Truly cutting edge: the best smartphones of 2024

Striking a beautiful balance between value, performance and design, Apple's iPhone 15 is the gold standard of cutting-edge smartphone technology. Offering richly detailed photography, seamless performance and impressive storage, all housed in Apple's unbeatable slick smartphone body, the iPhone 15 encompasses everything we love about modern smartphones.

Out of the box, the iPhone 15's performance is stellar, combining a silky smooth 60Hz refresh rate with a gorgeous 6.1-inch OLED display and Apple's mesmerising Dynamic Island, which was introduced in Apple's iPhone 14 Pro model.

A terrific leap in performance from the iPhone 14, the latest iPhone is equipped with the latest A16 Bionic chip for faultless performance, as well as 128GB of storage so you can make the most of its phenomenal camera.

One of Apple's highest camera resolutions yet, the iPhone 15's 48MP main camera and ultrawide lens will be appreciated by Apple users more used to the 12MP cameras of earlier models. Though this might not sound like much to the experienced smartphone shopper, Apple's next-level lenses are significantly more powerful than your standard camera, and photography on the iPhone 15 is some of the best we've seen on a smartphone yet.

With dazzling OLED colours, immense contrast and some of the best night scene photography ever, the iPhone 15 vastly exceeds our expectations for its price.

As with the vast majority of Apple's iPhones, however, an area that certainly doesn't impress is battery life. Certainly not striving for record-breaking playback, the iPhone 15's battery is fairly mediocre, especially for a cutting-edge phone.

This is one of the best iPhones ever made, carefully balancing performance, value and build quality. The iPhone 15 is the best choice for users looking to experience an iPhone for the first time, as well as a fantastic upgrade for veteran Apple users.

A fantastic smartphone from the industry-leading Samsung, the A34 steals the show when it comes to true value, offering a range of new features rarely found in phones with a similar RRP. This beautifully designed 6.6-inch model looks the part and feels fantastic in hand. Yes, the plastic backing and cheaper screen aren't revolutionary to the user experience, but the A34 is certainly practical and is aesthetically pleasing nonetheless.

But it isn't just its design that appeals, the A34 is brimming with impressive hardware, including a 48MP triple camera, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. It even has a Mediatek Dimensity 1080 chipset with respectable performance for strong multitasking.

Samsung's A33 took the smartphone world by storm in 2022, offering what was then one of the most powerful phones under £200. However, the A34 has a faster 120Hz screen, better performance speeds and access to the latest AndroidOS software.

Perhaps its most impressive feature, however, is the 5G connectivity – largely unheard of in smartphones of its price. The option to use high-speed data is a blessing amongst entry-level smartphones.

With powerful performance, a great design, and even 5G connectivity, what more could smartphone shoppers want for their money? The Samsung Galaxy A34 offers excellent value.

If money is no object, and performance is paramount, then the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is likely to be the ideal option for you. Dominating the smartphone world this year, Samsung's S24 Ultra is the first in what's likely to be a long line of AI-powered smart technology.

The culmination of a decade's worth of technological improvements, this feels like the smartphone of the future, in no small part thanks to its sturdy build quality, sublime 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen and terrific performance.

Particularly large, the S24 Ultra dwarfs most other options on the market. This, combined with sublime quad-HD visuals and a silky smooth 120Hz refresh rate, make it the ultimate phone for gaming. It also includes an S-pen which makes a gamer's experience even better.

When it comes to performance, the S24 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor hits the 3.4GHz mark, which sets it above the smartphone competition by a large margin. High processing power means instantaneous loading speeds, strong multitasking, and access to performance-demanding software.

And then, there's the camera, in all its high-resolution glory. At 200MP, you can zoom up to 100 times the normal camera shot, and the photography is simply stunning. Detailed, sharp and brimming with colour, Samsung's high-quality lenses and high resolution have combined to produce a superb camera. There are also AI photography features including object removal, generative facial editing, colour-adding and much more.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a truly high-end smartphone, with a massive amount of performance power, gorgeous visuals, and brilliant build quality – and it's reflected in the higher price (though keep an eye out for limited time offers).

