The iPhone wasn’t truly the primary smartphone, however it’s in all probability the primary one you bear in mind.
Apple revolutionised the cell phone in 2007, ditching the bodily keyboard for a revolutionary touchscreen gadget. It’s straightforward to overlook that the App Retailer (and so third-party apps) didn’t truly arrive till a yr later.
Quick ahead nearly twenty years and there are such a lot of totally different smartphones to select from. Most of those are Android handsets, with Apple sticking to only 4 or 5 new releases every year.
Nonetheless, as this chart proves, the corporate is clearly prioritising high quality over amount. Every of the 4 iPhone 15 fashions from 2023 are value shopping for for the proper of individual, but there are six older handsets that we nonetheless advocate in 2024 – particularly if yow will discover low cost.
Apple’s wonderful software program help means you’ll be able to normally proceed to soundly use an iPhone for six or extra years following its launch. All the telephones on this round-up are anticipated to get iOS 18, assuming it’s launched later this yr.
Nonetheless, which is the correct iPhone for you? On this article, we’ll run by way of all of the fashions value shopping for, linking out to full critiques of every. Then, on the backside of the web page, you’ll discover detailed shopping for recommendation.
Want to attend for the subsequent technology? The iPhone 16 vary is anticipated earlier than the tip of 2024, although you might be ready a bit longer for the subsequent iPhone SE.
Why it’s best to belief us: Smartphones are our bread and butter right here at Tech Advisor. We’ve been reviewing them because the unique iPhone again in 2007, and 17 years later, Apple’s smartphones are as necessary as ever. We carry out in-depth, real-world testing on each new iPhone that’s launched, transferring our important SIM card to it for a minimum of every week for probably the most genuine expertise attainable.
Up to date 5 April 2024: We now have full critiques of all 4 iPhone 15 fashions, so have added the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Professional Max to finish the highest 10.
Finest iPhone 2024
1. Apple iPhone 15 Professional – Finest general
Professionals
Very good cameras
Prime-tier A17 Professional efficiency
Glorious, vivid show
USB-C port
Cons
Sluggish charging
No 5x optical zoom from Professional Max
Value When Reviewed:
$999
If cash is not any object, the iPhone 15 Professional is the perfect iPhone for most individuals. It affords just about all of the premium options of the 15 Professional Max, however has a way more manageable 6.1-inch show.
Not solely is the display a crystal-clear OLED with a 120Hz refresh price, it will get extremely vivid. You’ll be capable of see the show on even the brightest of days.
The 12Mp 5x periscope lens being unique to the Professional Max is a disgrace, however the 3x one on the iPhone 15 Professional remains to be excellent. It’s joined by a 48Mp important, 12Mp ultrawide and 12Mp 2x telephoto, all of which take wonderful images.
Apple’s up to date A17 Professional chipset takes already-great efficiency to the subsequent stage, whereas the titanium construct and motion button are good touches.
Then there’s the far more versatile USB-C port, with Apple lastly shifting away from Lightning. Battery life is okay and charging is sluggish, however that is nonetheless an outstanding cellphone, and can be for a few years to come back.
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Apple iPhone 15 Professional evaluate
2. iPhone 15 Professional Max – Finest large display
Professionals
Light-weight titanium construct
Very good efficiency
Nice cameras, together with 5x telephoto
Motion Button and USB-C
Cons
Battery life similar as 14 Professional Max
Huge and ponderous
Very costly
Value When Reviewed:
1,199
There are solely a handful of variations between the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max, however they’re important.
The obvious is a bigger 6.7-inch show on the Professional Max, although a barely increased decision means it’s nonetheless among the finest screens on any smartphone.
The telephoto digital camera additionally helps optical zoom as much as 5x (versus 3x), delivering even higher images from distant. All 4 digital camera lenses (additionally important, ultrawide and selfie) are very sturdy.
Battery life is even higher, although it’s a greater, heavier and costlier cellphone. Key options such because the titanium construct, nice efficiency from the Apple A17 Professional chip, customisable Motion Button and USB-C are current on each.
Finally, the Professional Max is value it if you’d like a bigger show, barely improved cameras and higher battery life. Both means, it’s an outstanding smartphone.
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Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max evaluate
3. Apple iPhone 15 – Finest for most individuals
Professionals
Superb efficiency
Dynamic Island
USB-C port
Good worth for cash
Cons
Show solely 60Hz
Cameras may very well be higher
Sluggish charging
Value When Reviewed:
From $799
The iPhone 15 Professional is the perfect Apple cellphone to get, however provided that you’ll be able to afford it. With a beginning worth that’s £200/$200 much less at launch, the common iPhone 15 is a extra practical possibility.
