The following is a summary of the nine best phones we’ve rated in 2019. All these phones are great for most people (unless you have specific needs, for example with the OS). Scroll down to see our longer, in-depth list where you can also click through to read the full, detailed review.
- Best camera: iPhone 11 Pro
- Best all-rounder: Galaxy S10 + Galaxy S10 Plus
- Best way to avoid a notch: OnePlus 7 Pro
- Best big phone: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
- Best iPhone: iPhone 11
- Best for clean software: Google Pixel 3a
- Best value flagship: Xiaomi Mi 9
- Best value OnePlus: OnePlus 7T
If you already have a specific budget in mind, make sure to check out our more focused best budget smartphone and best mid range smartphones round-ups. And if you’re particularly interested in smartphone photography, check our best camera guideguide.
What about 5G?
The rise of 5G in UKmarket this year is a complicating factor. We don't think you should jump 5G just yet – it’s just too early – but, with 5G phones becoming available on some networks, here’s our edit of the best 5G smartphone currently available, and which networks are supporting them.
What about the situation with Huawei?
Due to the recent retraction of Huawei’s Android licence by the US government, future Huawei and Honor phones won’t be able to access Google services and, as a result, they also won’t be able to access Android apps including YouTube and Gmail.
Both Huawei and Google have confirmed Huawei and Honor phones that are currently available, including the ones in this list, will continue to have access for the time being.
Until we know more, we’re leaving the scores unchanged on all our Huawei reviews. However, we’ll revisit this as the situation evolves.
1 iPhone 11 Pro
The iPhone 11 Pro offers Apple’s best-ever image quality
Pros:
- A lovely, supremely bright display
- One of the best camera systems on any phone
- Includes a quick charger in the box
Cons:
- Design hasn’t changed much and the notch remains annoying
- 64GB still the base storage option
- The iPhone 11 is a better pick for most people
Glitzier, flashier and far pricier than the Iphone 11 the iPhone 11 Pro, along with its larger iPhone 11 Pro Max sibling, sits atop Apple’s 2019 phone line. For the extra cash you get a Super Retina XDR display, a triple-camera array on the back and higher-end materials. Is this enough to warrant the now overused Pro tag?
Apple has seriously improved its photographic output with the iPhone 11 Pro (and with the iPhone 11 in many ways) and it now stands alongside the best out there. The iPhone 11 Pro packs three distinct 12-megapixel cameras, which, for the first time in an Apple device, includes an ultra-wide-angle lens (13mm equivalent, f/2.4). You also get a standard lens (26mm, f/1.8) and a 2x telephoto lens (52mm, with an improved maximum aperture of f/2.0).
The video recording, audio and super-bright XDR display are all tremendous, and the iPhone 11 Pro is also an absolute performance beast, with the new A13 ionic chipset helping put it up there with the fastest phones we have reviewed. This is also the first 5.8-inch iPhone that doesn’t feel hamstrung by a battery that needs constant attention to get it through a full day.
Downsides include the meagre amounts of base storage, the speed of the refresh display and Apple’s resistance to fully embracing USB-C. The idea of being able to charge the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and iPhone 11 Pro with the same block and charger just makes so much sense.
The iPhone 11 Pro offers many improvements on its predecessor but there are still areas that Apple could have pushed forward in, especially as it has now decided to call these phones Pro. 5G was never going to happen, but would have been nice anyway; some sort of TouchID-enabled fingerprint sensor inside the display and the rumoured reverse wireless charging that could have juiced up a pair of AirPods would also have been welcome features.
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| source:google |
2.Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus
The best phone screen we’ve ever seen
Pros:
- So much versatility with the cameras
- The best screen around
- Lovely new design
Cons:
- One UI is still a little bit ugly
- Battery life isn’t as good as expected on either model
It’s becoming a bit predictable now but, once again, Samsung has released what are likely to be two of the best phones of the year.
The plus Samsung galaxy S10 plus and its smaller Samsung galaxy S10 sibling are both gorgeous pieces of design, with curved glass backs and screens that fill the entire front of the phone. The regular Galaxy S10 packs a 6.1-inch display, with the larger model upping that to 6.4 inches. Both support HDR support, Quad-HD+ resolutions and impressive overall brightness.
Inside the both versions of the S10 there’s an Exynos 9820 (or a Snapdragon 855 if you’re in the US), paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. If you want more oomph there’s a version of the S10 Plus with 12GB RAM and storage options rising to 1TB.
Both phones have three cameras on the back: a regular 12-megapixel shooter, an ultra-wide version and a telephoto camera for lossless zooming. The versatility at play here is excellent and it lets you get really creative with your snaps. However, the actual quality of the images can’t compete with the likes of the Pixel 3, especially when the light isn’t great.
Neither phone impresses too much when it comes to endurance. They’ll just about get you through the day but little more than that.
