The best iPhone for you isn't necessarily the most recent, as the company often releases four or five per year which are similar but all aim at different types of users.
That can be seen from the company's late-2021 phones, including the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max, as well as the iPhone 13 mini. Their range of prices, sizes and features all make them suitable for different types of users.
All four handsets offer more powerful performance, better battery life, as well as new camera features. The Pro models also have 120Hz displays for the first time on an iPhone. That might not be the biggest upgrade ever but it still means it ranks highly on our list.
The latest iPhone is one we haven't tested, it's that new. The iPhone SE (2022) was launched recently, and you can be sure we'll update this ranking when we work otu where it belongs.
Later this year, we should see the iPhone 14 range too, and later today Apple could unveil a brand new iPhone SE 2022 at its Peek Performance event. Be sure to check out our Apple Event live blog to find out about all the latest devices as they're announced.
With the announcements coming so soon you might want to rethink buying an iPhone right now if you're willing to wait a little bit longer.
Apple's phones are often expensive so cost is one of the main things to think about when buying. Look not just at what you can afford but also at what you'll gain by moving to a more powerful model. Do you really need a bigger screen or more cameras? The answer will be different for everyone. It all depends on how you use your phone most.
To simplify matters, we've included a full specs list and overview for all the best iPhones below. You can easily see which is the one for you then.
Of course, if you’re not set on an Apple phone specifically then there are loads of other options. We've got guides to the best smartphones, the best Android phones, the best cheap phones and many more.
Best iPhone: which one should you buy today?
(Image credit: Apple)
1. iPhone 13 Pro Max The best Apple iPhone Specifications Weight: 240g Dimensions: 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7mm OS: iOS 15 Screen size: 6.7-inch Resolution: 1284 x 2778 CPU: A15 Bionic RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB Battery: Up to 28 hours Rear camera: 12MP+12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Best Buy View at Amazon View at Verizon Wireless Reasons to buy + Useful camera upgrades + Excellent battery life Reasons to avoid - 120Hz screen is minimal upgrade - Cinematic mode is quite basic
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the best and most exciting of Apple’s iPhone 13 range, with the battery life being an unexpected highlight. This thing can last and last, and while it’s not quite up there with the very longest-lasting phones, it’s easily got the best battery life of any iPhone.
There’s also a whole lot of power here, with Apple’s A15 Bionic chipset providing significantly better performance not just than previous iPhones, but also than any Android phone. That said, we mostly know this thanks to benchmark scores – in the real world most users will struggle to truly tap into its potential.
The camera has also seen an upgrade, with low light shots particularly impressing, and the new macro mode opening the iPhone range up to a whole new type of photography.
In practice the hyped Cinematic mode and 120Hz screen didn’t impress us as much, and the sooner Apple gets rid of the notch the better, but overall this is a fantastic upgrade for Apple’s Max model.
Read our in-depth iPhone 13 Pro Max review
(Image credit: Apple)
2. iPhone 13 The best Apple iPhone bang for your buck Specifications Weight: 174g Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7mm OS: iOS 15 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 1170 x 2532 CPU: A15 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB Battery: Up to 19 hours Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Best Buy View at Verizon Wireless View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Strong battery life + Powerful internals Reasons to avoid - Minimal design changes - No 120Hz screen
The iPhone 13 isn’t the biggest yearly iPhone upgrade we’ve seen, but almost every aspect of it is a little better than the iPhone 12, which makes it a brilliant iPhone overall.
In our review we found that the battery life in particular was improved, with the iPhone 13 making it through every day that we used it without needing a top up before bed.
We were also impressed by the design, which now includes a smaller notch, and by the sheer amount of power this phone has thanks to its A15 Bionic chipset. Apple claims this has a 50% faster CPU than the competition, and while that’s hard to confirm, this is certainly a speedy phone.
The lack of a 120Hz screen which we’ve seen debut on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max is a shame, and we’re hoping for some bigger upgrades in the iPhone 14, but for now this is one of the very best iPhones you can buy.
Read our in-depth iPhone 13 review
(Image credit: Apple)
3. iPhone 13 Pro The best small-screen Pro model Specifications Weight: 204g Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7mm OS: iOS 15 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 1170 x 2532 CPU: A15 Bionic RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB Battery: Up to 22 hours Rear camera: 12MP+12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Best Buy View at Amazon View at Verizon Wireless Reasons to buy + Strong battery life + Great performance Reasons to avoid - Limited design changes - 4K ProRes limited in 128GB
The iPhone 13 Pro has most of the same strengths and weaknesses as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, with its battery life being a highlight in our tests, if not quite as good as the Max model, and its A15 Bionic chipset providing stunning amounts of power.
The camera has also benefitted from some subtle but significant upgrades, including an all-new macro mode, for taking clear photos of tiny subjects. Elsewhere, you also get a 120Hz screen for the first time on an iPhone (though this feature is also found on the iPhone 13 Pro Max), and a slightly refined design – including a smaller notch.