And it affords good worth for cash, even when the specs aren’t fairly top-tier. Apple’s A16 Bionic chip from 2022 nonetheless delivers nice efficiency, and it’s good to see the helpful Dynamic Island come to non-Professional fashions.
The 6.1-inch show beneath it’s spectacular, although you’ll nonetheless must make do with no excessive refresh price. You’ll be able to nonetheless get some nice photographs with the 48Mp important, 12Mp ultrawide and 12Mp selfie cameras, however there’s no telephoto of any description right here.
Finally, you’re getting an iPhone 15 Professional design in a way more reasonably priced. Regardless of some compromises, it’s nonetheless an awesome cellphone.
4. Apple iPhone 15 Plus – Finest battery life
Professionals
Stellar battery life
Clean efficiency
Crisp, vivid show
Excessive-quality, water resistance construct
Value When Reviewed:
$899
With the iPhone 15 Plus, Apple is providing a powerful big-screen iPhone expertise with out the hefty price ticket of the Professional Max. With a beginning worth of £899/$999, it’s not precisely reasonably priced, however does supply good worth for cash.
As anticipated, there are just a few compromises in comparison with the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max. You’ll must make do with the A16 Bionic chip that debuted in 2022, although efficiency remains to be wonderful. Whereas the show remains to be very first rate, the refresh price tops out at 60Hz, so that you don’t get the silky-smooth scrolling and additional responsiveness of 120Hz.
There’s additionally no telephoto lens in any way, which means zoom photographs endure. However images from the primary, ultrawide and selfie cameras are all very spectacular. The latter is housed inside Apple’s Dynamic Island, which arrives on the non-Professional telephones for the primary time, and USB-C additionally makes its debut.
And battery life is the perfect you’ll discover on an iPhone. It might probably final even probably the most intensive days with ease, and with lighter utilization can final two and even three days on a single cost.
If that’s a prime precedence for you, otherwise you merely need a large iPhone with out all of the bells and whistles of the Professional Max, the 15 Plus is a superb selection.
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Apple iPhone 15 Plus evaluate
5. iPhone 14 Professional – Nonetheless a wonderful selection
Professionals
Dynamic Island
Spectacular 48Mp important digital camera
Glorious digital camera options
Good always-on show
Cons
Dearer within the UK
Common battery life
Value When Reviewed:
Was $999
Previous to the iPhone 15 vary, the iPhone 14 Professional was the perfect iPhone for most individuals. It affords key enhancements over the iPhone 13 Professional not solely when it comes to uncooked efficiency however new options, with the 14 Professional sporting key new tech together with Apple’s Dynamic Island digital camera cut-out.
Changing the usual Face ID notch, the oblong-shaped cut-out is a powerful mix of software program and {hardware} that brings the notch into the iOS expertise, displaying timers, music controls and extra with out having to entry your lock display. It’s totally charming and a real spotlight of Apple’s eager eye for software program and {hardware} design.
That’s not all, although: it’s additionally the primary iPhone to supply an always-on show, and in true Apple type, it’s significantly better than the Android competitors. Whereas it dims the show, you’ve nonetheless bought full entry to your wallpaper, time, widgets, notifications and music controls with none actual impression on general battery life.
The 48Mp rear snapper is one other spotlight of this yr’s Professional mannequin; utilizing 4-in-1 pixel binning tech, the brand new important digital camera affords a powerful increase not solely to general element however low-light pictures. That’s a pattern of all cameras on the 14 Professional, with Apple claiming a normal 2x enchancment.
The one actual disappointment is battery life; whereas it’ll carry on going if left on standby, you’ll possible solely be capable of squeeze a couple of day’s use out of the cellphone earlier than it’ll want a top-up.
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Apple iPhone 14 Professional evaluate
6. iPhone 14 Professional Max – Finest big-screen expertise
Professionals
Spectacular always-on show
Dynamic Island works nicely
Very good efficiency
Nice battery life
Cons
Nonetheless very costly
Massive and ponderous
Value When Reviewed:
Was $1,099
The iPhone 14 Professional Max was the perfect showcase of Apple’s smartphone know-how in 2022, and it stays an outstanding selection in 2024 – notably if yow will discover a reduction.
It nonetheless affords a top-tier iPhone expertise, full with spectacular Dynamic Island digital camera cut-out, helpful always-on show and nonetheless one of many very quickest processor in the marketplace, the A16 Bionic. There’s additionally the identical upgraded rear-facing digital camera setup because the iPhone 14 Professional, together with a powerful 48Mp important snapper.
