The best smartphone of 2018: 15 top mobile phones tested and ranked

What makes a great smartphone? Is it one that really looks the business, lasts the longest, has the most amazing screen or takes the best snaps? Of course, this is a trick question, as it's all these things and far more.

Here at TechRadar, we know the pain of trying to pick the right smartphone for you - which is why we spend hours and hours agonising over which to recommend for you. We know that you're here for either inspiration or to make sure the phone you're looking at isn't a dud (or maybe both), and we've gathered a real selection for you.

There are a few brands you'll see a lot here - it won't surprise you to see that Samsung and Apple are prominent, but Huawei is now becoming a real brand to consider, LG is still offering some top phones and the likes of Honor and OnePlus are still bringing out excellent choices for those on more of a budget.

That's one of the key things we take into account: the price of the phone, as it's something that will be a real barrier to entry for most. While many of the phones here are on the higher end of the price scale, that's because they offer a brilliant experience and we think that's worth investing in, when you're going to be using this thing every day.

If you do want to check out something a little cheaper, our list of the best budget phones 2018 is right here for your delectation).

For some further (or more targeted) light reading, head to our best iPhone or best Android phone guides. Maybe you're more of a brand loyalist though, in which case go for our list of the best Samsung phones.

But if you just want to know the very best of the best around at the moment, here's where you should be looking:

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is a big phone that's designed for big hands - and it takes the very best of what's on the smartphone market and puts it together in a compelling package that we've loved testing, despite the strong competition on the following pages.

Screen: The Super AMOLED 6.2-inch display has been measured as one of the very best around right now, with super colours, great dynamic range and, essentially, the very best viewing experience you can have on a mobile phone.

Battery life: The battery life on the S9 Plus is better than that seen on the smaller S9, thanks to the 3,500mAh battery in the Plus model - although it's probably the weakest part of the phone, not offering as much life as we'd have liked.

Camera: The camera on the Galaxy S9 Plus is among the best on the market, and the dual-aperture capability offers some startlingly good snaps when things get a little darker.

Colours can look a tad washed out when the exposure is higher, but the power of the sensor, with memory built into it to make it smarter than most rivals, offers very low-noise shots.

Mini verdict: If you're after a bigger phone with all the features that matter on board, the Galaxy S9 Plus is that and more.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus review

What's this? The iPhone X (although it's pronounced 'ten') is the redesigned Apple phone that iFans have been crying out for - and it's now our best phone around thanks to a SIM free price drop seeing it hit £899 (a 10% saving).

It's got an all new shape, the notch at the top and higher price... but it's the best iPhone that's ever been made too (as long as you don't miss the headphone jack).

Screen: The 5.8-inch OLED screen is the best display Apple has ever crammed into an iPhone. It’s far ahead of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus for so many reasons: the sharpness, the quality, the fact that it fills the whole front of the phone, and the color reproduction.

Battery life: The iPhone X's battery life is pretty good but it's by no means best in class. If you're a very heavy user you might struggle to last more than 12 hours but for most users it'll comfortably last a whole day.

Camera: Cameras on iPhones have always been superb, and the iPhone X is no different. The camera on the X is often stunning, delivering still shots that are rich with detail. Perhaps not quite as brilliant as the Pixel 2 XL, but still right up there with the best.

Mini verdict: This is the phone to buy if you want to treat yourself to a high-end handset – a little extra per month for something you really enjoy taking out of your bag or pocket is worth it (if you can afford it). Will it still be number one next week? It'll need that lower price to hold to stay here...

Read more: iPhone X review

The Samsung Galaxy S9 isn't quite the phone that the S9 Plus is - it's only got a single camera sensor, for one - but it's a more palm-friendly model that still packs the power and top screen quality of its sibling.

Screen: A QHD 5.8-inch screen takes up most of the front of the phone - and it's still a stunning design. Brighter, more colourful and capable of showing the best of movies, the Super AMOLED tech is once again showing itself to be best thing to look at on a smartphone.

Battery life: Battery life is a little disappointing for a top-end smartphone, meaning you'll need to think about a top-up during the day if you're a harder user. Wireless and fast charging capabilities help with this though.

Camera: It's only a single sensor on the rear of the Galaxy S9, unlike the Galaxy S9 Plus - meaning it's not as good at photography. But don't think the S9 takes poor photos, as they're still stunning, and in low light it's a sterling performer, with very little noise.

Mini verdict: The Galaxy S9 is a smartphone with all the top-end features you'd want, and more on top. It's not quite at the level of the S9 Plus, and the iPhone X outranks it in a few ways - but once again the price of this phone is starting to get a little more competitive, making it more of a lure than at launch.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 review

The Huawei P20 is easily the best phone that the brand has ever produced, and it's troubling the top of our charts. Huawei has got so much right on this phone, and it now truly deserves its place in the same breath as Samsung and Apple as a top smartphone choice.

