If you’re looking for the best iPhone in 2024 and want no other brand in your pocket – none of the best Android phones to be seen here! – then you’ve come to the right place. This is where all the current Apple iPhone models are compared, as rated and ranked by T3’s expert team.
In this guide, we’re largely focusing on the best iPhone models currently sold by Apple. You can still pick up older models of course – such as the iPhone 13 Pro – on the second-hand and refurbished markets (which is ideal for those on a budget or headed back to school), so that’s something else to bear in mind.
With the iPhone 16 reveal having just taken place, we’ll be reviewing and updating this guide with those devices accordingly. As the latest range will support Apple Intelligence when it comes to market, that’s once consideration in your purchase (as only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will otherwise support this in full).
Beyond our iPhone coverage specifically, T3 also has a number of guides when it comes to the best phones. It may be that you’re looking for the best compact phone, for example, or would like to compare all four iPhone 15 models to the iPhone 16 range to help make your purchase decision.
T3’s Top Picks
The ultimate Apple handset is the iPhone 15 Pro Max (until the larger-screen 16 Pro Max’s release). If you’re after a slice of everything that Apple has to offer, including latest Apple Intelligence and unbeatable cameras, then look no further: this is the top tier option with the biggest display.
The best iPhone for most people (if you can forego Apple Intelligence) is the Apple iPhone 14 Plus. With its 6.7-inch screen it’s larger than the entry-level model and a more suitable scale for most people. It doesn’t have the same premium cameras of the Pro or Pro Max models though, but it’s cheaper.
Want cheap? This is as cheap as they come. Sure, it looks a little dated, but with the latest software on board, if you don’t want a physically massive or costly iPhone then it’s a great option. There’s rumour of a replacement, but nothing will happen until at least 2025 on that front, if at all.
The best iPhones we recommend in 2024
Why you can trust T3
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best for Apple Intelligence
(Image credit: Future)
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the flagship, as launched in 2023, and, as said in T3’s review, it earns its stripes by pushing the boundaries of what is possible from a smartphone.
Thanks to a new titanium enclosure, it’s a lighter and stronger phone than any iPhone before, and it boasts an even greater camera array with a zoom like no other iPhone. The incoming iPhone 16 Pro Max will further upgrade the cameras, though, so keep that in mind if you want best-of-best.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max was the first to bring USB-C charging to the series – something that is being normalised across Apple’s ranges now. And it’s still a superb model to choose, with a price reduction in lieu of the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s arrival.
Whether the iPhone 15 Pro Max really needed the new Action button is up for question, as we don’t use it much, but with great software and easy day-to-day handling, the power and the photographic potential of this handset mark it as outstanding.
It’s the current largest iPhone on the market, too, which many will see as a benefit – but if the 6.7-inch panel is going to be too big for you, then consider the iPhone 15 Pro instead, which is 6.1-inch but offers most of the same features.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max received Highly Commended for Best Phone in the T3 Awards 2024.
Best for most people
(Image credit: Future)
Yes, hear us out here, the now two-generations old model slots into our second position in this guide. But it makes sense from a balance of performance to price – and as the 15 Plus doesn’t add Apple Intelligence (that’s coming to the 16 Plus only), so there’s no giant difference aside from the Dynamic Island rather than notch display detail.
The Plus model was all-new for 2022, and it ousts the standard iPhone model from a higher-ranking spot in our list because we prefer the Plus’s bigger screen. At 6.7-inches this is better for most people – and the bigger size means better battery longevity too.
Sure, not everyone will want a bigger iPhone, but there are other options out there: you can go cheap with the iPhone SE, or small yet premium with the iPhone 13 Mini (that model’s done and dusted now, so might be hard to locate for purchase). So there are still options, or simply opt for the standard iPhone model, at 6.1-inches.
In the current market, we find the Plus to be a really great balance. If you don’t want the additional zoom camera of the Pro models, as you might never use them, then the Plus saves you the cash compared to higher-end models. And that, for many, will make it an ideally positioned and more financially suitable option.
Best budget
(Image credit: Future)
As part of its March 2022 event, Apple announced a brand new iPhone SE – the third generation of the affordable handset. It’s the cheapest iPhone in the Apple range, even though its starting price is a little bit higher than its predecessor. There has been no replacement since, despite rumours, but that’s only helped its pricing!