The place the iPhone 14 Professional Max nonetheless stands out is with the display; the 6.7in Tremendous Retina XDR show is just beautiful. It’s vivid, vivid and there’s sufficient display house to actually take pleasure in watching video content material resembling TikTok and Netflix.
It additionally advantages from a bigger battery than common Professional fashions for true all-day battery life with out having to fret. It’s not the perfect iPhone in anyone space nowadays, however stays a wonderful smartphone.
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Apple iPhone 14 Professional Max evaluate
7. iPhone 14 – An ideal reasonably priced possibility
Professionals
Excellent battery life
Nice efficiency
Very good twin cameras
Cons
60Hz show
Sluggish charging
No RAW pictures
Value When Reviewed:
Now $699 (128GB) | $799 (256GB) | $999 (512GB)
The iPhone 14 changed the iPhone 13 in Apple’s line-up, and though the iPhone 15 has now arrived, it’s nonetheless an awesome selection for most individuals.
It has excellent cameras (regardless of lacking out on the 48Mp snapper of the Professional fashions), excellent battery life that comfortably lasts all day, and an awesome, if solely 60Hz, show.
The cellphone sufficiently big to benefit from the show with out being unwieldy just like the iPhone Plus and Max fashions, and it’s additionally a lot lighter.
Throw in different options together with full waterproofing, wi-fi charging, satellite tv for pc connectivity and automobile crash detection and you’ve got a strong iPhone that can final you for a number of years.
The dearth of a excessive refresh price show, USB-C and a Dynamic Island will frustrate some folks. However in the event you can dwell with out them and don’t thoughts a smaller iPhone, the common 14 remains to be straightforward to advocate.
Learn our full
Apple iPhone 14 evaluate
8. iPhone 14 Plus – Glorious battery life
Professionals
Very good battery life
Massive, spectacular show
Strong design and construct
Cons
Too costly for what it’s
60Hz show
No means to take RAW images
Value When Reviewed:
Now $799
If battery life is a precedence for you, the iPhone 14 Plus remains to be an awesome possibility. The newer 15 Plus is even higher, however it’ll nonetheless finish a full day with cost to spare typically.
And there’s lots nonetheless to love right here, from sturdy efficiency from the A15 Bionic chipset to a powerful giant show – even whether it is nonetheless restricted to 60Hz.
The 14 Plus nonetheless feels very premium, whereas the primary, ultrawide and selfie cameras will nonetheless take wonderful images in 2024.
Nonetheless, until yow will discover it with an enormous low cost, there’s no clear purpose to purchase the 14 Plus over different iPhone fashions. The 15 Plus is an improve in a number of areas, whereas different iPhone 15 handsets supply a greater all-round expertise for most individuals.
Learn our full
Apple iPhone 14 Plus evaluate
9. iPhone 13 mini – Finest small iPhone
Professionals
Good small-screen expertise
No compromise on efficiency
Nice cameras
Cons
60Hz show
Small battery beneficial properties
Slower MagSafe charging
Value When Reviewed:
Was $599
If even the 6.1in show of the common and Professional iPhones are too large in your liking, the iPhone 13 mini is the gadget for you.
It affords the identical expertise as the usual iPhone 13, full with an A15 Bionic chip, Apple’s Tremendous Retina XDR show (albeit at a smaller 5.4in) and wonderful important and ultrawide lenses, sporting sensor-shift OIS just like the extra premium fashions, however in a a lot smaller type issue.
The iPhone 13 mini is the right iPhone to make use of one-handed, however the smaller show additionally means it’s not the perfect for watching YouTube movies and films on Netflix.
The small dimensions additionally imply that battery life isn’t the best, whereas charging by way of MagSafe is proscribed to only 12W.
However with Apple having discontinued the mini from the iPhone 14 and 15 vary, it’ll stay the small iPhone to beat for some time.
Learn our full
Apple iPhone 13 mini evaluate
10. iPhone SE (2022) – Most reasonably priced iPhone
Professionals
A15 Bionic chipset
5G connectivity
Reasonably priced worth
Cons
Dated design
Small 720p LCD show
Single rear digital camera
Value When Reviewed:
$429 (64GB) | $479 (128GB) | $579 (256GB)
Apple’s iPhone SE vary is dedicated to operate over type, prioritising uncooked efficiency over design or aesthetics, and that’s simply as true with the newest variant – however presumably to its detriment.
Sporting the identical A15 Bionic chipset and 5G connectivity because the iPhone 13 collection, the iPhone SE outperforms each Android competitor in its worth vary and 5G connectivity is a welcome addition, however that efficiency comes at a price.