Screen: The 6.1-inch display is only Full HD, but that does help with battery life. This is actually probably one of the weakest parts of the phone, as it lacks the colour reproduction of its rivals, but it does come with a screen protector pre-fitted, which is a nice touch.

Battery life: The Huawei P20 Pro will get you a day and half of light to moderate use - it goes down after a full month's effort, filling it with apps, but even still we're getting a good day's hard use, which is great.

Camera: The camera is the standout feature on the Huawei P20 Pro, offering three lenses... and they're actually useful. The resolution is pin sharp thanks to brilliant image stabilisation, the software photo optimisation is excellent and having that 40MP sensor has been boosted well by Leica for good low light performance.

Mini verdict: The main issue you have to overcome with the P20 Pro is the fact you might not be familiar with the brand, but not only is Huawei a worthy competitor to Apple and Samsung, but it's the most likely to get the bigger price drops first (which is worth checking out using our price finder below).

Read more: Huawei P20 Pro review

The LG G7 ThinQ is an impressive little phone from the brand (irritating name aside), bringing with it a strong package and a decent price in many regions. There's an attempt to right the wrongs of the LG G6 - and it's resulted in a good alternative to the traditional big hitters.

Screen: LG's Super Bright screen might not be OLED - LCD is preferred here - but it's capable of delivering good peak brightness, can handle HDR10 and Dolby Vision playback and has a large, expansive look with a smaller notch. It's a little large to hold, but it's one of the most capable screens around.

Battery life: At 3,000 mAh, the LG G7 ThinQ isn't the largest on the market... and it shows in the performance. It's not terrible, with some clever background processing keeping things going, but it'll only last you around a day when others are starting to eke into two.

Camera: The smart camera here is great if you want to capture more of the picture, with a much wider field of view bringing in more information. The smart sensor tries to work out what's in front of you - with great results, but only when it gets things right. It's not the best camera out there, but you can take some stellar shots.

Mini verdict: It's so tight at top of our best smartphone list that the small tweaks can make all the difference, and LG impresses thanks to offering up a tightly-made package for a pretty reasonable price - it's similar to many other top Android phones out there, but you'll certainly find some elements to enjoy here.

Read more: LG G7 ThinQ review

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is a phone that might not instantly be on your wish list, but the brand has made huge strides of late (just look at where the P20 Pro sits), and the battery life is something that outranks most on this list. If you're feeling that it's time for a change, this is worth checking out.

Screen: The Full HD screen is a match for the Pixel 2 but not its other Android competitors like the Galaxy S9 and Note 8 phones from Samsung. As such, the screen on the 10 Pro is very good...but not spectacular.

Battery: The biggest talking point of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is its battery. Huge at 4,000mAh, it translates to impressive performance, with the possibility of stretching usage to two days from a single charge if you knock it to flight mode overnight.

Camera: On the rear, the dual camera setup is a solid point-and-shoot option, but it really excels if you dive into manual mode; if you're a camera enthusiast who's willing to spend time fine-tuning, you can get some great shots from the Mate 10 Pro.

Mini verdict: It's not the best looking or bristling with the most features, but the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is a brilliant phone if you're looking for a big screen and top quality battery life, and it's starting to get even more competitive on contract, far undercutting the phones ahead of it in this list.

Read more: Huawei Mate 10 Pro review

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 was the first time the brand's phablet range was seen as a real rival for the Galaxy S phones - the larger screen and more power starting to resonate with the average phone buyer. The S Pen is the real point of differentiation, and it's cool to always have a notepad with you.

Screen: The Note 8 maximises Samsung’s dual curved edge and nearly bezel-less Infinity Display to the point where this phone feels like a mini tablet from the future. It's more squared off than the Galaxy S phones, but still lovely to look at.

Camera: The camera on the Note 8 is superb and near the front of the pack for all round quality. On the rear its dual lenses allow for optical zoom as well as digital zoom, as well as live focus which enables you to do all kinds of effects including blurring the background - even after you've taken the shot.

Battery life: The battery in the Note 8 isn't quite best in class - you can thank the large screen and slender design for that. But it'll still last you all day unless you're streaming a lot of video or using it with the brightness pumped up.

Mini verdict: The Note 8 has leapt up the rankings thanks to a mega price drop - it's much, much more palatable. Could that be anything to do with the imminent Note 9? Perhaps, but this is now a pretty stunning buy for the cost.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review

The Pixel 2 XL is all about the camera, with a wider frame and more expansive screen for watching all manner of content. You'll buy it for the pictures you can take, but the power and latest Android upgrades will impress too - Android P is here and bringing some nice to this phone before any other handset.

