What a year 2019 has been for smartphones: in fact there’s never been a better time to buy a phone, and we’ve looked carefully at all the new handsets to compile a list of the cream of the crop. If you want one of the very best phones on the market today then you’re in the right place, as we’ve got the absolute best smartphones going. From the stunning Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus and super slick Apple Iphone 11Pro, to the insanely fast One plus 7TPro, onto the photo-taking majesty of the Huawei P30 Pro, the movie-watching joy delivered by the Sony Experia X1 and the unique S Pen functionality delivered by the Samsung galaxy note 10 range, these truly are the best mobile phones on the market today. What a year 2019 has been for smartphones: in fact there’s never been a better time to buy a phone, and we’ve looked carefully at all the new handsets to compile a list of the cream of the crop. If you want one of the very best phones on the market today then you’re in the right place, as we’ve got the absolute best smartphones going.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S10 PLUS
Release date: March 2019 | Weight: 157g/175g | Dimensions: 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm/157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.1-inch/6.4-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3040 | CPU: Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9820 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128/512GB/1TB | Battery: 3,400mAh/4,100mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 16MP | Front camera: 10MP/10MP + 8MP
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is the best smartphone available right now, still. That covers both the S10 and the larger Galaxy S10 Plus, as there’s very little difference between the two handsets aside from size.
They take the very best of what’s on the smartphone market and put it together in a compelling package that we loved testing.
Screen: The Super AMOLED display has been measured as the very best around with super colours, great dynamic range and, essentially, the very best viewing experience you can have on a mobile phone.
Plus, there’s a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display.
Battery life: The battery life on the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus is an improvement over the S9 series, thanks to the larger batteries inside. They easily reach bedtime with double digits still left in the tank.
They also offer Samsung’s Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to wirelessly charge other devices on the rear of the handsets.
Camera: The trio of cameras on the S10 and S10 Plus are among the best on the market, building on the excellent setup on the S9 series by offering more features, shooting modes and overall clarity.
Mini verdict: The S10 and S10 Plus are packed full of the best Samsung has to offer, and it comes together to give you the best smartphone experience around right now. If we had to pick one, we’d go for the bigger screen, larger battery and dual selfie snappers of the Galaxy S10 Plus, but both phones deserve their best phone crown.
ONE PLUS 7T PRO
Release date: October 2019 | Weight: 206g | Dimensions: 162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3120 | CPU: Snapdragon 855+ | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 4,085mAh | Rear camera: 48MP + 16MP + 8MP | Front camera: 16MP
The OnePlus 7T Pro is the best smartphone from the Chinese phone manufacturer.
Screen: One of the highlights of the 7T Pro is its gorgeous, large display. It can compete with any other top-end handset you may be considering, and beats some of them when it comes to price.
Battery life: The battery performs admirably, matching the 7 Pro and perhaps even exceeding it in some regards. We found it would comfortably last a whole day on a single charge, even with extensive usage..
Camera: The OnePlus 7T Pro can take very good shots, but it doesn’t have the best camera we’ve seen on a smartphone – one of the small compromises to keep costs down. Still, you’re getting three powerful rear snappers and a selfie camera on the front.
Mini verdict: The OnePlus 7T Pro is an impressive handset that costs less than a lot of the competition, while offering an almost full suite of flagship features.
IPHONE 11 PRO/11 PRO MAX
Release date: September 2019 | Weight: 188g/226g | Dimensions: 144 x 71.4 x 8.1mm/158 x 77.8 x 8.1mm | OS: iOS 13 | Screen size: 5.8-inch/6.5-inch | Resolution: 1125 × 2436/1242 x 2688 | CPU: Apple A13 Bionic | RAM: 4GB TBC | Storage: 64/256/512GB | Battery: 3,046mAh/3,969mAh TBC | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 12MP + 12MP
Want something a bit more from your iPhone? You’re in luck with the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, as they feature improved spec including a more high-end rear camera that can compete with the very best.
Other than the obvious size, there’s very little difference between the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, which is why we grouped them together in our best phone roundup.
Screen: It’s the biggest decision you’ll have to make. Will you go for the 5.8-inch 11 Pro (which is easier to use one-handed) or the larger 6.5-inch 11 Pro Max (which is great for movies and gaming)? Either way, you get a great display which packs a colourful punch.
Battery life: The battery life on the 11 Pro series is slightly longer than the last few generations of the iPhone, but don’t expect anything game changing here when it comes to the length your phone will last for.
Camera: Apple has put most of its focus into the rear cameras on this device, and while the design of the rear of the phone has been controversial these cameras can create some truly stunning photography that competes with the very best camera phones.
Mini verdict: You’ll have to spend a bit extra to get the iPhone 11 Pro, but it’s well worth it if you want a phone that sports iOS 13 but comes with top-end features.
HUAWEI P30 PRO
Release date: March 2019 | Weight: 192g | Dimensions: 158 x 73.4 x 8.4mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.47-inch | CPU: Kirin 980 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128/256/512GB | Battery: 4,200mAh | Rear camera: 40MP + 20MP + 8MP + ToF | Front camera: 32MP
The Huawei P30 Pro is so close to being the best smartphone right now, and for some it will take top spot in their minds.
While Google and Huawei have promised to support phones currently on the market, it’s not clear how long they’ll receive Android updates or access to the Google Play Store, which would severely curtail their usefulness compared to the competition.
Screen: The large 6.47-inch screen on the P30 Pro may ‘only’ have a Full HD+ resolution, but it’s bright, clear and colourful providing an excellent canvas for your apps and games.
Battery life: There’s no worry when it comes to the P30 Pro potentially running out of juice, the battery life here is excellent. We regularly got to the end of the day with 30% or more left in the tank.
Camera: The cameras are the P30 Pro’s real party piece, providing staggeringly good 5x and 10x zoom, and a digital 50x zoom with gets you insanely close to objects far off in the distance. Its low-light capabilities are also top-notch.
Mini Verdict: The P30 Pro not only sets a new standard for Huawei, it sets a new standard for the mobile industry. Its cameras are quite simply astonishing, the design is eye-catching and the power plentiful. It’s a true flagship smartphone
OPPO RENO 10X ZOOM
Release date: June 2019 | Weight: 210g | Dimensions: 162 x 77.2 x 9.3mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.6-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Snapdragon 855 | RAM: 6/8GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 4,065mAh | Rear camera: 48MP + 13MP + 8MP | Front camera: 16MP
The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom boasts an attractive pop-up selfie camera, cutting-edge chipset and competitive camera lineup, making it one of the best phones available right now.
Screen: Thanks to the pop-up selfie camera, there’s no notch intruding on the display and with almost zero bezel you’re treated to an eye-popping 93.1% screen-to-body ratio. It just looks great.
Battery life: The battery on the Reno 10x Zoom lasts for about a day of medium-to-heavy use, and a day and a half if you use it a little less. That’s what we expect from a modern smartphone, so no issues here.
Camera: Despite what its name may suggest, this phone actually offers up a whopping 60x zoom, which gets you alarmingly close to objects far in the distance. It’s a digital zoom, so quality degrades a little, but even the 5x optical zoom is impressive.
Mini verdict: The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom is a stylish phone – between its sleek look, asymmetrical pop-up and delicate back colours, it looks great – and, surprisingly for a Chinese smartphone with its own UI, the software is good to look at too.