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| source:google |
3.OnePlus 7 Pro
The best way to avoid a notch
Pros:
- Gorgeous 90Hz display
- Impressive design
- Clean software
- Very fast charging
Cons:
- It’s a very big phone
- No IP rating or Qi charging
There are loads of things to like about the One Plus 7 pro. It has one of the best screens we’ve ever used on a phone, costs considerably less than some of the competition and runs a fantastic version of Android.
It’s fast too, right up there with the iPhone XS in terms of pure speed. That’s partly down to the high-end Snapdragon 855 and numerous gigs of RAM, but also because of the slick 90Hz 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED display. This refreshes at 90fps, rather than 60 as you’ll find on most phones, making everything feel so much smoother. Once you’ve gazed at this screen it’s hard to go back to anything else.
Inside there’s a big battery too (4000mAh to be precise) and Warp Charging to take from you 0-100% in about 80 minutes.
It’s not all great news, though. This is one of the biggest phones we’ve reviewed and can be hard to grip thanks to the slippery body and multitude of curved edges. There’s no wireless charging or official IP rating either, and both of these are now commonplace among flagship phones.
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| source:google |
4. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
A fantastic big phone that’s easy to recommend thanks to a lovely screen, versatile cameras and very quick charging
Pros:
- Lovely big screen
- Very quick to charge
- S Pen is useful
- Versatile cameras
Cons:
- Camera isn’t quite up there with the best
- Dodgy Live Video bokeh mode
- 65w charger not included
As the name suggests, the Plus is a larger, more feature-packed take on the standard Note 10, complete with optional 5G. This is a great phone and one of the finest all-round Android devices we have reviewed this year. It’s powerful, has just about every feature going and doesn’t skimp at all. In terms of negatives, it’s big, it’s expensive and the display, while fantastic, doesn’t have any fancy fast refresh-rate tech like the One Plus 7 pro, but there isn’t much better out there if you want the best of the best.
This brute of a phone has a lovely display, plenty of grunt, huge battery, Qi charging, water resistance and comes with USB-C buds. There isn’t a whole lot new when compared to the S10 – but this still stands as the true high-end Samsung phone for the end of 2019.
The S Pen is the true headline feature for the Note series and it is pretty much the only flagship around that lets you draw and take notes with a pen on the display. It’s a pleasure to write and doodle with, thanks to fantastic responsiveness and excellent palm-rejection. With the Note 10 Plus, you can now also plug your device into a Windows computer or Mac for access to a PC-like DeX UI. There are also some new gaming features and the ability to stream games from a compatible PC to the phone.
Audio from this phone is merely OK and this seems to be a side-effect of having basically no room for speakers. The same goes for phone call quality, which can often come across slightly distorted. At least Wi-Fi and cellular strength are excellent.
Samsung has finally ditched the headphone jack from the Note’s design, meaning you’ll have to rely on wireless headphones or a pair with a USB-C connection. There’s a perfectly decent sounding pair of AKG branded USB-C headphones in the box, although there’s no 3.5mm dongle. Unlike the smaller Note 10, the Note 10 Plus retains a microSD slot for upping the base storage.
Also boasting a whopping 6.8-inch display and huge 4500mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is Samsung’s most feature-packed phablet yet.
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| source:google |
5.Google Pixel 3a
The perfect antidote to the £1000 smartphone – and an answer to Google’s dwindling smartphone sales
Pros:
- There’s a headphone jack!
- Flagship-quality camera
- Fantastic display
- Great size
Cons:
- No Qi charging or water resistance
- Can feel slow in certain activities
- Screen is a little dim
If you want a handset with a great camera and decent screen, and aren’t as concerned about sheer speed and performance, then you’ll be very happy with the Pixel 3a.
Google’s Pixel 3a aims to take the amazing camera from the Pixel 3 and offer it at a much lower price, and a smartphone costing £399 that boasts a camera this capable is an appealing prospect. Google has ported much of the Pixel 3’s feature set to the 3a, including use of exactly the same 12-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 aperture.
Pixel 3a also ships with the latest version of Android 9 along with the latest iteration of the Pixel Launcher. Visually, it’s identical to the software you’ll find on the flagship Pixels, and for many, that’s a good thing. With these more affordable phones – especially if you want the highest-spec devices available – you’re restricted to convoluted software from the likes of Oppo, Xiaomi and Huawei.
It doesn’t remove many features, either. You’ll find Pixel stalwarts such as Call Screen (the US-only self-answering phone trick), unlimited storage for your snaps in Google Photos, and the same Digital Wellbeing dashboard.
Smaller, but no less welcome, features such as the always-on display (made possible by the OLED panel) and access to the Google Assistant via a squeeze of the phone’s sides also suggest that Google wants your experience with the £400 3a to be similar to using an £800 Pixel 3 phone.
By sacrificing its “luxury” features, Google has managed to squeeze the essential Pixel features into an excellent, more affordable phone.
This isn’t the right choice for intensive gaming or multi-day use, and you’ll still get better pure value by upping your budget to pick up a device such as the Honor View 20, Xiaomi 9 pro. But if you value software and user experience then the Pixel 3a is a great option.
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| source:google |
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