With Google's most recent unveiling of the Pixel 8 series, most, if not all, major phone manufacturers have now released their flagship devices of the year. That means two things: 1) There's no better time to shop for a new smartphone than now, with plenty of options that are truly worth investing in, and 2) ZDNET has the clearest picture of what's good, what's not so good, and what phone is best for which type of customer.
Also: Best Android phones you can buy right now
Below, the team has compiled a definitive list of top phones you can buy right now, based on months of hands-on testing. Our pick for the best phone overall is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, due to its eye-candy display, reliable battery life, and wealth of useful features. Check out all of our picks for the best phones of 2023 below, no matter your budget or your preferred phone manufacturer. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Display size: 6.8 inches | Storage options: Up to 1TB | Rear cameras: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto (2x), 10MP telephoto (5x) | Front camera: 12MP
Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra is undeniably the most complete smartphone you can buy right now. It's built with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display that produces vibrant visuals both in the brightest and dimmest environments, a reliable 5,000mAh battery, four cameras at the rear to help you capture a variety of shots, and an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset.
That last bit is especially important given how much more powerful yet efficient the new Ultra flagship is, even when compared to last year's S22 series. In my ZDNET review, I mentioned that "the mobile platform brings meaningful improvements to the Galaxy phone experience, while Samsung's done its part to optimize the S23 Ultra with a larger vapor cooling chamber and more efficient back-end processing.
Together, you get a phone that's powerful enough for any type of user, including mobile gamers." For a smartphone that's not made specifically for gaming, that's as high praise as it gets, right?
The S23 Ultra proves just as much of its worth through unique specs and features, ones that truly matter to day-to-day usage. That includes the base storage of 256GB (versus the industry's 128GB standard), the integrated S Pen that gives you enhanced precision and inputs, Samsung's five-year commitment to security updates, and even Samsung DeX, its mobile-to-desktop service that turns your S23 Ultra into a full-on computer when connected to a monitor or TV.
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Apple Vision Pro will be available early next year on apple.com and at Apple retail stores in the U.S.
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