January 2023
Smartphones: MetaRanking
This page highlights the aggregate summary of Smartphone rankings posted by key online experts, as of January 2023.
Summary
Between 3 Jan 2023 and 4 Jan 2023, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 88 Smartphone endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.
38 Smartphones were endorsed in total, only 18 made it into this month's ranking (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included).
As of 4 Jan 2023, iPhone 14 Pro takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed smartphone with 6 expert endorsements. 4 experts out of 6 recommended it as the '#1 smartphone' this month. It is followed by Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max , with 8 and 4 expert endorsements respectively.
Brand breakdown
-
Samsung:
12 Smartphones
(#1 is Samsung Galaxy S20 )
-
Apple:
10 Smartphones
(#1 is Apple iPhone 13 Mini )
-
Google:
6 Smartphones
(#1 is Google Pixel 6 Pro )
-
OnePlus:
4 Smartphones
(#1 is OnePlus 10T )
-
Asus:
2 Smartphones
(#1 is Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro )
Price breakdown
At a glance - January 2023 Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Smartphone |
TechRadar
|
IGN
|
Tom's Guide
|
Creative Bloq
|
Pocket-lint
|
T3
|
The Verge
|
Laptop Mag
|
Digital Trends
|
Consumer Reports
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | Check price |
iPhone 14 Pro
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
|
2
|
- | $989 |
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
|
4
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
|
3
|
- | Check price |
iPhone 14 Pro Max
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
1
|
|
4
|
+1 | $749 |
Google Pixel 7 Pro
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
-
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
5
|
+1 | $359 |
Google Pixel 6a
|
-
|
2
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
4
|
-
|
3
|
|
6
|
+1 | $429 |
iPhone SE
|
9
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
8
|
4
|
|
7
|
-3 | $595 |
OnePlus 10 Pro
|
8
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
9
|
5
|
-
|
|
8
|
- | $527 |
Google Pixel 7
|
6
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
|
9
|
+4 | $899 |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
|
10
|
-1 | $1400 |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
|
-
|
7
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
|
11
|
- | Check price |
iPhone 14
|
7
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
|
12
|
- | $889 |
Oppo Find X5 Pro
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
13
|
+2 | Check price |
iPhone 13 Pro Max
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
|
14
|
+2 | $340 |
Samsung Galaxy A53
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
|
16
|
+2 | $829 |
iPhone 13
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
17
|
+2 | Check price |
iPhone 14 Plus
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
18
|
-4 | Check price |
Xiaomi 12 Pro
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
|
19
|
+1 | $700 |
Samsung Galaxy S22
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Sorted by price:
| Position in ranking | Price | Smartphone |
|---|---|---|
| #14 | $339.99 | Samsung Galaxy A53 [buy] [more info] |
| #5 | $359 | Google Pixel 6a [buy] [more info] |
| #6 | $429 | iPhone SE [buy] [more info] |
| #8 | $526.99 | Google Pixel 7 [buy] [more info] |
| #7 | $594.99 | OnePlus 10 Pro [buy] [more info] |
| #11 | $689 | iPhone 14 [buy] [more info] |
| #19 | $699.99 | Samsung Galaxy S22 [buy] [more info] |
| #4 | $749 | Google Pixel 7 Pro [buy] [more info] |
| #16 | $829 | iPhone 13 [buy] [more info] |
| #12 | $889 | Oppo Find X5 Pro [buy] [more info] |
| #9 | $899 | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 [buy] [more info] |
| #2 | $989 | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra [buy] [more info] |
| #10 | $1399.99 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 [buy] [more info] |
We ranked iPhone 14 Pro #1 in January 2023 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 4 experts ranked iPhone 14 Pro as #1.