Screen: The Pixel XL 2 has an expansive 6-inch display that's decent for gaming and video playback (although a few issues have surfaced around its viewing angles), and it boasts an improved design over the smaller Pixel 2, with slimmer bezels housing its dual front-facing speakers.

Battery life: The XL has good battery life - you won't have a problem with it. It will comfortably last you a full day under normal conditions and with normal use, and its ability to save power when it's not doing anything means it'll last a few days in standby.

Camera: Like the smaller Pixel 2, the camera on the XL is stunningly good. Photos look fantastic, and they'll please both casual and more serious snappers alike. Low light conditions in particular are where this phone shines - perhaps only equalled by the Galaxy S9 pair and Huawei P20 Pro - and you'll struggle to take a poor snap with this phone.

Mini verdict: This phone is for you if you want to go for a pure Android experience with the best camera on the market, and with a large, high-res screen. It's a pricey phone (although the cost is dropping these days) but worth it if the above appeals.

Read more: Google Pixel 2 XL review

The OnePlus 6 represents excellent value compared to its competitors, with a strong package put together for far less money than you might expect given the spec and performance of this thing.

Screen: The negative thing here is that we're looking at a Full HD display, but it's a long 19:9 ratio with a notch at the top. Yes, it lacks HDR, but it does have decent OLED contrast ratio - it's far from shabby to look at.

Battery life: The battery life of the OnePlus 6, despite using the thirsty Snapdragon 845 chipset, is more than decent, with it mostly landing on around 15% left at the end of the day through medium usage.

Camera: A dual 16MP sensor on the back, combined with a 16MP option for the front, means that you'll get some decent snaps out of this phone. There's no 'AI smarts' to play with here, but ultimately you're getting some good bokeh modes and impressive low-light work.

Mini verdict: Sure, there's nothing here that really wows... except the price. The design, screen, battery life and camera are all more than serviceable, and the operating system is pretty close to stock Android, which will attract many. There's a lot of power and storage on offer here too, making it an easy recommendation.

Read more: OnePlus 6 review

The Galaxy S8 Plus might be a year old, but it's still impressive and the cost is lowering nicely these days.

You can get incredible photos in many conditions, the screen is pin-sharp and it's just boosted a couple of places in this list thanks to a nifty price drop this week.

Screen: The 6.2-inch screen, actually called an Infinity Display by Samsung, spills to the edge of the phone, and is a well-made fusion of glass and metal. It feels great in the hand, thanks to a rolling design - and like the other Galaxies in this list, is water-resistant too, to an IP67 level.

Battery life: The battery life is superior on the Galaxy S8 Plus compared to the Galaxy S8 (obviously) and also the Galaxy S9 (more surprising), thanks to having a larger power pack in there without much more work to do - it’ll easily last most people a day or so.

Camera: The camera is a top fusion of auto mode and pro settings for those that like to dig a little deeper - the quality of the snaps is more often than not pin-sharp, and the screen quality really highlights your photos. It lacks the dual sensor and low-light capabilities of the S9 Plus, but it's a terribly good performer for those that don't need the highest-of-high-end smarts.

Mini verdict: Don't let the age put you off - this is still an immensely powerful phone with a strong spec list. The screen, camera and design are still premium, and while not as good as the S9 Plus, it's a lot a cheaper thanks to being on sale for longer.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus review

So the iPhone X is the phone to buy if you want the best from Apple right now, but if you're more of a traditionalist you'll love the familiar stylings of the 8 Plus. It's got a strong camera and all the power of the X, as well as an easier-to-understand interface if you're a long-time iOS user.

Screen: The 5.5-inch screen is great and includes important upgrades to the colour reproduction and the temperature too - so images look more clean and lifelike. It's not as sharp as the screens on some of the best Android phones but the inclusion of True Tone tech, first seen on the iPad Pro, means you get some great quality.

Battery life: The battery life of the iPhone 8 Plus is good, but not amazing. You'll normally be able to survive a full day without topping up but on those times when you have the screen fired from morning to night (watching video or using maps etc), you might find yourself just scraping by.

Camera: The camera on this phone is superb, with two 12MP lenses on the rear combining to deliver great images even in low light, and the double sensors creating some nice, refined blurred-background portrait shots.

Mini verdict: It's still a top iPhone and perfect for anyone who wants to upgrade but doesn't want to pay the eye-watering price commanded by the iPhone X. It's pretty far down the list, true, but that's more to do with the excellent array of Android phones around, offering a great experience for less money. But if you're sticking with Apple and don't want the X's prices, the iPhone 8 Plus is the right choice for you.

