Our experts test the best mobile phones of 2026

We tested all phones for at least a week and often for as long as a month, focusing on improvements over the preceding generation, if applicable. The quality of the cameras and the software behind them is always an important factor, so we take pictures and video in a wide variety of day and night conditions, testing each shooting mode. This is closely followed by battery life, charging time and the speed of the processor: can it smoothly handle the demands of high-definition video and the latest AI-driven software?

Screen size and resolution are important when assessing phones as video and gaming platforms, but we also take into account how they feel in the hand and how resistant they are to knocks and scratches. We tend not to compare operating systems given that both iOS and Android are frequently updated, but we do pay attention to how well they work with headphones and other wireless peripherals.

Most phones are available with a choice of storage capacities ranging from 128GB to 512GB, and sometimes even 1TB. The difference in performance between storage tiers is, at most, negligible, so we test the ones that we believe represent the best value.

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There is no single “best phone” that will suit everyone. If you just want a phone to handle the basics, then a Pro or Ultra-tier handset is overkill.

This brings us to form factor. Modern smartphones vary wildly in size, from the pocket-friendly Samsung Galaxy S25 to the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold that unfurls into a mini-tablet. The latter is great for getting things done on the go, but it won’t travel lightly in the pocket.

For some people, a smartphone is more like a hyper-connected camera. Thankfully, every flagship phone these days carries a capable camera, but you need to ask yourself what kind of photography or videography you favour.
High-quality zoom lenses, for example, are often reserved for Pro and Ultra models.

Now that you’ve established the kind of phone you might be after, we can offer up some specific recommendations.

Apple made smartphones mainstream with the launch of the original iPhone in 2007. Every smartphone that has been released since has owed the company a significant debt.

Apple continues to make the most popular phones on the market, and that popularity is well deserved. iPhones are expensive, but they’re well-built, easy to use, and have outstanding cameras, while Apple’s customer support is second to none.