The best phones in Australia are handy multi-purpose devices, capable of keeping up with your daily needs. Typically, the best smartphones pack impressive camera performance, great processing power, long-lasting batteries and gorgeous screens. The ability to capture high quality photos is of particular demand among Australian users, and if you're after a good phone with an epic camera, you may want to look at our list of the best cameraphones.
When we're talking about the best phone however, it's difficult to narrow down a single option for everybody. How much you're willing to spend is obviously going to weigh on your choice, and if you’re not the type of person to constantly use your smartphone for social media, browsing, gaming, or taking constant photos, you may be happier with one of the best cheap phones. Smartphones are getting quite expensive, and affordable options are better than ever.
TechRadar's international team of experts has compared the best phones on price, design, display, performance, cameras and other important factors, such as the deployment of AI features and any underlying specs that may be either a boon or a burden.
We’ve sorted the best smartphones in Australia into nine categories as you’ll see below, and our top spots are constantly changing as new models are released. Read on to find your next smartphone, based on our recommendations.
The best phones in Australia: quick list
The best phone overall
The Google Pixel 9 Pro offers exceptional power in a small package, being a more accessible variant of the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
The best phone for most people
Apple’s 2024 base model is an exceptional upgrade over previous years, with a cheaper base price and a better-than-expected feature set.
The best phone for taking photos
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra maintains the top camera phone spot, packing an all-new 50MP ultrawide camera and a huge, more rounded display than models prior.
The best iPhone
Apple’s large iPhone 16 Pro Max has great camera performance, a new capacitive button on the side for making quick adjustments, and the new A18 pro chip, paired with the huge display that makes it the top-end device.
The best Android phone
Google has attached a new ‘XL’ suffix to its top phone in the ninth-generation Pixel, although a smaller Pixel 9 Pro version is also available. Boasting a faster recharge rate, superior performance and the same brilliant cameras that we’ve come to love, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is top of the pile.
The best budget phone
The Galaxy A56 keeps up Samsung's talent of providing a strong budget all-rounder. It's an affordable smartphone with epic specs.
Reveal the next 3 products...
The best value Android phone
An attractive premium smartphone without going over the AU$1,000 price point, the Google Pixel 8a offers the best of Google in a wallet-friendly shell.
The best value phone
Apple's new entry-level option is a trimmed down version of the base model iPhone 16, and though it misses out on the Dynamic Island and Camera Control button, it's still a worthwhile gadget if you're an iPhone lover on a budget.
The best foldable phone
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 takes the ‘best foldable’ crown, snatching it from the Z Fold 5. An upgraded design with slightly tweaked internals make it the option to consider if you want a book-style folding smartphone.
The best phones in Australia 2025
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Below you'll find detailed information on the nine best smartphones in Australia. Our team of experts has tested each phone extensively, allowing us to say categorically which ones are genuinely worthy of your attention.
The best phone overall
✅ You like the look of the new Pixel: The Pixel 9 Pro has a great new look and feel that really delivers on the premium smartphone experience. You’ll have a love-hate relationship with the case you’ll buy to protect it.
✅ You want great photos, both real and unreal: Do you want to take great photos or do you want to create cool images? The Pixel 9 Pro does both. You can take the best pics, then change them with AI.
❌ Performance really matters to you: The Google Tensor G4 chip is capable of keeping up with day-to-day tasks, but it's not as powerful as the Snapdragon chips found in rival Android phones.
❌ You want to save just a little more: The Google Pixel 8a still represents tremendous value and could be a better pick if you want a slick Android experience without spending too much.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro is the winner of TechRadar’s 2024 phone of the year Choice Award, for being an exceptional all-rounder that doesn’t do anything exceptionally groundbreaking, but covers the bases like no other. Though it’s a slimmed-down version of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the phone includes almost all of the same features, except for the fast charging and wireless charging speed of the more powerful sibling. It’s the premium Pixel we’ve always loved from the brand, made more accessible and in an attractive smaller shell.
Being the Pro XL model in a smaller body, the Pixel 9 Pro is a new category for the Pixel range, bridging the gap between the base model and the high-end larger screened device. It has the same oval-shaped camera bar that the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL have, with the exact same camera array as the Pro XL (including the thermometer). One of the only differences between the Pro and the Pro XL is the fast charging speed – with a 27W charger, the Pro can charge from 0% to 55% in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Pro XL can utilise a 37W charger to go from 0% to 70% in the same time.
