The best smartphones for 2020
Smartphones are perhaps the most personal tech we own. That’s why it’s so important to pick the phone that’s best for your needs. There are many factors to consider, from the design and operating system to security and durability. We fully test every phone we can get our hands on here at Digital Trends, and after conducting hundreds of reviews, we’re confident in recommending whether a particular phone is a good buy for you, or if you’re better off with something else.
Aftermuch debate and soul searching, we landed on the Apple iPhone 11 Pro as our top pick for the best phone available right now, though, for Android fans, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 Plus is still a close second. Here’s why the iPhone 11 Pro ultimately triumphed, and our picks for other smartphone categories. If you’re partial to the Android mobile operating system, we’ve compiled a list of the best Android phones on the market as well as quite a few smartphone deals to help you save.
Further reading
Best smartphones at a glance
- Best overall smartphone: Apple iPhone 11 Pro (Review)
- Best Android phone: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus (Review)
- Best budget smartphone: Google Pixel 3a (Review)
- Best camera phone: Apple iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
- Best battery life: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (Review)
- Best value: OnePlus 7T (Review)
- Best small smartphone: Samsung Galaxy S10e (Review)
Best overall smartphone: Apple iPhone 11 Pro
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1001px" width="1500px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Why you should buy this: You get a beautiful screen, a versatile camera, and all-day battery life in a premium package.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants the best all-around phone available.
Why we picked the iPhone 11 Pro:
Apple has built on the elegant, reassuringly expensive design of its flagship range with a raft of refinements, making the iPhone 11 Pro the complete package. With an awesome screen, versatile camera, and strong battery life, the 11 Pro is all about perfecting the core smartphone experience without the need for superfluous extras.
The iPhone 11 Pro is a touch heavier and thicker than its predecessor, but it’s a change you’ll be quick to accept in return for the improved battery life. It’s the same mix of stainless steel and glass, and the 5.8-inch screen size means that it fits perfectly in most palms. The back is now frosted to discourage unsightly fingerprints and smudges. Apple has dubbed the screen “Super Retina XDR,” but all you need to know is that it’s sharp and extremely bright. Colors are vivid and HDR content takes full advantage of this excellent display’s capabilities.
Apple’s A13 Bionic chip is lightning fast. It offers a 20% bump on last year’s processor and beats out every other phone we’ve tested so far in terms of raw power. The iPhone 11 Pro runs iOS 13, which offers a lot of new features and small improvements, including a long-awaited dark mode.
Most manufacturers have stepped up their photography game in recent years and Apple was falling behind, but it has reclaimed top spot with the 11 Pro. The main camera features three lenses, arranged in a controversial square module at the top left on the back. There’s a standard 12-megapixel wide-angle lens with an f/1.8 aperture, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with an f/2.0 aperture, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.4 aperture. This camera is equipped for every situation, whether you’re snapping friends in a nightclub, capturing a beautiful landscape, or zooming in on some action from afar. Apple’s portrait mode is wonderful, you can fit more in with the 120-degree field of view that the new ultra-wide-angle lens offers, and there’s a night mode that performs amazingly well in low light conditions. On the front, the 11 Pro sports a 12-megapixel lens for selfies.
Battery life is another strength, with the iPhone 11 Pro easily seeing you through an average day with something left in the tank. There’s also 18W wired charging with a proper fast charger in the box, and you always have the option of charging, albeit more slowly, via wireless charging pads. The iPhone 11 Pro also has an IP68 rating, so water is nothing to worry about.
The price may give you pause, at $999 and up, especially since the base model only has 64GB with no room for expansion — we recommend snagging the 256GB version at $1,099. It’s a lot of money, but for a constant companion with no obvious weaknesses, it’s an expense you can justify.
Runner-up: Apple iPhone 11
If the price tag of the iPhone 11 Pro is too high, then you may consider the iPhone 11 as a very good alternative that comes in $300 cheaper. You’ll enjoy the same excellent performance, all-day battery life, and a great dual-lens camera. It lacks the telephoto lens of the 11 Pro, and the design and screen are nowhere near as good, but you’ll only notice that if you put them side by side. For most people, the iPhone 11 is probably the right pick from Apple’s lineup.
Best Android phone: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1000px" width="1500px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Why you should buy this: You want the most powerful, feature-packed Android smartphone ever.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants the best Android experience.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus:
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus sports a stylish, refined design that comes in an eye-catching Aura Glow option that everyone is sure to love. It’s a big phone, but Samsung has shaved it down as far as is possible with a device that has an enormous 6.8-inch screen. If you like to have plenty of screen real estate, then Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED is very hard to beat. With a sharp 3,040 x 1,440 resolution and HDR10+ certification, you won’t tire of gazing at this screen.
Inside there’s plenty of power to run the most demanding apps and games thanks to a Snapdragon 855 processor that’s paired with a staggering 12GB of RAM to make this a multitasking monster. As befits a phone built for productivity, there’s 256GB of storage and room for expansion via MicroSD card. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus runs Android 9.0 Pie with One UI over the top and it’s slick and accessible.
You’ll find an impressive triple-lens camera in the Note 10 Plus, which combines a 12-megapixel main lens with a variable f/1.5 to f/2.4 aperture and optical image stabilization, a 12-megapixel f/2.1 telephoto lens (with OIS), and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture; there’s even a time-of-flight sensor for better depth sensing. It’s a versatile setup that performs very well in most situations.
