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Best Smartphones 2026 — iPhone, Samsung & Pixel Buying Guide

Find the perfect phone for photography, performance, and value. Compare flagships from Apple, Samsung, Google, and more.

AI Top Pick

Our Recommendation: iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple's ultimate smartphone with A18 Pro chip, 48MP camera system, titanium design, and all-day battery.

★★★★★4.7/5 (34,560 reviews)
  • Best iPhone camera ever
  • A18 Pro is blazing fast
  • Titanium premium build
from£1,199
View Full ReviewCheck Price on Amazon

What are the best phones to buy right now?

Our top-rated phones right now are the iPhone 16 Pro Max (£1199) and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (£1299). These are our editor's picks based on value, performance, and user reviews.

AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-2%
AppleAI VerifiedAI Verified

iPhone 16 Pro Max

★★★★½4.7(34,560 reviews)
from£1,179RRP £1,1994 retailers
chipApple A18 Pro
display6.9" Super Retina XDR OLED 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
Best iPhone camera everA18 Pro is blazing fast
Very expensive
Affiliate link
AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-4%Launch Offer
SamsungAI VerifiedAI Verified

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

★★★★½4.6(12,340 reviews)
from£1,249RRP £1,2993 retailers
chipSnapdragon 8 Elite
display6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
200MP camera is incredibleGalaxy AI features
Very expensive
Affiliate link

What is the best phone in 2026?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are the top two flagships. The iPhone excels at video and ecosystem. The Samsung wins on versatility with S Pen and 200MP camera. For the best camera AI: Google Pixel 9 Pro.

AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-2%
AppleAI VerifiedAI Verified

iPhone 16 Pro Max

★★★★½4.7(34,560 reviews)
from£1,179RRP £1,1994 retailers
chipApple A18 Pro
display6.9" Super Retina XDR OLED 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
Best iPhone camera everA18 Pro is blazing fast
Very expensive
Affiliate link
AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-4%Launch Offer
SamsungAI VerifiedAI Verified

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

★★★★½4.6(12,340 reviews)
from£1,249RRP £1,2993 retailers
chipSnapdragon 8 Elite
display6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
200MP camera is incredibleGalaxy AI features
Very expensive
Affiliate link
Top Rated
GoogleAI VerifiedAI Verified

Google Pixel 9 Pro

★★★★½4.5(8,760 reviews)
from£999$999
chipGoogle Tensor G4
display6.3" LTPO OLED 120Hz
storage128GB-1TB
Best computational photographyGemini AI built in
Tensor chip less powerful than Snapdragon
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iPhone or Samsung — which is better?

iPhone 16 Pro Max for: Apple ecosystem, video quality, longer software support, privacy. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for: customisation, S Pen, 200MP camera, more display options. Both are excellent — your ecosystem choice matters most.

AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-2%
AppleAI VerifiedAI Verified

iPhone 16 Pro Max

★★★★½4.7(34,560 reviews)
from£1,179RRP £1,1994 retailers
chipApple A18 Pro
display6.9" Super Retina XDR OLED 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
Best iPhone camera everA18 Pro is blazing fast
Very expensive
Affiliate link
AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-4%Launch Offer
SamsungAI VerifiedAI Verified

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

★★★★½4.6(12,340 reviews)
from£1,249RRP £1,2993 retailers
chipSnapdragon 8 Elite
display6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
200MP camera is incredibleGalaxy AI features
Very expensive
Affiliate link

What is the best phone camera in 2026?

For computational photography: Google Pixel 9 Pro (best Night Sight, Magic Eraser). For hardware: Samsung S25 Ultra (200MP, 5x zoom). For video: iPhone 16 Pro Max (Cinematic Mode, Action Mode). All three are exceptional.

Top Rated
GoogleAI VerifiedAI Verified

Google Pixel 9 Pro

★★★★½4.5(8,760 reviews)
from£999$999
chipGoogle Tensor G4
display6.3" LTPO OLED 120Hz
storage128GB-1TB
Best computational photographyGemini AI built in
Tensor chip less powerful than Snapdragon
Affiliate link
AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-4%Launch Offer
SamsungAI VerifiedAI Verified

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

★★★★½4.6(12,340 reviews)
from£1,249RRP £1,2993 retailers
chipSnapdragon 8 Elite
display6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
200MP camera is incredibleGalaxy AI features
Very expensive
Affiliate link
AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-2%
AppleAI VerifiedAI Verified

iPhone 16 Pro Max

★★★★½4.7(34,560 reviews)
from£1,179RRP £1,1994 retailers
chipApple A18 Pro
display6.9" Super Retina XDR OLED 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
Best iPhone camera everA18 Pro is blazing fast
Very expensive
Affiliate link

What is the best phone under £500?

The Google Pixel 8a (£449) offers flagship-level cameras, 7 years of updates, and clean Android. The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus (£349) has a unique design and great value. Both punch well above their price.

GoogleAI VerifiedAI Verified

Google Pixel 8a

★★★★4.4(12,340 reviews)
from£449$499
chipGoogle Tensor G3
display6.1" OLED 120Hz
storage128GB-256GB
Incredible valueFlagship-level cameras
Plastic build
Affiliate link
NothingAI VerifiedAI Verified

Nothing Phone (2a) Plus

★★★★4.2(3,450 reviews)
from£349$399
chipMediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro
display6.7" AMOLED 120Hz
storage256GB
Unique designGreat value
MediaTek chip less powerful
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Which phone has the best battery life?

The OnePlus 13 leads with a massive 6,000mAh battery and 100W charging (0-100% in 30 mins). The iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung S25 Ultra both offer all-day battery with much more moderate sizes.

Top Rated
OnePlusAI VerifiedAI Verified

OnePlus 13

★★★★½4.5(4,560 reviews)
from£799$899
chipSnapdragon 8 Elite
display6.82" LTPO AMOLED 120Hz
storage256GB-512GB
Massive 6,000mAh battery100W wired + 50W wireless charging
OxygenOS bloat increasing
Affiliate link
AI Pick
AI RecommendedTop Rated-2%
AppleAI VerifiedAI Verified

iPhone 16 Pro Max

★★★★½4.7(34,560 reviews)
from£1,179RRP £1,1994 retailers
chipApple A18 Pro
display6.9" Super Retina XDR OLED 120Hz
storage256GB-1TB
Best iPhone camera everA18 Pro is blazing fast
Very expensive
Affiliate link

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