Base RAM has been upgraded on the Pixel Pro to 16GB (from 12GB on the Pro the year prior), and although battery capacity isn’t as large as in the Pixel 9 Pro XL, it holds up just as well.
AI features led the excitement this year with Google’s 9th-generation Pixel devices, including the ability to look up the contents of your screenshots with a simple search and a new AI image generator – but these features require a bit of trust in Google on the privacy side of things. Additionally, be wary of overheating – the phone can run quite hot, and you might get a heat warning when using it on a warm day.
If you care about phone processing power, similarly priced Samsung phones will run rings around the Pixel 9 Pro. The latest Tensor G4 isn’t quite as powerful as the chips used in Samsung’s Galaxy S range of devices. Despite that, the Pixel 9 Pro is still a brilliant smartphone and you should absolutely consider picking it up. It’s not the most powerful, but it does everything just right.
Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro review
The best phone for most people
✅ You want an affordable, smaller iPhone: At $799 and with a 6.1-inch display, the iPhone 16 is an excellent option for those who don’t want to use two hands or spend a ton. It offers some really nice features and will support Apple Intelligence.
✅ You want more control for taking photos: Camera Control isn’t just a buzzword, but what makes shooting photos and adjusting on the fly a bit easier. If you love taking photos with your iPhone or recording videos, it is an excellent upgrade.
❌ You’re happy with an iPhone 15: If you aren’t desperate for a new button to take photos and Apple Intelligence isn’t calling your name, you don’t need to upgrade to the iPhone 16.
❌ You want a bigger screen: If you want a larger display, consider the iPhone 16 Plus, which boasts a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display.
This spot on our list of the best phones in Australia has previously been awarded to the iPhone 16 Pro, for its noticeable spec differences to the base model iPhone, including the cameras, processor, and additional new features that the Pro models might get first (such as the Camera Control button, Dynamic Island and Action Button). The iPhone 16, however, is the biggest step forward for the base model in years.
The iPhone 16 includes a boost to 8GB RAM over the 6GB RAM in the model came with the year prior. More importantly, it includes the Apple A18 chip – a slightly less powerful version of the chip in the Pro and the Pro Max, adequately named the A18 Pro. These boosts to processing power give it the ability to run Apple Intelligence where the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus cannot.
That’s on top of adopting the same hardware updates that the Pro model received both in 2023 and 2024. The iPhone 16 received the Action Button that was previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, along with the Camera Control button that was introduced to every model in the 16 family.
On a technical level, there’s actually not much separating the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro. The 16 may still only have a 60Hz display (against the Pro’s 120Hz) and two cameras (shedding the periscope telephoto lens the Pro models have), but the lenses shared between these phones are almost exactly the same, along with many of the same features.
For the money you save, it’s easy to chalk things up as a win for the iPhone 16. As it’s more affordable and more powerful than ever without the ‘Pro’ suffix, the iPhone 16 is the best phone for most people in Australia.
Read our full iPhone 16 review
- Check out the latest Apple promo codes for this month's best deals
The best camera phone
✅ You want the biggest-screen Galaxy without the bulk: Samsung has pulled off a neat trick with the S25 Ultra update, extending the screen without making the phone any larger or heavier.
✅ You own other Samsung products: Samsung doesn't always get credit for having an ecosystem in the way Apple does, but it's putting real effort into making all of its products, from its smartphones to its smart tags to its refrigerators, work together.
❌ An integrated S Pen doesn't interest you: Get the Galaxy S25 Plus, which nearly matches the S25 Ultra in screen size and only lacks the S Pen, the 5x optical zoom and the 50MP ultra-wide camera, and save yourself a decent chunk of cash.
❌ You're not interested in AI: It's fair to call the Galaxy S25 Ultra an AI phone, and if AI isn't something you want or need, look elsewhere.
Samsung has a refined formula when it comes to the Ultra, and while the Galaxy S25 Ultra doesn’t stray too far from the S24 Ultra the year prior, it does include some notable buffs.
