There is a total of 8 iPhones to pick from, so which ones are truly deserving of your attention? Let’s take a look at the best iPhones to buy.
As is tradition, this year’s iPhone 16 series was introduced in September and launched soon after. The reception this time around seems more mixed than usual. Unlike in other years, when the Pro models were the center of attention, this time people are more excited about the non-Pro variants because they got a more obvious design refresh and a bigger upgrade compared to previous years.
As you probably know, Apple doesn’t immediately discontinue older models. Instead, it keeps them around to sell at a lower cost, giving you an option to enter the iPhone world for slightly less. In other words, gone are the days when you only had to choose between a black and white iPhone 4. Nowadays, there are nine iPhone models available from Apple, up that to about 11 models in circulation while shops are clearing iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max units.
It’s natural to ask, which is the best iPhone? Not necessarily in terms of tech and speed, of course — if you want the newest, fastest, best iPhone — just get the 16 Pro Max.
But most don’t need that type of overkill device, so looking at the other models is a logical choice. But trying to navigate the maze of best iPhone for the price may be a bit confusing and requires some forethought and knowledge of what’s come before. No worries, we gave the current iPhone portfolio some thought — and we have some suggestions for you.
So, the question is probably a bit more nuanced — what’s the best iPhone to buy, considering your specific needs and preferences?
Here at PhoneArena, we have experience with iPhones since their appearance in 2007, and still hold on to all the latest models that currently run iOS 18 right now. So, let us try and help you get a bargain; or the best iPhone money can buy.
It’s always a personal choice, balancing budget against things like performance, camera, battery life, and overall usefulness. Some people may be ready to jump on the biggest and most expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is objectively the best iPhone on the market. But others may be just fine with a standard iPhone 14. Or, there are those that may prefer a small phone — that’s where the SE comes in play.
Below, you will find the iPhone models we believe are most worthy a purchase in late 2024, with our reasoning behind those choices.
Straight out of the gate, if you are out looking for the cheapest iPhone that can give you the best possible value — we’ve made a special article, where we hunt down offers on models that can still be found in new-old stock condition. Do have a look at the Best cheap iPhone article here.
The best iPhones in 2024, at a glance:
iPhone 16 Pro Max – newest, biggest, best iPhone
iPhone 16 Pro – now closer to the Pro Max than before
iPhone 15 Pro – discontinued, grab it while last units still available!
iPhone 16 – the new design is quite nice and you get all the extra hardware buttons
iPhone 14 Plus – the first oversized iPhone without a Pro price
iPhone SE (2022) – compact, classic design, most affordable iPhone
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Biggest iPhone, best camera, extra-long battery life
PhoneArena Rating: 8
PhoneArena Battery Score: 8 hours 30 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 154
(Image Source – PhoneArena) The iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
What we like
Refined titanium finish
Improved Photographic Styles and video features are welcome
Slightly larger display is a noticeable upgrade
What we don’t like
Grounded, maybe a bit boring color options
Camera button is good, but its positioning is a bit iffy
USB 3 on the phone, no USB 3 cable in the box
8
PhoneArena Rating
7.5
Price Class Average
Battery Life
8.5
7.6
Photo Quality
7.7
7.4
Video Quality
7.1
6.6
Charging
5.1
5.5
View all ratings
Performance Peak
7.1
6.6
Performance Daily
8.3
7.7
Display Quality
8
8
Design
8
7.8
Wireless Charging
7.9
7
Biometrics
8
7.8
Audio
8
7.8
Software
10
9.5
Why the score?
This device scores 6.3% better than the average for this price class, which includes devices like the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
How do we rate?
5.5
User Score
(2 reviews)
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Amazon
£1199
Mobiles.co.uk
£315
Sim-free
eBay
£1199
The new iPhone 16 Pro Max does not look entirely redesigned, but it did get a couple of tune-ups. Notably, the display grew a bit — no up to 6.9″, from 6.7″. The difference is achieved by a much slimmer bezel and slightly bigger body. While the 0.2″ sceen size increase is not major, the iPhone 16 Pro Max does look much cleaner from the front, with that thinner border.
You may still be tempted to get an iPhone 16 Plus for its big 6.7-inch screen, but the Pro series still holds the 120 Hz ProMotion display hostage. So the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max still have the extra-smooth feeling screens. The chip in the Pro models is the Apple A18 Pro, which is only a hair faster than the regular A18 in CPU tasks. It is, however, better at 3D rendering, so gaming and graphical-heavy apps will run better on the Pro Max.