TechRadar
Apple's top iPhones
|
Pros
Familiar design
Improved cameras over last year
|
Cons
No USB-C
Limited zoom photography
|
Tom's Guide
The best smaller phone ever
|
Pros
Best-in-class cameras
A16 Bionic blows away Android phones
Brighter display
Cool Action mode
|
Cons
Charging could be faster
|
Pocket-lint
Best smartphone
|
Pros
Dynamic Island is very cool
Excellent camera system
Exceptional build/design
|
Cons
No USB-C
ProRAW capture is laggy
Expensive
|
Digital Trends
Best overall smartphone
|
Pros
Camera improvements mean great photos
Always-on display looks fantastic
Powerful A16 Bionic processor
Vibrant screen and clear speakers
Long-term software support
|
Cons
One-day battery life
Modest charging speed
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra #2 in January 2023 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra as #1.
TechRadar
The most versatile phone
|
Pros
Incredible cameras and zoom
Excellent little S Pen
|
Cons
No microSD slot
Battery life could be better
|
Tom's Guide
Samsung's best phone
|
Pros
Best-in-class display
Built-in S Pen
Improved cameras with better Night mode
Faster 45W charging
|
Cons
Shorter battery life than S21 Ultra
Very expensive
Less RAM than previous model to start
|
Creative Bloq
The best do-it-all smartphone
|
Pros
Brilliant pen tech
Excellent camera zoom
|
Cons
Big and bulky
|
Pocket-lint
|
Pros
Superb build and display
Camera performance is elite
|
Cons
Battery life slightly lets it down
Charging speeds could be quicker
|
T3
The best flagship Android phone right now
|
Pros
Seriously powerful hardware
Versatile camera with AI features
S Pen comes in a handy slot
|
Cons
It's pricey
No microSD card slot
S Pen stylus won't be for all
|
Digital Trends
Best Android phone
|
Pros
S Pen is convenient and highly accurate
Versatile camera takes great photos
The latest processor for power
Long software support
Beautiful high refresh rate screen
|
Cons
Not very fast battery charging
Large and heavy
|
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Smartphones.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Smartphones, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for January 2023 ranking
TechRadar
IGN
Tom's Guide
Creative Bloq
Pocket-lint
T3
The Verge
Laptop Mag
Digital Trends
Consumer Reports
We ranked iPhone 14 Pro Max #3 in January 2023 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 3 experts ranked iPhone 14 Pro Max as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best phone overall
|
Pros
Superb 48MP camera
Very smart Dynamic Island
Best-in-class battery life
Impressive Action mode
|
Cons
Still 20W charging
|
T3
The best Apple phone you can buy
|
Pros
48MP camera is the best yet
Dynamic Island rather than notch
New always-on display
|
Cons
Most expensive option
Always-on display costs battery
Still no USB-C or fast charging
|
Digital Trends
Best big screen iPhone
|
Pros
Exquisitely premium design
Beautiful 120Hz display
Dynamic Island is a joy
Always-on screen is gorgeous
Incredible camera system
Blistering performance
Outstanding battery life
Robust iOS 16 software
|
Cons
One of the heaviest phones you can buy
Expensive
|
We ranked Google Pixel 7 Pro #4 in January 2023 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
TechRadar
The best Pixel phone
|
Pros
Intuitive and easy to use
Photo Unblur truly fixes older photos
Snappy and responsive interface
|
Cons
Lacks the deep feature set of best competition
Battery and charging time could be better
Macro Focus didn’t blow us away
|
Tom's Guide
The best Android cameras
|
Pros
Incredible cameras
Brighter display
More powerful chipset
Awesome Tensor features
|
Cons
Only 3 years of Android updates
Slightly dull colors on telephoto camera
Bad battery life
|
Pocket-lint
|
Pros
Excellent camera performance
Clean software experience
Strong display
Competitive price point
|
Cons
HDR sharing is limited
Limited face unlock
Not many changes from Pixel 6 Pro
|
T3
The best phone for most people
|
Pros
Great camera experience
Bold and distinctive design
Savvily priced
|
Cons
Not the fastest charging tech
Aluminium finish scuffs too easily
|