Available at an AU$50 lower price than the S24 Ultra, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s most noticeable difference to models prior is its rounded design. This brings it closer in line with its S25 and S25 Plus siblings while offering a slightly larger screen. It also features a stylus, though a slightly different one to the S Pen that came with the S24 Ultra, as it doesn’t include Bluetooth (meaning that you can no longer take photos with said pen, sadly).
On the camera front, the S25 Ultra packs a 200MP wide camera, 10MP telephoto lens, 50MP periscope telephoto lens, and an all-new 50MP ultrawide camera. It’s capable of 5x optical zoom and packs the same camera specs as the S24 Ultra (except for the new ultrawide).
Backing the camera array up is its Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, allowing for fast processing across multiple apps, and a 1440 x 3120 AMOLED display, which pulls off some of the best visuals on any smartphone. It even has Qi2 wireless charging capability for the first time on a Samsung smartphone, though only enabled through a compatible case.
Keep in mind that the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a fairly huge phone, and won’t be a good fit for you if you’re not a fan of large handsets. It’s also quite expensive, despite being cheaper than last year’s model. If you’ve got your heart set on the best possible performance and the highest quality photos, then you can do no better than the Galaxy S25 Ultra – but if you’re looking to save, you should consider one of the other phones on this list. Alternatively, give our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review a read, as you might be fine with last year’s model now that you can find it cheaper.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review
- Check out the latest Samsung promo codes for this month's best deals
The best iPhone
✅ You want the biggest and best iPhone ever: There has never been a larger iPhone, or a larger iPhone screen than the one found on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
✅ You want a head start on Apple Intelligence: Apple Intelligence feels like an exciting experiment that has some stellar capabilities, like Clean Up and more forgiving Siri, but it's far from finished. You can get in on the ground floor now, though.
❌ You want more affordable big-screen power: The iPhone 16 Pro Max holds the line on price, but it still starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149. If you want to save a couple of hundred dollars but still get that big-screen fun, you could look at the Google Pixel 9 XL.
❌ You want more megapixels: While 48MP is nothing to sneeze at, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra offers a 200MP main camera.
Apple’s best phone ever is the iPhone 16 Pro Max, fitted with a gigantic screen and all the same improvements that apply to the iPhone 16 Pro display aside. This includes the A18 Pro chip, the handy new Camera Control capacitive touch button and refreshed brightness that can go as low as 1 nit and as high as 2,000 nits.
The display of the iPhone 16 Pro Max has been improved, now a massive 6.9-inches from the 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inches. The ultrawide camera has been upgraded with a 48MP sensor, and though the phone is slightly larger than the model it replaces, it is still compact and handy enough to fit in your pocket while also looking quite stylish.
Apple Intelligence was one of the things that led the push behind the iPhone 16 family of devices, but we’ve found very little to celebrate in the new AI-powered features, especially when similar offerings from Samsung and Google are more fleshed out. We were also unimpressed with how underpowered camera zoom appeared compared to other flagship phones, and we’re hoping that future models improve upon this.
Additionally, while Apple’s phones capture some of the best photos you can currently take on a smartphone, some of the photo editing tools are a bit more complicated than they have any right to be. Adjusting the mood and levels of a photo required a lot more fiddling than a casual user would probably want to bother with.
But none of the problems with the iPhone 16 Pro Max stopped it from receiving a TechRadar Recommends seal of approval. If you’re an Apple lover and want the best-of-the-best, you’ll be leaning towards the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review
The best Android phone
✅ You want to create a lot of stuff using AI: The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has tons of AI features to be creative. You can make your own images, tweak photos, write stories and messages, and plenty more.
✅ You want an assistant to take notes for you: Google AI can listen to your calls and take notes later, so you don't have to grab a pen when the doctor or the dog-sitter starts giving you detailed instructions.
❌ You're worried about AI: The Google Pixel can listen to your calls and make deep fake images that will fool most people. If you're worried about AI, this phone won't help.
❌ You want the absolute best cameras: While the Pixel 9 Pro XL is impressive, nothing beats the Galaxy S25 Ultra for camera capabilities and quality, not even with Video Boost.
Google’s high-end smartphone wedged its way into a new name as the Pixel 9 Pro XL, making room for a smaller model with many of the same specs but without the XL suffix. The Pro XL retains the same large and gorgeous display that the bigger Pixel device has always had, with the same brilliant camera performance that casual users love for the mix of hardware and software smarts.
