Winning Best Smartphone 2024 is no easy task. We see so many brands come through the CGM offices, varying in features, style and price range. It’s hard to choose! Our final choices blew us away this year.
Usually, when hunting for a new smartphone, buyers end up with better-known name brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google. Here at CGM, we branch out every year to check out the other competition, including companies like OnePlus, Xiaomi, Poco and more.
In our findings, these brands tend to offer similar, sometimes even better, features for a more affordable price. Some of our criteria for Best Smartphone 2024 include ease of use, a great camera, battery to last, and so much more. Here are our winners for Best Smartphone 2024.
Best Smartphone 2024:
POCO F5 PRO SMARTPHONE
Writer: Andrew Wilson
The Poco F5 Pro is surprisingly good. As someone with relatively small hands, finding a good smartphone to use every day is never easy. This task is made even more difficult as more and more smartphone manufacturers continue to produce devices with larger and larger screens and form factors. Sure, you could opt for a foldable phone, but those usually come with an equally large price tag paired with the compromise of durability. Xiaomi’s latest Poco F5 Pro is another large phone entering the crowded market, aiming to target the higher-end flagship devices while having a price tag similar to a mid-range phone.
All in all, the Poco F5 Pro has been an absolutely thrilling phone to use over the last several days. To both the surprise of me and many other people I know, it has now become my new daily driver, and I don’t know whether I will want to return to using my old iPhone now. The added “fun” of having a phone I know nobody else gives me the ability to geek out a little bit when someone goes, “Woah, what kind of phone is that?”. The Poco F5 Pro is undoubtedly one of the best “flagship killer” phones on the market that I have tried.
Poco has done an incredible job with their latest flagship killer, the Poco F5 Pro. It delivers top-notch specs and has an excellent camera setup that will leave you wondering why you’d spend a fortune on your next phone.
- Display: 6.67″ WQHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits brightness
- Camera: 64MP main camera with 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro and depth lenses
GOOGLE PIXEL 8 SMARTPHONE
Writer: David Walters
I’ve been on the Google smartphone train for a while now, using the Pixel 6, 6a, 7, 7a, and now the 8. Since my recent forgettable experience with the Pixel 7a, I was very excited to get the chance to give the Pixel 8 a try to see if things got better with a new model altogether.
As a smartphone, the Pixel 8 is spectacular. I can barely find a fault for a device designed for everyone. Capable processing power, great battery life, AI-driven software features and more all headline this device. If this is what Google has done for the Pixel 8, I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the Pixel 9 and beyond.
The Pixel 8 is a fantastic smartphone with some clever features that will continue to be relevant for years to come.
- Pixel 8 is the helpful phone engineered by Google; the new Google Tensor G3 chip is custom-designed with Google AI for cutting-edge photo and video features and smarter ways to help[1]
- Unlocked Android 5G phone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan[2]; it works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers
SAMSUNG GALAXY S23 ULTRA SMARTPHONE
Writer: Joe Findlay
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone is much more than just the next phone in a long line of great Samsung phones. Some significant upgrades to this device represent huge quality of life improvements, evolution of functionality and gigantic leaps in performance that, even if you’re not the type of person to upgrade to the next phone or even make the leap from another brand, now might be the time to look into it.
Now with a premium phone comes a premium price. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra ranges from $1199.99 USD for the 256 GB to $1699.99 USD for the 1 TB version. These are not inexpensive phones by any stretch of the imagination. If you own an S22 Ultra and are satisfied with the camera and battery life that you have already, the jump to the next model is likely not worth the cost, but if you have the money, treat yourself. The jump will be more significant from earlier models of Android devices, however, and you may be willing to make the investment to future-proof yourself for a few years.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a monumental realization and offers huge improvements in the aspects of a smartphone that many deem to be the most important when shopping nowadays, particularly in the camera and battery life. Some photo inconsistencies for less experienced photographers and the hefty price tag may be enough to chase some people away, but I have to say, you’re missing out.
- GALAXY AI IS HERE: Search like never before¹, get real-time interpretation on a call², format your notes into a clear summary³, and effortlessly edit your photos⁴ – all from your smartphone, all with AI
- CAPTURE THE NIGHT IN LOW LIGHT: Whether you’re headed to a concert or romantic night out, there’s no such thing as bad lighting with Night Mode; Galaxy S23 Ultra lets you capture epic content in any setting with stunning Nightography
ONEPLUS 11 5G SMARTPHONE
Writer: Brendan Frye
The OnePlus 11 5G smartphone is in an interesting position, especially for a brand known for its top-end specs at an affordable price. Once known for its “Flagship Killer” motto, OnePlus has built up a worldwide fan following that is excited at the potential of each new release. While not everyone loved what the OnePlus 10T brought to the table, the OnePlus 11 is looking to change that, bringing more of what people love, all while keeping the important features the brand is known for.
OnePlus has done what was needed to bring their phone to the mainstream, delivering most of the features users would want from a 2023 flagship device. The phone is incredibly fast, easy to use, and stunning to look at. While I am sad to see the lack of wireless charging, all other important aspects have been addressed, and the camera is one of the best I have seen from an Android 13-based device.
Packed with features, style, and one of the best camera arrays I’ve seen on an Android phone, the OnePlus 11 smartphone is the new budget flagship phone to beat.
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XIAOMI 13 ULTRA SMARTPHONE
Writer: Brendan Frye
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra smartphone is the latest flagship to push the boundaries of what is possible with a camera on a smartphone. The 13 Ultra offers a great balance of design, performance, camera system and other high-end features that make it stand out from the competition. While there are some things to be aware of, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra smartphone is an option worth considering for users looking for a device that can deliver an exceptional experience without major compromises.
From gaming to content creation, Xiaomi has built a phone that does it all and does it all well. The 13 Ultra is a content creator’s dream come true, with a camera array and performance ready to take on anything you can throw at it. While I may have issues with the MIUI OS, it does not take away from the performance and wealth of features at my fingertips. Apple, Samsung and other brands should take notice. This is the new flagship smartphone to beat in 2023.
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra, with its groundbreaking camera, unique design, superior display, and power-packed performance, is the new flagship to beat in 2023.
- Water Resistant Design: Withstands splashes, spills, and accidental submersion in water up to 1 meter deep.
- Large Storage Capacity: 1TB of internal storage provides ample space for apps, photos, videos, and more.
