Best Smartphones 2023 | iPhone 15 Pro Max, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Pixel 8, iQOO 12, OnePlus Open, More

As the curtain closes on 2023, the smartphone industry has seen many ups and downs. This year has been a rollercoaster ride whether it was Apple, OnePlus, Samsung, Motorola, and Google all upping the ante.

But now that this ride has almost come to an end, we've decided to take a walk down memory lane and see which smartphones stood out in their respective segments in 2023. So stay tuned for Gizbot's Smartphone Awards 2023.

Our pick for the best overall smartphone of 2023 is none other than the Google Pixel 8. If you aren't a 'Pro' user or a mobile gaming enthusiast, the Pixel 8 is undoubtedly the best flagship smartphone for you. Before we tell you why the Pixel 8, there are a few caveats here, like the not-so impressive battery life or the lackluster heat management.

However, that's not something your average flagship user needs to worry about. The vanilla Pixel 8 has the same chip as the Pixel 8 Pro, not something that can be said about Apple's iPhone 15 series. It also has the same main camera as the 'Pro' model, which isn't something that can be said about the Galaxy S23 series.

Furthermore, it has the best display of any smartphone in the segment. And let's not forget the best software support. Google has also tailored the chip and software to significantly improve AI performance on the Pixel 8, making it the smartest phone in 2023. Lastly, offers for the Pixel 8 seem unending, even now you can snap it up with a massive discount in India.

Runners Up: Xiaomi 13 Pro, Apple iPhone 15, Samsung Galaxy S23

Not too long ago, Samsung would have been the obvious choice here thanks to its ingenuity, experience, and availability. However, in 2023, several brands have started catching up to the South Korean tech giant. But if we had to pick one foldable smartphone this year, it would have to be the OnePlus Open.

In terms of camera performance, battery life, charging support, design, and display quality, the OnePlus Open comes out on top over the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Sure, there are areas where Samsung emerges triumphant, like software and water resistance, but OnePlus is catching up in the software department and gets some splash resistance.

However, OnePlus goes the added mile, including a fat charging brick in the box as well as a protective case with the OnePlus Open. Not to mention, the OnePlus Open is cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, while offering double the storage on the base model. As far as the foldable experience is concerned, the OnePlus Open gets it spot on and in our view, one ups the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Runners Up: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Tecno Phantom V Fold

The Asus Zenfone 10 does seem like the obvious winner for best compact smartphone of 2023, although it is plagued by availability issues, so we're going with a more accessible smartphone, the Oppo Find N3 Flip. The Find N3 Flip is the only flip smartphone with the flagship-grade triple-camera setup on the back.

The Oppo Find N3 Flip brings Hasselblad expertise to the forefront, while offering a premium-grade display. Moreover, it has one of the largest batteries on a flip smartphone and a powerful chipset. Lastly, the Oppo Find N3 Flip has an excellent cover screen with a ton of utility and makes the transition between primary and secondary screens seamless. And its pocket-size form factor certainly doesn't hurt.

Runners Up: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, Asus Zenfone 10, Motorola Razr 40 Ultra

The Nothing Phone (2) is our pick for the best mid-range smartphone in 2023. Despite tough competition from the Google Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy A54 5G, the Nothing Phone (2) still felt like the clear winner here. The Phone (2) features a flagship-worthy glass and aluminum construction.
Moreover, the Phone (2) also features an excellent LTPO OLED screen, a powerful Snapdragon 8 series chipset, a sizeable battery with both wired and wireless fast charging support, and two high-res 50 MP rear cameras.

Apart from the near-flagship hardware, the Nothing Phone (2) also features a clean, bloat-free software experience with great support. Finally, the Nothing Phone (2) is designed to impress with its Glyph Interface, complete with LED lights that sync with notifications and ringtones.

Runners Up: Google Pixel 7a, Oppo Reno 10 Pro, OnePlus 11R

In the past couple of years, Motorola has seen a resurgence, emerging as a key player in the budget and mid-range segments. However, this year, the Motorola Edge 40 took things up a notch by offering a formidable specs sheet at a very reasonable price.

The Moto Edge 40 is a perfect mid-range smartphone, delivering an excellent balance of hardware and utility. So what's on offer with this sub-30K smartphone: a MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC, a 144Hz OLED display, a dual-rear camera setup (50 MP + 13 MP), an IP68 rating, and a 4400 mAh battery with both wired and wireless fast charging.

Motorola's near-stock Android software prioritizes convenience, while offering a seamless user experience with no bloatware. Motorola doesn't skimp on design as well, featuring an aluminum frame as well as a vegan leather back panel giving the phone an elegant look.

Runners Up: Oppo Reno 10 5G, Vivo V29, OnePlus Nord 3 5G

Best Budget Smartphone 2023 - Vivo T2 5G

Given the intense competition from Redmi, Realme, Samsung, Lava, Infinix, and others, this winner deserves a little extra praise. And our pick is none other than the Vivo T2 5G. The Vivo T2 5G offers an excellent balance of features for its price.

These include an OLED display, a sizeable battery with 44W fast charging support, a Snapdragon 695 SoC, and a 64 MP dual-camera setup on the back with OIS support. The Vivo T2 5G also features an ultra-slim and lightweight body, giving it a sleek look.

Runners Up: iQOO Z7s 5G, Moto G54 5G, Redmi 12 5G

The Lava Blaze 2 5G includes a MediaTek chipset, a 90Hz display, a large battery with fast charging, a dual-camera setup, and a glass back panel, all for just under Rs 10,000.