This year, the most noticeable change came in the form of a redesign of the chassis with a more oval camera bump. The Pixel 9 Pro XL also features a much faster recharging speed, capable of going from 0-70% battery in just 30 minutes when using a compatible 37W charger. There’s also been an upgrade to 16GB RAM and a tiny increase to battery and screen size.
Moreover, there’s a bunch of new AI features – including the ability to look up the contents of your screenshots with a simple search and a new AI image generator – but these features require a bit of trust in Google on the privacy side of things.
Additionally, while Pixel devices are generally quite good, it’s worth noting that you’ll get better processor performance from similarly priced Samsung phones as the latest Tensor G4 isn’t quite as powerful as the Snapdragon used in the Galaxy . Google’s phones also used to be quite competitively priced with a performance tradeoff, but now it’s a tougher argument to make. Despite that, if you’re after a Pixel upgrade specifically, and have the spare change, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the one to reach for.
Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review
The best budget phone
✅ You want a large display without spending top dollar: The Samsung Galaxy A56's 6.7-inch display is an expansive screen that improves upon its predecessor, rivals the S25 series, and produces a vibrant and immersive experience.
✅ You want a jack-of-all-trades handset: The A56 excels as an all-around performer, balancing design, display, camera and battery life in a way that caters to a wide range of needs. It handles daily tasks like texting, social media and video calls seamlessly, making it a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable, versatile phone.
❌ You're a serious mobile gamer: While the A56 can handle light gaming, it’s not built for heavy gaming sessions or more intense games. If you're looking for a phone that can deliver high frame rates and smooth performance in graphically intense games, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
❌ You want the best AI tools: The A56 offers basic AI features, but if you’re after the cutting-edge AI tools, you’ll need to shell out more for the likes of the Galaxy S25 or the Pixel 9 flagships.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 retains the best budget handset in Australia title, keeping up the good performance of the A55 and remaining ahead of the Google Pixel 9a for its slightly more accessible price.
Staying at the AU$699 price point, the Galaxy A56 is a worthwhile option if you want a gorgeous screen and decent photo capabilities.
The A56 is slightly larger than the A55, with a bigger screen (now 6.7 inches) and lower weight. The screen is brighter at 1,200 nits, and charging speed has received a noticeable buff, capable of charging at up to 45W and delivering up to 65% in 30 minutes.
Apart from those things and your expected year-on-year processor and GPU upgrades, the Galaxy A56 remains the same affordable beast. The cameras are identical, including a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, a 5MP macro and a 32MP selfie camera. It can record video at up to 4K/30fps.
Just keep in mind that, while the Galaxy A56 is an affordable all-rounder, it's not the best option for somebody craving high-end performance, such as a dedicated mobile gamer. It also lacks many of the AI tools featured in the Galaxy S25 range.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy A56 review
The best value Android phone
✅ You were considering the Pixel 8: The Pixel 8a gives you just about everything you get with the Pixel 8, for less. The cameras aren't as good, but if the 8a gets a good discount, it's game over for the Pixel 8.
✅ You care about durability and longevity: You can find better specs at this price, but the Pixel 8a is more durable than the competition, with 7 years of Android updates – unheard of at this price.
❌ You're really going to keep a phone for 7 years: Even if Google updates this phone with a new Android every year, in seven years this phone will be astronomically underpowered. Go for a faster device if you want to finish that marathon.
❌ You need amazing cameras: The Pixel 8a took solid photos that were satisfying to share. It doesn't have long zoom or the fine details of the Pixel 8 Pro, however.
The Google Pixel 8a turned heads when it was released in Australia with a price bump – going from AU$749 for the Pixel 7a to AU$849 for the Pixel 8a just a year later – but despite this, it’s still a brilliant all-rounder Android phone. We can’t in good faith call it a ‘budget’ Android phone (the AU$750 price point was already pushing that definition), but it’s an epic entry point to the Google Pixel category, and is a brilliant handset if you’re switching over from an iPhone.
The Google Pixel 8a didn’t debut with any breathtaking new features like some of the other phones on this list, but rather it’s meant to be a low-cost Google Pixel – a welcome device as the Pixel 9 starts at AU$1,349.
