The best smartphones of 2024

Buying a new smartphone is a big decision, and with so many options available, it can feel overwhelming. To make it easier, we’ve compiled a list of what we think are the best handsets on the market right now. Whether you’re on a budget or looking to splurge, there’s something here for everyone.

Best overall: Apple iPhone 16 Pro

No surprises here—the iPhone 16 Pro easily claims the title for Best Overall. From its large, stunning display and premium titanium design to its impressive battery life, this model delivers everything you'd expect from an iPhone.

But it’s the exciting performance upgrades that really make it stand out, even to the toughest Apple critics. Here’s why:

Powerful A18 Pro Chip: What does a more powerful chip mean for you? Think more sophisticated AI to help with daily tasks, improved heat distribution, longer battery life, and more.

Apple Intelligence: Imagine a personal assistant that gets you. With Apple Intelligence, your iPhone can rewrite emails, summarise notes, and even transcribe calls. Siri has also gotten smarter, offering more natural, fluid conversations with enhanced language understanding.

Effortless photography: With the new tactile Camera Control button, you can easily adjust zoom, exposure, and focus with just a flick. Plus, a two-stage shutter coming soon will help lock focus with a light press. Basically, you’ll be an expert photographer in no time.

Best for added features: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

If you’re someone who loves extra features, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra delivers in spades, and packs a ton of cutting-edge capabilities.

AI: The S24 Ultra doesn’t shy away from all the features that AI brings. From the AI-generated wallpaper (seriously, you need to try it) to the real-time voice translation, it truly opens a lot of doors.

Circle to Search: Powered by Google, this feature lets you instantly search texts or images on your screen without switching apps or opening a new tab — it's like having a search wizard at your fingertips!

Battery life: Samsung claims you can get 30 hours of solid video viewing, now that’s good enough for our binge-watching sessions.

Five cameras: Including a new 50-megapixel 5x telephoto camera. Perfect for those who like to capture big moments.

Best value: Apple iPhone 15

With the latest iPhone 16 Pro taking the podium, its predecessor claims the spot for best value. The iPhone 15 has many improvements on previous models, making it ideal for those looking to bag a stellar iPhone at a lower price point.

Battery life: The upgraded battery life allows for two days of moderate use.

New charging cables: It’s time to all breathe a collective sigh of relief that Apple has finally seen the light. No more unique Apple charging cables that have us rifling through drawers and cursing their makers. Instead, the iPhone 15 embraces USB-C charging. At last, a cable that we all probably already have.

Huge camera upgrade: The iPhone 15 boasts a massive camera upgrade from the iPhone 14, going from 12MP to 48MP.

Dynamic Island: What was once an exclusive Pro feature is now included on all models of the iPhone 15. The Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped space used to display a variety of useful information, allowing you to deal with notifications without having to open the app.

Want to know how the iPhone 15 battery life stacks up? Check out this blog for a list of the Best iPhone Battery Life Ranked.

Best innovators: Nothing Phone (2) & OnePlus Open

If you like to stand out from the crowd and value innovation, then these two smartphones could be just what you’re looking for.

Nothing phone (2)

Started by Carl Pei, former OnePlus co-founder, Nothing aims to take a stand against the monotony of the modern smartphone and focus on unique design.

Design: The Nothing Phone (2) boasts a clear back, allowing you to see the inner workings of the device, with lights that let you know once notifications have come through.

Software: Minimalist, customisable skins make this a dream for those creatives among us. Clean monochrome digits give the phone a strong visual identity.

Performance: Impressively fast for a relatively affordable phone, you’ll be able to use all your usual apps and features at a decent speed.

OnePlus Open

Foldable phones are more than just a novelty, especially the OnePlus Open, which offers beautifully powerful screens.

Foldability: The OnePlus Open folds in half and completely opens, giving you a few different ways to use it. The hinge is reliable and much lighter than other foldable phones.

Display: The antireflective display makes the ‘crease’ barely noticeable when fully open.

Supercharge multitasking: View three apps simultaneously on the same screen and effortlessly navigate your favourites by nudging, swiping, and pulling —it's like having a productivity powerhouse in your pocket!

Pro photography: The Hasselblad camera partnership delivers stunningly sharp photos with exceptional quality, even in low light conditions.

Best budget: Google Pixel 7a

For those looking to spend a little less on a midrange phone, the Google Pixel 7a is a fantastic choice. It holds up incredibly well against higher-end phones while saving you a pretty penny, it’s a win-win!

Impressive camera: Bright light, low light, portraits, close ups, the 7a camera is extremely capable in all situations.

Reliable battery life: The Google Pixel 7a will last a full day of normal use, which is enough to get you through using maps, snapping pictures, and scrolling social media for the tenth time…

Price: Currently discounted to £349*, you can get your hands on a high-quality smartphone; you can’t go wrong!

Price listed is as of 24/09/24 on Store.Google.com. Prices are subject to change and may vary at the time of your visit.

How to save money when buying a new smartphone

Thinking of buying a new smartphone this autumn? At SMARTY, we’re savvy, and we don’t gatekeep useful information! Here’s some of the best ways to save and spread the cost:

1. Trade in your old phone

It’s easy to forget that your old phone may actually be worth some cash! Why not trade in or part exchange when you go to buy your new handset? This way, you’ll shave some money off the price and declutter at the same time.

2. Do you really need the added features?

Be honest with yourself: Do you really need the latest and greatest smartphone? If you just use your phone for staying in touch and browsing social media, it’s likely that opting for last years models could be a better option.

So, consider the iPhone 15 rather than the latest iPhone 16. Or, the Google Pixel 7a over the Google Pixel 9. Once a new model comes out, last year’s drop in value, making it the perfect time to shop around for deals.

3. Buy second hand

If you’re opting for an older model, you can maximise the savings by buying second hand. Many places test and offer guarantees, meaning you don’t have to worry about a phone not performing as well as brand new.

Whether you're after the latest iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or Google Pixel, Reboxed® has a great selection of refurbished phones at budget-friendly prices. Plus, SMARTY customers get exclusive discounts on top of already fantastic deals—making it an even smarter choice!

4. Spread the cost

If you want a brand-new phone and a up to date model, it might be worth buying outright and spreading the cost. Brands like Apple, Samsung, Google all offer financing options over a set period of time.

5. Avoid lengthy contracts

Signing up for a long contract to pay for a new smartphone with a fixed data plan can end up costing you more than buying the phone outright. Plus, the price of the airtime portion of your plan (calls, texts and data) will increase every year due to “inflation,” with no easy way to break free from the contract.

It’s often far cheaper to buy the device and a flexible monthly SIM plan separately, which is something we’re pretty great at. (If we do say so ourselves…)

Upgrade without commitment

Buying a new shiny smartphone shouldn’t come with the dread of being tied down. At SMARTY, we offer SIM only plans that you can pause, change, or cancel monthly. So, you can feed your new phone with all the data you need, without the headache of annual price rises.

Check out SMARTY’s latest flexible monthly SIM plans.

Disclaimer: We don’t have affiliation with any of the products mentioned in this article. All recommendations are based on unbiased opinions/review.