Best phones for 2020

The best mobile phones for 2020, ranked

1. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
2. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
3. Samsung Galaxy Note10+
4. Oppo Reno 5G
5. Huawei P30 Pro
6. Google Pixel 4 XL
7. Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
8. Nubia Z20
9. Asus ROG Phone II
10. Samsung Galaxy S10+

1. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

A great all-rounder that's brilliant in almost all situations.

6.5-inch display | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB storage options | 12MP + 12MP + 12MP rear camera

• Best battery life in an iPhone to date
• Triple camera gives plenty of photographic flexibility
• Improved low light photography

• Expensive
• No onboard 5G
• Low light shooting is better on several Android handsets

RRP From $1,899

Why we chose it

Apple sits at the top of our best phone list despite being one of the most pricey phones you can buy. Getting to that spot at that price point means it has to go further and do more than other phones, and this is where Apple's heavy control over the whole iOS experience, from software to hardware really pays off.

It's astonishingly easy to get two days of battery life from the iPhone 11 Pro Max, so it's also in stark contrast to the woeful battery life we used to see from older iPhones. Apple's triple camera array isn't market leading at a technical level, but that rarely matters when its output is so very good across both still and video shooting.

Apple has continually released updates to iOS that have only made the iPhone 11 Pro Max's camera better. The one slight downside here is that its 2x Optical Zoom isn't particularly strong when compared to other premium phones. Apple is also still biding its time when it comes to 5G compatibility, and its absence is missed here when you consider the high asking price of the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max.

2. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

The most premium phone money can buy.

6.9-inch display | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB storage options | 48MP + 108MP + 12MP rear camera

• Amazing display
• Lots of camera flexibility
• 5G ready with dual-band built in

• Big and heavy
• Camera output can be inconsistent
• Expensive

RRP $1,999

Why we chose it

Samsung's early 2020 flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra certainly earns that suffix, as it's one of the very largest phones you can buy. That means you get a lot of screen for your money, and it's simply the most gorgeous Super AMOLED display Samsung has put into a phone to date, with support for 120Hz refresh rates giving you silky smooth screen animations.

It's 5G capable by default, and the first phone to land in the market with dual-band 5G in mind too. Samsung's put everything it can into its camera, which includes neat features like Single Take, which fires off every one of its 3 primary rear lenses to capture an array of video and still shots of your target, meaning it's easy to get that elusive "best" shot. It's also very capable of zooming, although its heavily hyped 100x "Space Zoom" really is just a gimmick.

Camera output was a little inconsistent in our tests, and we're hoping that Samsung copies Apple's approach here and delivers updates that improve the camera experience. The hardware is there, but the software just needs a little tweaking.

Other considerations that are worth bringing up are its size, because this is a huge smartphone, so may not be your best bet if you want a smaller device. Like the 11 Pro Max, it's also a pricey option by default, with even the lowest spec model coming in at $1999 at launch.

3. Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus

Great for taking notes and sketching ideas on the go.

6.8-inch display | 256GB, 512GB storage options | 16MP + 12MP + 12MP rear camera

• S-Pen handwriting recognition is great
• Good onboard cameras
• 5G ready with dual-band built in

• No headphone jack
• Air actions aren't all that accurate
• Battery life falls below other Android flagships

RRP $1,699

Why we chose it

Samsung's late 2019 flagship phone sold on the inclusion of Samsung's iconic S-Pen, which for the first time manages to convert handwriting to text. It's the kind of feature that sounds like an utter gimmick – and the Note10+'s other S-Pen gimmicks such as AR Doodles and Air Actions are just silly – but it works astonishingly well, even if you've got the kind of chicken scratch that would confuse a doctor.

The Note10+ isn't just a stylus-based phone, though, because it's also got Samsung's nicely refined design, a great Super AMOLED display and plenty of processing power for regular Android apps to give it appeal too. If you're happy to pay extra, you can get a 5G variant of the Note10+ to gain access to even faster next-gen mobile networks.

Like Samsung's other 2019 flagships, power management isn't ideal, and compared to other contemporary flagships, its battery life isn't stellar. A day is entirely feasible, but many of its competitors will keep on charging into day two at a point where the Note10+ is gasping for wattage.

The Galaxy Note10+ will benefit now from lower pricing thanks to the launch of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, so if you're after a taste of Samsung's take on Android in the premium space, the Note10+ could be your ideal next handset.

4. Oppo Reno 5G

The best battery life in a 5G phone yet.

6.6-inch display | 256GB storage options | 48MP + 8MP + 13MP rear camera

• Amazing battery life
• 5G ready
• Good rear cameras

• Pop-up selfie camera is slow
• No water resistance
• No headphone jack

RRP $1,499

Why we chose it

Oppo made its name outside of China with a range of camera-centric phones at mid-range or budget prices, but in recent years we've seen a more premium-focused approach from Oppo. The Oppo Reno 5G stands out against other flagship phones – and especially flagship 5G phones – thanks to its exceptional battery life, which beats out any 5G phone we've tested by a considerable degree.

