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Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The all around best phone
$999 at Apple
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Top-of-the-line Android
$1,200 at Samsung
Price alerts on for Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (128GB, Phantom Black)
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Google Pixel 7 Pro
Superb Google-made Android phone
$749 at Google Store
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Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Most affordable iPhone
$429 at Apple
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Google Pixel 6A
Best affordable Android phone
$299 at Amazon
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Sony Xperia Pro
Best phone for creatives
$1,098 at Amazon
Price alerts on for Sony Xperia Pro
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Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
Best phone with a stylus
$200 at Amazon
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Today’s best smartphones include Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, but they’re not the only phones worth considering. While Apple’s and Samsung’s flagships remain top buying choices, other phone makers are producing fantastic devices at a variety of prices. The industry is innovating and evolving faster than ever, from 5G connectivity to foldable screens, and all of the competition benefits us.
Verizon subscribers can choose from excellent phones at a range of prices, so we’ve done some digging to give you the straight talk on which phones actually deliver the goods. Read on to find the best Verizon phone for you and check out our tips on how to buy a new phone.
Watch this:
What to Look for When Buying a Phone
2:09
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The all around best phone
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce sweeping changes including a new 48-megapixel camera system, the Dynamic Island and Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor. All of these upgrades come together to make for an experience that feels fresh and fast compared to older generations.
Read our Apple iPhone 14 Pro review.
$999 at Apple
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Top-of-the-line Android
2022
The $1,200 Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the most expensive Android phones out there, but for good reason. It has a giant 6.8-inch display, an S Pen stylus you can store inside the phone (just like the Galaxy Note), and a four-lens camera with a zoom range that’s hard to beat. Samsung also improved the way all of its new Galaxy phones take photos in low light, which is especially important on a photography-oriented phone like the Ultra.
The only downsides? The S22 Ultra’s sky-high price and relatively short battery life. Still, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best phone for people who want the biggest screen and one of the best cameras available in a phone. You just have to be willing to pay a higher price for those perks.
Read our Galaxy S22 Ultra review.
$1,200 at Samsung$889 at Amazon$1,200 at Best BuyYou’re receiving price alerts for Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (128GB, Phantom Black)
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Superb Google-made Android phone
Google’s top-end Pixel 7 Pro packs a superb camera system, beautiful display and smooth Android 13 software into a refined glass and aluminum body. And it does that while still managing to undercut some of its top rivals. It’s not the most powerful phone around and its battery life could be better, but it offers a great overall experience that’s well worth considering.
Read our Pixel 7 Pro review.
$749 at Google Store
Patrick Holland/CNET
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Most affordable iPhone
Apple’s new iPhone SE for 2022 is a mix of an older design with the latest smartphone features, including Apple’s latest A15 Bionic chip and 5G support, for $429. It’s also one of the few phones on the market that includes a smaller, 4.7-inch screen.
Yet it’s that throwback design, which continues the general shape that Apple has used since 2014, that could be what you will love or dislike most about this phone. If you want a larger iPhone in this price range, you can also consider the iPhone 11 at $499 in order to get a bigger screen and Face ID. But that phone, first released in 2019, doesn’t include 5G connectivity.
Read our iPhone SE (2022) review.
$429 at Apple
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Google Pixel 6A
Best affordable Android phone
CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco called the Google Pixel 6A the “best Android phone under $500” in her review, calling out its solid performance, its 5G connectivity and its excellent camera for its price.
The phone has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of 60Hz along with a 12.2-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Tensor chip allows for photo technology including the Real Tone skin tone feature, Face Unblur, Night Sight for darker photography and the Magic Eraser, which can remove unwanted elements from a photo.
$299 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Google Pixel 6a (128GB, Charcoal)
Patrick Holland/CNET
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Best compact folding phone
With a candybar form that folds down into a smaller square, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 offers a much more compact footprint than the Z Fold 4. It makes it easier to slide into a tight pocket when not in use, but it still folds out to offer a sizeable 6.7-inch display when you need it.
Like the Z Fold 4, the Flip line has seen revisions over the years including improvements to its hinge system and a reduction in the crease marks in its display. It’s got a new camera system too, along with a larger outer display that shows incoming notifications.
It’s pricey, sure, and its battery life could be better. But this is a fun phone and one we’ve enjoyed using.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Sony Xperia Pro
Best phone for creatives
At a whopping price of $2,500, the Sony Xperia Pro isn’t for everyone. But if you’re a photographer or videographer looking for professional-level camera phone features, you can’t go wrong. The Xperia Pro is essentially four products in one: a phone, a camera monitor, a speedy photo file transfer device and a 5G machine that can broadcast and livestream.
Read our Sony Xperia Pro review.
$1,098 at Amazon$1,100 at Best BuyGet Price AlertsYou’re receiving price alerts for Sony Xperia Pro
Sarah Tew/CNET
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
Best phone with a stylus
If you’re looking for a good budget phone that comes with a basic stylus and support for 5G, then the Moto G Stylus 5 is a great pick. The phone has a stylus you can store inside it, along with a built-in Notes app to help with productivity. This phone also offers a triple-rear camera, 128GB of internal storage and a robust 4,000-mAh battery.
Read our Moto G Stylus 5G review.
$200 at AmazonYou’re receiving price alerts for Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
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