time capturing is only half the battle with mobile photography; there's also post-processing and how flexible devices are with editing and tweaking subjects around. In that regard, the Pixel 8 Pro, powered by a new Tensor G3 chipset, may just have the most flexible and creative photo toolbox on the market, with AI features like Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, and Best Take that can turn any bad photo into a good one. When I tested the camera system last year, I found its stabilization and HDR capabilities just as impressive.

Google Pixel 8 Pro tech specs: Processor: Google Tensor G3
Display size: 6.7 inches
Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
Rear cameras: 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto

Front camera: 10.8MP

Best tablet-style foldable phone



The number of foldable phones on the market has never been higher, thanks to the collective effort of just about every manufacturer, including Google with its Pixel Fold, Motorola with its Razr lineup, and OnePlus with the OnePlus Open. While Samsung has held the reins of the best foldable honor for years, I'm giving the top spot right now to the OnePlus Open. 

Unlike its competitors, the OnePlus Open strikes the best balance of weight-to-size ratio. When folded, the phone is as light as an iPhone, and when unfolded, it expands into a thin slate of visual goodness. OnePlus leverages the 7.8-inch display by offering some of the most intuitive multitasking features I've tested, headlined by "Open Canvas." With it, you can open up to three apps at once, and as you tap into each one, the other one or two will tuck itself to the side, ready to reappear when needed.

The triple camera setup, while presented in a casing that sticks out more than I'd prefer, captures spectacular photos and videos, with an emphasis on blue and orangish hues that cinematographers and photography buffs know and love. By nature of the foldable form factor, the Open is also capable of taking hands-free selfies and group photos.

OnePlus got the fundamentals down pat with the Open, too, including 65W fast charging capabilities (with a charger in the box) that blow past Samsung's Z Fold 5 and Google's Pixel Fold standards, a base configuration of 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, and a crease-less inner display.

OnePlus Open tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Display size: 6.3 inches and 7.8 inches
Storage options: 512GB
Rear cameras: 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 64MP telephoto|

Front camera: 32MP (outer) and 20MP (inner)






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