After being in the industry for so many years, getting excited about the new releases is becoming harder and harder. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t phones that stood out. But my perspective has shifted. I picked five phones that, to me, are solid all-rounders, leaving little room for complaints instead of going for the most impressive hardware or flashy, cutting-edge tech.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
I’m starting the list with Xiaomi’s flagship for yet another year. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra doesn’t offer any groundbreaking features, nor is it a huge leap over the Xiaomi 13 Ultra (which has been my daily driver for almost two years), but it’s definitely one of the best phones to buy in 2024.
I grew fond of HyperOS, and aside from its unimpressive battery life, this proprietary Android overlay delivers in almost every aspect. It’s feature-packed and remains fluid and dependable after years of use.
Additionally, the 14 Ultra adds a much-needed upgrade to the camera department compared to the 13 Ultra. The two telephoto cameras (3.2x and 5x) now both support close-distance focusing. This makes the camera setup much more versatile and ties the whole thing together. The macro shots are great.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s design, although polarizing, is extremely comfortable. The 13 Ultra and the 14 Ultra are the first phones I use without a case, and I’m not even worried about dropping either of them. The vegan leather back is grippy, comfortable and withstands the test of time. As I said earlier, little to no complaints.
OnePlus 12
I’ve had my fair share of OnePlus phones in the past, but the OnePlus 12 is perhaps the first one I genuinely like in recent years.
Sure, it won’t impress you with its camera prowess, but that doesn’t mean it can’t take nice stills and videos. ColorOS, ahem… OxygenOS continues to evolve, bringing excellent features, and we found it to be one of the best systems when it comes to battery life. Hence why, the OnePlus 12 has such great battery endurance.
The device also packs top-of-the-line hardware, such as a flagship SoC, an excellent display, and a battery that supports blazing-fast charging. And even though OnePlus is no longer associated with affordability, it still manages to undercut the competition, making you think twice before defaulting to a Samsung Galaxy S phone, for example. That’s why I often recommend the OnePlus 12 to someone looking for a solid all-around flagship phone as long as they do not have extremely high hopes for the camera system. Not that it takes bad stills, but it’s not a standout cameraphone either.
Xiaomi 14T/14T Pro
This year’s Xiaomi 14T series gets a serious upgrade, especially in the camera department. The duo is perhaps one of the best in its class when it comes to camera performance, especially videos.
In addition to their competent camera systems, the two handsets are equipped with potent hardware, bright displays and speedy charging. Easily one of the best upper-midrangers on the market.
iQOO 13
I was pleasantly surprised by the iQOO 13. iQOO’s phones usually fly under my radar, but the iQOO 13 is definitely a hit. For the asking price, the handset offers a nice set of features – an excellent camera system with a dedicated zoom camera, great display, great-sounding speakers, fast charging and one of the highest battery life scores in our database.
The iQOO 13 is also one of the few phones on the market offering the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite. And that’s not all. Turns out, the iQOO 13 can handle the 8 Elite without breaking a sweat. The device maintained near-maximal CPU performance during an hour-long stress test, which is extremely rare in phones with such powerful chipsets. iQOO definitely outdid themselves this time.
I’m sure I left out many great smartphones in 2024, but these are the ones that stuck with me throughout this year. What are your best picks?