The best iPhone in 2023 is Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max. It has the most powerful processor you can get in an iPhone and has the best camera, even over the iPhone 15 Pro. Whereas in recent years Apple has kept a parity between the two Pro models, this year a new 5x optical zoom option sets the Pro Max apart as the slam-dunk best model in the business. However, it's definitely not the best iPhone for everyone due to its large size and expensive price tag.
Here is the best iPhone you can buy in 2023, depending on your needs.
What is the best iPhone in 2023?
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The all-new iPhone 15 Pro Max is the flagship model this year, and thanks to 5X optical zoom which is exclusive to the 6.1-inch Pro, it takes the crown as our best iPhone for 2023 and beyond.
The design has been softened for more rounded edges and there's a new finish in town thanks to Titanium. Based on our first impressions the new Titanium is impressive, but prone to fingerprints and discoloration. However, it is noticeably lighter than its predecessors, thanks to a 10% weight reduction on last year's model. There's also a brand new Action Button that replaces the mute switch and can be customized to perform several different actions including running Shortcuts, opening up a world of possibilities.
The other big design change is, of course, USB-C. You can now use the same cable for your iPhone as you do for all your other USB-C devices. The Pro Max doesn't offer any charging improvements but does have USB 3 for speedy data transfer. It's so quick that you can use your iPhone 15 Pro Max as the camera in a Capture One setup, with images immediately appearing on your Mac.
Under the hood there's the new A17 Pro chip, which gets an extra GPU core and speed boosts to deliver impressive performance. Apple is promising console-level gaming with hardware-accelerated ray-tracing that will power console versions of Resident Evil Village, Death Stranding, and Assassin's Creed Mirage (2024).
The headline photography upgrade is the 5X zoom, exclusive to this year's Pro Max. There are also new super-high-resolution 24MP photos and next-gen Portrait mode, as well as Smart HDR 5, Log video recording, and support for ACES (Academy Color Encoding System). The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a more expensive starting price because there's no 128GB model, but for some users such as those in the UK, the Pro Max has absolutely dropped in price compared to last year's 256GB option.
The 15 Pro Max is closely followed by the iPhone 15 Pro as our pick for best iPhone. If you don't want the larger size, and aren't fussed about the 5X zoom, which is the only exclusive feature, that phone is definitely the one for you.
Best iPhone - a close second
The new iPhone 15 is basically the iPhone 14 Pro, which is why it replaces the Pro in our picks this time around. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the all-singing, all-dancing, flagship iPhone, the new iPhone 15 is such a potent upgrade on the iPhone 14 that it could well have been our pick for best iPhone overall.
It gets the A16 chip from last year's iPhone 14 Pro, along with the new Dynamic Island, a massive upgrade on the old notch. There's also USB-C for more convenient charging, although charging and data transfer speeds haven't been improved.
It also gets the massive camera from the iPhone 14 Pro, and now shoots 48MP photos.
Perhaps the only let down is the 60Hz display, but Apple continues to reserve ProMotion and the 120Hz refresh rate for its most premiuim models. That refresh rate is perhaps the only reason you might want to consider an iPhone 14 Pro over this year's iPhone 15.
The best alternative iPhones in 2023
The iPhone 14 is perhaps the strangest iPhone ever released. The device has everything that made the iPhone 13 (see below) the No. 1 iPhone in the past, plus a few extra features. However, when you compare it to the iPhone 14 Pro series and the new iPhone 15, you realize what an incremental upgrade it actually was.
Let's start with what makes the iPhone 14 a great device, then concentrate on some of our concerns.
As we first noted in the iPhone 14 review, the current flagship device offers better battery life, a slightly better camera, crash detection, and SOS tools. The iPhone 14 also includes 6GB of RAM for the first time. In addition, the handset comes in five colors, including the traditional Midnight, Starlight, and purple, plus a newly shaded blue and (PRODUCT)RED.
If the iPhone 14 were the only iPhone on the market (remember those days?), there would be nothing to criticize. That's not the case, however. For the first time, the chip found in the iPhone and iPhone Pro series isn't the same. While the latter includes the A16 chip, the iPhone 14 (and iPhone 14 Plus) keeps the A15 that first arrived on the iPhone 13 series in 2021. The A15 is still ahead of its class but it's also the same chip you get with the iPhone 13 -- a phone you'll be able to snag for less -- so it might be worth your time to skip the iPhone 14.
There's also the issue of a 60Hz display. This is somewhat unacceptable and keeps it behind some of its Android rivals. The iPhone 14's glossy back also opens the device up for some criticism since it's a fingerprint magnet. Unless you're really prohibited by cost, you should really try to branch out for the iPhone 15. If not, the iPhone 13 is just as capable a device.
