Top 10 smartphones of 2018 the best of all time

If you're after the best smartphone right now - we'll save you some trouble. It's the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus... just scroll down the page and you'll see all about just why we think that.

However, before you do that, today is the launch of the one of most powerful phones around - the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, so we urge you to check out all our lovely coverage of its arrival.

But, if you're after a phone you can buy right now, then check out the rest of this list. How did we arrive at the decisions? Well, we can tell you it's not an easy process. What matters about a smartphone is a little different to everybody - so we make sure we know these phones inside and out.

We test the quality of the screen, the battery life, the feel of the phone in the hand and the power of the camera (and plenty more besides) to find out which phone we think blends all of these together - and doesn't cost too much.

If you want something that's based entirely on price (and don't want to spend a huge amount) then we suggest you check out our list of the best budget phones of 2018 for some great ideas.

Maybe you know which operating system will suit you - in that case, look at 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.

Still here? Still thinking about which phone to go for? Don't worry... there are 15 excellent options to choose from.

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1. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The best smartphone around? Certainly for Android fans.

Release date: March 2018 | Weight: 189g | Dimensions: 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5mm | OS: Android 8 | Screen size: 6.2-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 2960 | CPU: Snapdragon 845 / Exynos 9810 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB | Battery: 3,500mAh | Rear camera: Dual 12MP | Front camera: 8MP

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.

2. Huawei P20 Pro

The best phone Huawei has ever made

Release date: April 2018 | Weight: 180g | Dimensions: 155 x 73.9 x 7.8 mm | OS: Android 8.1 | Screen size: 6.1-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2240 | CPU: Kirin 970 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 40MP + 20MP + 8MP | Front camera: 24MP

The Huawei P20 Pro is easily the best phone that the brand has ever produced, and it's troubling the top of our charts. Even if you've never heard of this brand before, the P20 Pro is a phone that deserves its place among the very best brands out there.

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).

3. iPhone X

The best iPhone Apple has ever made

Release date: October 2017 | Weight: 174g | Dimensions: 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm | OS: iOS 11 | Screen size: 5.8-inch | Resolution: 1125x2436 | CPU: A11 Bionic | RAM: 3GB | Storage: 64/256GB | Battery: 2716mAh | Rear camera: 12MP+12MP | Front camera: 7MP

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...

4. Samsung Galaxy S9

A great phone for the smaller-handed

Release date: March 2018 | Weight: 163g | Dimensions: 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5mm | OS: Android 8 | Screen size: 5.8-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 2960 | CPU: Snapdragon 845 / Exynos 9810 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB | Battery: 3,000mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 8MP

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.

5. LG G7 ThinQ

LG's latest phone is an impressive model

Release date: May 2018 | Weight: 167 | Dimensions: 153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9 mm | OS: Android 8.1 | Screen size: 6.1-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3120 | CPU: Snapdragon 845 | RAM: 4/6GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB | Battery: 3,000mAh | Rear camera: Dual 16MP | Front camera: 8MP

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.

6. Huawei Mate 10 Pro

A powerful phone with an amazing battery life

Release date: October 2017 | Weight: 178g | Dimensions: 154.2 x 74.5 x 7.9mm | OS: Android 8 | Screen size: 6-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2160 | CPU: Kirin 970 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 20MP+12MP | Front camera: 8MP

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.

7. Samsung Galaxy Note 8

A brilliant phone for camera and stylus fans alike

Release date: September 2017 | Weight: 195g | Dimensions: 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm | OS: Android 7.1.1 | Screen size: 6.3-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 2630 | CPU: Exynos 8895 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB | Battery: 3,300mAh | Rear camera: Dual 12MP | Front camera: 8MP

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.

8. Google Pixel 2 XL

A great cameraphone with a neat design

Release date: October 2017 | Weight: 175g | Dimensions: 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9mm | OS: Android 8 | Screen size: 6-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 2880 | CPU: Snapdragon 835 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB | Battery: 3,520mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 8MP

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. 

9. OnePlus 6

An excellent package for a lower price

Release date: May 2018 | Weight: 177g | Dimensions: 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8 mm | OS: Android 8 | Screen size: 6.28-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2280 | CPU: Snapdragon 845 | RAM: 6/8GB | Storage: 64GB/128/256GB | Battery: 3,300mAh | Rear camera: Dual 16MP | Front camera: 16MP

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.

10. Google Pixel 2

Not as stunning as its sibling, but still darn good

Release date: October 2017 | Weight: 143g | Dimensions: 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm | OS: Android 8.1 | Screen size: 5-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 1920 | CPU: Snapdragon 835 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB | Battery: 2,700mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 8MP

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 strong 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.