Runners UP: Redmi 13C 5G, Infinix Hot 30

When it comes to smartphone gaming, there are few handsets that can hold a candle to the Asus ROG Phone 7 in terms of specifications and even fewer so in terms of availability. The Asus ROG Phone 7 is a beast of a smartphone that can handle any game you throw at it without skipping a beat.

In terms of performance, the ROG Phone 7 uses a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, although if you want the latest Qualcomm flagship chipset, the ROG Phone 8 is only a few weeks aways. Complimenting the chip is a ton of RAM and storage as well as an updated cooling system.

Add to that, the ROG Phone 7 has a super-smooth display, a massive 6,000 mAh battery with fast charging support, and an extensive ecosystem of gaming accessories. Moreover, the ROG Phone 7 also features gaming aesthetics and bloat-free software.

Runners Up: iQOO 11 5G, iQOO 12 5G, Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro

The smartphone camera landscape has gotten a whole lot more competitive this year. With several improvements on both the hardware and software fronts. The Pixel 8 Pro is undoubtedly the best point-and-shot smartphone, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra takes the best zoom shots and let's not get started about the impressive portrait camera performance of the Vivo X100 Pro.

However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max does an excellent job across the board. It is arguably one of the best smartphones for camera photography in 2023 and 'the best' smartphone for videography. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 2nd Gen 48 MP primary sensor with sensor-shift OIS, a 12 MP ultrawide lens, and a new 12 MP periscope-telephoto shooter with 5x optical zoom and sensor-shift OIS.

Apple has also introduced several features like log recording, the ability to record directly to an external SSD, the ability to shoot 24 MP by default, and let's not forget, the new 5x telephoto camera, which vastly improves zoom performance. If you are looking for the best cameras on a smartphone in 2023, the iPhone 15 Pro Max should be your default pick.

Runners Up: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Google Pixel 8 Pro, Xiaomi 13 Ultra

Design is subjective and the Nothing Phone (1) certainly stood out last year with the most unique-look of any smartphone. However, we haven't seen any major design overhauls with the Phone (2) or the iPhone 15 series for that matter. So our pick this year is the Xiaomi 14 Pro.

Xiaomi doesn't quite provide any options with the 14 Pro, offering a gorgeous ceramic black or white back panel. Apart from the back panel, the Xiaomi 14 Pro also uses Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and an aluminum frame. The curved screen also offers a perfect balance of elegance and comfort. The Xiaomi 14 Pro seamlessly combines style, functionality, and endurance to make it the best designed phone of 2023.

Runners Up: iPhone 15 Pro, Vivo V29e, Motorola Edge 40 Neo

iPhones are renowned for their battery life and the iPhone 15 series was no exception. Replacing the 'mini' iPhone models with larger 'Plus' variants has done wonders for battery life. Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 15 Plus opts for a less-demanding chip, leading to better battery efficiency.
So despite the similarly size batteries, the iPhone 15 Plus is able to squeeze out even more battery life than its Pro Max counterpart. While there are competitors in the form of the ROG Phone 7 and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, they are far more demanding with the higher resolution and refresh rates. Additionally, the iPhone 15 Plus also benefits from a standard 60Hz refresh rate.

OnePlus made a surprising decision this year to end its 'Pro' line of smartphones, making the OnePlus 11 5G the only flagship from the brand in 2023. The OnePlus 11 5G arrived as one of the best value smartphones of 2023, delivering a solid specs sheet at a very reasonable price. Apart from a premium build, the OnePlus 11 5G also features a flagship-worthy design.

Other specifications of the OnePlus 11 5G are in-line with most flagships from 2023 including the Galaxy S23, iPhone 15, iQOO 11 5G, and Pixel 8. Apart from cameras and software, the OnePlus 11 5G bests most competitors in its price range. The company is also unveiling the OnePlus 12 5G in late January.

Runners Up: Lava Agni 2 5G, Motorola Razr 40 Ultra

The iQOO 11 5G was one of the most affordable Android flagships in 2023. However, iQOO stepped up its game earlier this month with the unveiling of the iQOO 12 5G, the first smartphone to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in India.

But despite the new chips and significant hardware improvements, the iQOO 12 5G debuted at a lower price in India than its predecessor. So what does this flagship offer for that impressive price?
Apart from the chip, the iQOO 12 offers a flagship-worthy camera setup (50 MP + 50 MP + 64MP), a 144Hz LTPO OLED display with an impressive brightness, 5,000 mAh battery with 120Hz fast charging support, and the latest Android 14 software. Moreover, the phone features a glass and aluminum construction as well as a dedicated display chip and several gaming-oriented features.

Runners Up: Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, Tecno Phantom X2 Pro

Saving the best for last, we have the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is our pick for the best of the best in 2023. It is true that the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 8 Pro feature more formidable cameras than the S23 Ultra. However, Samsung offer the better overall package.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with the added benefit of stylus support. But beyond stylus support, it also brings the versatility of four rear cameras, offering the best zoom performance of any smartphone. Additionally, it also boasts a vibrant display and a large battery. Then there's the phone's tough metal and glass build.

Samsung also offers some of the most customizable software with excellent support that ties into the hardware to deliver a seamless experience. The customized Qualcomm chip also enables better gaming performance than past iterations. In terms of ultra-premium, non-foldable smartphones, it doesn't get any better than this!

Runners Up: iPhone 15 Pro/15 Pro Max, Google Pixel 8 Pro, Xiaomi 13 Ultra