Best smartphones 2020: Amazing phones, ranked best to worst
- VeteranShack
- Jun 14, 2020
- 10 min read
As you can probably see, the biggest thing – literally – about this phone is it's 6.5-inch 21:9 4K display which, for the uninitiated, is the preferred aspect ratio for watching films (or movies, as the Americans call them) and TV. If those are two things that you like to do, then look no further than this beast of a handset.
The issue is, as we said in our review, is that while this display is a thing of beauty – crisp, huge, vibrant – the phone has a rather underwhelming battery, which means the screen appears dim unless cranked right up to near maximum. Crank that brightness up though, and the viewing experience is truly superb. Just don't expect that battery to run for days on end.
The phone's super tall size also makes it somewhat unwieldy, especially when it's in a normal-sized pocket. Now, of course, this applies to many big phones (Galaxy Note, we're looking at you), but the pure length of this handset – combined with its above-average weight – exacerbates the problem.
If this doesn't seem like an issue to you, and it could easily not be, there's a lot to love here: 128GB of storage on board as standard, the latest Snapdragon chip is lightning fast, the display, as mentioned, is stunning, and the sound system – provided by Dolby – is top notch. There really isn't a better phone for the cinephiles among us.
In this best phone guide we've got fantastic selection of top-tier mobiles that deliver style, performance and a whole host of features. Whether you need a powerhouse phone that excels at photography, or a phone with battery that will run two days straight, you're well covered.
Shopping with a loaded wallet? No problem, we've got plenty of premium choices in our best phones guide. On a tighter budget? No problem there either, as we've got brilliant handsets that don't break the bank. Want mid-range flagship killer? We've included those, too. We've got great phones for every intended usage scenario. Read on for our top recommendations.
THESE ARE THE BEST PHONES AVAILABLE TODAY
The best phone for most people
SPECIFICATIONS.
Weight: 194g
Dimensions: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm
OS: iOS 13
Screen size: 6.1 inches
Resolution: 828 x 1792
CPU: Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm)
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64/128/256GB
Battery: 3,110 mAh
Rear camera: 12MP Wide-Angle + 12 MP Ultra-Wide-Angle
Front camera: 12MP
REASONS TO BUY
+Superb dual-lens camera
+Blazingly fast
+Great battery life
+Lovely design and build
+Impressive audio
Check out amazing deal below for Iphone 11!
If you're an Apple fan and can't stretch financially to the tri-camera-toting awesomeness that is theiPhone 11 Pro, then theiPhone 11makes a great case as a cheaper alternative – and its balance of power and price makes us think it's the best phone for most people in 2020.
The iPhone 11 comes in a variety of attractive, bright colours, and features a quality 6.1-inch HDR Liquid Retina display, Apple's latest and greatest A13 Bionic chipset, 3GB of RAM, a 3,110 mAh battery, and 64GB of storage space in the entry model (which can be taken up to 256GB with extra spend).
It is, across the board, a well-equipped and very well made phone that, straight out of the box, feels great in the hand. Apple has really caught up and gone past its rivals with the iPhone 11 series, though admittedly these are still pricey phones.
What you don't get in the Apple iPhone 11 is the same flexibility of camera that you get in iPhone 11 Pro – and that's because it has a dual-camera, rather than a tri-camera. Plus, the screen (while large and clear) is also trumped by the Pro range and some other, equally-priced devices.
As such, we feel the iPhone 11 is the best phone Apple currently makes in terms of bang for your buck, and as such is an easy recommend for most users (unless you have to have Android as an operating system on your phone).
The best premium phone
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 199g Dimensions: 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm OS: OxygenOS 10.5 / Android 10 Screen size: 6.78 inches
Resolution: 1440 x 3168 CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 RAM: 8GB / 12GB Storage: 256GB Battery: 4510mAh Rear camera: 48MP + 48MP + 8MP + 5MP Front camera: 16MP
REASONS TO BUY
+Astonishing 120Hz, QHD+, HDR10+ screen
+Rapid internal hardware
+Next-gen 5G connectivity
+Stylish design with great ergonomics
Check out amazing deal below for OnePlus 8 Pro!
OnePlus' ascension to the top smartphone table is complete with the OnePlus 8 Pro, which is a simply jaw-dropping handset that delivers across the board. It is, simply put, the best phone on the market for those shopping for a premium Android handset.
There are so many reasons why the OnePlus 8 Pro is so special, but first among them is its simply astonishing 120Hz, QHD+, HDR10+ screen, which is the best display ever seen on a mobile phone. Other premium phones have delivered part of that holy trio of screen features, but none has managed to do them all at once.
The OnePlus 8 Pro also comes with a simply rapid suite of top-shelf internal hardware, next-gen 5G connectivity and a selection of advanced phone features like reverse wireless charging and IP68 water and dust proofing. Naturally, as this is a phone from OnePlus, the design and ergonomics are also fantastic.
With super benchmark scores and a battery that goes the distance to back it up, as too the best camera system OnePlus has put out to date, there is simply no reason why those shopping at the premium end of the smartphone market shouldn't consider the OnePlus 8 Pro first and foremost. It is a true flagship phone in every sense of the word and the best Android phone (and best premium phone full stop) available today.
