The best iPhone 2023: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?

Best iPhone: quick menu

Nailing down the best iPhone to buy in 2023 is no easy task. There are now so many different options out there, at so many different price points, that it can be hard to know where to begin. A model from the Apple's newly released iPhone 15 line might seem like the no-brainer choice, but there are plenty of great older models to consider, too.

We know every single iPhone inside and out, so you can be confident that our recommendations are based on expert knowledge, in-depth analysis, and intelligent comparisons between other iPhones and rival phone-makers. Below, we've looked at key factors such as screen quality, performance, cameras, and battery life in our testing, so you can find the best iPhone for your needs.

Once you've trawled through our findings, head over to our iPhone 15 deals roundup if your heart is set on picking up one of Apple's latest iPhones. Alternatively, our best iPhone deals page has a list of discounts currently available on older iPhone models. Finally, don't forget to see what Apple promo codes can be used with your purchase. Happy iPhone-hunting!

Quick List

The best iPhone in 2023 

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Below, you'll find full write-ups for each of the best iPhones in our list. We've tested each model extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best iPhone for most people

Apple iPhone 14 Pro home screen

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The best iPhone for most people

Specifications

Weight: 206g
Dimensions: 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.9mm
OS: iOS 16
Screen size: 6.1-inch
Resolution: 1179 x 2556
CPU: A16 Bionic
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
Battery: 3,200mAh
Rear camera: 48MP+12MP+12MP
Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+
Outstanding performance
+
Powerful camera array

Reasons to avoid

-
High(er) price YoY
-
Still Lightning (no USB-C)

Before you read on: a disclaimer. We're still testing the iPhone 15 Pro, which prohibits us from including that phone in this list. Once we've published our full review of the iPhone 15 Pro, it will likely replace the iPhone 14 Pro in our ranking as the best iPhone for most people. That said, the iPhone 14 Pro continues to drop in price at third-party retailers, so it remains an excellent choice.

Apple's A16 Bionic chip underpins everything that's good about the iPhone 14 Pro, which is still one of the best iPhones ever and arguably the best iPhone for most people.

While the iPhone 14 Pro's (admittedly great) 6.1-inch screen is carried over from its predecessor, this generation of Pro shrugs the notch in favor of Apple's swanky Dynamic Island – a smart digital cutout that houses Face ID components but also adapts to offer a range of functionality, from music playback controls to connecting AirPods and more.

ProMotion tech in the iPhone 14 Pro means visuals can range from 10Hz to a super-smooth 120Hz in general use, and a 1Hz mode enables always-on display functionality, too. The phone's rear triple camera setup is fronted by a 48MP main sensor that takes better stills and video than any iPhone released prior to Apple's iPhone 15 line, and the overall photography capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro rival those of models from Samsung and beyond.

Provided you can swing the (still) high asking price, the iPhone 14 Pro continues to operate as one of the most capable phones on the market, while also being more pocket-friendly than the Pro Max.

Read our iPhone 14 Pro review

The best value iPhone

iPhone 15 review images

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The best value iPhone

Specifications

Weight: 171g
Dimensions: 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80mm
OS: iOS 17
Screen size: 6.1-inch
Resolution: 2556 x 1179
CPU: A16 Bionic
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB
Battery: 3,349mAh (unofficial)
Rear camera: 48MP+12MP
Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+
Dynamic Island retires the notch
+
Smooth design and soft-feel, color-infused rear glass

Reasons to avoid

-
No zoom lens
-
No macro capabilities

Apple's newly released iPhone 15 marks the most significant step up for a base iPhone in several years, and earns its place as the best value iPhone money can buy in 2023.

If you're someone who's not concerned with titanium sides, 120Hz scrolling or high-spec zoom photography, the standard iPhone 15 offers pretty much everything you could want from a flagship phone, but for significantly less money. 

Here, you're getting a 6.1-inch Super XDR OLED display, a superfast A16 Bionic chipset, a USB-C port, a supremely capable 48MP main camera and Apple’s fancy digital screen cut-out, the Dynamic Island, all delivered in a sleek and eye-catching design package.