All of which makes this a top iPhone choice if you want a relatively compact 6.1-inch display, or don’t want to spend as much as the iPhone 13 Pro Max costs. That said, the iPhone 13 Pro is still expensive, and not hugely better than the iPhone 12 Pro, so if you own that phone it’s probably not worth upgrading.
Read our in-depth iPhone 13 Pro review
(Image credit: Apple)
4. iPhone 13 mini The best small phone out there Specifications Weight: 131g Dimensions: 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.7 mm OS: iOS 15 Screen size: 5.4-inch Resolution: 1080 x 2340 CPU: A15 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/ Battery: 2,438 mAh Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Best Buy View at Verizon Wireless View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Gorgeous design + Great hardware Reasons to avoid - Limited charging compatibility - Higher price than previous model
The iPhone 13 mini is arguably the best small phone on the market thanks to a gorgeous compact design and some great hardware under the hood.
Its 5.4-inch Super Retina XRDR OLED screen is smaller than many smartphones, but that means the phone fits comfortably in your hand and is easy to use single-handed. It looks great too, being notably brighter than the iPhone 12 mini before it.
The camera is similarly improved with a 12MP f/1.6 wide camera with 1.7µm pixels for better low-light performance, and a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera with 120-degree field of view. Low-light performance is remarkably good on this camera too.
All backed up with Apple's A15 Bionic chipset, the iPhone 13 mini is small yet quite mighty and a great option for small phone lovers.
Read our in-depth iPhone 13 mini review
(Image credit: Apple)
5. iPhone SE (2020) The best budget iPhone Specifications Weight: 148g Dimensions: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 4.7-inch Resolution: 750 x 1334 CPU: A13 Bionic RAM: 3GB Storage: 64/128/256GB Battery: 1,821mAh Rear camera: 12MP Front camera: 7MP Today's Best Deals View at Walmart View at Verizon Wireless Reasons to buy + Cheapest ever iPhone + Lightweight frame Reasons to avoid - Battery life could be better - Old screen technology
Unveiled in April 2020, the new iPhone SE may look like an older iPhone but it comes with a lot of benefits over the rest of the range. The chief reason you may want to buy this is it's the cheapest iPhone you can buy from Apple right now.
It comes with the same design as the iPhone 8, but this has upgraded internals such as an A13 Bionic chipset that is the same we've seen powering the iPhone 11 range.
It also comes with a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, which is something we haven't seen on recent iPhones. The camera is good on this phone, but won't compete with the very top iPhones, and we found it has an average battery life too.
Overall, if you're looking for a cheaper alternative to the devices you've read about above you'll love the iPhone SE.
Read our in-depth iPhone SE review
(Image credit: Future)
6. iPhone 12 The best iPhone for 5G on a budget Specifications Weight: 164g Dimensions: 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.4 mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 1170 x 2532 CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB Battery: Unknown Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at AT&T View at Verizon Wireless Reasons to buy + Colorful OLED display + Future-proofed with 5G Reasons to avoid - Cameras are similar to last year - Battery life only okay
More expensive than the iPhone 11, the iPhone 12 makes up for that price hike with a wealth of features that should prove useful in the coming months and years.
That includes future-proofing courtesy of 5G support and the addition of MagSafe connectivity which enables you to attach things to your phone such as a charger or a case.
We found the camera was a little too similar to the previous year's iPhone and the battery life remains merely okay, but there's no denying that the iPhone 12 is a superior beast than the phones that have come before.
Design wise, it's returned to some of the stylings of the iPhone 4 or 5 and that's actually a good thing, feeling comfier in your hands. There's also the overdue switch to a colorful OLED display which reminds us again that Apple knows how to create a stylish looking as well as future-proof device.
Read our in-depth iPhone 12 review
(Image credit: Future)
7. iPhone 12 Pro Max The best relatively affordable big-screen iPhone Specifications Weight: 228g Dimensions: 160.8mm x 78.1mm x 7.4mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 6.7-inch Resolution: 1284 x 2778 CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB Battery: Unknown Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Amazon View at Best Buy Reasons to buy + Long battery life + Powerful rear camera Reasons to avoid - Feels too large - Camera not hugely better than the 12 Pro
The iPhone 12 Pro Max was once the best iPhone you could buy, and we loved everything it can do. It takes a lot of what makes the rest of the iPhone 12 range so good and just tweaks a few elements to make it even better.
So why is it so low in our list of the best iPhones? This is an expensive handset, and the sheer size of this handset means it won't be for everyone.
If you're happy to spend money on it, and you want a phone with a mammoth 6.7-inch screen then you'll be happy with the iPhone 12 Pro Max in your pocket. A lot of what we've said about the iPhone 12 Pro is true here, but there are a few benefits.
We found the battery life is better in the iPhone 12 Pro Max when compared to most of the other iPhones on this list, and you'll also find it has a slightly more powerful rear camera than even the iPhone 12 Pro.
