Buying a phone is one of the most important decisions in someone’s life. A person spends around 3 hours on their phones throughout the day. Since using a phone takes most of our time, it should be a worthy one. Having a bad phone equals having a bad partner as one is very much dependent on it. Even more than they are on their partners! So one should be very careful while choosing either! This article will help you with one of your choices.

When it comes to market leaders in the premium phones segment, we can safely say that Apple, Samsung, Google Pixel and OnePlus rule the roost! Not only do they feature premium specs, they are eqiupped with top notch cameras, chips, hardware and build quality.

Here is the list of the top 5 phones as per the Phoney Guy:

5.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Yes, this tablet-looking phone is the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. Look at that! What an absolute beauty! This phone is one of the best phones ever made my Samsung and features the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Not only does it stand tall among the competition (literally 7.6 inch x 6.3 inch), it boasts of having the best display along with the cameras. This phone is a boon for multitaskers and features dual-app viewing where you can use 2 apps simultaneously on a single huge screen. This feature is something Apple will take decades to have! No offense!

However, with a great screen comes great hassle! The size can be a deterrent for many as it makes it very difficult to carry around, especially in summer when you roam around in shorts. Yes, you’ll need deep pockets for the size as well as for its price. This phone is quite on the expensive side and retails for around $1600 to $1900 in the US.

4. Oneplus 12

OnePlus was once considered as a flagship-killer brand with amazing specs matching the high-end phones with a significantly lower price tag. However, as the brand progressed, it turned into the other brands which they once mocked. They raised the prices and downgraded the OS and lost the title of being the flagship killer.

However, they are slowly retaining their lost title once again. With the introduction of Oneplus 12, Oneplus 12R, not only have they reduced the prices, but have improved the quality of their phones significantly. It is pertinent to mention that the phone comes with an amazing Hasselblad camera, vivid OLED display of 2k pixels and an amazing battery of 5400 mAh, making it the phone with the biggest battery in this segment.

Those who are looking for uncompromised quality under a budget, Oneplus 12 is the right choice. It retails for $799 only in the US!

3. Google Pixel 9 pro XL

Google brings out their latest and feature-rich pixel 9 pro/ XL with significant improvements in camera, processor, display and their much-hyped AI features. It boasts of the latest Tensor G4 4nm SOC, sculpted design, AI capabilities, updated camera software and a mammoth 6.8 inch sharp OLED display of 3k pixels along with a 5060 mAh battery.

Those who are looking for a no-fuss design with a good camera, large battery and large screen size, Pixel 9 pro XL is your go-to phone. It retails for $1099 in the US.

However, despite having the best-in-class features, Google Pixel phones have not been able to attract a significant crowd as compared to the competition. It may be attributed to their boxy design, fewer endorsements and a lack of wow-factor. Despite that, Pixel phones have a separate fanbase and are a favorite among many. Let’s see if the Pixel 9 lineup changes their fate!

2. iPhone 16 Pro Max

The Apple iPhone 16 lineup is a complete package in itself. The 16 pro max brings the latest A18 Pro chipset, 6.7 inch OLED display, a dedicated action button, a larger battery of 4676 mAh and incredible AI features termed as Apple Intelligence. Time and again, Apple comes up with new innovations and specs and people throng to their stores and wait in lines for hours to get their hands on the newly launched devices.

Apple has undoubtedly mastered the art of marketing and creating the hype. From top world leaders to celebrities, everyone seems to be having the latest iPhone. It has become more of a status symbol than a functional device. Sometimes it feels that Apple has changed from being a phone manufacturer to a marketing company!

Even though Apple seems to be at par with tech, if not ahead, the phones lack in basic features such as multi-tasking, non-compatibility with other brands, personalization, customization with home screen and fast charging.

This may bother many but Apple has its own fanbase, no matter how much they lack in features. Even if Apple stops providing cameras tomorrow, there would still be people queueing in lines for the camera-less phones! Those who still prefer mediocrity can spend around $1200 to get the 16 Pro max.

1. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

The ultimate phone is here! The ruler of the roost! Samsung, even though makes trashy phones in the mid-range lineup but it also makes the best possible phones in their higher-end segment. The all-new S24 Ultra has the best ever 6.8 inch dynamic super AMOLED 2X display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 200 MP camera with 100X zoom, huge 5000 mAh battery, Stylus pen along with advanced AI features such as circle to search, live call translation along with AI summarization.

It is because of these advanced features that the Samsung S24 Ultra features on top of our smartphone list. It is an almost perfect phone and retails for around $1300. So if you want a phone that ticks all the boxes and looks magnificent, you may close your eyes and go for the s24 Ultra.