In recent years, Apple's standard models have felt like minor upgrades that pale in comparison to their respective Pro-level counterparts, but the iPhone 15 bucks that trend by being a genuinely great value product.

Read our iPhone 15 review

The best iPhone overall

iPhone 15 Pro Max

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The best iPhone overall

Specifications

Release date: September 2023
Weight: 221g
Dimensions: 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25mm
OS: iOS 17
Screen size: 6.7 inches
Resolution: 2796 x 1290 pixels
CPU: A17 Pro
RAM: 8GB (unofficial)
Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB
Battery: 4,422mAh (unofficial)
Rear camera: 48MP (wide) + 12MP (ultra-wide) + 12MP (telephoto with 5x optical zoom)
Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous albeit subtle redesign
+
Excellent photography

Reasons to avoid

-
Pricier baseline (but more storage)
-
Charging should be faster

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is indisputably the best iPhone money can buy in 2023, so for Apple fans, this is the top choice. The smaller iPhone 15 Pro is also an exceptional handset that's worth considering if you prefer its more practical 6.1-inch size, but since the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max offers a 5x periscope zoom lens, the latter phone is the objectively superior device.

In addition to that periscope zoom lens – which marks the first of its kind on an iPhone – the iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a 48MP quad-pixel main lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens, making it the most capable and versatile iPhone yet for mobile photographers.

Beyond its photography capabilities, the iPhone 15 Pro Max packs an excellent 6.7-inch Super XDR OLED screen (with ProMotion), a gorgeous titanium design, a USB-C port and Apple's all-new A17 Pro chipset, which delivers mobile gaming performance comparable to some high-end PCs (yes, really).

In other words, when it comes to iPhones, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the best of the best, but you'll have to pay handsomely for the privilege of owning one, and Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra actually has slightly better cameras.

Read our full iPhone 15 Pro Max review

The best budget iPhone

An iPhone 13 being held in a hand

(Image credit: TechRadar)
The best budget iPhone

Specifications

Weight: 174g
Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7mm
OS: iOS 15
Screen size: 6.1-inch
Resolution: 1170 x 2532
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB
Battery: Up to 19 hours
Rear camera: 12MP+12MP
Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+
Strong battery life
+
Powerful internals

Reasons to avoid

-
Outdated design
-
No 120Hz screen

The iPhone 13 wasn't the biggest yearly iPhone upgrade we'd ever seen when it arrived in 2021, but almost every aspect of it is a little better than the iPhone 12, which means it's still a brilliant iPhone overall. More importantly, though, it's the cheapest iPhone (bar the iPhone SE) that Apple still sells.

In our review, we found that the phone's battery life was particularly impressive, with the iPhone 13 making it through every day that we used it without needing a top-up before bed.

We were also impressed by its design, which includes a smaller notch (versus the iPhone 13), and by the sheer amount of power that this phone still has to offer, which comes as a result of its A15 Bionic chipset. At launch, Apple claimed that the iPhone 13 had a 50% faster CPU than the competition, and while that’s hard to confirm, this is certainly a speedy phone.

The lack of a 120Hz screen, which saw its iPhone debut on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, is a shame, and it's doubly upsetting that even its successor didn't move past 60Hz. Even so, this is still a superb device with plenty of life left in it. If you're looking for a cheap iPhone to see you through the next couple of years, this is it.

Read our iPhone 13 review

The best iPhone for battery life

Apple iPhone 14 Plus front screen

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The best iPhone for battery life

Specifications

Weight: 203g
Dimensions: 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7mm
OS: iOS 16
Screen size: 6.7-inch
Resolution: 1284 x 2778
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB
Battery: 4,325mAh
Rear camera: 12MP+12MP
Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+
Great design and build quality
+
Excellent battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
60Hz, notched display feels dated
-
Last year's chipset

Before you read on: a disclaimer. We're still testing the iPhone 15 Plus, which prohibits us from including that phone in this list. Once we've published our full review of the iPhone 15 Plus, it will likely replace the iPhone 14 Plus in our ranking as the best iPhone for battery life.

While fans were made to wait a little longer for the fourth member of Apple's 2022 iPhone 14 series, the iPhone 14 Plus replaced the mini entry from the previous two generations, instead dragging the slider the other way and offering a super-sized iPhone experience that, in recent years, was exclusive to the line's Pro Max entries.