3. APPLE IPHONE SE (2020)
The best budget phone
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 148g Dimensions: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm OS: iOS 13 Screen size: 4.7 inches Resolution: 750 x 1334 pixels CPU: Apple A13 Bionic RAM: 36GB Storage: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB Battery: 1,821 mAh Rear camera: 12 MP f/1.8 Front camera: 7 MP f/2.0
REASONS TO BUY
+Appealing design
+Rapid hardware
+Very affordable
Check out amazing deal below for APPLE IPHONE SE!
It is fair to say that Apple's iPhone SE (2020) handset has taken this year by storm in terms of praise, with the hot new handset winning critics over worldwide with its brilliant balance of features, quality and performance for a very attractive price point. Retailing for under half what Apple's flagship phones do, this is easily the best budget handset we've ever seen from the American maker.
And, be under no illusion, this phone delivers. It's CPU, for example, is the exact same A13 Bionic chipset that sits in all of Apple's flagship phones, while it comes running Apple's iOS 13 operating system just like those phones do, too. It is in many respects a full fat new iPhone experience but for a shockingly low price point.
This is the best Galaxy phone Samsung has ever put out
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 222g Dimensions: 166.9 x 76 x 8.8 mm OS: Android 10 Screen size: 6.9 inches Resolution: 1440 x 3200 CPU: Exynos 990 / Snapdragon 865 RAM: 12GB/16GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB Battery: 5,000 mAh Rear camera: 108 MP wide + 48 MP periscope + 12 MP ultrawide + 0.3 MP TOF Front camera: 40MP + 40MP
REASONS TO BUY
+Huge, super smooth 120Hz screen
+Hyper premium internal hardware
+Versatile, feature-packed camera
It's hard to know where to start with the Galaxy S20 Ultra, because Samsung has really gone to town here, from the 100x digital zoom on the rear camera to the huge 6.9-inch AMOLED display you get around the front. It's the priciest of the S20 models, and it shows.
Of course it's a stunning phone to look at, something you would expect from Samsung at this stage. Inside you have some of the best internal components you're going to find in a handset in 2020. And then around the back is one of the best and most versatile cameras on the market.
Don't forget the hefty 5,000mAh battery here either, ensuring the phone will be able to run and run no matter what you put it through. It's hard to find any fault in what the S20 Ultra offers, and it's hard to find a phone in 2020 that's able to beat it in any of the key departments that matter.
The best phone with digital stylus functionality
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 168g Dimensions: 151 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm OS: Android 9.0 Screen size: 6.3-inches Resolution: 1080 x 2280 pixels CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9825 RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB Battery: 3500mAh Rear cameras: 12 MP f/1.5-2.4 + 12MP f/2.1 + 16MP f/2.2 Front camera: 10 MP f/2.2
REASONS TO BUY
+Perfect size
+S Pen functionality
+Versatile camera system
+Excellent core hardware
+Attractive design
With its absolutely stunning 6.3-inch Super AMOLED screen, powerful internal hardware suite, and advanced S Pen digital stylus, the Note 10 is undeniably one of the best Android phones available today. There isn't an area where it doesn't punch hard and, despite lacking a few features of the larger Galaxy Note 10 Plus, it is the model to plump for due to its more reasonable price point and sensible dimensions.
The new S Pen with a 10-hour battery life and air gestures remains a unique, unmatched accessory, too, making the Note a singular proposition on the market. It is a hyper-flagship that transitions from productivity powerhouse, to essential creative tool in seconds.
Things that could make you look at the Note 10 Plus over this phone are the former's 5G variant, which allows it owner to tap into the super-fast new network connections available in most of Britain's major cities, its humongous 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, and slightly better camera system, which comes with a Time-of-Flight sensor.
As T3 noted in its Note 10 review, though, "the more compact design of the Galaxy Note 10 just feels right", with "the smaller footprint infinitely more manageable and enjoyable". It is also cheaper, too, by quite a lot, and delivers 90-95 per cent of the functionality of the bigger phone, so for our money, the Note 10 is the model to choose, and especially so if you live in an area where 5G is not a thing.
The best smartphone for Apple users shopping at the premium end of the market
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 188g Dimensions: 144 x 71.4 x 8.1 mm OS: iOS 13 Screen size: 5.8-inches Resolution: 1125 x 2436 CPU: Apple A13 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64/256/512GB Battery: 3,046mAh Rear camera: Triple 12MP Ultra Wide-Angle + 12MP Wide-Angle + 12MP Telephoto Front camera: 12MP + TOF 3D Depth Sensor
REASONS TO BUY
+The best phone camera so far
+Incredible OLED screen
+Fantastic battery life
We'll cut to the chase: the Apple iPhone 11 Pro is one of the best smartphones money can buy if you're shopping at the premium end of the market.