The design is also pleasing with a full screen design that's enabled thanks to a pop-up shark fin style selfie camera, complemented by a good triple camera array that includes up to 10x hybrid zoom. You can push that to 60x digital, but you really shouldn't.

The one downside with the Oppo Reno 5G's design is that this isn't a phone for quick selfie takers, as you have to wait for that fin to pop up every time you feel in any way extroverted. It also means that the Oppo Reno 5G is one of a rare breed of flagships that lacks water resistance. It also joins the no-headphone-jack party, which isn't much of a fun party.

5. Huawei P30 Pro

The best phone for still photography.

6.47-inch display | 256GB storage options | 40MP + 20MP + 8MP rear camera

• Low light performance is second to none
• Smaller frame is good if you don't want a big phone
• Great battery life

• Huawei's update future is uncertain
• EMUI is inconsistent
• Uses custom storage expansion

RRP $1,599

Why we chose it

Huawei's last great Android flagship with full Google services onboard impressed us in early 2019 thanks to its amazingly good camera. Co-engineered with Leica, it's a sign of just how good the Huawei P30 Pro is that it's still our go-to shooter for still photography, especially in low light environments. There's simply nothing that's surpassed it save for Huawei's own Mate 30 Pro, but that phone lacks Google apps and has only been offered in very limited numbers anyway.

The same ban that applies to the Huawei Mate 30 Pro does make the P30 Pro less compelling because there's no real guarantee that its access to services such as Google Play or YouTube will be maintained.

You've also got to contend with Huawei's sometimes inconsistent EMUI launcher sitting on top of Android, which gives the Huawei P30 Pro hard to get used to if you're coming from any other Android flagship. The Huawei P30 Pro does support storage expansion, but it's via Huawei's own proprietary nm card format, which is far more expensive on a per-MB basis than plain old microSD.

6. Google Pixel 4 XL

The cleanest Android experience on the market.

6.3-inch display | 64GB, 128GB storage options | 12.2MP + 16MP rear camera

• Guaranteed OS upgrades
• Easy to use cameras that see regular updates
• Clean Android experience that you can make your own

• Motion Sense is a pure gimmick
• Battery life could be better
• No storage expansion

RRP From $1,279

Why we chose it

The largest and most recent update to Google's own in-house Android phone family, the Google Pixel 4XL expands on what has made its own phone line so popular with the Android faithful. You get guaranteed Android updates to the operating system, something that's not true of all that many flagships. Google's also consistently tweaked the Pixel 4XL software experience since launch, which means that they're phones that are about as close as you're going to get to iPhones in terms of added features appearing months after they're actually "new" phones. Google's Pixel 4XL camera has some neat features, including a superb astrophotography mode that can even cut through the heavy light of cities to get pleasing shots.

Not everything is a hit on the Pixel 4XL however. For a larger phone its battery life is only ordinary, and like every other Pixel phone you can't bump up the storage with cheap microSD cards. It's the first phone to feature Google's technically smart Motion Sense radar, but to date it's only been used for simple features like music playback control, and it's not even very accurate for that.

7. Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

The best-value entry point to 5G.

6.7-inch display | 256GB storage options | 12MP + 12MP + 16MP rear camera

• More affordable than many competing 5G flagships
• Good overall camera quality
• Still has a headphone jack

• Fixed storage
• Overshadowed by the faster Note10+ and S20 Ultra
• Bixby button is annoying

RRP From $1,599

Why we chose it

Samsung's first 5G phone was the Galaxy S10 5G, and it retains its place in our roundup thanks to the fact that you can now pick it up at a much cheaper price than when it launched, making it a good entry level point into the world of 5G phones while still retaining many flagship features that you'd expect on a premium phone. Samsung phones consistently impress us in display terms – it helps a manufacturer when it's also the maker of the screens that go in them, which Samsung is – and the Galaxy S10 5G also marks the last true Samsung flagship phone to still feature a headphone jack.

It also still features Samsung's Bixby assistant, like every Samsung Android flagship, but it also comes with a side-mounted "Bixby Button" to summon it that we guarantee you'll accidentally hit more than once when you actually wanted the power button.

The cheaper price that the Galaxy S10 5G sells for means you are missing out on some of the faster performance and features found in the Galaxy Note10+ or Galaxy S20 Ultra, and that has to be part of your buying decision in the premium phone space.

8. Nubia Z20

Best premium phone for the budget-conscious.

6.42-inch display | 128GB storage options | 48MP + 16MP + 8MP rear camera

• Full screen display
• Affordable for a flagship phone
• Good for selfies

• Dual screen is a silly feature
• No water resistance
• No wireless charging

RRP US $549

Why we chose it

The key selling point of Nubia's Z20 is that it's a dual screen phone. It's not a foldable phone, or one that comes with a secondary screen attachment. Instead, the back of the this 6.4 inch screened phone is itself a fully functional 5.1 inch display screen. It's a weird gimmick that only really works when you're taking selfies, because you can shoot with the cameras and use any of the Z20's primary cameras for the purpose, because there's no real "back" to a dual-sided phone.