We ranked Google Pixel 6a #5 in January 2023 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best phone under $500
|
Pros
Excellent cameras
Bright display
Tensor-powered features for a low price
|
Cons
Subpar battery life
Noticeably cheap materials
|
Laptop Mag
Best affordable Android smartphone
|
Pros
Excellent software support
Unique AI software features
Bright and colorful display
Affordable $449 price
Solid performance
|
Cons
Older camera sensors
Lacks wireless and true fast charging
60Hz display
|
We ranked iPhone SE #6 in January 2023 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
TechRadar
The best budget phone
|
Pros
Powerful for the cost
A 5G iPhone that's still affordable
|
Cons
Starts at only 64GB storage
Screen is cramped
|
Tom's Guide
The most affordable iPhone
|
Pros
Fastest performance for the money
Very good photo quality
More durable design
|
Cons
No Night mode for camera
No mmWave 5G support
|
Laptop Mag
Best budget iOS smartphone
|
Pros
Performance beast
Portable, compact form factor
Satisfying Touch ID
Decent price
|
Cons
Obsolete design
No Night mode
Middling battery life
|
Digital Trends
Best small smartphone
|
Pros
Compact and light
Very powerful
Touch ID works really well
Wireless charging
IP67 water resistance
|
Cons
Poor battery life
60Hz screen
64GB won't be enough
|
We ranked OnePlus 10 Pro #7 in January 2023 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
TechRadar
The best phone for fast charging
|
Pros
Fantastic screen
Undercuts its rivals
|
Cons
Cameras aren’t perfect
Slower charging speed in US
|
Tom's Guide
Another great Android value
|
Pros
Excellent battery life
Beautiful new design
Best OnePlus cameras to date
Lower price than last year
|
Cons
Telephoto is just 8MP
|
T3
A great Android phone without a massive price
|
Pros
6.7-inch QHD+, 120Hz display
Powerful efficient performance
Seriously fast charging
|
Cons
Other phones have a better battery life
Camera can be a bit inconsistent
|
Laptop Mag
Best affordable flagship phone
|
Pros
Versatile triple camera array
Aggressively priced
Outstanding battery life and fast charging
Bright 120Hz display
Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
|
Cons
Limited to 128GB of storage
Camera can't quite match top flagships
|
Digital Trends
Runner-up best Android
|
Pros
Attractive and well made
Interesting camera features
Fast battery charging
Bright and colorful AMOLED screen
|
Cons
Unreliable software
No water resistance
|
We ranked Google Pixel 7 #8 in January 2023 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Google Pixel 7 as #1.
TechRadar
The best Pixel for less
|
Pros
Unique color options and design
Same Tensor G2 performance as Pixel 7 Pro
Great camera with creative features
|
Cons
90Hz display feels dated at this level
Lacks the zoom camera of the Pro
Faster charging would be nice
|
Digital Trends
Best value
|
Pros
Superb camera
Long battery life
Eye-catching design
Vibrant screen
Years of software updates
Fantastic price
|
Cons
Slow charging
Software bugs
Poor gaming performance
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 #9 in January 2023 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
TechRadar
The best clamshell foldable
|
Pros
Larger battery & faster charging
Excellent performance
|
Cons
Occasional camera inconsistencies
Minor year-on-year upgrades
|
Pocket-lint
|
Pros
Premium design
Great display
IPX8 water resistance
|
Cons
Display durability remains a long-term concern
No zoom camera
|
Digital Trends
Best mainstream foldable
|
Pros
Flatter design looks and feels fantastic
Bespoke customization is unmatched
Excellent main display
Blazing fast performance
Good, fun cameras
|
Cons
Battery still only lasts a day
Limited cover screen functionality
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 #10 in January 2023 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best phone with a foldable screen
|
Pros
Better multitasking with task bar
Improved cameras
Brighter display
Slimmer hinge
|
Cons
Very expensive
Still heavy and bulky
|
Digital Trends
Best foldable smartphone
|
Pros
Usable cover screen
Excellent multitasking features
Inner screen is great for games and video
