Ranked: the top 5 smartphones of 2023, from the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Google Pixel 8 Pro to two foldable phones and the best camera phone money can buy

For the average consumer, 2023 might seem like a standard year in the realm of mobile phones. We witnessed the release of a new iPhone, a new Samsung foldable, and the usual array of Chinese handsets. However, for those who closely monitor mobile phone advancements, it was a thrilling year. We saw significant enhancements in zoom cameras across multiple devices, the initial indications of generative AI on handsets, and the termination of Samsung's near monopoly on foldable phones in the West. I have rigorously tested every flagship smartphone launched in 2023, and here are my top five picks.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro ranks fifth on my list. It bears a striking resemblance to Google's preceding flagship handset but introduces a significant innovation – on-device generative AI. This implies that the Pixel 8 series is the pioneer in shipping with on-device generative AI capabilities. Generative AI pertains to a form of artificial intelligence capable of creating data – such as text, images, audio – from scratch. Software like Stable Diffusion and ChatGPT can now generate a complete image or segments of text with just a few user prompts. The Pixel 8 series, which includes a standard and Pro model, incorporates a Google-engineered Tensor G3 chip capable of managing a basic form of generative AI entirely on the device, without necessitating an internet connection. This enables the Pixel 8 phones to edit photos by creating entirely new pixels. From my testing, I was able to eliminate the backgrounds of images and substitute them with entirely new scenes, or erase a chair and generate a table in its place.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 holds the fourth position. Samsung's 2023 Flip foldable phone only made one significant improvement, but it was substantial enough to fundamentally alter the trajectory of the phone line. I was not fond of using Samsung's previous Flip phones because the exterior cover screens were minuscule, which meant I had to unfold the phone every time I needed to perform anything meaningful. The Flip 5's 3. 4-inch cover screen spans almost the entire face of the phone (when folded), and it opens up a world of possibilities. Not only is the exterior screen now functional, but it's sometimes more enjoyable to use than the main screen. Navigating on Google Maps or swiping through music on Spotify on the cover screen, for instance, feels more intuitive and one-hand friendly than it does on the main screen.