Ultimately dual screen is just a gimmick, but the reason we rate the Nubia Z20 as worthy of consideration is because it's otherwise packing a lot of premium components at a price that's around half that of other flagship phones. This means you mostly get best of breed performance at a much lower price point.

There are some catches, however. Nubia's software setup means it can't handle HD Netflix, only Standard Definition. That full screen display looks nice but you cant' get it wet as it lacks water resistance, and wireless charging is also notably absent. You're also going to have to slap a clear case on it – or risk scratching that rear display screen when you put it down.

9. ASUS ROG Phone II

Best phone for gaming.

6.59-inch display | 128GB, 512GB, 1TB storage options | 48MP + 13MP rear camera

• Great 120Hz display
• Gaming accessories add appeal
• Immense battery

• It's HUGE
• Ordinary cameras
• Lacks wireless charging

RRP $1,699

Why we chose it

Asus as a brand is more closely associated with PC parts and gaming laptops, and it's the latter market that Asus taps for the ROG Phone II. ROG in this case is Repubic of Gamers, Asus' gaming-centric brand, and in the ROG Phone II, it throws a very PC-centric approach to mobile phones, which starts with its immense 6.59 inch AMOLED display, and continues with a range of bolt-on accessories that can turn the ROG Phone II into a near-clone of Nintendo's Switch console visually. If you're a keen mobile gamer it's an easy recommendation on that basis alone, helped along by a 6,000mAh battery.

As a more regular everday phone the ROG Phone II is a harder recommendation. Its size won't suit every hand, and while it sports multiple rear lenses, it shoots well below the competition in more challenging light environments, which is not what you'd typically expect out of a flagship phone.

10. Samsung Galaxy S10+

Best Samsung flagship for the budget-conscious.

6.4-inch display | 128GB, 512GB, 1TB storage options | 12MP + 12MP + 16MP rear camera

• More affordable
• Good camera
• Still has a headphone jack

• Now lags behind other Samsung phones
• Battery life isn't that good
• Slippery in the hand

RRP From $1,499

Why we chose it

It's a sign of how good the Samsung Galaxy S10+ was at launch in early 2019 that we're still keeping it in our best phones list in 2020. That's partly a function of the fact that it's seen price cuts since launch that keep its appeal high as a more general "flagship" phone than the pricier Samsung Galaxy Note10+ or Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra especially. It's still a good premium phone in 2020, however, with an easy to use camera that includes solid low light performance. If you're a fan of wired headphones you won't need to fiddle with USB converters, because it still belongs to the generations of Samsung phones that incorporated headphone jacks too.

However, it's not the best phone that Samsung makes now – that would be the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, and if your budget can stretch to its asking price you'll get an even more capable phone for your money. The S10+ was also one of the first of Samsung's 2019 phones to have generally mediocre battery life, which was unexpected for a flagship phone. Its glass design is very sexy, but it's also very slippery, so throwing a case onto it is a must.

Methodology

100+
Mobile phones reviewed

10,000+
Hours spent testing

10
Best phones ranked

• We've spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing mobile phones.
• Our editorial team has a combined 60+ years of experience writing about tech and reviewing the latest devices.
• The phones on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not based on commercial relationships.

• Why you can trust our picks

  For every phone we test, we consider the design, including screen quality, layout, the presence or absence of features like removable storage or headphone jacks and security features like facial ID or fingerprint scanners.

  We also test and weigh up all aspects of phone camera performance, including how well any special camera features work and how they each compare to similarly priced phones in terms of capturing harder subjects such as fast-moving objects and shots in low light. Both front and rear cameras are carefully considered.

  We use a range of benchmarks and real-world tests to evaluate how the phone's performance compares to other available phones. Benchmarks can give us a comparative picture of where a phone might sit relative to other devices, but it's only in using a phone to its full capacity, including any device-specific software, how well it works for everyday tasks like web browsing or social media that we can get a fully rounded performance picture. We also look at network features, including call quality and support for network standards like 4G and 5G when making our evaluations.

  Manufacturer battery life claims don't always reflect real-life results. That's why for each phone we test with both a standardised video test in order to get a comparative feel of how each phone handles battery stress, as well as using it over multiple days to see how it stands up to regular usage. As part of our battery testing, we also consider charging options, including charging rates for those phones that can take a larger wattage.

  Finally, with every other consideration tested and ranked, we also look at the price of the phone relative to other similar devices available at the time of testing. The best phones in the market aren't going to be the cheapest, but with a trend towards ever more expensive handsets, it's never been more vital to ensure that you're getting value for money, which is why we factor the cost of a phone only after we've considered every other performance aspect.

  We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. But Finder may receive compensation when you click links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners.