The Top 11 Best iPhones Compared for 2023

The best iPhone is often the latest model, which means it’s also the most expensive. Depending on your needs and your budget, certain iPhone models will be a better fit for you than others.

To help you make an informed decision and find the ideal iPhone for you, we’ve put together this detailed guide and reviewed the 11 best iPhones on the market, looking at their specs, performance, and pros & cons.

The Best iPhones Ranked

Here are the top iPhones to buy in 2023 ranked with a short outline of why they made it on our list:

1. Apple iPhone 14 — Overall, the best iPhone in 2023, with a powerful A15 chip, excellent ultrawide and selfie cameras, and a bright Super Retina display.
2. Apple iPhone XR — Affordable iPhone with impressive performance benchmarks, Liquid Retina LCD display, and solid cameras.
3. Apple iPhone XS Max — Larger 6.5″ OLED screen, HDR support, and powerful stereo speakers, great for video playback.
4. Apple iPhone 13 — Bright Super Retina XDR display and top-class performance, plus excellent cameras and impressive battery life.
5. Apple iPhone 13 Mini — The same impressive specs, cameras, and performance benchmarks of the iPhone 13, but in a smaller and more compact body.
6. Apple iPhone 14 Pro — Extremely powerful but expensive, featuring the latest A16 Bionic chip, powerful cameras, and a 120Hz refresh rate OLED display.
7. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max — Excellent cameras with an abundance of features, including Night Mode, Smart HDR4, and cinematic video mode.
8. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max — Great triple 12MP cameras and the ability to take slow-motion video selfies at 120 fps.
9. Apple iPhone XS — Great all-rounder at an affordable price, more compact than standard iPhones but larger than a Mini.
10. Apple iPhone SE 2nd Generation — Dirt-cheap entry-level iPhone, excellent for people considering switching from Android to iOS.
11. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max — Top-tier cameras, an immersive 6.7″ screen, and superb performance thanks to the A14 Bionic chip and 6 GB of RAM.

How Good is the Cheapest iPhone?

The iPhone X and iPhone 8 are two of the cheapest models currently available, which isn’t a surprise given that they’re both nearly six years old. While the two models are solid for the price, they’re heavily outclassed by newer models in terms of performance. Additionally, they’re generally expected to be supported until 2024 or 2025 and won’t be receiving any software updates thereafter.

So, to put it simply, the cheapest iPhone models aren’t very good, especially considering the fact that you can get a much more powerful phone, like a renewed iPhone XR, for as little as $250.

How Different is the Best New iPhone from the Best Cheap iPhone?

The best new iPhone on our list is the iPhone 14, while the title of the best cheap iPhone goes to the iPhone XS. Apple is constantly improving the specifications and the software of their phones, so although there’s only a year of difference between the release date of the two models, there are some significant differences between them.

Let’s quickly go over the key differentiating factors, so you can discern whether the upgrade from the best cheap iPhone to the best new model is worth the price:

Performance

The iPhone 14 features the Apple A15 Bionic chip and comes with 6 GB of RAM, whereas the iPhone XS relies on the A12 chip and only 4 GB of RAM. While both models are decently fast, the difference in performance is noticeable, especially when running resource-intensive apps and demanding games on the two phones.

Display

Arguably the biggest drawback of the iPhone 14 is the fact that its screen refresh rate is only 60 Hz, whereas most Android alternatives in the same price range feature 120 Hz screens that offer a much smoother experience.

The iPhone XS also features a 60 Hz screen, so there aren’t any significant differences in terms of the display between the two models. That said, the iPhone 14 screen is brighter and slightly larger, so you’ll have more screen space to work with.

Camera

The dual 12MP cameras on the iPhone XS are decent, so you’ll be able to take gorgeous photos with up to 10x digital zoom, provided there’s a lot of natural light. The 7MP selfie camera is solid, as well, but nothing to be too excited about.

iPhone 14 also features a 12MP main camera, but it has a 120° field of view and a five-element lens, letting you capture wider landscape photos and resulting in bright, true-to-life colors. On top of that, the iPhone 14 cameras software comes with a myriad of useful features to enhance your photo and video experience. The most notable ones are the Night mode, Smart HDR 4, Portrait mode with depth control, and advanced red eye correction.

Overall, the difference in camera quality alone is enough to justify opting for the more expensive iPhone 14.

Storage

The cheapest version of the iPhone XS only comes with 64 GB, while the most affordable iPhone 14 offers 128 GB of storage. Both models can be upgraded to 512 GB, which we highly recommend if you want to comfortably store all your photos, videos, and files.

Battery Life

When it comes to battery life, both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone XS offer around 10 hours of battery with continuous use. Considering that there are models with over 13 hours of battery life, such as the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14 Pro, both the best cheap and the best new iPhone fail to impress in this area.

Price

The main selling point of the iPhone XS is its price. You can find renewed models for as little as $236, which is a steal considering the phone’s specs and performance. On the other hand, a renewed iPhone 14 goes for $700, which might be outside of the price range of most people.

Reviews of the Top 11 iPhones to Buy in 2023

Here are in-depth reviews of the 11 best iPhone models on the market, so you can see exactly what you’re getting for your money with different iPhones.

1. Apple iPhone 14 — Overall, the Best iPhone in 2023

The Apple iPhone 14 improves upon everything we love about the iPhone 13 and provides excellent value for money, especially if you can find a renewed model or snatch it on sale. It features a powerful A15 chip that ensures lightning-fast performance, offers improved cameras, and introduces an exciting Action mode for video capture.

When it comes to the design, the iPhone 14 doesn’t deviate too much from previous models, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It features the signature smooth aluminum body and the durable Ceramic Shield front, so it remains stylish while being durable.

This model is also slightly lighter than the iPhone 13, although it’s 0.30 inches thicker, so it definitely feels a bit bulkier. Besides this, the iPhone 14 features a 6.06″ Super Retina display, which remains one of the top-quality screens in its price range.

The bright display, vibrant colors, and wide viewing angles ensure excellent video playback quality, but the screen refresh rate remains capped at 60 Hz, so it’s not as smooth as the 120 Hz of the Android counterparts.

Another aspect of the iPhone 14 you’ll love is the 12MP ultrawide camera with an impressive 120-degree field of view, which allows you to capture up to four times larger scenes and features a bright sensor for enhanced performance in low light.

The 12MP front camera is also excellent, especially due to the phase detection autofocus feature. The rapid auto-focusing speed allows for smooth, crisp videos, making the iPhone 14 perfect for vlogging, making TikToks, and shooting YouTube shorts.

We also want to highlight the iPhone 14’s impressive battery life. With continuous use, it easily lasts for over 10 hours, beating the Samsung Galaxy S22 and other alternatives by a solid two hours.

One potential drawback of the iPhone 14 is the fact that it doesn’t feature a SIM card slot. Apple has chosen to rely completely on eSIM for this model, allowing you to connect up to 8 SIM cards to the device through the Settings app and have any two active simultaneously.

2. Apple iPhone XR — Affordable iPhone With Impressive Performance Benchmarks

The Apple iPhone XR is the best affordable iPhone, offering superb performance for the price, great cameras, and over 11 hours of battery life. However, one of the key selling points of the Apple XR is its simple, minimalistic design.

Not only is the XR smaller and lighter than most newer iPhones, but it also features a single rear camera rather than a bulky, protruded camera module, so it looks and feels super smooth.

The tradeoff for the lightweight design is the phone’s overall durability. The backside isn’t as tough as you’d expect from other iPhone models, so we’d suggest handling it with great care, as it might not survive more than a few drops.

Despite being small and compact, the iPhone XR’s 6.06″ Liquid Retina Display LCD is excellent for video playback. Admittedly, the quality isn’t up there with new OLED displays, but you’ll still enjoy bright, vibrant video playback in 1792 x 828 resolution, so you won’t miss even the smallest details.

When it comes to photo and video capabilities, the iPhone XR is also quite decent. Its single-lens 12MP rear camera features a wide-angle sensor and comes with Smart HDR functionality, so you can expect bright photos with excellent highlights and a great level of detail, even in low light.

Besides all this, it features the A12 Bionic chip, so it’s reasonably fast and easily outperforms Android alternatives in the same price range. You can expect all apps to load almost instantly, so the performance of the iPhone XR will easily satisfy the needs of most users.

3. Apple iPhone XS Max — Larger Screen, Great for Video Playback

The Apple iPhone XS Max is a decent mid-range option that comes with a noticeably larger screen than its predecessor — the iPhone XS — while retaining the all-around great performance.