The best iPhone for photography in 2023
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the best iPhone for photography for all the same reasons that make it the best iPhone for this year. It has the best camera of any iPhone ever, including the all-new 5X zoom camera which is exclusive to the larger model this year. If you need an iPhone and want the best photography experience possible, this is the one for you. If you don't think 5X zoom is a deal-breaker, the iPhone 15 Pro is also a viable option, but both are better than the previous iPhones.
The best iPhone for battery life in 2023
Last year, the iPhone 14 Plus was the king of battery life, and this year's 15 Plus is no different. Latest iPhone battery life tests indicate the iPhone 15 Plus is indeed the one to buy, and it's no surprise. It has the largest chassis and battery of any model, but doesn't have the battery-hogging features of the Pro, namely that new chip and the 120Hz display.
The best small iPhone in 2023
Apple doesn't sell the diminutive mini anymore, but you can still get the iPhone 13 mini from carriers. It's available in Midnight, Starlight, Blue, PRODUCT(RED), Pink, and the mid-cycle refresh color: Green.
As a smaller phone, it has a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display. That screen has a Ceramic Shield which offers four times the drop performance of older iPhones. It also has a glass back and aluminum design on the rest of the body, although it makes sense to still set aside some cash for one of the best iPhone 13 mini cases or one of the many wallets compatible with it.
As expected from an iPhone of this age, it has no problem running the latest iOS including iOS 17.
Similar to the iPhone 12 lineup, the iPhone 13 mini comes with super-fast 5G connectivity, but this time with more band support. This means even faster download speeds and high-quality streaming, as long as your carrier offers it. The iPhone 13 mini also has the A15 Bionic chip, a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores. You also get a 4-core GPU that gives you 30% faster graphics, and overall, the iPhone 13 is 50% faster than competing devices. It also has a 16-core Neural Engine for machine learning, allowing it to do 15.8 trillion operations per second. Pretty fast, right?
The iPhone 13 mini can also use the Apple MagSafe charger and the entire MagSafe ecosystem of accessories that debuted with the iPhone 12 last year. This means you can get MagSafe wireless chargers too.
The best iPhone for kids in 2023
If you read our iPhone 12 review, you'll know it is still a terrific choice for many buyers. Now available at a lower price, you still get great hardware like an A14 Bionic chip, 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, and a 12MP dual-camera system with wide and ultra-wide lenses.
It uses Apple's advanced Face ID biometric scanning (which also means the True Depth FaceTime camera), supports 5G, 4K, and Dolby Vision video recording support, Portrait mode for the front and back-facing cameras, Night mode, is compatible with MagSafe accessories, and a whole lot more.
Sure, it might not be the latest and greatest any more, but it's still a fantastic device that will last a number of years. It's an excellent pick if you want a good and feature-rich smartphone that doesn't cost a fortune. Its choice of six colors sweetens the deal further.
The best cheap iPhone in 2023
If your pocketbook is tight, the lowest-priced iPhone is the 4.7-inch iPhone SE. As pointed out in our iPhone SE review, it's not just a cheap phone, it's just the right phone for certain demographics. It sports Apple's A15 Bionic chip (like the iPhone 14!), a 12MP wide-angle camera with 5x digital zoom, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, 4K video recording, 5G connectivity, and an improved battery over the previous model. It may not be Apple's greatest iPhone, but it is the company's best budget iPhone.
This is also the only iPhone in Apple's current line up with a Home button, so if you prefer fingerprint scanning, this is the one for you.
This is also a great pick for seniors. It's most certainly the model I would recommend to my mom. She's used to using a Home button and isn't particularly interested in learning new tech. She doesn't take a ton of photos, nor does she care about having "the latest" tech with all the bells and whistles. She just wants a phone to keep in her purse in case of emergencies, for texting with her grandkids, or to play the occasional game of Solitaire.
Though we've picked a different iPhone model as "best for kids," the iPhone SE is also one to consider for your younger kid's or tween's starter smartphone. The smaller form factor is great for smaller hands. And the lower price point makes it an attractive option for kids who tend to drop or lose things more often than their parents would like.
If you're new to the smartphone game or upgrading from an older model, this is newer tech at an incredibly low price.
The best iPhone is one that fits your needs
While the iPhone 15 Pro Max is objectively the best iPhone, the iPhone 15 is probably the best one for most people. It has the latest A16 chip, an improved camera system, and the Dynamic Island. If you want a bigger display though, consider the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It's the same device but bigger.
Alternatively, if you don't want to stretch your budge too far, there's always the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, as well as the iPhone SE to give you excellent value for money.
