Best smartphones of 2026 - buyer’s guide
Last updated: May 3, 2026
Welcome to the always-up-to-date GSMArena Smartphone Buyer's Guide where we round up the best smartphones you can buy.
You will find the different categories of phones below with our top pick as a highlight. Click on the category to see the other suggested options.
Flagship phones
Honor Magic V5
| 512GB 16GB RAM | $ 1,259.00 |
£ 949.82 |
The Honor Magic V5 is, without a doubt, one of the most compelling foldables we've tested this year. It combines an impressively thin and lightweight design with premium materials, a robust hinge, and class-leading IP58/IP59 ingress protection - a rare achievement in this segment. Both displays are large, sharp and feature-packed, with stylus support and Dolby Vision certification, while the nice stereo speakers round out the excellent multimedia experience.
Continue readingFlagship killers
Xiaomi 15T Pro
| 512GB 12GB RAM | $ 527.50 |
$ 458.63 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | £ 732.29 |
€ 619.00 |
The Xiaomi 15T Pro is a solid all-rounder that's easy to recommend. It is an excellent phone that can deliver impressive value for your money. It offers superb performance, great display, stellar battery life and an excellent camera - meaning top marks in each of the big 4.
Continue readingCamera phones
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
| 512GB 16GB RAM | $ 1,234.05 |
€ 1,249.00 |
| 1TB 16GB RAM | € 1,599.99 |
Despite the hefty price tag, which is even higher than last year, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is one of the best flagship cameraphones you can get right now. Just like the rest of the flagship phones, the 17 Ultra has an excellent display, fast chipset, snappy charging and long battery life, although that last bit isn't a given.
Continue readingGaming phones
ZTE nubia RedMagic 11 Pro
If you are in the market for a gaming Android phone with the latest possible hardware and the best battery life, the RedMagic 11 Pro is a great choice. It has a nice display with very slim bezels; it's got the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset with an advanced cooling system; a handful of neat gaming features, including the physical shoulder triggers; and also a massive battery with quick charging.
Continue readingBattery life champions
OnePlus 15
| 256GB 12GB RAM | £ 926.00 |
₹ 85,999 |
| 512GB 16GB RAM | £ 950.00 |
€ 967.99 |
The OnePlus 15 runs on the latest and greatest from Qualcomm, handling high loads very well. It has an excellent display, fast charging, chart-topping battery life, and a robust design that's easy to like. Don't forget the smooth and convenient software experience. It's an excellent all-rounder with some camera missteps.
Continue readingCompact phones
Motorola Razr 60 Ultra
| 512GB 12GB RAM | $ 889.99 |
|
| 512GB 16GB RAM | $ 599.97 |
£ 799.99 |
Once an iPhone mini domain, nowadays the top pick in this category has been a reserved spot for the Moto Razrs. Indeed, the new Motorola Razr 60 Ultra offers a ton of flagship features in its super compact body.
Continue readingPremium all-rounders
Xiaomi Poco F8 Ultra
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 839.00 |
€ 618.98 |
| 512GB 16GB RAM | $ 1,039.99 |
£ 649.00 |
The Poco F8 Ultra has a really long list of positives. The display goes really bright and supports all sorts of HDR. Battery life is indeed great, and charging is plenty fast too. The speakers were a nice surprise - we thought it was going to be all marketing, but the Bose-branded setup is actually quite impressive. The denim-like back cover could be a selling point if you're tired of all phones looking the same and the addition of eSIM support on this model will make it a viable option for travelers.
Continue readingMidrange phones (around €400)
Xiaomi Poco X8 Pro Max
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 479.99 |
£ 465.00 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | $ 529.50 |
€ 589.99 |
The Poco X8 Pro Max is exactly the kind of phone that helped build Poco's reputation in the first place. It offers a well-rounded package with very few compromises and a handful of standout features, all while keeping the price firmly in the "flagship killer" territory.
Continue readingMidrange phones (around €300)
Xiaomi Poco X8 Pro
| 256GB 8GB RAM | $ 354.50 |
£ 271.68 |
| 512GB 8GB RAM | $ 449.99 |
£ 380.00 |
The Poco X8 Pro is the epitome of a flagship killer with high-end specs at a bargain price. It has a likable and durable body, an excellent OLED screen with all sorts of perks and high brightness, capable cameras, amazing battery life, and, of course, impressive raw and sustained performance.
Continue readingMidrange phones (around €200)
Motorola Edge 60 Fusion
| 256GB 8GB RAM | $ 257.00 |
€ 238.00 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | ₹ 27,910 |
The Motorola Edge 60 Fusion is the best phone you can get for about €200. It has a durable build, an excellent OLED screen, decent chipset, and solid camera kit and quality.
Continue readingEntry-level phones
Samsung Galaxy A17
| 128GB 4GB RAM | $ 119.00 |
£ 142.49 |
| 128GB 6GB RAM | $ 165.00 |
£ 144.99 |
The Galaxy A17 5G is meant to be a low-priced phone with a decent design and long software support from Samsung, and it’s one of the best entry-level phones you can get.
Continue readingBest phones by category
Best smartphones of 2026 - buyer’s guide - Reader comments
- Nichewo
- dWY
Performance, camera, battery, or value... I'd really keep my eyes on the price-to-specs. While Xiaomi definitely screams for my interest, I'd not want any bloatware and spend my time removing it. I'd want a bloatware-free experience,...
