This year’s best 5G phones
In 2024, there isn’t one specific phone that stands conspicuously head and shoulders above the others. If you’re an iOS user the best phone you can buy is the iPhone 15 Pro. It has an A17 Pro processor, a new main camera with a larger and higher megapixel sensor, a new Action button and the Dynamic Island – a display cutout that shows system alerts and background activities.
If you’re on Android, our favorite phone is the $800 Samsung Galaxy S24. The battery life is amazing. But that’s not the only reason it’s our pick for best Android phone. It gets seven years of major Android updates, the cameras are good (there’s even a 3x telephoto lens for zooming). And then there are all the AI features. Samprocessor. sung didn’t reinvent the phone, but it did take a great phone (the Galaxy S23) and make it better.
Nearly every phone from Apple, Samsung and Google is 5G-ready. That means these smartphones
The iPhone 15 Pro brings a variety of changes, including powerful camera upgrades and the new A17 Pro processor. come equipped to deliver the fastest possible data speeds across your wireless network. And while they tend to be pricey, there are plenty of affordable 5G options like the Google Pixel 6A and Apple’s cheapest, the 2022 iPhone SE. Here we offer CNET’s picks for three of the best 5G phones out there.
APPLE IPHONE 15 PRO
Best iPhone overall CNET TAKE: Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro brings a variety of changes, including a new customizable Action button, powerful camera upgrades, thinner bezels, a lightweight titanium design and the new A17 Pro
All these upgrades come together to make for an experience that feels fresh and fast compared with older generations.
It’s the most expensive iPhone you can buy, especially if you opt for the larger Max version, but if you want the high performance and stellar camera quality of Apple’s top phone, then the iPhone 15 Pro is for you.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S24
Best Android phone for most people
CNET TAKE: What impresses us the most about the Samsung Galaxy S24 isn’t the new Galaxy AI features, brighter screens or solid cameras. It’s the battery life. After testing, we can say the larger battery has no trouble plowing through a long day of use on a single charge.
The S24 is a wonderful, well-built phone that is excellent right out of the box, just as the nearly identical S22 and S23 were before it. This similarity to the S22 and S23 can be viewed as either a strength, because the design reflects three years of refinements, or a weakness, because features like the camera hardware are essentially identical to what came out in 2022. But all of this is overshadowed by the great battery life. You’ll never hear anyone complain about getting too much battery life.
SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP 5
Best 5G foldable phone CNET TAKE: The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the biggest leap forward Samsung’s flip phone has seen in years. Samsung has significantly expanded the size of the cover screen located on the outside of the device, meaning you can look up directions, take photos and send messages without opening the phone. It’s this combined with the Z Flip’s solid battery life and sturdy design that makes it a top pick.
The Z Flip 5 may be our favorite flip phone, but there are still some drawbacks. At $1,000, it’s still expensive for a phone without a telephoto camera. And not all apps work natively on the front screen as they do on the Motorola Razr Plus.