Best Smartphones Launched In 2023: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, iPhone 15 Pro Max And More

Best Smartphones Launched In 2023: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, iPhone 15 Pro Max And More

With the curtains about to draw over 2023, it is the perfect time to look back at the year that has been for smartphone enthusiasts. As major milestones in the industry took us closer to the next generation of mobile computing, the best smartphones launched in 2023 gave us a glimpse into the future.

Although we saw a lot of enticing flip and foldable smartphones this year, thanks to brands like Samsung and Motorola, the real innovation came from AI. The Google Pixel 8 Pro successfully integrated generative AI into the OS and its core features, thereby contending to be one of the best Android smartphones of 2023.

However, the rest of the industry stuck to the tried-and-tested formula of ‘more is better’. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max tried to take on the crown of the best flagship smartphone of 2023 by establishing itself as the anti-Google Pixel and not associating it with AI advancements. Instead, it focused on the key aspects that make a great smartphone, which include flawless performance, good cameras and exceptional battery life.

What about the best budget smartphone of 2023, you ask? There were many interesting launches in the lower realms of the market but only one stood up and caught our attention.

Hence, without further ado, let’s take a look at our picks for the best smartphones that launched in 2023.

These are the best smartphones launched in 2023

1 /10

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Price: MYR 6,199

Launched in January, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has seen multiple threats and severe competition in the premium smartphone category over the next 11 months and yet, none could match its sheer magnificence. Despite being the oldest of the lot, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra scores the highest in terms of performance, design, cameras and the overall user experience. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset ensures class-leading performance and power efficiency, the latter helped by the presence of a large 5,000mAh battery.

The highly versatile camera system led by a 200-megapixel main camera also ends up being one of the best smartphones for shutterbugs today. The S Pen stylus with its in-built silo makes it one of the most productivity-oriented smartphones you can use today.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Samsung)

2 /10

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Price: MYR 6,499

Kickstarting an era of 3nm chip-based smartphones, the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers an unmatched combination of performance and efficiency. The A17 Pro chip is powerful enough to run console games directly and the new USB-C charging port makes it easier to connect third-party peripherals, including a universal charging adapter. The 6.7-inch 120Hz ProMotion OLED display has slim bezels and can achieve peak brightness levels of up to 2,000 nits.

However, the major upgrade comes to the camera system. While the 48-megapixel main camera impresses with its 24-megapixel binned photos by default and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera that can also do macros, it’s the new 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom that steals the show. The Titanium frame strengthens the structure against accidental drops while reducing the overall weight. It even gets a dedicated Action Button that can be tailored to trigger a desired shortcut or app.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Apple)

3 /10

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

Price: MYR 4,999

We loved the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and we bet you will like it too. Wearing a new design that expands its cover display to a large 3.4-inch folder-shaped OLED display, it allows one to use most of the popular apps in a compressed form and provides a blogger viewfinder for taking selfies via the dual 12-megapixel main camera system. A robust yet lightweight hinge helps to fold the 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED main display, which also holds a 10-megapixel selfie camera. The OneUI 5.1 interface offers lots of functionality to better multitask with apps.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip keeps the Z Flip 5 chugging fast and its power efficiency comes in handy to extract almost an entire day’s battery life from the 3,700mAh battery. The 25W wired charging is on the slower side but the Flip 5 compensates for it with its unrivalled style.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Augustman)

4 /10

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Price: MYR 7,299

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 wasn’t a big upgrade over the Fold 4 and yet, it continues to be one of the best and most polished book-style folding phones you can buy. The odd aspect ratio results in unusually narrow displays but these are some of the nicest displays on any folding smartphone. The 7.6-inch main display even supports the S Pen stylus and features an under-display 4-megapixel video call camera.

Performance is taken care of by the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, which delivers high power efficiency as well. The versatile OneUI 5.1 interface brings desktop-grade multitasking abilities unseen on any other smartphone. It even offers a versatile set of rear cameras and while that’s not going to impress shutterbugs, it’s just good enough for casuals. Despite the noticeable crease and the awkward aspect ratio, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 remains a solid foldable smartphone to choose from.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Augustman)

5 /10

Google Pixel 8 Pro

Price: USD 1,179

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is a fine example of a smartphone that’s truly smart. Fused with Google’s extremely clever flavour of Android 14, the Pixel 8 Pro gets magical features like face swapping, eradicating background noise from videos and the ability to make subjects from photos vanish, courtesy of Google’s Magic Editor. The triple rear camera system, consisting of a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, excels at night photography.

