So, which is the best iPhone to buy right now? In truth, it’ll depend a lot on what you want to get out of your smartphone. iPhones come in all shapes and sizes, with a variety of camera options and other unique features that set them apart from the Android competition, and here, we’ve ranked the best iPhones currently available to buy.
Best iPhone 2023
Before you take the plunge, we recommend taking a look at our selection of the best smartphones right now to get a better understanding of the wider smartphone market and be sure you’re making the right decision.
Unique Dynamic Island camera cutout Impressive 48Mp snapper All-round camera enhancements Always-on display tech
More expensive in the UK Average battery life
Replacing the standard Face ID notch, the oblong-shaped cut-out is an impressive blend of software and hardware that brings the notch into the iOS experience, displaying timers, music controls and more without having to access your lock screen. It’s utterly charming and a true highlight of Apple’s keen eye for software and hardware design. That’s not all though; it’s also the first iPhone to offer an always-on display, and in true Apple form, it’s much better than the Android competition. While it dims the display, you’ve still got full access to your wallpaper, time, widgets, notifications and music controls without any real impact on overall battery life. The 48Mp rear snapper is another highlight of this year’s Pro model; using 4-in-1 pixel binning tech, the new main camera offers an impressive boost not only to overall detail but low-light photography. That’s a trend of all cameras on the 14 Pro, with Apple claiming a general 2x improvement. The only real disappointment is battery life; while it’ll keep on going if left on standby, you’ll likely only be able to squeeze about a day’s use out of the phone before it’ll need a top-up – a stark difference to the big-screen iPhone 13 Pro Max and (likely) the iPhone 14 Plus & Pro Max.
Outstanding battery life Great performance Superb dual cameras
60Hz display Slow charging No RAW photography
It’s big enough to enjoy the display without being unwieldy like the iPhone Plus and Max models, and it isn’t a lead weight in a pocket or bag. That’s down to the use of an aluminium frame in place of the stainless steel of the Pro models, but the aluminium sides of the iPhone 14 feel great, and they don’t pick up greasy fingerprints like the Pro models either. Throw in other features including full waterproofing, wireless charging, satellite connectivity and car crash detection and you have a solid iPhone that will last you for four or five years. It’s not quite enough for iPhone 13 owners to upgrade, however, and for this price should have a high refresh rate display and the ability to shoot in RAW format so people can use the camera as a professional tool – it was possible on the iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 14 shares the same camera and chipset.
Always-on display tech Dynamic Island camera cut-out Industry-leading performance Great battery life
Very expensive, especially in the UK Large and bulky
Still, all that cash will get you a top-tier iPhone experience with Apple’s new Dynamic Island tech, a game-changing always-on display and the fastest processor on the market, the A16 Bionic. There’s also the same upgraded rear-facing camera setup as the iPhone 14 Pro, including a heavily upgraded 48Mp main snapper. Where the iPhone 14 Pro Max truly stands out is with the screen; the 6.7in Super Retina XDR display is simply stunning. It’s bright, vivid and there’s enough screen space to really enjoy watching video content like TikToks and Netflix shows. It also benefits from a larger battery than the iPhone 14 Pro for true all-day battery life without battery anxiety – though it’s no longer the best iPhone for battery life. That award now goes to the iPhone 14 Plus, featured below. The stainless steel frame does add a premium look and feel to the phone, but it also adds extra heft as a result. It’s also a bit of a fingerprint magnet. If you’re simply looking for a big-screen iPhone, the iPhone 14 Plus may suffice at a slightly cheaper price, but if you want the ultimate iPhone experience, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the one to go for.