Reliable and fun camera
Water resistant and durable materials
|
Cons
Heavy use kills the battery
Slow charging
|
We ranked iPhone 14 #11 in January 2023 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
TechRadar
The best basic iPhone
|
Pros
Emergency satellite communications
New camera tweaks
|
Cons
Very minor upgrade
Last-gen chipset
|
Tom's Guide
The best phone for the money
|
Pros
Excellent cameras
Vibrant display
Fast A15 Bionic performance
Impressive Action mode video
|
Cons
Still just 60Hz refresh rate
|
Digital Trends
Runner-up best iPhone
|
Pros
Comfortable, high-end build
OLED screen looks fantastic
A15 chip performs great
Good camera upgrades
Dependable battery life
Helpful safety features
|
Cons
60Hz display
No telephoto camera
eSIM might be a pain for some
|
We ranked Oppo Find X5 Pro #12 in January 2023 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Creative Bloq
The best smartphone for an incredible camera
|
Pros
Unique, sleek design
Stunning display
Excellent camera
|
Cons
Expensive
Poor zoom on camera
|
Pocket-lint
|
Pros
Durable, beautiful design
Incredible display
Excellent charging speeds
|
Cons
The punch-hole camera is quite stark
The camera software isn't that intuitive
|
T3
The best Android phone design
|
Pros
Stunning QHD+ screen with 120Hz refresh
Long-lasting battery and fast-charging
Impressive camera system
|
Cons
No MicroSD card slot or headphone jack
Expensive
|
We ranked iPhone 13 Pro Max #13 in January 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Creative Bloq
The best iPhone ever
|
Pros
Superb camera
Great battery life
|
Cons
Very expensive
Bulky
|
Laptop Mag
Best big screen iOS smartphone
|
Pros
Beautiful, premium chassis
Excellent performance
Great battery life
Gorgeous display with 120Hz refresh rate
Stellar cameras
|
Cons
Really expensive no matter the config
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy A53 #14 in January 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
TechRadar
The best budget Samsung phone
|
Pros
Good cameras for price
Good-looking screen
|
Cons
Slow to charge
Slow to navigate
|
Digital Trends
Best cheap smartphone
|
Pros
Pretty design
IP67 water-resistance
Camera is great for social media
Vibrant screen
Two-day battery life
|
Cons
Performance can be sluggish
Not an upgrade to the A52 and A52S
|
We ranked iPhone 13 #15 in January 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
TechRadar
The best mid-range iPhones
|
Pros
Strong battery life
Powerful internals
|
Cons
Minimal design changes
No 120Hz screen
|
We ranked iPhone 14 Plus #16 in January 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
Apple’s cheapest big-screen phone
|
Pros
Big screen for a good price
Long battery life
Great cameras with Action mode video
|
Cons
No 120Hz display
No telephoto lens
|
T3
A more affordable iPhone with a big screen
|
Pros
Great big screen
Easy-to-use and capable cameras system
Last-gen power but it's still highly capable
|
Cons
Not everyone wants a 6.7-inch screen
No always-on display
Still has a notch
|
We ranked Xiaomi 12 Pro #17 in January 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
T3
One of the best screens in an Android phone
|
Pros
Superb screen for entertainment
Strong triple rear cameras
|
Cons
Battery life fairly weak
Some software quirks
|
Laptop Mag
Best alternative Android phone
|
Pros
Unmatched charging and battery life
Impressive triple 50MP camera array
Solid software support
Bright adaptive 120Hz display
Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
|
Cons
Occasional stutters in OS
Weak telephoto versus competitors
Generic design
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy S22 #18 in January 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The new low-cost Galaxy flagship
|
Pros
Most affordable Galaxy S22 model
Improved zoom and low-light photos
Solid performance
|
Cons
Below-average battery life
Cameras still trail Pixel 6, iPhone 13
|
T3
The best small-scale Android flagship phone
|
Pros
Stunning Dynamic AMOLED 2X display
Loads of new AI-based camera features
Powerful hardware
|
Cons
Not that different to the S21
S22 Plus and S22 Ultra exist
|