As such, you get a 6.7-inch display, as you do with the 14 Pro Max, however the rest of the phone's sensibilities are more closely tied to the standard iPhone 14, with the same dual 12MP rear cameras and enhanced A15 Bionic chip lifted from the previous year's iPhone 13 Pro, as well as a repeat of the notch instead of the 14 Pro line's flashy new Dynamic Island.

The display is still 60Hz, too, but better cooling and more modest display tech twinned with the Plus' large battery means it delivers some of the best iPhone battery life ever (in our testing, the iPhone 14 Plus served us approximately 25 hours of playback).

Read our iPhone 14 Plus review

The best small iPhone

An iPhone SE (2022) being held in a hand

(Image credit: Future)
The best small iPhone

Specifications

Weight: 144g
Dimensions: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm
OS: iOS 15
Screen size: 4.7-inch
Resolution: 750 x 1334
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64/128/256GB
Battery: 2,018mAh
Rear camera: 12MP
Front camera: 7MP

Reasons to buy

+
Powerful for the cost
+
A 5G iPhone that's still affordable

Reasons to avoid

-
Starts at only 64GB storage
-
Screen is cramped

With the iPhone 13 mini now officially discontinued, the 4.7-inch iPhone SE (2022) is the new best choice for anyone who prefers a smaller iPhone.

This dinky, classic-looking iPhone was actually the first mid-range iPhone to support 5G, which was a major selling point at the time. The presence of the same A15 Bionic chipset as you’ll find in the iPhone 13 range continues to be a big plus, too, meaning this phone has more power than most Android flagships, despite costing far less.

With a slim, lightweight build and a compact display, the iPhone SE (2022) is supremely comfortable to use, but ... 

, at this point, very dated, mind, thanks to big bezels above and below the display, and it’s more expensive than its predecessor, despite still being affordable. If not for those issues, this iPhone might rank even higher.

FAQs

What is the best iPhone?

The best iPhone is usually one of the latest numbered models, but which one specifically will depend on your needs. If you want a big screen, go for a Pro Max (the latest and greatest is the iPhone 15 Pro Max). For top specs in a smaller size, pick a Pro, and if you want to save some money, then get a standard model or the latest SE.

Which iPhone is the best value for money?

Right now, the iPhone that offers the best value for money is the iPhone 15, although the iPhone 13 Pro remains a strong choice if you're keen on the benefits of a Pro-level iPhone but don't want to spend big on a model with the Dynamic Island.

How to choose the best iPhone?

A lot of iPhones are quite similar to one another, so choosing which model to buy mostly just means seeing what's different between them and finding the right fit for you.

All iPhones are powerful, and Apple supports them for a long time, so age and chipset needn't be a big deal, but if you don't want to upgrade for a long time then a newer model with a faster chipset is ideal.

Bigger factors, though, include the screen size – and bigger isn't always better. If you want something compact that you can easily slip into a small pocket, then consider one of the mini or SE models. But if you plan on doing a lot of gaming or video-watching, then something larger would be better.

Resolution and refresh rate are also worth paying attention to for the optimal visual experience – the higher the better in both cases, so ideal options will have things like a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution above 1080p.

Camera quality and battery life are important considerations, too, and you can't get a full picture of these just from a specs list, so read our full entries above (or click through to our detailed reviews) for insights into how each phone fares in those departments.

How we test

We've reviewed every phone on this list, so for each, we've passed our expert judgement on them after extensive testing. This testing saw us use each phone as our main handset for at least a week, and often longer.

In the process, we would explore various use cases, including calls, texts, social media, video streaming, gaming, taking photos and more, with some heavy use days and other lighter ones.

In short, we use our iPhones just like you would – but we make sure to test every key feature, as well as running benchmark tests, checking how long they take to charge, and more.

From that, we've then ranked each handset, factoring in price, value, and how they compare to one another, with a particular focus on their screens, designs, battery life, performance, and cameras.

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Axel Metz
Senior Staff Writer

Axel is a London-based Senior Staff Writer at TechRadar, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest movies as part of the site's daily news output. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. 


Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme. 

With contributions from