This model looks pretty much identical to the old one, and Touch ID is still used instead of Face ID. There are improvements over the previous iPhone SE though: better battery life, a faster processor, and the addition of 5G connectivity. Those features might make the upgrade worth it for you.
The iPhone SE 3 is likely to appeal most to people looking to buy a new iPhone on a smaller budget, while getting hold of all that latest apps and iOS software goodies (you can rule out Apple Intelligence, though, that’s for sure).
With its 4.7-inch screen, this handset is also going to be a tempting proposition for those who want a smaller iPhone, and who don’t want to pay for the iPhone 13 Mini. It might look a bit dated now, but for the right asking price this budget iPhone remains a sensible purchase for the right customer.
Best smaller premium
(Image credit: Future)
The iPhone 15 Pro sits below the Pro Max, as it’s a bit smaller, at 6.1-inches, instead of the expanded 6.7-inches panel. That means the Pro is almost identical in stature to the standard iPhone – just with more advanced cameras and additional power on tap.
As said in our review: “Apple’s smaller Pro model has plenty of reasons why you might choose it over the Max. This is an extremely powerful phone in a form-factor that fits perfectly in your pocket and your hand.” So it’s really the scale combined with power that’s going to sell this handset.
Don’t forget that the 15 Pro will also be Apple Intelligence capable – something the standard iPhone 15 and 15 Plus (and anything prior to that) will lack. That adds a potentially big future-proofing reason to want this device, although the iPhone 16 Pro will become a shoo-in as the next best when it becomes available.
Best premium money-saver
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re wanting to save a bit of cash, are non-plussed about Apple Intelligence features, but a big screen is a must-have for you, then the iPhone 14 Pro Max remains a sensible option. It’s the same size as the 15 Pro Max also featured, with a 6.7-inch display.
This handset was also the first to deliver a bunch of new features at launch. As said in our review: “the ultimate iPhone and boasts three killer features: the camera is truly impressive, the always-on display is really useful, and the Dynamic Island is not only a feat of hardware and software collaboration but actually adds to the user experience”. That’s all par for the course now.
However, as it’s older, there’s no titanium finish here – as you’ll find from the iPhone 15 Pro Max and onwards at that level. So if you want best-of-best cameras and those Apple Intelligence features later down the line then you’ll want to look to the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max instead.
Best entry-level
(Image credit: Future)
The ‘entry-level’ iPhone is, well, anything but ‘entry’ as there’s plenty of power here! Sure, it’s familiar to any iPhone users as generation-to-generation it’s not especially different. But that means it’s small and reliable, thanks to its 6.1-inch screen and stellar battery life.
This newer iPhone 15 adds Dynamic Island to the screen and USB-C charging, so it’s a great choice if you don’t want a 6.7-inch display like the Plus and Pro Max models also in the range.
As said in our iPhone 15 review: “It’s an impressive phone that feels great in the hand. Not only is it powerful, thanks to the A16 Bionic chip, but the upgraded 48MP camera means it takes incredible photos too.” That camera resolution bump being another of its biggest upgrades.
No, you won’t get Apple Intelligence features from this handset, which if you want to future-proof for 2025 then you’ll want to consider the iPhone 16 at launch instead. That even newer model brings with it a 16.3-inch display in a similarly-sized package.
Best smallest option
(Image credit: Apple)
If you want a small-ish iPhone but don’t want to skimp on the specs (i.e. not buy the SE), here’s your alternative. The iPhone 13 Mini has a screen size of just 5.4 inches, making the handset as a whole very compact. It’s also the last in a generation, as there was no iPhone 14 Mini to replace it!
In terms of the rear camera, what you get on the Mini is the same as what you get on the iPhone 13: a dual-lens affair that lacks the LiDAR, the optical zoom and the Apple ProRAW support of the Pro models. Still, if you can live without those features then you can save yourself some money, because this is the cheapest of the iPhone 13 variants.
How we test
There’s a lot to consider when reviewing one of today’s best phones, which includes iPhones! Much of it is comparing models in the range, judging these for suitability for different users, and comparing old models new as value propositions.
We judge iPhones from a build quality and fit and finish point of view, of course, given the different materials used. Then we judge hardware and what difference that makes in day-to-day use.
We assess specific feature highlights per handset, plus the camera system’s offering. We always use iPhones as if they’re our own handsets, to gain a good judgement of these systems, battery life and software.
Only then do we award a score to a phone, with 5 stars being the highest rank any product can get. And a lot of iPhones hit this lofty height given just how renowned and capable they are!