This model comes with a 6.5″ multi-touch OLED display with HDR support and a set of powerful stereo speakers, so it’s an ideal choice if you spend a lot of time on YouTube or often binge-watch your favorite TV shows and want to enjoy superb video playback on a larger screen.

The tradeoff for the 6.5″ display is that the XS Max is considerably bulkier than older iPhones you’re used to, so it doesn’t sit as comfortably in your hand as some other models.

That said, with the iPhone XS Max, you’ll enjoy the same 458 PPI (pixel-per-inch) pixel density of the iPhone X and XS, with the upside being the slightly higher resolution of 1242 x 2688 pixels.

When it comes to performance, you can also expect reasonably fast loading times, thanks to the A12 Bionic chip and a four-core GPU. While it can’t hold a candle to the newest A15 chip, it’s still decent enough for the average user — you won’t experience any delay or slowing down when running multiple apps.

As for the cameras, this model features two 12MP rear lenses and offers Smart HDR support, which contributes to higher contrast and better image clarity. That said, the camera only offers two zoom levels, so you’ll struggle to capture the fine details when snapping photos of far-off objects. The 7MP selfie camera is also decent, but nothing to write home about.

4. Apple iPhone 13 — Bright Super Retina XDR Display and Top-Class Performance 

The Apple iPhone 13 is an excellent flagship phone in Apple’s repertoire, offering a stunning display, great performance, and excellent battery life while being $100 cheaper than its successor.

The overall design of the iPhone 13 is smooth and elegant, with the Ceramic Shield to ensure the phone’s durability. Notable design changes from the previous model include the vertically-aligned cameras and a smaller camera notch, which results in a more immersive display while still offering a True Depth camera and Face ID.

In addition to the changed camera layout, the lenses on the iPhone 13 are capable of collecting nearly 50% more light compared to the iPhone 12, so the photos are much brighter and noticeably more colorful.

The 6.5″ Super Retina XDR display is over 25% brighter than that of the iPhone 12, which makes an enormous difference when browsing and reading texts or online articles. The overall display quality is excellent, so you’ll enjoy vibrant, true-to-life colors and crisp video playback.

Regarding performance, the iPhone 13 features the A15 Bionic chip with a Hexa-core CPU and a quad-core GPU, so it can easily handle even the most demanding mobile games and resource-intensive apps.

5. Apple iPhone 13 Mini — The Superb Performance of the iPhone 13 in a Smaller, More Compact Body

The Apple iPhone 13 Mini is the best small iPhone on the market, offering the same level of performance as the standard iPhone 13 in a smaller, lighter, and more compact body.

Apart from the physical side and perhaps the slightly worse battery life of the 13 Mini, there are no noticeable differences between the two models. You’ll still get the Super Retina XDR display and the 2340 x 1080 resolution on the smaller screen and will be able to enjoy the superb A15 Bionic chip performance.

The camera module is also the exact same as on the iPhone 13, so you’re not sacrificing image and video quality either. That said, the one difference is that the battery life is slightly less than what you’ll get with the iPhone 13.

6. Apple iPhone 14 Pro — Extremely Powerful but Expensive

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro is the most expensive model in the company’s arsenal, but if you’ve got the budget for it, the performance and camera upgrades are definitely worth it.

This enhanced version of the iPhone 14 features the latest Apple 16 Bionic chip, so it easily outshines all other models and most Android alternatives in terms of performance. You also get 6 GB of RAM, so there’s really no task that the iPhone 14 Pro can’t handle with ease.

Another significant improvement is the screen refresh rate. The 6.1″ OLED display has the long-awaited 120 Hz refresh rate, so we finally get to enjoy that super-smooth, crisp scrolling experience.

Another stellar quality-of-life improvement is the Dynamic Island, which replaces the top notch, and expands to show notifications from the apps you’re using.

You’ll also notice a huge jump in main camera quality, from 12MP to 48MP. In addition to four times more megapixels, the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera features a seven-element lens, optical image stabilization, a 3x optical zoom, and a digital zoom of up to 15x.

If you want desktop-level performance and professional-quality photos and videos, the iPhone 14 Pro is an ideal choice.

7. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max — Excellent Cameras With an Abundance of Features

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is another powerful iPhone with a 120 Hz refresh rate display. It’s also bigger than the iPhone 14 Pro and about $100 less expensive but has a slightly weaker performance.

In addition to the 120 Hz refresh rate, the iPhone 1 Pro Max screen is also brighter than screens of earlier models and features a smaller notch, making the display more immersive when watching TV shows or playing mobile games.

With this model, you also get high-quality 12MP cameras with an abundance of features to enhance your photos and videos, such as Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 4, and wide color capture. Plus, you get a cinematic video mode, so you can capture videos with a shallow depth of field and add smooth transitions to get that cinema-level quality.

The tradeoff for these strong camera capabilities is a rather large, protruded camera module, which makes the phone quite wobbly when placed on flat surfaces.

 8. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max — Great Triple 12MP Cameras and the Ability to Take Slow-Motion Video Selfies

The Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max was one of the most impressive models when it first came out, thanks to its excellent camera capabilities, powerful speakers, and fast processor. It has fallen off since, in comparison with newer models, but it’s still a decent purchase if you can get your hands on a refurbished one.

With the iPhone 11 Pro Max, you get a decently large screen with a multi-touch 6.46″ OLED display and a barely noticeable front camera punch hole. The screen refresh rate is a modest 60 Hz, but the scrolling and video playback experience is more than good enough for the average user.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max truly shines when it comes to cameras. The triple 12MP rear cameras allow you to capture breathtaking 4K videos and take stunning photos even with limited light sources, thanks to its impressive Night Mode.

The front camera is a treat, as well. It features a sharper sensor than the standard iPhone 11 and allows you to shoot slow-motion video selfies at 120 fps.

Another thing worth noting regarding the iPhone 11 Pro Max is its impressive battery life. You can browse the web for up to 12 hours on a single charge and, thanks to fast charging support, get up to 50% battery life in just 30 minutes.

9. Apple iPhone XS — Great All-Rounder at an Affordable Price

The Apple iPhone XS is another affordable model, perfect for people who want a slightly smaller phone but find the iPhone 13 mini a bit too small or expensive.

The screen on the iPhone XS is 5.85″ diagonally, which is a perfect middle ground between the standard and the mini models. You still get a large enough screen to comfortably watch your favorite TV shows and YouTube videos on a more compact phone.

Apart from the more affordable price and the smaller size, there’s precious little that would set the iPhone XS apart from the other models. The dual rear camera is decent and has Smart HDR support, the speakers are reasonably powerful, and the 60 Hz refresh rate display is decent, but nothing to write home about.

The A12 Bionic chip, coupled with iOS, lags miles behind the newer chipset and iOS versions, but for the low price of $236 for a renewed model, it’s more than decent. The apps and web pages also load reasonably fast, and you’ll have no trouble running casual mobile games on this phone.

The cameras on the iPhone XS are also quite decent. You get dual 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras on the backside, with a 2x optical and 10x digital zoom, as well as a solid 7MP selfie camera, so you’ll be able to take fairly detailed photos, provided there’s enough natural light.

The battery life is where the iPhone XS falls a bit short, lasting under 10 hours on a single charge, but that should be more than enough if you’re not glued to your phone for the better part of the day.

10. Apple iPhone SE 2nd Generation — Dirt-Cheap Entry-Level iPhone

The Apple iPhone SE 2nd Generation is one of the cheapest iPhones on the market, starting from just $148 for a renewed device. As an entry-level iPhone, the SE 2nd gen is a great introduction to iOS phones.

If you’re considering switching over from Android, you can try out the iOS features for as little as $150 and see how you like Apple’s operating system before you cash out for a mid-tier or high-end iPhone.

The build quality of the iPhone SE is excellent, plus it has an IP67 rating, so you can expect superb dust and water resistance. One thing to note is that this model is significantly smaller than a standard iPhone, with the added drawback of poor utilization of screen space.

Both the top and bottom sides of the SE 2nd gen are “cut off” to accommodate for the camera/speaker and the physical home button, respectively. The end result is a modest 4.7″ screen that’s realistically too small for watching videos and TV shows and can be frustrating if you want to read longer articles on your phone.

That said, this compact phone packs the A13 Bionic chip with a hexa-core CPU and a quad-core GPU, meaning it delivers incredible performance for the price.

11. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max — Top-Tier Cameras and an Immersive 6.7″ Screen

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is another excellent option if you want an immersive 6.7″ screen with a Super Retina XDR display, top-level cameras, and strong performance.

