Top luxury smartphones for 2024

Another year means another round of gorgeous new flagship phones to gawk at. While some companies, like OnePlus and Vivo, are really stepping up their game, the major players, like Samsung, Apple, and Google, have all released their newest and greatest products. The ones that stand out as the greatest of the best for 2024 are listed below.

Fastest charging flagship, the OnePlus 12

Value flagships have always been OnePlus’ speciality, and the OnePlus 12 offers elite performance for tens of thousands less than the competition. With this phone, multitasking, gaming, and watching videos are all perfectly possible. Additionally, it is stated that the OnePlus 11’s Sony IMX890 sensor can only capture half as much light as the new Sony LYT-808 sensor, which results in better image quality.

The OnePlus 12 is truly unique due to its lightning-fast 100-watt charging. In just 25 minutes, you can go from 0% to 100% battery. For those seeking powerful performance without having to pay a premium price, the OnePlus 12 is an excellent option.

Best iPhone currently available: the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

The latest iPhone 15 Pro Max from Apple delivers the high-end experience you would expect. The 6.7″ AMOLED display is excellent for watching videos and working, and thanks to its new titanium construction, it weighs significantly less than it did but still feels sturdy and long-lasting.

The USB-C port is another significant improvement, offering quicker transfers, support for external monitors, and direct phone-to-item charging for accessories like the Apple Watch. This is just fantastic for content creators who are always on the go. You can get much closer to the action with the new 5x zoom camera, and the A17 Pro chip maintains excellent graphical performance.

Google Pixel 8 Pro: The most understated smartphone

The Pixel 8 Pro surpasses the excellent performance of the Pixel 7 Pro. Performance is increased and genuinely helpful software tricks are made possible by the updated Tensor G3 chip, particularly in photography where Google’s processing excels.

The Pixel running Android 14 offers the smoothest, cleanest experience available, with an amazing seven years of support. This, along with a high-quality construction that includes the recognisable camera bar design on the back, results in a phone that masterfully combines the essentials in a gorgeously simple package. The battery life and charging still need to be improved, that’s my only complaint.

Excellent foldable hardware: OnePlus Open

The market for foldable phones took off in 2024, but our choice for the best-designed model is the OnePlus Open. It perfectly balances weight to size; when folded up, it feels lightweight, yet it unfolds into a large, thin slate.

OnePlus truly optimised the software with easy multitasking for that large 7.8″ display. Up to three apps can be open at once, and selecting any one of them will discreetly close the others for a little while.

Even with the somewhat noticeable camera bump, the image quality is outstanding, particularly for cinematic tones. And when it’s unfolded, it’s simple to take group photos or selfies hands-free. Our foldable of choice for 2024 is the OnePlus Open, which boasts top-tier specs like a virtually crease-free inner display, 65W fast charging, and 16GB RAM as standard.

Vivo X100: The best camera

Although Vivo has always had excellent cameras, the new X100 Pro elevates the game. The largest 1-inch 50MP primary sensor produces some of the best low-light images we’ve ever seen when combined with a 50MP wide angle and 64MP 3x optical zoom. This device has an amazing night mode.

Beyond the cameras, the X100 Pro performs flawlessly in all areas: performance is faster, battery life is increased, and the screen is brighter than before. With the release of the brand-new FuntouchOS 14 skin, Vivo is also moving towards more contemporary, cleaner software with greater customisation possibilities, which is fantastic.

The MediaTek Dimensity 9300, which is packed into the X100 Pro, offers a competitive alternative to the Snapdragon crowd and actually outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in benchmarks. The X100 Pro is worth a look for those who enjoy photography or who want something different from the popular choices.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best Android phone.

The S24 Ultra is the most expensive model available, and Samsung’s recently launched Galaxy S24 line is the first to truly embrace AI. The phone’s new Galaxy AI technology offers some amazing new features, such as real-time translation during calls, the ability to use the camera to search Google images on screen, AI photo editing, and Chat Assist, which can help with text phrasing.

The large 6.8″ AMOLED screen and large 5,000mAh battery are two more things that make this model superior to the S23 Ultra from last year. Furthermore, improvements like the Gorilla Armour glass, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, and titanium frame—which is meant to be far more durable than aluminum—make it even more appealing.

Additionally improved was the quad-camera setup, with a focus on the 50MP telephoto lens that offers 5x optical zoom for sharper close-ups. In 2024, the S24 Ultra becomes the Android champion.