Apple's best iPhone is the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but that doesn't necessarily make it the best option for you. Apple's best iPhone is also its largest and most expensive model, so naturally, if you want a smaller handset or you're trying to save money, then you'll need an alternative.
In the future, it's likely to be overruled by the iPhone 15, presumably, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but we're still waiting for it to be announced and then released. While that date is likely to be very soon, it's still worth buying one of the best iPhones now as many are still fantastic quality and will last you a long time to come.
Apple sells a lot of iPhones including older iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 models. There's also the ever-popular iPhone SE which is great for users on a budget and wanting a smaller phone.
No matter how much money you want to spend, the size you need, and the features you can't live without, there's an iPhone for you. We've got them all listed below to help you figure out what's best for your needs.
What is the best iPhone in 2023?
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This is the first time we're recommending an iPhone Pro as the best iPhone for most people. The reason why is twofold. The iPhone 14 Pro (and its big sibling, the iPhone 14 Pro Max) is easily the best iPhone ever created in terms of hardware and software. Also, Apple did its flagship device wrong this time around. The iPhone 14 is too similar to the iPhone 13 to be worth the recommendation for most. In a vacuum, the iPhone 14 is truly a great device. However, for the amount of money Apple expects us to spend on an iPhone, we believe there are better choices for most people.
Wondering why the iPhone 14 Pro Max isn't topping the list despite being mentioned up top? We're talking the best iPhone for most people rather than one that's fantastic but potentially excessive for those people who don't need the extra screen space.
So, the iPhone 14 Pro is quite the phone. Available in some fantastic colors, including gold, silver, Space Black, and Deep Purple, the iPhone 14 Pro is full of unique and amazing new features, starting with Dynamic Island. As mentioned in our iPhone 14 Pro review, Dynamic Island is "just an absolute delight to use." The feature uses hardware and software to offer a new way of interacting with notifications. It's located where the iPhone notch used to be and it changes fluidly depending on what you're doing. It's a feature that's gradually being incorporated in third-party apps and it's proving quite successful.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is also noted for the advanced A16 chip mentioned above. The chip has a 6-core CPU with two performance and four efficiency cores, a 5-core GPU for faster graphics performance, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Called the "ultimate smartphone chip" by Apple, the A16 can handle any workload you throw at it smoothly and efficiently, with the 16-core Neural Engine being able to perform 17 trillion operations per second. In addition, with the new Photonic Engine, gamers can expect even better performance with 50% more memory bandwidth than the previous iPhone 13 Pro.
On the negative side, there's no denying the iPhone 14 Pro is an expensive device and one that gets more cost prohibitive as more storage gets added. And yet, we believe its extras compared to the iPhone 14 are well worth the $200 price difference. Check out our look at iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro to see how the differences stack up. With the iPhone 15 coming very soon, prices may get more reasonable too for the iPhone 14 Pro making it a more tempting proposition.
Finally, don't forget to learn more about the Deep Purple hue. It's gorgeous, but some people may find it too light a color. When in doubt, look at one in a store before making a purchase.
The best alternative iPhone in 2023
The iPhone 14 is perhaps the strangest iPhone ever released. The device has everything that made the iPhone 13 (see below) No. 1 iPhone in the past, plus a few new features. However, when you compare it to the iPhone 14 Pro series, you realize what an incremental upgrade it actually is.
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, and all-new 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 an all-new 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.
The best iPhone for photography in 2023
If you like everything about the iPhone 14 Pro but want something bigger, there's the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It has a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display and a bigger battery life, but is otherwise identical to the smaller iPhone 14 Pro.
It provides a 2796-by-1290-pixel resolution at 460 PPI. You can expect up to 29 hours between charges on the latter versus the 23 hours for the iPhone 14 Pro.
The bigger screen will cost you, as the Max is $100 more across all storage levels, but it can be worth it if you want the ultimate display from an iPhone.
The best iPhone for battery life in 2023
With the iPhone 14 series, Apple has replaced the mini version with something much bigger, the iPhone 14 Plus. Like how the iPhone 14 Pro Max is so similar to the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 14 Plus is identical to the iPhone 14 bar two things -- screen size and battery life.
This iPhone offers a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display with a 2778-by-1284-pixel resolution at 458 PPI. And instead of the 20 hours of battery life promised on the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Plus offers up to 26 hours between charges. For this, once again, you'll pay $100 extra.
The best small iPhone in 2023
Apple still sells a small phone -- the iPhone 13 mini. 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 the forthcoming iOS 17.
Similar to the previous 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
For the vast majority, we recommend the iPhone 14 Pro as the best iPhone 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.