It comes with a blazing-fast A14 Bionic chip and 6 GB of RAM, so you can expect console-grade gaming performance. This model also excels at video editing, beating Android alternatives in the same price range by a considerable margin regarding encoding speed — including some of those featured on our list of the best cellphones for 2023.

Another aspect worth highlighting is the camera quality of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The triple 12MP camera system with a 2.5x optical zoom and a 12x digital zoom lets you take bright photos with vivid colors and impressive levels of detail. You also get an excellent Night Mode, a Portrait Mode with advanced depth control, dual optical image stabilization, True Tone flash, and a myriad of other auxiliary features that’ll make you feel like a professional photographer.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is also great for taking selfies since the 12MP captures more light compared to the standard iPhone 12 and results in brighter photos with warmer colors, letting you truly shine.

When it comes to battery life, the Pro Max outlasts the standard iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro by a solid hour, but compared to other iPhone models, it’s right in the middle of the pack. The good news is that this model supports fast charging, so you can get up to 50% battery life in under 30 minutes.

Best iPhones to Buy Compared

Here’s a quick comparison table of all the iPhone models on our list, so you can see them side by side and choose the one that meets your needs and budget:

Key Details to Consider When Choosing the Best iPhone

Depending on your needs and your budget, certain iPhone models are going to be a better fit for you than others. Here are the key factors you should take into consideration when comparing different iPhones:

Specifications

First things first, check and carefully compare the specifications of the different models you’re considering. Apple typically lists in-depth specs of every iPhone, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to compare their CPU power, RAM, storage, cameras, and other key specifications. We’ve helped by providing this information in our comparison table above.

Screen Size and Refresh Rate

Next, consider what size you’d like your iPhone to be. Smaller iPhones, especially in the Mini series, are compact and easier to handle but not as good for watching videos and TV shows.

On the other hand, iPhones with 6.7″ screens are excellent for video playback but are typically bulkier and heavier, so you need to be extra careful when handling them.

Apart from the size of the screen, you should also pay attention to the screen refresh rate. In general, 120 Hz refresh rate screens offer the smoothest scrolling experience and are the best for gaming, but these are rare in iPhone models.

Cameras

When it comes to cameras, you shouldn’t simply focus on the megapixels. Naturally, cameras with more megapixels typically offer better image and video quality. However, it’s the auxiliary features like Night mode, optical image stabilization, and depth control that make a world of difference in terms of photo and video quality.

Storage

For the average user, 128 GB of storage should be more than enough to comfortably store all their files, photos, and videos. That said, if you want to take a ton of selfies, make TikToks, shoot YouTube shorts, or store a dozen games on your iPhone, you might want to consider an iPhone with 512 GB or a TB of storage.

Battery Life

Ideally, a smartphone should last for a full day on a single charge. So, you should opt for a model with decent battery life to avoid having to charge the phone multiple times a day, especially if you plan on using it extensively. Aim for an iPhone with over 10 hours of battery life, so you don’t have to sit next to a power outlet in order to use your phone.

Conclusion – Which iPhone is the Best for You in 2023?

There are many excellent iPhone models on the market, so it all comes down to your needs, preference, and budget. So, consider whether you want an iPhone with the best camera, a model with the most impressive performance, one with a large screen that’s best for video playback, or an affordable iPhone that’s solid all around.

If you can’t make up your mind, we strongly recommend the iPhone 14 as a fast, powerful phone with excellent cameras and a stunning display. This feature-rich model lets you game, capture breathtaking photos, take fun selfies, shoot professional-level videos, and enjoy crisp video playback with true-to-life colors and excellent audio.

Click the button below to take advantage of the best iPhone deals right now and get your hands on a renewed iPhone 14 for just $700.

Apple iPhone FAQs

Aleksandar Stevanovic

• 

Aleksandar Stevanovic

Alex is a Senior Software Content Writer at Techopedia. He focuses on creating reader-oriented comparison pages, reviews, research pieces, and editorials. With nearly a decade of experience, he’s written for numerous leading brands across various niches, such as The Tech Report, Bitcoincasinos.com, CEX.IO, Forbes, Business2Community, and many more. His expertise in cybersecurity has made him a popular authority on privacy tools such as VPNs, password managers, blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and antivirus software. You'll find Alex working on cars, playing guitar, and cooking fantastic food in his spare time. You can reach Alex on Twitter: @stevanovic_alex

All Posts by Aleksandar Stevanovic