Great battery life of any iPhone Gorgeous 120Hz 6.7in display Impressive camera performance
Still expensive Large, bulky form factor
Despite the reduced price tag, it has a huge 6.7in Super Retina XDR OLED display with the ability to jump between 10- and 120Hz depending on what you’re doing. There’s also Apple’s (not quite top-end) A15 Bionic at its heart, although with a suspected bump in RAM compared to the other models. Sporting a 12Mp main snapper with the same sensor-shift OIS and wider f/1.5 aperture, the 13 Pro Max is capable of taking great photos both during the day and at night. It also benefits from improvements to the ultrawide and telephoto lens, and there’s Apple ProRaw video recording available for pro-level videographers too. Where the iPhone 13 Pro Max truly shines is in the battery department; it offers an extra 2 hours compared to the already-impressive 12 Pro Max, keeping up with some of the best Android competition – though the title of best battery life now goes to the iPhone 14 Plus, featured below. The downside is that the larger display and battery means the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a bit of a beast to hold one-handed, and it’s noticeably heavier too.
Longest battery life of any iPhone Big screen iPhone without 'Pro' features Solid design and build
Too expensive for what it is 60Hz display No ability to take RAW photos
It has a 6.7in Super Retina XDR display, something you’ve traditionally had to get the top-end iPhone Pro Max to experience, it has great battery life and it boasts the still-very-capable Apple A15 Bionic at its heart. Throw in decent camera performance with the same main lens as the iPhone 13 Pro, the solid iOS experience and great build quality and, on paper, it seems like the ideal iPhone. The problem is its price, coming in at a cool $899/£949. That’s not much cheaper than the iPhone 14 Pro that has plenty of upgrades over the Plus, including the 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, Apple’s Dynamic Island tech, an upgraded 48Mp rear camera and more premium materials. It’s also very expensive for what it is compared to the Android competition, with the 60Hz refresh rate in particular really holding the iPhone 14 Plus back. So, while it’s a solid performer that delivers a great experience with the best battery life ever on an iPhone, it’s hard to argue that the value for money is there compared not only to the Android competiton but the iPhone 14 Pro, which only costs $100/£150 more.
120Hz ProMotion display Capable triple camera setup Premium design and build
Average battery life
One of the key features of the iPhone 13 Pro is the 120Hz ProMotion display. The adaptive refresh rate can ramp up to a buttery-smooth 120Hz when scrolling and playing games, and drop down to as little as 10Hz when it can to save on battery life. The display is also brighter than ever, ideal for outdoor use. Though it lacks the camera upgrades of the iPhone 14 Pro, the 13 Pro is still a capable snapper. It sports a main 12Mp snapper with sensor-shift OIS tech previously exclusive to the 12 Pro Max, along with improved f/1.5 aperture for better low-light photography. There are similar low-light improvements to the wide-angle camera, which doubles up as a macro camera, and a boosted telephoto lens now offering a 3x optical zoom. Like the rest of the iPhone 13 range, you’ll find the A15 Bionic, paired with a minimum 128GB of base storage, going all the way up to 1TB. Performance is top-notch too, with very little between it and the upgraded A16 Bionic in this year’s Pro model. Really, there’s not a lot to like when it comes to the iPhone 13 Pro, and since the release of the iPhone 14 Pro, it’s cheaper than ever.
Gorgeous design Great battery life Strong performance
60Hz display No telephoto lens
There’s also great camera performance, sporting the Sensor-Shift OIS previously exclusive to the top-end iPhone 12 Pro Max, though it doesn’t get the autofocus tech on the front-facing camera like the newer model. There’s also a 2-hour jump in battery life compared to its predecessor too. But while the overall experience is still strong, there are certain areas where the iPhone 13 is lacking. It’s capped at 60Hz, down from 120Hz on the Pro models, and while you’ll get an ultrawide camera with macro photography capabilities, you won’t find a telephoto lens for close-up portrait shots. There’s also a slower maximum charge speed to consider. However, none of those are complete deal-breakers, and if you’re not too fussed about having the very best of everything, the iPhone 13 is still a great smartphone at an even more attractive price.