A rising star in the smartphone world, we're steadily seeing a decline in total market dominance from Samsung and Apple, and it's thanks to the likes of Honor and its ultra-powerful Magic6 Pro.

An impressive 6.8-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, the Honor Magic6 Pro is teeming with cutting-edge hardware rivalling and exceeding some of the most expensive smartphones on the market. We're particularly impressed to see the Magic6 Pro's 12GB of RAM, as well as its ultra-powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, placing it a notch above the S24 Ultra on paper.

The crowning feature of this smartphone has to be its almost four-day battery life, even with moderate use. This huge capacity makes the HONOR Magic6 Pro potentially the best phone for battery life this year. But it's not just its capacity that makes it impressive, it's how quickly it can charge too. From 0-80 per cent in less than half an hour, the HONOR Magic6 Pro is ready for action at a moment's notice.

For sharp photography, the Honor Magic6 Pro certainly doesn't lack in camera resolution: the 180MP quad camera produces pictures that look lively and sharp. As for post-processing capabilities, Honor has a long road before it can compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple – photos taken in low light or of fast-moving objects are blurry and take much longer to stabilise.

That being said, the Honor Magic6 Pro is perfect for those in need of a strong, reliable smartphone.

A marvellous entry-level smartphone from Samsung released in 2023, the Samsung Galaxy A54 is designed with performance in mind. Comfortably sized at 6.4 inches, slightly smaller than its 2022 predecessor, it has a visually bold AMOLED screen that feels brilliantly responsive thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate and high-powered hardware.

With a design that's reminiscent of the much more expensive Samsung S24 smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy A54 challenges our expectations of budget technology with its slick aesthetic and performance to match. What's most surprising is its 6GB of RAM and vast 128GB of storage, providing plenty of room for reams of photos, games and apps.

Unlike most phones under £300, the Samsung Galaxy A54 also provides strong photography with its 50MP triple camera and an even more impressive 32MP front camera for bright selfies with plenty of contrast and colour.

Though there's little difference between the Samsung Galaxy A54 and A53 in regards to performance, there are certain alterations to the overall design that make for a smoother user experience and improved aesthetic. However, when it comes to build quality the A54 follows suit with countless other entry-level phones. Its plastic backing and slightly duller screen mean that it lacks the the polish and finesse of higher-end options.

But for less than £300, the Samsung Galaxy A54 is far ahead of its competition, offering stunning performance, a great design and a battery life that competes with top of the line Apple models. All of which makes it a worthwhile investment.

A truly next-generation smartphone experience, the Google Pixel 8 is a huge step in the right direction for this range with its eye-catching glossy glass design, signature metal camera bar and an array of AI tools.

For sheer features alone, I have never quite experienced smartphone technology like it: Google can identify songs, translate audio, and even write for you, making it a true contender for one of the best phones of the year. Its shining feature, however, has to be its photography editing tools, which include a variety of nifty options to create the perfect snapshot.

Erase objects and people with a simple swipe of a finger, reduce blur, and combine photos with ease, it's so easy to get great photography on the Google Pixel 8.

At the heart of this phone is the Google Tensor G3 chipset, which offers impressive performance with AI enhancements. I tried my hand at some mobile gaming during testing, across a selection of apps, and it handled them all seamlessly.

With a 120Hz refresh rate, the sheer smoothness of the Pixel 8 was very impressive. While it often appears in low-end smartphones, not having powerful enough software to handle apps at 120Hz makes it largely pointless, but that isn't the case here.

If I were to nitpick, I'd undoubtedly mention the regular frustration I experienced at the hands of Google's navigation and general user interface. While Google Assistant adds a certain level of smoothness, the frustrating button placement on the keyboard, especially the Google Assistant voice button, is less than ideal.

This remains, however, an enormous improvement on the Google Pixel 7 and the ideal phone for those interested in AI technology.

Read my full Google Pixel 8 review.