Read more: iPhone 8 Plus review

If you want a smaller phone that's great to hold and has a brilliant camera, then you could do a lot worse than look at the thankfully-now-cheaper Google Pixel 2.

Screen: It's only a 1080p LCD screen, but we don't see a lot wrong with what's on offer here. It's not 18:9 nor bezel-less, which puts it at a disadvantage to its rivals', but it's still more than acceptable.

Battery life: The battery life, like the screen, is also just fine, making it just to the end of the day. That makes sense given the smaller power pack in there, and it's still better than some other phones on this list.

Camera: This is the reason that the Pixel 2 is on the list. Some of the best photos you'll ever capture on a phone will come from this device, and while there are some competitors (the Samsung Galaxy S9 pair and the Huawei P20 Pro) for the price, this is easily the best cameraphone.

Mini verdict: The Google Pixel 2 is nowhere near as impressive the Pixel 2 XL, with a smaller, lower-res screen, less power and not as much battery power - but for the cost, it's a stunning option if you want to take decent snaps.

Read more: Google Pixel 2 review

The Samsung Galaxy S8 looked space age when it was launched last year, and the Galaxy S9 apes it in many ways. It's not the top phone in Samsung's range any more, but it's jolly close and it seems that retailers are starting to discount it both SIM free and on contract, which is why it's jumped up our list.

Screen: The screen was the very, very best on the market and is still now a top performer, coming with the elongated, 18.5:9 ratio that stretches impressively up and down the phone - very similar to that on the current Galaxy S9. With powerful colour reproduction and contrast ratio that make everything look clear and crisp, it’s also got the QHD resolution that we expect from all the top phones.

Battery life: The battery life, despite being smaller than in previous devices from Samsung, is still pretty decent. It's not amazing, but it's not very far from the performance of the Galaxy S9 and will last around a day... although you might want a little top up, which can be achieved quickly through a wireless charger or the speedy adapter in the box.

Camera: The camera is still very strong, despite being usurped by the S9 - the auto mode offers clean, crisp and clear shots every time and combined with screen quality makes you want to show off your best snaps. There’s an easy-to-use pro mode as well to get the best out of your snapping.

Mini verdict: This is the phone to go for if you want a strong performer and don't mind it's a little older. As such, it's much cheaper than it was at launch and thus offers fantastic value for money.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S8 review

The LG V30 is a quietly impressive phone, jam-packed with all manner of tech. It's offering some of the top specs around and does it with a strong battery life, as well as being an audio marvel... perfect if you love listening to tunes on the go.

Screen: The V30 sports the fashionable 18:9 aspect ratio complete with an attractive 6-inch OLED display with 2880 x 1440 (QHD) resolution. While there are still bezels at the ends, the phone looks and feels superb.

Battery life: The battery life is one of the LG V30's best features, easily lasting a day and if you're a light user it could potentially go two days between charging.

Camera: The V30's camera is good - you'll be able to take shots in all conditions and be happy with them. But it's not quite as good as the camera on the Samsung S9 phones, the Pixel 2 or the iPhone X.

Mini verdict: The V30 was LG's best ever smartphone at launch. It's got the most powerful processor around, a great camera and delivers one of the best sonic performances from a phone on the market right now, thanks to the dedicated Quad DAC inside.

The LG G7 ThinQ is now in our list and it's quite the rival to this phone, so check that out higher up the list if you're wondering if that's a better option - it will be for many.

Read more: LG V30 review

The latest Honor phone offers a decent spec list, while keeping the price exceptionally low - and it looks great while doing so too.

Screen: The Honor 10 screen has the... you've guessed it: notch at the top! It's an LCD screen so lacks the punch of the OnePlus 6 or Galaxy S9, for instance. It's also 'only' Full HD, but for the price it's excellent and more than does the job.

Battery life: You probably won't get a full day's battery life out of this phone every day, but for the most part it's pretty decent. Not the best on the market and we're used to Honor slugging more battery into its handsets, but at 3,400mAh it's a touch too small.

Camera: The Honor 10 struggles here a little, although the 16MP + 24MP sensors work well in tandem. Some of the AI modes worked very well together at times, but it wasn't always processing and improving the picture in the way you'd want before showing it to you.

Mini verdict: Honor phones are often the same - but that's no bad thing. This is a brand that's challenging the incumbents, and while it's admittedly not the prowess of some of the incumbents on this list, it's worth checking the phone out now - you'll never expect the lovely split screen colours on the back.

Read more: Honor 10 review

You're at the end of the guide, but that doesn't mean we can't help you still - if you're stuck on which model is for you, we've got a tool that can compare all the phones together and you can decide which one suits you best based on the cost.

If you want to get all the info, then use the tool below or check out our full mobile phone deals page.