Given all the great smartphones on offer today, selecting a new mobile phone can be daunting. From Apple and Samsung phones to OnePlus and other top manufacturers’ products boasting powerful performance and impressive cameras – choosing between them all can be difficult!
Nearly all are prohibitively expensive; however, the newest models boasting AI features make them worth buying.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro
For years Asus has produced gaming-oriented phones with an emphasis on gameplay performance and features. Furthermore, these devices had designs tailored specifically towards gamers at first glance.
The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro might still resemble a gaming phone, but its flashy gaming bling has been toned down significantly for a more mainstream look that will appeal to those not immersed in gaming culture. It now sports smaller bezels and a conventional shape; weighs only 225 gram; features a more modest punch-hole front camera compared to previous models; allows games to run full screen with only slight interruption at the hole; plus features an improved punch-hole front-facing camera that provides seamless gameplay; all thanks to technological progress!
This device boasts an exceptional 1440p OLED display with up to 2,500 nits of brightness for stunningly clear viewing in various lighting conditions. Furthermore, Asus’s AURA Sync ambient lighting system enables color temperature adjustment so as to adapt seamlessly with your environment.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung continues its outstanding annual improvements on this ultimate version of their Galaxy S phone with features such as an improved flat display and cameras that capture photos and videos with more natural color gradations.
The most obvious difference in the new Ultra phones is their flat display, a marked improvement over previous curved edges that caused screen glare and distortion towards its corners.
Samsung also uses this opportunity to improve their camera software so colors appear more natural – an improvement compared to iPhone photos or Samsung’s digital sharpening issues.
Titanium frames help shed weight and add a sleek metallic accent to the sides of phones, but don’t make as significant an impactful change as found on other Samsung smartphones – that means the S24 Ultra feels heavier for its size; but still an impressive and capable flagship; equipped with next-gen AI tools that enable real-time text/call translation between 13 languages as well as automatic typing revision based on different tones/scenarios.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google upgraded the Pixel 8 Pro this year with improved cameras, including a main sensor capable of gathering more light in low lighting environments and an ultrawide lens equipped with Macro Focus for close up shots of people. This camera system makes the Pixel 8 Pro an ideal option for photographers or videographers interested in shooting portraits or videos of others.
This phone features an OLED display with Real Tone technology for enhanced color accuracy and an IPS panel, as well as support for Qi wireless charging at up to 12W speeds and reverse wireless charging as well.
The Pixel 8 Pro features an optical fingerprint sensor in its display that proved reliable during our tests, along with a front-facing camera to enable face unlock for secure payments and Android 14 for smooth daily operation. Furthermore, its seven years of software upgrades and security updates will come in handy should it become your main device.
Sony Xperia XZ2
Sony’s XZ2 Premium provides an appealing alternative to its blocky flagship phones in terms of design. This curved phone is comfortable to hold, with an HD display capable of supporting popular audio codecs for gaming and entertainment, and an impressive 960fps slow-motion feature making it suitable for video enthusiasts.
Sony has added an innovative feature called Dynamic Vibration that lets users experience various feedback effects when playing games or watching videos, giving an 18:9 aspect ratio display with thicker bezels than some competing phones. Thankfully, this lets them stand out from competitors by providing multiple feedback effects during gaming or watching videos.
T3 conducted extensive tests with this 3,180-mAh battery and found it to last well during our assessments, yet fell short of Samsung’s sexy Galaxy S9. It features fast wireless charging as well as fast USB-C port for wired connections and headphone jack. Furthermore, this model includes DSEE HX/LDAC technology to provide higher-quality wireless listening experiences.