It's also the most advanced iPhone the Apple has ever released, driven by a brand new A13 Bionic processor. Pair this with a larger battery and several power optimisation smarts baked into iOS 13 itself, and you have an iPhone that can last all day without having to be hooked up to a power outlet – and that's with heavy usage. Be frugal with the device, and you could easily squeeze two days out of it.
But the headline act is the tri-camera. Notably, the third sensor is a wide-angle lens, bringing a 120-degree field of view, which is ideal for landscapes. The other two remain largely unchanged, with two small but impactful updates – the telephoto lens now has a larger aperture, letting in 40% more light, and the wide-angle sensor now has 100% focus pixels, which essentially means it's better at focusing in low-light.
The Pixel phones get better with each passing year
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 162g Dimensions: 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.2 mm OS: Android 10 Screen size: 5.7-inches Resolution: 1080 x 2280 pixels CPU: Snapdragon 855 RAM: 6GB Storage: 64GB/128GB Battery: 2800mAh Rear camera: 12.2MP f/1.7 + 16MP f/2.4 Front camera: 8MP f/2.0
REASONS TO BUY
+Camera is simply fantastic
+Pure stock Android
+Face Unlock works very well
The Google Pixel flagship phones have a lot going for them and easily make it on to our best smartphones list. Leading the way again, of course, is the camera: Google has added a second lens this time around, meaning even better shots (and even pictures of the stars).
Elsewhere you've got a modest specs bump over last year and the pure stock Android experience that the Pixel phones are known for. Sometimes the strength of a phone lies in what it doesn't have, rather than what it has.
A couple of cool features worth mentioning are Face Unlock, which makes it easier than ever to get in your phone, and Motion Sense, which lets you control music playback, silence alarms and more with a wave of your hand.
With wireless charging and full waterproofing included too, there aren't many marks against the Pixel 4 (and its bigger sibling the Pixel 4 XL). Battery life could be improved, but there's so much that's good here, it's not too much of a problem.
Still one of the best Android phones in the world
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 175g Dimensions: 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm OS: Android 9.0 (Pie) Screen size: 6.4-inches Resolution: QHD+ CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820 RAM: 8GB Storage: 128GB Battery: 4,100mAh Rear camera: Triple 16MP Ultra Wide-Angle + 12MP Dual Aperture + 12MP Telephoto Front camera: 10MP + 8MP Depth Sensor
REASONS TO BUY
+Expansive 6.4-Inch Quad HD+ AMOLED
+Up to 1.5TB storage via MicroSD card
+Awesome Live Focus images from front-facing camera
The Galaxy S10 phones remain on sale, and even though they've been replaced by the Galaxy S20 range, they're still excellent choices – and better value than ever. The Galaxy phones are also doing something truly different from the iPhone and other rival flagship handsets. Whereas competitors have rushed to clone the notched screen design that first gained prominence with the iPhone X, Samsung has taken a dramatically different approach with its Infinity-O design.
Admittedly, that Infinity-O design isn't the prettiest thing to leave the Samsung R&D lab and definitely takes some getting used to. However, it has allowed Samsung to fit the S10 Plus with an expansive 6.4-inch AMOLED panel – that's the same size as the Galaxy Note 9 – while simultaneously shrinking the physical size of the smartphone compared to the Galaxy S9 Plus, which sports a 6.2-inch screen.
Elsewhere, Samsung has included dual-front facing cameras so you can shoot Live Focus photographs brimming with artificial bokeh-style blur. There's also some fun new depth effects with the Galaxy S10 range, including the ability to turn the background greyscale to make the subject of the image really pop. These can also be shot using the triple-camera on the back of the handset.
The best phone in the world for watching movies
SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 180g Dimensions: 167 x 72 x 8.2 mm OS: Android 9.0 Screen size: 6.5 inches Resolution: 1644 x 3840 pixels CPU: Snapdragon 855 RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Battery: 3,300mAh Rear camera: 12MP (wide), 12MP (telephoto), 12MP (ultrawide) Front camera: 8MP
REASONS TO BUY
+Huge, unique display
+Powerful processor
+Immersive audio
+Dust and waterproof
As you can probably see, the biggest thing – literally – about this phone is it's 6.5-inch 21:9 4K display which, for the uninitiated, is the preferred aspect ratio for watching films (or movies, as the Americans call them) and TV. If those are two things that you like to do, then look no further than this beast of a handset.
The issue is, as we said in our review, is that while this display is a thing of beauty – crisp, huge, vibrant – the phone has a rather underwhelming battery, which means the screen appears dim unless cranked right up to near maximum. Crank that brightness up though, and the viewing experience is truly superb. Just don't expect that battery to run for days on end.
The phone's super tall size also makes it somewhat unwieldy, especially when it's in a normal-sized pocket. Now, of course, this applies to many big phones (Galaxy Note, we're looking at you), but the pure length of this handset – combined with its above-average weight – exacerbates the problem.
If this doesn't seem like an issue to you, and it could easily not be, there's a lot to love here: 128GB of storage on board as standard, the latest Snapdragon chip is lightning fast, the display, as mentioned, is stunning, and the sound system – provided by Dolby – is top notch. There really isn't a better phone for the cinephiles among us.
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