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Buying a phone can be complicated. Whether you want a standard slab-style smartphone, a modern folding phone , or a simple feature phone, there are many small but important factors to consider before you choose. PCMag has been covering cell phones for at least three decades and can help you sort through all the noise. Right now, four phones stand out among our Editors' Choice winners: the Apple iPhone 16 with its great mix of features for the price, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with its artist-friendly S Pen stylus, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 with its expansive inner screen, and the Google Pixel 9a for its superb value. But all the phones here deserve your attention, so be sure to explore our full reviews linked below. Further down, we walk you through everything you need to know to pick the best device.
Which Cell Phone Carrier Has the Best Coverage?
Despite all the recent hardware and mobile software innovations, choosing a wireless service provider remains the most important decision. No matter what device you buy, it's a paperweight unless you have reliable wireless coverage. You should choose a carrier that offers fair prices and provides the best coverage in your area.
If you're interested in performance and you live in a metro area, pay the most attention to where the major carriers have "mid-band" 5G (also called C-band ) and use phones that support that technology.
UScellular is currently available throughout the US, though much of its coverage is provided via partner networks. Meanwhile, Boost Mobile covers the majority of the country with its 5G-first service.
There are also plenty of virtual operators that use the big three networks for service but offer lower monthly rates, cheaper international calls, or other benefits. They're typically better for less intensive users, and some don't even have family plans.
Mint Mobile ( on T-Mobile ), Consumer Cellular (on AT&T), and Spectrum Mobile (on Verizon) all got higher ratings in our Readers’ Choice survey than the companies that host their services.
AT&T owns Cricket, Dish owns Boost Mobile, T-Mobile owns Metro by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile, Verizon owns Visible, and Google owns Google Fi (which also runs on T-Mobile). Verizon also owns Simple Mobile, Straight Talk, Total Wireless, and Tracfone. We spotlight some of our favorite virtual operators in our roundup of the best cheap phone plans . We also have a story on the best cheap phones .
Do You Need a 5G Phone?
5G arrived in 2019, and most new smartphones now support some form of it. Though 5G has yet to change everything, it's still well on its way.
If you're on T-Mobile, you should use a mid-band 5G-compatible phone. That's an easy choice—all T-Mobile 5G phones are mid-band-compatible now.
To access AT&T's C-band network, any modern Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or Google Pixel will do.
If you're in one of Verizon's C-band areas, upgrading to a C-band-compatible 5G phone is a good move. The carrier's Ultra Wideband network also offers super-fast mmWave 5G in select locations. If you are in one of those areas and want to take advantage, make sure your phone has that support.
You can find more 5G recommendations on our list of the best 5G phones .
Should You Get an Unlocked Phone?
Carriers sometimes have confusing service and pricing plans, so unlocked phones are as relevant and invaluable as ever.
Unlocked phones are those you buy from a third-party store or directly from the manufacturer; they aren't tied to a specific carrier. Usually, you can use them with AT&T or T-Mobile. But some popular unlocked phones work on Verizon as well. For the most flexibility, look for a recent Apple iPhone, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S or Z flagship, or high-end Motorola Edge phone. If you use a low-cost MVNO service, make sure your unlocked phone is actually compatible; some MVNOs don't support phones that should work on their networks.
In the past, unlocked 4G phones typically worked on all the major carriers, but 5G phones are different. Apple, Google, and Samsung's 5G phones usually work on every major US carrier, but many other brands either have limited band support or are only certified for specific carriers.
What Is the Best Smartphone?
There's actually less diversity in smartphone platforms and designs than ever. Android and iOS are the two remaining major smartphone platforms, both in US sales and in the availability of third-party apps. The iPhone has a well-developed App Store and some of the best media features. But Apple's tightly controlled ecosystem can feel stifling to some, though iOS is more customizable than ever. There's more variety among Android handsets, and Android's open-source nature makes it a tweaker's dream. But it can also mean carrier bloatware you can't remove, and less consistent OS updates.
Strictly interested in Android? Head over to our roundup of the best Android phones . Baffled by the variety of iPhones? Here's how to decide which iPhone to buy . And if you want to document the world around you with your phone, we've rounded up the best camera phones , too.
What Is the Best Feature Phone?
Some people still use simpler phones, even though the number of choices is limited. The top reasons to consider these models are their lower prices, ease of use, and often cheaper associated service plans (because mobile data often isn't a factor). There are some great deals for voice-only plans on virtual carriers such as TracFone and Consumer Cellular.
Unlike smartphones, feature phones are a matter of "what you see is what you get." They don't receive software upgrades or run thousands of apps. Wireless network coverage is always the biggest factor, but individual phones can vary in reception, earpiece quality, transmission quality through the microphone, and sidetone (the echo of your voice that helps prevent you from yelling at the other person on the line). A phone with middling to poor reception quality can be almost impossible to use in a marginal coverage area. In contrast, one with excellent reception can make the best of the little signal that's available.
For more, see our picks for the best phones for seniors and our roundup of the best phones for kids .
What's the Best Time to Buy a New Phone?
The best time to buy a new phone is when you need one. If your phone dies on the pavement, get whatever is available that best meets your needs. But if you're watching your budget or riding the cutting edge, a little knowledge and planning can save you from buying a phone that's about to be discounted or replaced with something newer and cooler.
For instance, Google's flagship Pixels came out in August 2024. Apple released the iPhone 16 models in September 2024. Samsung introduced its new Galaxy S series in January, and we expect Galaxy Z folding phones in just a few weeks. Motorola has been sticking to an early May cadence for its folding phones, while OnePlus announced its latest flagship in January.
Note that we update this story every time we review a new phone worth a spot on the list, so it changes often. Be sure to check back soon for our latest recommendations.
Dave LeClair and Sascha Segan contributed to this story.
