We’re half-way through the year, and we’ve had some amazing phones released so far! Here’s a round-up of some of the best phones released this year.
Samsung Galaxy S23 series
Samsung launched its new flagship S23 family earlier this year, with three models available - the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and high-end Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The entry-level Galaxy S23 packs a lot of power into a compact body, perfect for smaller hands and pockets. The 6.1-inch FHD+ display has an adaptive refresh rate that goes up to 120Hz, so motion is really smooth. It’s super bright too, so you won’t have to squint to read it in bright sunlight.
There are three cameras on the back. A 50MP main shooter for pin-sharp portraits, a 12MP ultra-wide camera for sweeping scenery, and a 10MP telephoto zoom lens for picking out distant objects. There’s also a 12MP front facing camera for great looking selfies.
The Galaxy S23 Plus takes all the standout features from its little brother above and puts them in a bigger package. The 6.6-inch display gives you more room to play with, so you can run two apps and multitask like a pro, or just kick back and watch a movie.
Then there’s the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which really lives up to its name. Its 6.8-inch Quad HD+ display makes websites, games and movies all look amazing. Plus, its adaptive refresh rate can go between 1 and 120Hz. That means it’s buttery smooth when you need it, but it’ll also saves battery life when it can.
The camera setup includes a 200MP main lens for epic detail. It makes colours and textures pop, and Nightography mode is better than ever. The S-Pen is another thing that sets the Ultra apart - it’s a responsive stylus that lets you draw, doodle and write with precision when you need it, and you can even use it as a remote shutter for the camera.
Google Pixel 7a
The Pixel 7a is a small but action-packed version of Google’s flagship Pixel 7. It’s a great choice if you want to upgrade to a phone packed with the latest Google tech, all a low monthly price. How low? Well, you can get it from iD Mobile for less than £25 a month with unlimited data.
The Pixel 7a features a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display that gives you deep blacks and vibrant colours, with a 90hz refresh rate that makes everything you do look and feel smooth.
Google Pixels are famous for their quality cameras and the Pixel 7a doesn’t disappoint, with a huge 64MP main sensor and ultrawide 13MP sensor for epic landscape shots. You’ll get brilliant details in every photo you take, including shots in low light. You can also get rid of photobombers and unwanted background objects with the help of the clever Magic Eraser.
The Pixel 7a is powered by Google’s custom-built Tensor G2 processor. According to Google, it makes the Pixel 7a a speedier, more efficient and more secure phone than ever before.
Honor Magic 5 Pro
The Magic 5 Pro is Honor’s new flagship phone with seriously impressive specs. For starters, there’s a 6.81-inch OLED display with a refresh rate up to 120Hz, which keeps everything consistently smooth and good looking. Brightness is really impressive, with 1,800 nits making it pop even more than other flagship phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The stand-out design feature has to be the camera, a triple-lens ‘Star Wheel’ that sticks out from the phone’s rear. It really gives the Honor Magic 5 Pro a unique look, and it’s where you’ll find a 50MP wide lens, 50MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom. Everything you shoot on this camera will be sharp, vivid and full of colour – even in tricky lighting conditions. And the zoom lens delivers a sharpness that’s up there with the best premium phones around.
Under the hood, there’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor running the show - exactly the same processor that’s in a lot of the other best Android phones of 2023.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Series
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12, Note 12 Pro 5G, and Note 12 Pro Plus 5G is a great mid-range trio focused on impressive specs and serious value.
The Note 12 is the entry level phone of the family. Just like the other Note 12 phones, it’s got a 6.67-inch Full HD+ OLED display that’s bright, colourful and sharp. And with a 120Hz refresh rate, everything you do on it is super smooth.
The 50MP triple camera system features a high-resolution main lens, ultra-wide lens and a dedicated macro lens for extreme close-ups. Elsewhere on the phone you’ll find a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack (a nice feature for anyone still rocking headphones that plug in), and the large 5,000mAh battery is capable of 21 hours of video playback. That’s a serious binging session.
The Note 12 Pro 5G is the second phone in the series, with the same display as the Note 12. The main difference is the camera, with the Note 12 Pro 5G using a 50MP Sony IMX766 main sensor. This means you’ll be able to capture more detail, and with optical image stabilisation, your shots will be crisp and blur-free.
And finally, there’s the Note 12 Pro Plus 5G. The camera is a major upgrade, with a huge 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HPX main sensor, which has a wider f/1.65 aperture that captures more light – so it’s a great camera for night-time shots. And while this phone has the same size battery as the Note 12 Pro 5G, its 120W charging is much faster.
Giveaway Time!
This month, we’re giving one lucky winner the change to in a £100 Currys gift card. All you need to do is tell us who your favorite phone manufacture is and why! Are you a diehard Apple fan, or is the Samsung Galaxy range more your thing? Tell us below!
To enter, simply enter your response below and click reply! Please note, you’ll need to be registered on the iD Community to enter.
We’ll select one random winner and we’ll message them via direct message here on the Community.
Good Luck!