This is the pinnacle of Apple technology. The iPhone 15 Pro Max took the world by storm in late 2023 with its stunning camera, gorgeous design and brilliant A17 Pro Bionic processor, which is capable of running console games such as Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, an undeniably significant development in smartphone performance compared to its competition.

It's also got one of the best cameras ever on a smartphone. Though its 48MP triple camera setup and front-facing 12MP camera might not sound like much on paper, the 15 Pro Max can handle 4K video at 60fps. Though without the zooming capabilities of its Android rival, the iPhone 15 Pro Max's photography is as close to perfection as we've seen.

As for general build quality and navigation, it doesn't disappoint. The iPhone 15 Pro Max feels fantastic in hand, being slightly smaller than the S24 Ultra, and visuals are bold and beautiful with plenty of contrast thanks to the Pro Max's OLED technology. It also feels silky-smooth thanks to its 120Hz rate, which is yet to appear among the iPhone's base models.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly one of the most expensive smartphones on the market, and yet isn't the most powerful on paper. We've seen countless cheaper phones with greater RAM and better storage for less money, which is a problem that has always plagued Apple.

A fantastic phone for photography, as well as gaming and general use, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is truly a premium option should you wish to invest in the ultimate flagship phone.

If you're searching for the ultimate rugged phone that can withstand drops, knocks, and the occasional pocket fall, the Nokia XR21 is perfect for you. It's one of the most robustly designed smartphones I've seen this year, crafted for longevity with a variety of protective elements.

But there's more to the Nokia XR21 than just its toughness. It's also incredibly powerful for its price. Packed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, you won't have any issues running your apps. Plus, it boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, double that of many standard smartphones, including the iPhone 15.

However, the camera leaves much to be desired (a common critique of Nokia phones). The design of the camera setup on the back also looks a bit dated, so you might want to consider a case.

All in all, the Nokia XR21 is a fantastic smartphone for long-term use. In my hands-on Nokia XR21 review, I was truly impressed by how brilliant this budget phone is, it's definitely not one to overlook.

The ultimate folding smartphone experience, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is at the forefront of this smart technology movement.

Folding out to span a staggering 7.6 inches, this smartphone is practically a small tablet, making it the perfect choice for late-night binge-watching. Its super AMOLED screen and high resolution also make the Fold5 gorgeous to behold, with deep colours and vivid brightness that's bound to dazzle.

Unlike its predecessor (the Fold4) the Fold5's crease is considerably less noticeable thanks to a re-designed hinge, a problem which almost all folding phones encounter. In its folded mode, the Fold5 can feel a little thick in hand, but it's a necessary sacrifice for what is an incredible technology, plus it's far less likely to shatter if you drop it.

Performance on the Fold5 is respectable with 12GB of RAM and 256GB RAM in the base model. Its second-generation Snapdragon 8 is slightly less than what we'd expected from such a large and expensive smartphone, but regardless, the Fold5 is strong when it comes to handling hardware. Our largest gripe is its disappointing cameras, which offer very little for budding photographers. For better photography at a cheaper price, the S24 Ultra is a much stronger option.

A terrific experimental smartphone that's evolving the industry as we know it, the Fold5 is perfect for users who love large screens, amazing performance and nifty new technology to toy with.

If performance isn't your primary concern, and you're just looking for a reliable, cheap smartphone to keep you going, you won't find a better deal than the HONOR 70 Lite, one of the best bargain smartphones of the year.

Sporting 5G connectivity (a rarity for budget phones) and a Snapdragon 480 processor, the Honor 70 Lite feels smooth in hand. We were particularly impressed by the 128GB of storage, more than many high-end smartphones, leaving users plenty of room for photos and apps.

However, at less than £100, it's not without its problems. The HONOR 70 Lite's camera, while sounding impressive on paper, doesn't provide those fantastic visuals you might anticipate: pictures appear flat and night shots are not possible.

Perhaps the most noticeable downside, as is common with all low-budget phones, is the weak build quality. Plasticky and overly shiny, we'd certainly recommend grabbing a case.

That being said, for less than £100, this remains an impressive performer and one of the best cheap phones of the year.