The dated design of the iPhone SE feels older than ever, and the 720p LCD show appears not solely small however more and more unable to render apps and webpages designed for greater cellular shows.
There’s additionally the one 12Mp snapper on the rear. It’ll take first rate images in good and even marginally low gentle, however it lacks superior capturing modes like Night time Mode and Cinematic Video mode regardless of that includes a chipset greater than able to doing so.
The iPhone SE is absolutely solely for individuals who will need to have an iPhone, however can’t afford different fashions or don’t need to goodbye to Contact ID. For virtually everybody else, there’s a greater iPhone obtainable.
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Apple iPhone SE (2022) evaluate
What ought to I contemplate when shopping for an iPhone?
Display screen measurement
One of many greatest deciding components when in the marketplace for an iPhone is the display measurement you need, or most really feel comfy utilizing – we don’t all have big fingers to make use of the iPhone 15 Professional Max one-handed, can we?
For those who’re suited to smaller shows, your greatest guess remains to be the iPhone 13 mini with its 5.4in show. It’d’ve been ditched with the introduction of iPhone 14 vary, so that you’ll miss out on the newest options, however it’s probably the most moveable iPhone in Apple’s assortment. The 4.7in iPhone SE does technically have a smaller show, however it’s truly barely greater than the 13 mini as a result of it has a lot bigger bezels.
It then jumps as much as the iPhone 15 and 15 Professional, each at 6.1in. If you would like the largest show attainable, you’d be higher off with the iPhone 15 Plus or iPhone 15 Professional Max at 6.7in.
Efficiency
Efficiency is one other aspect to think about when shopping for an iPhone, as you’ll possible need to get probably the most out of your gadget – particularly at Apple’s costs.
The dangerous information is that, not like with earlier generations of iPhone, the iPhone 15 vary has a processor cut up. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus get the identical A16 Bionic as final yr’s iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max, whereas the upgraded 3nm A17 Professional is unique to the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max. If you would like the perfect efficiency, you’ll must splash out for Apple’s top-end fashions.
Cameras
If cameras are necessary to you, then you definately’ve bought a troublesome resolution to make because it’s one space the place the iPhone assortment differs significantly. If you would like the very best digital camera expertise, the mixture of a important 48Mp sensor, a 12Mp ultra-wide sensor and 12Mp telephoto sensor obtainable on the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max vary could also be greatest for you.
For those who can dwell with out the upgraded 48Mp snapper and 3x telephoto lens, you’ll be able to go for the usual iPhone 15 and its 48Mp important and 12Mp ultrawide snappers.
The iPhone SE has a single 12Mp digital camera on the rear, which means it’s fairly restricted in comparison with the newer iPhones. The only lens will do in the event you’re not too fussed about pictures, however don’t anticipate the identical stage of element on supply from Apple’s high-end choices.
Battery life
Historically, battery life has been a little bit of an issue in terms of iPhones, particularly when in comparison with Android counterparts and their big batteries.
However with that mentioned, Apple has come leaps and bounds over the previous couple of years in terms of battery life, with the 15 Plus and 15 Professional Max providing all-day battery life with common utilization. Most individuals will be capable of get a full day trip of the common iPhone 15 and 15 Professional, however that’s not assured in the event you go for older fashions.
Battery capability is considerably tied to show measurement, as that’ll dictate how giant the battery might be, so anticipate higher battery life from Apple’s big-screen fashions.
5G connectivity
Apple launched 5G help with the iPhone 12 vary, so all of those iPhones on this record now help the newest mobile know-how.
However keep in mind that 5G availability remains to be restricted in lots of nations and areas, and also you’ll want a SIM that helps it.
Value
After all, the largest issue to think about is your funds: how a lot do you need to spend in your iPhone? The iPhone 15 Professional is an outstanding smartphone, however beginning at $999/£99, it needs to be.
Extremely, that’s not even the costliest iPhone: that award goes to the iPhone 15 Professional Max, which begins at £1,199/$1,199 and goes all the best way as much as £1,599/$1,599.
The iPhone 15’s £799/$799 price ticket is far more engaging if you’d like flagship specs, whereas the 15 Plus affords the big-screen expertise at a extra reasonably priced £899/$899.
The most affordable iPhone is the iPhone SE at £449/$429, and though it does supply the identical A15 chipset because the iPhone 13 vary, there’s a compromise not solely when it comes to design however different areas too.
However if you wish to get into the iOS ecosystem on the most cost-effective worth attainable, the iPhone SE may very well be the one to go for.