Perfect small-screen experience No compromise on performance Great cameras
60Hz display Small battery gains Slower MagSafe charging
It offers the same iPhone experience as the standard model, complete with an A15 Bionic at its heart, Apple’s Super Retina XDR display (albeit at a smaller 5.4in) and improved main and ultrawide lenses, sporting sensor-shift OIS like the more premium models, but in a much smaller form factor. The iPhone 13 mini is the perfect iPhone to use one-handed, but the smaller display also means it’s not the best suited to watching YouTube videos and movies on Netflix. The small dimensions mean that while battery life has improved compared to the 12 Mini, it can’t quite compete with the larger models overall. It also still suffers from the same capped 12W MagSafe charging, compared to 15W from the rest of the range.
A15 Bionic chipset 5G connectivity Affordable price
Dated design Small 720p LCD display Single rear camera
Sporting the same A15 Bionic chipset and 5G connectivity as the iPhone 13 series, the iPhone SE outperforms every Android competitor in its price range and 5G connectivity is a welcome addition, but that performance comes at a cost. The dated design of the iPhone SE feels older than ever, and the 720p LCD display seems not only small but increasingly unable to render apps and webpages designed for bigger mobile displays. There’s also the single 12Mp snapper on the rear. It’ll take decent photos in good and even marginally low light, but it lacks advanced shooting modes like Night Mode and Cinematic Video mode despite featuring a chipset more than capable of doing so. The iPhone SE is really only for those who must have an iPhone, but can’t afford the iPhone 13 Mini or can’t say goodbye to Touch ID. For practically everyone else, there’s a better iPhone available. If you’re suited to smaller displays, your best bet is the iPhone 13 mini with its 5.4in display. It might’ve been ditched with the iPhone 14 range, so you’ll miss out on the latest features, but it’s the most portable iPhone in Apple’s collection. The 4.7in iPhone SE does technically have a smaller display, but it’s actually slightly bigger than the 13 mini because it has much larger bezels. It then jumps up to the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, both at 6.1in. If you want the biggest display possible, you’d be better off with the iPhone 14 Plus or iPhone 14 Pro Max at 6.7in. The bad news is that, unlike with previous generations of iPhone, the iPhone 14 range has a processor split. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus get the same A15 Bionic as last year’s iPhone 13 Pro, while the upgraded 4nm A16 Bionic is exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. If you want the best performance, you’ll have to splash out for Apple’s top-end models. If you can live without the upgraded 48Mp snapper and 3x telephoto lens, you can opt for the standard iPhone 14 and its dual 12Mp main and ultrawide snappers. The iPhone SE has a single 12Mp camera on the rear, meaning it’s quite limited compared to the more recent iPhones. The single lens will do if you’re not too fussed about photography, but don’t expect the same level of detail on offer from Apple’s high-end options. But with that said, Apple has come leaps and bounds over the past couple of years when it comes to battery life, with the 14 Plus offering all-day battery life with average use – and then some – and we expect the same from the iPhone 14 Pro Max too. Battery capacity is somewhat tied to display size, as that’ll dictate how large the battery can be, so expect better battery life from Apple’s big-screen models. 5G availability is still limited in many countries and regions, but remember that it is improving, so upgrading to 5G might be seen as futureproofing – so long as you expect to stick with the same iPhone for at least another two years. Incredibly, that’s not even the most expensive iPhone; that award goes to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which starts at $1,099/£1,199 and goes all the way up to $1,599/£1,749. The iPhone 14’s $799/£849 price tag is much more attractive if you want flagship specs, while the 14 Plus offers the big-screen experience at a more affordable $899/£949. The cheapest iPhone is the iPhone SE at $429/£449, and although it does offer the same A15 chipset as the iPhone 13 range, there’s a compromise not only in terms of design but other areas too. But hey, if you want to get into the iOS ecosystem at the cheapest price possible, the iPhone SE could be the one to go for.
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Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You’ll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