It has a nice 6.1-inch OLED display with capable brightness for most environments and a small size that’ll satisfy folks wanting a more palm-sized handset. Its Tensor G3 chip, 8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB storage options made it extremely competitive against the Pixel 8 of 2023, so much so that it brings into question why that handset even continues to exist.
And the cameras! Google’s phones are brilliant for photography, and while the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro will obviously produce better results, the Pixel 8a certainly outclasses phones at even the AU$1,000 price point, such as the Motorola Thinkphone and the ASUS Zenfone 11.
In TechRadar’s Google Pixel 8a review, we praised the phone for its design and colour options, its AI tools that are helpful with the odd task or image edit, and we loved that seven years of Android updates were guaranteed. We awarded the phone a TechRadar Recommends seal of approval.
All of this said, note that the Tensor G3 chip is underpowered when benchmarked against rivalling Snapdragon chips as seen in Samsung smartphones and other leading flagship devices. Additionally, battery life isn’t exceptional, but it should be fine for the average l user.
As a money saver with lots of performance to give, though, the Google Pixel 8a is definitely worth considering.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review
The best value iphone
✅ You want an affordable, smaller iPhone: This is now your only brand-new 'budget' iPhone choice.
✅ You want sub-$600 access to Apple Intelligence: Apple squeezed a A18 chip inside this affordable iPhone to give you access to Apple's own brand of AI.
❌ You're a photographer: A single, albeit excellent, rear lens won't be enough for people who like to shoot wide-angle and macros.
❌ You never liked the notch: Apple bringing back a none-too-loved display feature doesn't make a lot of sense. If you want the Dynamic Island at a more affordable price than the iPhone 16, take a look at the iPhone 15.
The iPhone 16e is Apple's replacement for the iPhone SE, and is basically a stripped back version of the base model iPhone 16.
This is the iPhone model to consider if you love the Apple experience, user interface and aesthetic, but don't necessarily need the high-end performance of pricier models or simply don't want to spend too much.
The iPhone 16e features the same great processing power as the standard 16, apart from its four core GPU (the 16 has a five core GPU). It's ever so slightly smaller and, in shaving the price down, it has a notch instead of the Dynamic Island at the top, a single 'fusion' camera and a lower peak brightness.
The 60Hz display is only ever so slightly smaller than that of the standard 16, and on the battery front, the 16e actually outperforms its sibling, with up to 26 hours of video playback (versus 22 hours).
You'll typically get better camera performance and a more impressive screen on a similarly priced Android phone, or indeed one much cheaper, but the iPhone 16e retains Apple's great performance and aesthetic, and is certainly worth upgrading to from an older iPhone – especially an SE.
Read our full iPhone 16e review
The best foldable phone
✅ You're ready to try a foldable phone: Even though the Google Pixel Fold has a better cover display, Samsung's Z Fold 6 is the more refined foldable experience, especially when you unfold it and look at the main screen, which cuts down the bezel and gives you a more expansive display.
✅ You want quality photography: Samsung didn't change the cameras on the Z Fold 6, but they're still a formidable collection of lenses, now backed by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
❌ You're on a budget: At AU$2,749, this is one of the most expensive Android phones on the market. At the very least, look for deals before you buy.
❌ You demand the best in camera optics: As above, the cameras here are great, but for the best in Samsung photography, look to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 doesn’t change much over its predecessor from the year before, but it does hit all the same notes perfectly, with a refreshed design and some more refined features.
The 7.6-inch, 1856 x 2160 resolution doesn’t stray far from last year’s model, though aesthetically the device is a lot more square, packed with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a 4,400mAh battery. The display is brighter, and Samsung’s packed the company’s ‘Galaxy AI’ kit right into the phone from the get-go.
All of this said, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is one of the most expensive phones in Australia, and the largest storage capacity model is in fact the most pricey handset in the country.
Additionally, while it is a huge phone with a gorgeous screen, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has much more capable cameras that might impress you more if you want to take snaps. Despite being more expensive, being bigger, and having a pretty cool gimmick, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 isn’t entirely a better phone over the S25 Ultra.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review
See the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 plans in Australia
FAQs
What is the best phone in Australia in 2024?
