iPhone 15 to Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 7 best smartphone launches of 2023

As the end of 2023 draws near, and have already seen some great smartphones from the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, and Google.  With almost all major smartphone releases out of the way, it's time to reflect and spotlight some of the best phones of the year so far.  In addition to flagships like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra, here are our top smartphones from 2023.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra is redefining what a flagship phone can offer.  With its incredible zoom capabilities and stunning 200MP main camera, this gadget is sure to be the ideal companion for photography aficionados. Users won't miss a beat with the spectacular visual experience offered by the 6.8-inch display, which is perfect for scrolling and gaming.

For selfies, there is a 12MP front-facing camera. Powering the phone is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, known for its high-performance capabilities

Google Pixel 8 series

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro share the same Tensor G3 processor, which offers lots of machine learning and AI features to make it shine. It's also lot better at heat dissipation, which was a major issue with the Pixel 7 series.

With a 6.2-inch 60-120Hz OLED display, the Pixel 8 is the smaller of the two. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 Pro is significantly larger, with to its 6.7-inch 1-120Hz pOLED screen. Other notable differences include the Pixel 8's 8GB of RAM vs the Pro's 12GB. The Pro also boasts a bigger 5,050mAh battery, whilst the Pixel 8 has a 4,575mAh battery.
 

Honor 90

The HONOR 90 features a 6.7″ Quad-curved AMOLED screen, housing a 200MP main Camera, a 12MP Ultra-Wide/Macro Camera, and a 2MP Depth Camera. It provides 4K recording on a multi-camera, allowing users to transition between the main, ultrawide and front cameras without stopping the 4K recording. 

Running on Android 13-based Honor MagicOS 7.1. All of this is powered by a 5000mAh battery.

OnePlus Open

The OnePlus Open sports a 7.82-inch Flexi-fluid AMOLED panel with 1-120 Hz dynamic refresh rate. The smartphone also comes with a 6.31-inch Super Fluid AMOLED cover screen with a 10-120 Hz dynamic refresh rate.

It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor paired with Adreno 740 GPU. The smartphone is run on a 4,805 mAh Dual-cell battery that can be fast charged using 67W SUPERVOOC Charging from OnePlus.

The OnePlus Open is priced at Rs. 1,39,999 in India and has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The device is available in two finishes – Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black.

iPhone 15 series

The iPhone 15 series launch was the biggest launch of September. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 plus have received an essential upgrade in terms of display. The two phones now come with Dynamic Island technology, which replaces the traditional notch found on the iPhone 14 Pro models. 

One of the most welcome changes is USB-C charging. Apple finally has done away with its trademark Lighting cable and opted for a more universal USB-C charging. 

Meanwhile, the new iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max feature a lightweight yet strong titanium design. Titanium is used in spacecraft and has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any metal.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 features an external screen that has been enlarged by a factor of 3.78, elevating its functionality. Functions such as FlexCam enable users to capture photos from inventive angles without the need for hands, and Dual Preview permits them to see themselves in the Flex Window while snapping pictures of friends, ensuring they capture the ideal shot.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes prepared with IPX8 support, Armor Aluminum frames, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is offered in two memory configurations: one with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, priced at Rs.99,999, and the other with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, priced at Rs.109,999. 

It was introduced in India, offering a choice of four unique colors: Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Lavender.

Moto Razr 40 Ultra

The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra offers a significant improvement compared to its predecessor. The handset features a 6.9-inch pOLED display that has up to 165Hz refresh rate. The secondary display on the device is of 3.6-inches.

It also has an AMOLED panel which can display notifications, weather alerts, calendar, and quick settings.  The device features a 12MP dual-camera setup which takes some excellent photos.