Read our in-depth iPhone 12 Pro Max review
8. iPhone 12 mini The second best cheaper mini iPhone Specifications Weight: 135g Dimensions: 131.5mm x 64.2mm x 7.4mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 5.4-inch Resolution: 1080 x 2340 CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB Battery: Unknown Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Apple View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Smaller design looks great + Fantastic display Reasons to avoid - 64GB isn't enough storage - Battery life only okay
With the iPhone 12 mini, Apple introduced an iPhone mini for the first time in its history of making handsets, and it's almost exactly the same as the iPhone 12 but it's smaller.
There are a number of tiny spec differences - for example, wireless charging is notably slower on the iPhone 12 mini - but otherwise you're getting high-end specs such as the powerful rear camera, 5G support and MagSafe support as well.
We found the design makes this phone easy to hold in a single hand, so if you've been crying out for a smaller iPhone that doesn't lose out on the top-end specs that you get from other Apple devices this may well be for you.
As with the iPhone 12, the display is also fantastic on this handset too. You may not enjoy the battery life as that isn't fantastic on the iPhone 12 mini, but if that's your main focus you'll like one of the phones coming up below.
Read our in-depth iPhone 12 mini review
(Image credit: Future)
9. iPhone 12 Pro The best of the 12 series Specifications Weight: 189g Dimensions: 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.4 mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 1170 x 2532 CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB Battery: Unknown Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Amazon View at Visible Reasons to buy + Varied color choices + Clear and vibrant screen Reasons to avoid - No charging block in box - Battery could be better
More advanced than the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 12 Pro is also more expensive and has better specs than the standard model. The internals are better, and there's a superior camera.
A fourth sensor alongside the standard iPhone 12 fare in the form of a LiDAR scanner makes it easier for the iPhone to work out what it's looking at, and we found it did a great job of detecting faces in low light situations.
The iPhone 12 Pro also has a RAM boost - up to 6GB from 4GB - and that's sure to help you get the most from whatever you're doing on your phone. If you're looking to edit videos on your phone, the iPhone 12 Pro is ideal for such a purpose.
Elsewhere, it's business as usual for the iPhone 12 Pro offering much of what the iPhone 12 already has for less, but if you want that extra oomph, it's an impressive upgrade. For a price.
Read our in-depth iPhone 12 Pro review
(Image credit: Apple)
10. iPhone 11 The best basic older iPhone Specifications Weight: 194g Dimensions: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 828 x 1792 CPU: A13 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64/128/256GB Battery: Unknown Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Amazon View at Verizon Wireless Reasons to buy + Great value + Fast speeds at a discount Reasons to avoid - Still an LCD screen - Glass back attracts fingerprints
The iPhone 11 isn't the highest-spec Apple phone, but it supersedes the iPhone XR 'budget flagship' to become the standout phone of its generation in terms of sheer value.
Before the introduction of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, this was our favorite iPhone. True, it misses out on a telephoto lens, but we find a coupling of main and ultrawide lenses serve most photo needs.
While it doesn't get an OLED display, its LCD screen at least allows the phone to keep its best-in-generation battery life crown. And it even gets a bit more RAM - up to 4GB from its predecessor's 3GB.
All in all then this phone is a lean, mean, photo-taking machine.
Read our in-depth iPhone 11 review
(Image credit: Apple)
11. iPhone 11 Pro The best older iPhone Specifications Weight: 188g Dimensions: 144 x 71.4 x 8.1mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 5.8-inch Resolution: 1125 x 2436 CPU: A13 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64/256/512GB Battery: 3,046mAh Rear camera: 12MP+12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP Today's Best Deals View at Amazon View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Camera a real step forward + Sizeable battery upgrade Reasons to avoid - Similar to iPhone XS visually - Few non-camera upgrades
The iPhone 11 Pro is a more advanced smartphone than the base iPhone 11, but it arguably isn't a better iPhone if you factor in the higher price.
Sure, the smaller screen is one-hand-friendly, the screen quality is a bonus, and it's Apple's most affordable handset with three rear cameras, so it's a decent phone all in all – that's why it once sat in the second spot on this list of our best iPhones.
But money is a concern for most people when they're looking for a new smartphone, and the big price step up may be questionable for most people when you put the stats side-by-side with the iPhone 11.
You can now find it cheaper since the debut of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro though, so you may want to consider this over the latest handsets.
Read our full iPhone 11 Pro review
How we tested
We've reviewed every phone on this list, so for each we've passed our expert verdict on them after extensive testing. From that we've then ranked them, factoring in price, value, and how they compare to each other.
What to look for when buying an iPhone? A lot of iPhones are quite similar to each other, so choosing which one to buy mostly just means seeing what's different between them and finding the right fit. All iPhones are powerful, and Apple supports them for a long time, so age and chipset needn't be a big deal, but pay attention to the battery life, cameras and screen size.
What is the best iPhone? The best iPhone is usually one of the latest numbered models, but which one specifically will depend on your needs. If you want a big screen, go for a Pro Max. For top specs in a smaller size, pick a Pro, and if you want to save some money then get a standard model or a mini.