Additionally, the Tensor G3 chip offers good performance but beware of the hotter-than-usual running temperatures and extreme throttling under heavy loads. The 5,000mAh battery suffers as a result, barely managing to offer a day’s battery. Nonetheless, the Pixel 8 Pro was one of the best smartphones we saw in 2023.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Google)

6 /10

Motorola Razr 40 Ultra

Price: MYR 2,696

The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra makes it to this list solely for its insane 3.6-inch 144Hz refresh rate pOLED cover display that can natively run all the apps and games. The display even wraps around the main camera system and helps with selfies and self-videos.

Inside, there’s a larger 6.9-inch 165Hz OLED display backed by a gapless hinge system. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip is almost two years old but continues to offer top-notch performance, whether it’s running a custom-rich version of Android or the latest mobile games. The 3,800mAh battery barely manages an entire day but the 30W wired charging allows for a faster wired solution.

But above all, the Razr 40 Ultra wooed us with its style and there’s no other flip phone that has got us drooling like this hot Motorola.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Motorola)

7 /10

OnePlus Open

Price: MYR 6,660

The OnePlus Open relies on the similar Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset as the Samsung Fold 5, guaranteeing top-notch performance with even better battery life, courtesy of its 4,805mAh battery that charges much faster with a 67W wired charger. The conventional aspect ratio makes both the 6.3-inch 120Hz cover display and the 7.8-inch 120Hz main display easier to live with, the latter having a negligible crease.

To keep photography enthusiasts happy, it features a flagship-grade Hasselblad-tuned triple camera system consisting of a 48-megapixel main camera f/1.7 lens, another 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 64-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The OxygenOS 13.2 may not be as versatile as Samsung’s OneUI 5.1 but there’s no denying that the OnePlus Open is the best foldable smartphone we saw in 2023.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

8 /10

OnePlus 11R

Price: MYR 2,299

The OnePlus 11R may not be the best smartphone we have seen this year but there’s certainly not beating it when it comes to sheer value. At a price under MYR 2,300, the OnePlus 11R offers a similar design, an almost equally powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, a similar 5,000mAh battery and a 100W wired charging solution as its flagship cousin. You even get a good quality curved edge AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz.

The phone hasn’t gotten positive reviews for its triple camera system but then again, it’s not trying to impress shutterbugs, like the similarly priced Google Pixel 7a. Overall, the OnePlus 11R is certainly the best-value smartphone that’s also great for gaming.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

9 /10

Realme 11 Pro Plus

Price: MYR 1,999

The Realme 11 Pro Plus makes it to this list for its premium design and build quality as well as its feature-rich specifications list. The vegan leather back fused with a one-off design makes this phone unique in a sea of boring midrange smartphones. Get this, it features a 6.7-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and curved edges. The Dimensity 7050 chipset offers decent performance for a smartphone of this category.

Additionally, the 200-megapixel main camera is well-tuned for tricky day and night photography. The 5,000mAh battery seals the deal for most people, with the 100W wired charging being the cherry on top.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Realme)

10 /10

iQOO 12

Price: Yet to be announced

The iQOO 12 is touted to be the most powerful Android smartphone launched in 2023 and that’s primarily a result of its 2024-spec Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Despite being a 4nm chip, the synthetic benchmarks show the iQOO 12 to be an intense gaming phone, especially with the accompanying V1+ chip helping with improving frame rates in competitive games. The 6.7-inch 1280p AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 144Hz and HDR10+ only adds to its appeal.

The iQOO 12 also features a potent camera system, consisting of a 50-megapixel main camera, another 50-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 64-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The 5,000mAh battery should deliver an all-day battery life easily and the 120W wired charging should fill it up within 25 minutes.

(Image Credits: Courtesy iQOO)