The last 12 months have been busy with phone ads and now I’ll look back at the devices that impressed me the most. Over 500 new models have been released in the world of smartphones and I had a hard time choosing my five favorites.
Smartphone companies launch a lot of mid-range products in an attempt to grab a share of the more active market, but you won’t find them on my list. I’m in my eighth year at GSMArena, more than ever I believe in uncompromising devices. The year 2023 was great if you wanted a flagship, making me more excited than ever to try the next best thing.
Here are my top 5 phones launching in 2023, in no particular order.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
This year’s Samsung flagship isn’t much different from its 2022 predecessor: same size, same feel, almost the same cameras. What fascinated me was the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and Samsung’s bold decision to admit that it can’t deliver top-tier chipsets every year. There’s also the 200MP camera, which isn’t a big deal for me.
The S23 Ultra had big shoes to fill after the impressive S22 Ultra. I appreciated that Samsung didn’t fumble the ball – it simply updated minor things here and there, perfecting what was already a top-tier device.
Yes, nothing major happened, but sometimes we need consistency and the knowledge that your phone’s performance isn’t plummeting, unlike many other things in life.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro Max proudly sits alongside the Galaxy S23 Ultra as one of the best devices on the market. While some may be perplexed as to why I chose the Samsung phone, I doubt anyone is questioning my choice of the Apple phone.
I chose the best iPhone on the market for its lighter body that still feels like a premium phone. A smartphone doesn’t need to be extremely heavy; we need to see the performance and I like the fact that Apple never cuts corners. Features are often slow to arrive, but at least they’re usually more refined than when Android makers rush things.
Yes, I’m talking about the periscope lens. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is several years behind the trend, but in my experience I’ve never had any issues with the telephoto lens. For comparison, Samsung’s flagship takes its time to focus, while other phones, such as vivo and Oppo, provide different color rendition, which is definitely not ideal.
Yes, Apple needs to work on fast charging and a few other smaller features, and the phone is the most expensive bar phone on the market, but sometimes excellence comes at a price.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Pixel 8 Pro lags behind in terms of battery life or general availability, but it’s still the best Google phone on the market.
An unparalleled feature is the mind-blowing seven years of software support. This is great, although I don’t believe in using the same smartphone for a long time. After all, technology evolves and with it malware and these phones are being passed around for a long time nowadays.
Google’s Tensor G3 chipset didn’t impress us during the review process in terms of raw performance or stability under load. Yes, it wouldn’t be the best device to play games on, but the way Google’s algorithms work with camera sensors is still one of the best in the business.
Xiaomi 13Pro
This smartphone was technically launched in 2022 but it is for all intents and purposes a 2023 flagship, which is why I’m putting it on my list. It came with the best chipset on the market, 1” sensor from Sony and camera performance optimized by Leica. There’s also very fast charging and the device looks great – it ticks all the boxes on my flagship checklist.
Some might assume that my passion for flagships would lead me towards the 13 Ultra, but the reason I chose the Pro is its wide availability and unobtrusive design. Yes, the Ultra is a better cameraphone with an extra telephoto lens, but the Pro is simply a phone you take out of the box and immediately start using.
OnePlus Open and Oppo Find N3
Foldable phones are the future, I have no doubt about that. Oppo’s latest product, sold in some countries under the OnePlus brand, is a testament to how technology has evolved and how a company can learn from its mistakes. Just 12 months ago, Oppo decided not to launch the Find N2 internationally, but changed its approach for the Find N3.
The Galaxy Z Fold5 is still the best foldable on the market for its intended audience: users who need multitasking, a fast chipset, and a bright screen. However, the Open/Find N3 has managed to close the gap on its Samsung competitor and now also offers a superb OLED on the outside and an excellent folding panel on the inside.
Photo and video quality may be hit or miss, as Oppo is still struggling to find the perfect fine-tuning for photos. However, the experience is much smoother than expected, and this is the best phone for taking portraits and selfies, thanks to the foldable form factor.
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