For the camera, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a lot of the same specs as the iPhone 15 Pro Max — 48 MP main and 12 MP telephoto 5x zoom camera have remained seemingly unchanged. But the ultra-wide snapper was upgraded with yet another 48 MP sensor to match the main one. It will still take photos with binned pixels at 12 MP resolution by default, but just as with the main camera, you have access to a full-res mode for 48 MP snaps.
Another big new thing about the 16 series entirely is the new Photographic Styles. The feature itself is old, but has now been upgraded with more styles and more fine controls, so you can really dial in. well, your style. They are fun to play with and may give you one or two results that you really like, but not an entire gamechanger. It is unclear whether these will be available on older iPhones, we wager not.
You can also now record slow-mo at 4K, which is a welcome update, even if niche. The iPhones’ slow-mo has been lagging behind for the past few years — not in the intended way, that is.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro are currently the iPhones with the best cameras. The 15 Pro Max isn’t far behind, it just doesn’t have that ultra-wide camera upgrade. Plus, the new Photographic Styles and 4K slow-mo are reserved for iPhones 16 and up.
The battery is definitely worth a mention, as it’s grown to 4685 mAh — the biggest cell on an iPhone yet, and it definitely shows with supreme endurance. Without a question, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the iPhone with the best battery life thus far.
It’s a hefty investment, for sure, but certainly offers the top-tier Apple experience. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the best overall smartphone, considering display, speakers, battery life, performance, and camera. And it had better be, as it starts at $1,200 for the base model. It least its lowest tier starts at 256 GB storage, but if you plan on enjoying the improved cameras with Cinematic Mode, and its ProRes video recording, you should plan ahead and just get a 512 GB model (at least).
Key iPhone 16 Pro Max specs:
Display: 6.9-inch 120Hz screen
Processor: Apple A18 Pro
RAM: 8GB
Cameras: 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (5x optical zoom), 12MP front-facing
Battery: 4685mAh
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
iPhone 16 Pro Max full specs
iPhone 16 Pro
The iPhone 16 Pro is just as good as the Pro Max, not as big
PhoneArena Rating: 7.7
PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 35 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 154
(Image Source – PhoneArena) The iPhone 16 Pro
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
What we like
Refined in many subtle ways
Slightly longer battery life
New Photographic Styles are useful
What we don’t like
Camera Control is overhyped
No faster wired charging
No more 3X zoom camera for portraits
7.7
PhoneArena Rating
7.1
Price Class Average
Battery Life
6.6
7
Photo Quality
7.7
7
Video Quality
7.1
6.1
Charging
5.5
6.5
View all ratings
Performance Peak
6.7
6.3
Performance Daily
8.3
7.2
Display Quality
8
7.9
Design
8
7.5
Wireless Charging
8.4
6.7
Biometrics
8
7.5
Audio
8
7.5
Software
10
7.8
Why the score?
This device scores 7.8% better than the average for this price class, which includes devices like the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra and Motorola razr Plus (2024)
How do we rate?
User Score
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Sim-free
Amazon
£1099
Mobiles.co.uk
£305
Simply Be
£999
Stick with us, we know it kind of looks like we are just listing off the newest iPhones. But the iPhone 16 Pro is worth a mention here this year. Specifically because last year’s Pro pair had a difference between them — the 5x tetraprism lens.
Well, this year, the iPhone 16 Pro is back in the game. It has everything that the 16 Pro Max has — the 48 MP ultra-wide camera, the 5x zoom lens, the Camera Control button and Action button, and the same processor. No difference between the two. Aside from the screen size, but it’s noteworthy that the iPhone 16 Pro also has a slimmed-down bezel, so its own screen has grown to 6.3 inches, from 6.1.
In our experience, most users prefer that slightly smaller form factor. So, while it doesn’t have the monstrous battery life, we believe the 16 Pro will be the best new iPhone for shoppers this season.
So, if you want those Pro Max features but don’t want a slab of a phone, the iPhone 16 Pro is back to being the right viable choice. Take note that the battery is definitely smaller. It’s not that we couldn’t depend on the iPhone 16 Pro to last us a day, up to a day and a half, but the Pro Max definitely has that « two day » feel to it.
Oh, there is one more difference — you can still get it a bit cheaper. While the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at 256 GB, nudging you to make that storage upgrade whether you want it or not, the iPhone 16 Pro still starts at 128 GB and $999. So, you get the power, the speed, the cameras and the Photographic Styles, all for $200 less. But that’s not the full story! Keep in mind, iOS will not let you record video in 4K ProRes if you don’t have at least 256 GB of storage, so if you are interested in recording and editing high quality video from your iPhone — plan ahead and get the storage upgrade.