There’s no real ‘best’ phone, and there never will be – there will be, however, a phone that suits your needs quite well, whether you need powerful cameras, a huge storage capacity, a gorgeous display or a mix of these things.
If that mix sounds good, it might be worthwhile considering the Google Pixel 9 Pro, however, it’s worth keeping the pros and cons of this in mind, including a reasonably high entry price, plus a fairly standard screen and handset size.
Going bigger than this, you can consider the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, or if you’re an Apple fan, you might want to consider the iPhone 16 Pro Max if you want the best of the best. Down from this, you might also want to consider the Samsung Galaxy A56 if you’re after a budget handset, or the iPhone 16e or Pixel 9a if you want an affordable entry-level but premium device.
If your heart is set on a big screen, or if you want to take on a foldable, then you can’t go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 – though be aware that this is one of the most expensive smartphones in the country.
Which phone has the best camera?
Moving over to recommendations from our guide to the best camera phones, the best phone for taking photos is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. As we found in our Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review, the South Korean tech giant’s flagship phone of 2024 includes a brilliant sense of depth with exceptionally natural colour. Compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra it featured a more powerful 50MP ultrawide lens, but offers in many ways the same camera performance.
That said, the best phones from each smartphone maker usually include some incredible cameras, as great photo quality has, for the most part, become inseparable from flagship devices. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL are both brilliant photo-taking phones obviously.
How much storage should my phone have?
A casual user would likely get by with either 128GB or 256GB of storage capacity on a phone in 2024, providing ample room for whatever apps, photos and videos the user wants to keep on-device – but power users who take lots of video and keep big video games on their phone might want to consider 512GB or 1TB storage potions.
Storage is something that users demand highly of when it comes to the best phones in Australia, whether it’s for keeping lots of photos on-device or for having lots of apps installed – but when more storage equals a higher cost, you should seriously consider your priorities. The flip side to this is that higher storage capacities – 256GB and higher – can also maintain battery health for longer.
Additionally, you should also consider some cloud storage solutions for if you want to keep your photos and videos saved but don’t want to keep them readily available on your device. Most cloud storage solutions include a free amount of storage before you need to pay, though for backups and for native app data, iPhone users will need to rely on iCloud (which offers 5GB free and paid storage options above that).
How to choose the best phone for you
Depending on the way you use your smartphone, there are likely to be one or more aspects of a device that are important to you.
If you want a hardy smartphone, you should check whether it has an IP rating – this will dictate how protected it is against dust and moisture. Also consider its material – ceramic is very fragile, as is glass, but plastic and metal can be more protective.
If you stream a lot, you might want a good-looking display. Bigger, up to 6.8 inches, might be useful for you, as will a resolution over 1080p. Refresh rates of 90Hz or 120Hz also ensure that motion looks smoother.
Battery life can be a pain for people, though capacity doesn't always dictate how long a mobile lasts. A phone needs to last at least a day to be useful for most people, though some go up to two days.
Charging speed is also important, and anything of 65W or up is good, though some phones now offer over 120W. The best phones power up in under an hour, and some even take less than 30 minutes.
Camera quality is hard to convey through a specs list, so you'll have to rely on our analysis and testing to see how good they are – but it's always useful to find a camera phone with multiple lenses and modes.
How we test
Every phone on this list was subjected to a full TechRadar review, and therefore our entire testing process. The core part of this process involves using the phone as our own for one week or more. We slot our SIM card in, use the device for social media, entertainment, photography and other normal tasks.
This is so we can emulate how you'll use the device if you buy it. It helps us understand all the quirks of a phone that you don't notice if you just leave the device in a lab and test it. Of course, we do some lab tests, too, for some direct comparison.
So, we'll game and we'll do benchmark tests to work out how powerful a phone is; we'll time a phone when it's charging but also just work out how powering fits into our morning routine; we'll test how long a phone takes to run down, but also just handle it day-to-day for a long period of time.
Our main areas of focus in our review are the phone's design, display, cameras, performance, software and battery life, though of course its price is also important for our final judgement.
You're at the end of the guide, but that doesn't mean we can't help you still - if you're stuck on which model is for you, we've got a tool that can compare all the phones together and you can decide which one suits you best based on the cost.
If you want to get all the info, then use the tool below or check out our full mobile phone plans page.
