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Mobile Phone Finder® will help find your next phone
Choosing your next mobile phone doesn't need to be overwhelming. Our comprehensive guides will help find the best phone for you.
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Best Rated Mobile Phone Brand: Apple
While Apple didn't top any specific metric for mobile phones, it rated well across the board for design, battery life and camera quality. Perhaps a little more expensive than other phone brands, it didn't rate well for value for money. It still took the top spot as the best overall rated phone brand, as voted by Australians.
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What you should consider when you compare mobile phones
Android vs iOS
These days, there are 2 main mobile operating systems to choose from when you compare mobile phones: Google's Android platform or Apple's iOS.
There are other options, although they are too small to be considered viable alternatives. US government trade bans has meant that Chinese manufacturer Huawei has had to develop its own operating system called HarmonyOS, instead of using Android for its phones. Meanwhile, smartphone platforms like Windows Phone and Symbian are considered obsolete. This isn't much of a surprise given they struggled to maintain marketshare since iOS and Android became the standard options.
This means that when you compare mobile phones, the choice between the 2 dominant platforms largely comes down to a matter of preference for hardware. iOS is exclusively on offer for iPhones, while Android is the platform running on the vast majority of non-Apple smartphones.
Choosing the right operating system is important, as it can affect the range of apps available to you. While many popular apps are available for both iOS and Android platforms, there are still plenty of examples of apps and games that are only available on one platform. If those apps are important to you, choose the operating system that offers the app you need.
Mobile phone prices
Many of today's flagships cost well over $1,500. If you want to get a phone on a plan, you will likely have to make extra monthly payments as well.
The good news is that there are plenty of opportunities to pick up cheap phones from retail partners if you shop around. Mid-range phones are also a solid option, with performance similar to the flagship models of 12–24 months ago.
Buying a new smartphone is an investment, not just in terms of the physical product but also in how you use the device. With many phones purchased on 24-month contracts, making sure you're happy with your purchase over time is almost as important as the desire to get the shiniest new phone.
How to compare mobile phones
Whether you're picking up a top of the line phone or just a cheap prepaid device, there are a number of factors you should consider before you make your purchase:
Screen size
The trend over the past few years has definitely tended towards the "bigger is better" mantra, with phone screens approaching 6 inches on the diagonal. Having a bigger screen makes reading text and watching videos easier, but drains the battery faster and can be difficult to control 1-handed.
Screen resolution
Smartphone screen technology has come a long way in the past few years, with 4K capable screens now accessible. For the most part, those resolutions are wasted on a device smaller than 6 inches, but it's worth comparing the pixels per inch (PPI) specification to see just how many pixels the manufacturer was able to cram into an inch, with more pixels generally resulting in a crisper image on screen.
Battery life
While manufacturers have managed to offer battery life improvements through both cramming more battery into larger phones and reducing battery consumption through smarter software, the tech behind batteries still remains largely the same as it was when Apple launched the first iPhone. For a full day's battery life, you should probably focus on phones with 3,000mAh or more.
Connectivity
Not all Australian carriers use the same network frequencies, so ensuring your phone works on the full spectrum of frequencies for your carrier is essential. It is fairly complicated, but you can compare the networks and their respective frequencies to get a better idea.
Camera
The smartphone camera has all but replaced the compact digital camera market, and the quality of phone photos gets better every year. It's not all about megapixels though, with sensor size and multiple lens technologies helping make smartphone pictures even better.
Storage
If your phone is going to house your entire life, including photos, videos and everything in between, make sure you have enough storage to keep it all. Lower storage devices are cheaper but look for an expandable memory microSD slot in Android phones so you can expand the capacity. Alternatively, look for a higher capacity device.
Mobile phone contracts
Not all phones are available on contract over 24 months. If you can't grab a phone on contract, be prepared to pay more for the phone up front. However, doing so will likely save you money in the long run.
For more information, check out our comprehensive guides to mobile plans.
Best rated mobile phone brand award breakdown
| Total Score | Overall rating | Value for Money | Battery Life | Camera quality | Design | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi* | 8.33 | 4.43 | 4.71 | 4.57 | 4.43 | 4.71 |
| Apple | 8.03 | 4.53 | 3.78 | 4.00 | 4.24 | 4.31 |
| Samsung | 7.84 | 4.33 | 4.04 | 4.06 | 4.25 | 4.18 |
| Huawei | 7.83 | 4.28 | 4.33 | 4.28 | 3.97 | 4.31 |
| Sony | 7.73 | 4.27 | 4.09 | 4.00 | 4.18 | 4.36 |
| Nokia | 7.65 | 4.14 | 4.24 | 3.95 | 4.11 | 4.19 |
| Oppo | 7.60 | 4.14 | 4.29 | 4.29 | 3.96 | 4.14 |
| HTC* | 7.54 | 4.50 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Motorola | 7.52 | 4.00 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 3.90 | 3.80 |
| 7.43 | 4.13 | 4.13 | 3.81 | 3.81 | 3.69 | |
| Optus | 6.79 | 3.75 | 3.83 | 3.83 | 3.50 | 4.17 |
| Telstra | 6.73 | 3.74 | 3.42 | 3.74 | 3.37 | 3.74 |
| Other | 6.62 | 3.56 | 4.07 | 3.74 | 3.63 | 3.59 |
| LG | 6.29 | 3.27 | 4.07 | 3.67 | 3.27 | 3.47 |
| Alcatel | 6.10 | 3.29 | 3.82 | 3.47 | 3.12 | 3.47 |
Data: Finder Retail Brand Survey, 2020, Kantar. Metric out of 5 stars unless indicated. Methodology and more info. 
Previous Retail Awards
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Ask an Expert
Hi. I’m looking to buy a cheap mobile and am considering the Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro and the LG Q7.
Key considerations include: reliability, operating speed, ease of use, battery life and camera quality. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi LV,
Thank you for reaching out to finder.
While we do not provide specific product recommendations, we can help guide you through the process of comparing options. Please check the links below for our review pages on the Plans | Pricing | Specs for both phones.
Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro: Plans | Pricing | Specs: https://www.finder.com.au/samsung-galaxy-j5-pro
LG Q7: Plans | Pricing | Specs: https://www.finder.com.au/lg-q7
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
I’m looking for a new phone. I have a Samsung S5 that is dying. I’ve been looking at the Samsung J5 and J7, the A5 and A7 or S7 and Huawei Nova 3i. Not sure which would be the best. I mainly use my phone for games, facebook, youtube, internet banking, emails and I like taking photos.
It’s very confusing with so many around. My kids also sometimes use the phone so I dont want to spend too much.
Thanks
Hi Monica,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
Since you have these prospected brands and models that will replace your dying phone, my best recommendation is to see these handsets personally so you can check how convenient or comfortable they are to you. On this page, it discussed factors you should consider before you make your final decision like the price, screen resolution, battery life etc.
I hope this somewhat helps.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any other enquiries.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
Do you sell the Nomi phone suitable for seniors? Is so, how much and all details please.
Hi Loretta,
Thanks for getting in touch!
Unfortunately, we don’t have the Nomi Phone available on our site. You may try visiting their website of this to check on details and price.
Thanks,
Nikki