Today's smartphones provide incredible mobile computing experiences to help you get work done away from the office, in the field, and wherever your remote location may be. Certainly, people have different mobile needs, but every smartphone on this list is more than capable of providing all the essential functions that most users could ever want in a mobile device.
Some smartphones excel at photography, some phones can serve as a small tablet, and still others are rugged enough to withstand a drop in the field. The term "best" may be specific to your needs, but there are some truly standout smartphones that are better than others.
These are the top 10 smartphones that we currently recommend as the best of the best.
Best overall smartphone
1)Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Apple's biggest and most feature-rich iPhone is a mouthful, the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple listened to customers, and while the phone looks just about the same as last year's 12 Pro Max, it is a tad thicker with a larger capacity battery and longer battery life.
The display now supports a refresh rate up to 120Hz while optical zoom on the telephoto camera is improved to 6x. Macro photography and cinematic video modes are new features in the camera system that are sure to please photographers and videographers alike.
Apple continues to actively improve iOS 15 while also offering 1TB of internal storage so you can capture content to your heart's delight.
Best foldable phone
2)Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G
While I put the iPhone 13 Pro Max as the best overall phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the best overall phone for productivity. The addition of S Pen support and an IPX8 water-resistant design makes the Z Fold 3 the perfect phone and mini tablet I could ask for, and it is very well optimized for getting work done on the go.
Given the excellent pre-launch offers and trade-in deals, I purchased a 512GB model to serve as my daily driver. In addition to the hardware improvements, Samsung made the purchase a bit easier with a $200 price cut compared to the previous Z Fold 2.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 serves as a very capable smartphone and small tablet, providing an extremely strong and fast 5G connection in both modes. The outside display offers a typical 6.2-inch smartphone experience with the addition of 120Hz refresh rate support this year. The large 7.6-inch main display is stunning with a 120Hz refresh rate, Samsung's lovely AMOLED technology, and special S Pen support. What could be more perfect for a Note and foldable fan?
Best Google phone
3)Google Pixel 6 Pro
Google's Pixel 6 Pro is the best smartphone currently available from Google. The Pixel 6 has many of the same specifications, with one less camera on the back and a slightly smaller display: the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro sport Google's new Tensor processor.
The Pixel 6 Pro is a flagship competitor and starts at $899 for the 128GB model, with the 512GB model priced at $1,099. You can purchase one in Stormy Black, Cloudy White, or Sorta Sunny with some limitations on storage capacity with the different color options.
The cameras are clearly the focus of the Pixel 6 Pro with Google's amazing software, combined with leading hardware, to create arguably the best smartphone camera experience available today.
Best iPhone for most people
4)Apple iPhone 13
While the iPhone 13 Pro Max is clearly the best iPhone 13 model available, it is also a large smartphone with a hefty price tag. The iPhone 13 is the clear winner for most people, with a starting price of $799 and six color options.
The Apple iPhone 13 is an interesting device since it has the exact same 6.1-inch display seen on the iPhone 13 Pro, so size and battery capacity are not differentiators here. There is one less rear camera on the iPhone 13, and there is no support for the LiDAR scanner. If the telephoto capability is not important to you, then you can save some money with the iPhone 13, and it does support 2x optical with the existing cameras.
Best Samsung Galaxy phone for most people
5)Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the most powerful Samsung phone available today, but it's a big phone with a focus on the S Pen. It's the next Note and that customer is a bit different than the typical smartphone customer as they find value in the productivity of the S Pen.
The Galaxy S22 Plus has a 50MP camera instead of the 108MP one found in the S22 Ultra, but it still provides a very capable still and video camera experience. The S22 Plus supports 45W fast charging, ultra wideband, WiFi 6E, and 5G. It is constructed with an Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus Plus.
Best phone with a stylus
6)Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Samsung's first flagship phone of 2022 was released as the Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. While the S21 Ultra from 2021 supported the S Pen, there was no way to store, carry, or charge up the S Pen. With the S22 Ultra, Samsung has fully embraced it as the Note successor with an S Pen silo, flat and square design elements, and all of the latest and greatest specifications in a smartphone.
The Galaxy S22 phones were the first to launch widely with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor inside. While the same resolution cameras are found in this year's S22 Ultra, Samsung improved the camera's capabilities, especially in terms of low-light shooting. With two telephoto cameras, Samsung stands out from Apple and Google with fantastic zoom capability.
Best affordable 5G phone
7)Google Pixel 5A with 5G
The Google Pixel 4A 5G was a great 5G phone, but in 2021 Google replaced it with the 5A 5G that offers more and has a price of $50 less. At $449, it's one of the most affordable 5G phones we have seen released, and it includes some upper-level features such as IP67 dust/water resistance and a metal unibody design.
In addition to the software being a focus for Google, the camera is another reason to buy the Pixel 5A 5G over other, better smartphone hardware. However, while others have three or four rear cameras, Google provides just two, so there are some limits on its capability as a daily shooter.
Best foldable for most people
8)Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
Like the Z Fold 3, the Z Flip 3 is the third generation Flip device from Samsung. One significant improvement is the increased size of the cover screen display from 1.1 to 1.9 inches. The other major change is the IPX8 water resistance that gives you peace of mind when you are flipping open and closed out in the weather.
The $200 price drop on the Z Flip 3 means you can now join the foldable sector for $1000, which is competitive to other flagship smartphones and gives the Z Flip 3 the potential to seriously challenge other manufacturers while expanding the adoption of foldable devices
Best OnePlus flagship
9)OnePlus 9 Pro
OnePlus used to be the "flagship killer" brand but has since evolved into higher-priced flagships directly challenging the likes of Samsung and Apple. Compared to Samsung, OnePlus offers an experience that is free from ads and bloatware while also now providing some interesting features such as reverse wireless charging and adaptive 120Hz displays.
The OnePlus 9 Pro is priced at about $200 less than Samsung's S21 Ultra, which is significant given that Samsung's price is also $200 less than its launch price in 2020. For less than $1,000, the OnePlus 9 Pro is a serious flagship smartphone to consider.
Best Microsoft phone
10)Microsoft Surface Duo 2
The original Surface Duo suffered from old and missing basic specifications while launching a unique form factor that was much more than just a smartphone. Microsoft listened to feedback and offers significant improvements in the specifications this year so that the Surface Duo 2 matches other flagship smartphones in 2021.
However, the focus on this phone is still on productivity, and it is perfect for those who multi-task and need to use two apps at the same time. The issue for Microsoft is whether or not there is a sustainable market for a device fit for these specific customers
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