The S Pen is the secret weapon in Samsung’s Note line and it’s more useful than ever, with remote control functions thanks to the Bluetooth connectivity. You can also have the Note 10 Plus convert your handwriting into text, or use the S Pen to draw in 3D with AR Doodle. Samsung has also formed a closer partnership with Microsoft, so it’s easy to link up with a Windows PC or laptop.
Battery life to write home about rounds out a truly desirable smartphone. The 4,300mAh battery can get through even a busy day with change and Samsung has improved its top charging speed, offering a 25W charger in the box, but also the possibility of 45W charging if you’re willing to spring for the right kit. There’s also fast wireless charging support and you can even wirelessly charge other Qi-certified devices with the Note 10 Plus.
Naturally, a device like this does not come cheap and prices start from $1,100. You can snag the 5G version for $1,300. You could argue some of the features here are gimmicky and unlikely to be used often, but Samsung’s kitchen-sink approach doesn’t prevent it from turning out phones that do all the basics well and the Note 10 Plus is the best phone that the company has ever made.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus review
Runner-up: Google Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL
The Pixel range continues to be the only Android option that can fully compete with Apple’s iPhone in several key areas, including security, timely software updates, and software design. But it goes further with meaningful artificial intelligence features anyone can appreciate. Google manages the Android operating system, and so with the Pixel series, it’s able to optimize the hardware and the software — similar to what Apple does with the iPhone. That approach, plus the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and 6GB of RAM, makes the phone a joy to use. It has the best software experience on a phone, and it performs fluidly. The Pixel 4’s spotlight feature is its dual-lens camera, which is one of the best around. The Achilles’ heel is the battery life, which will mostly get you through a day with average use but can cause some anxiety.
Why you should buy this: You’re on a strict budget, but you still want a powerful phone.
Google Pixel 3a
Who it’s for: Bargain buyers who want a stock Android phone.
Why we picked the Google Pixel 3a:
The Pixel 3a is a fantastically solid smartphone with no real weaknesses. Google’s affordable midrange phone looks a lot like its much more expensive flagship sibling, but is finished in plastic instead of glass. There’s a 5.6-inch OLED display with a 2,220 x 1,080-pixel resolution that’s sharp and legible, even in broad daylight.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor is backed by 4GB of RAM and performs admirably. Part of the silky smoothness comes from the fact it features Android as Google intended, which also ensures the very latest security patches and new Android versions as soon as they’re released.
While midrange and budget smartphoneshave been growing more and more attractive and powerful, certain elements always tend to be lacking, and the camera is the main one. Google’s Pixel 3a changes all that by making one of our favorite smartphone cameras affordable. Google’s A.I. squeezes amazing results from the same single 12.2-megapixel lens you’ll find in the Pixel 3; the Pixel 3a is just a tad slower at processing images. There’s also a capable 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
The Pixel 3a comes complete with clever software features like Now Playing, which displays songs playing in your vicinity on the lock screen, and Call Screen, which enables Google Assistant to screen your incoming calls.
You get a decent 64GB of storage inside. There’s no space for a MicroSD card, but you do get a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C port for fast wired charging. To round out an excellent phone, there’s a 3,000mAh battery that will easily see you through an average day with change.
If we had to dig out a flaw, the lack of wireless charging is a little disappointing and there’s no IP rating, though Google says the Pixel 3a is splash- and dust-resistant. If you’re sold, but you prefer a bigger screen, then the Pixel 3a XL gives you a bigger, 6-inch screen for an extra $80.
Runner-up: Moto G7
The Moto G series has long held the budget crown, so you may still want to check out the Moto G7 at $300. It boasts a dual-lens camera and fast charging. On the other hand, Motorola has allowed some bloatware to creep in and the price to creep up. If you’re outside the U.S., we recommend the Moto G7 Plus instead.
Best camera phone: Apple iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1000px" width="1490px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Why you should buy this: It has the best smartphone camera you can buy.
iPhone 11 Pro
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants the best smartphone camera.
Why we picked the Apple iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max:
We have already told you about the iPhone 11 Pro, and the 11 Pro Max has the same excellent triple-lens camera. The combination of a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens with an f/1.8 aperture, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with an f/2.0 aperture, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.4 aperture gives you everything you need to create amazing photographs wherever you happen to be.
Slight improvements to an already excellent portrait mode and a smart Super HDR function that combines multiple shots for best results are welcome, but the new ultra-wide-angle lens with its 120-degree field of view is the most fun new addition, enabling you to fit in more of the backdrop when snapping people or to capture previously impossible views.
Apple has also taken time to develop a night mode and the results are predictably excellent — you can take photos with very limited light and, provided you hold still for longer exposures, the results are generally breathtaking. Most of us primarily love to take photos of people and few other phones can come close to the wonderful portrait shots that the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max offer. The 12-megapixel front-facing camera allows for selfie portraits that are every bit as good.
While the intuitive camera app may lack some in-depth access to features that photographers may want to tinker with, it serves fantastically well for people who just want to snap the best shot possible without having to think too much about it.
Osm bro
ReplyDelete