The best big phone 2023
Phones used to be small – the first iPhone had a 3.5in display, which today looks comically tiny. 2021’s iPhone 13 Pro Max sports a whopping 6.7in display and it isn’t the only phone with a sizeable screen. In fact, Apple was relatively late to the big phone party.
You may have heard the term ‘phablet’, which is a portmanteau of ‘phone’ and ‘tablet, but we prefer just saying ‘big phone’. Say what you see.
If you’re anything like us, you might also prefer to use a large-screened phone all the time, instead of having to resort to a tablet for specific situations. If so, here are the ten best big smartphones to consider when buying a new phone.
Best big phone 2023
1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 – Best big phone
Pros
Cons
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 manages to be the best big screen phone because it’s the most widely available folding smartphone globally with a large, tablet-sized internal screen. Add to that the outer display for use like a ‘normal’ phone and Samsung’s reliable software and you are onto a winner – if you can afford the high price.
If you love the idea of having a phone and a tablet in one, this is the device to get. The phone is well built if fragile by nature (it folds!) but the utility it gives you is unparalleled. Call up an app on the large screen to read more text, see video in a larger size, or even use Android’s split screen to run two or three apps on the big display at once.
The Z Fold 4 is a truly portable computer more than anything else and still manages to pack in capable triple cameras and solid battery life.
2. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra – Highly versatile
Pros
Cons
While theS21 Ultradabbled with Note-like features, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is unquestionably a full-blown successor to 2020’sNote 20 Ultrain everything but name.
The design is distinctly different from the other entries in theGalaxy S22range (which is to say very ‘Note-like’) and features an integrated S Pen stylus that expands functionality beyond most rivals, especially in terms of productivity.
Despite familiar-looking camera hardware, the upgrades made by Samsung render it one of the best systems in any phone right now; with a 108Mp main shooter backed up by an ultrawide and two telephoto lenses at different zoom levels – with the zoom performance particularly improved on previous models.
The expansive 6.8in LTPO AMOLED display delivers both high WQHD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, while long-term software support that surpasses even Google’s Pixels rounds out an impressive list of pros.
3. iPhone 14 Pro Max – Superb all-rounder
Pros
Cons
The most expensive iPhone usually has the largest, best screen these days and the iPhone 14 Pro Max is no exception. You get the new Dynamic Island that Apple has designed to make more use of the front facing camera and Face ID sensors wrapped up in a premium but heavy stainless steel body.
The wider aspect ratio Apple has adopted means that while some Android devices have bigger displays on paper, fewfeelas big as this, especially once you factor in the squared off sides and completely flat screen. That means the 14 Pro Max is a decidedly two-handed device, but those who relish the extra screen space will love it.
Otherwise, you get all the top specs you’d expect from the latest Apple flagship that make it the most powerful phone on the market in terms of processing power, along with very good battery life that makes the most of the space for a truly multi-day device, though the best battery life on an iPhone can be found on theiPhone 14 Plus– a phone with the same size screen but only 60Hz compared to the Pro Max’s superior and smoother 120Hz.
4. Google Pixel 7 Pro – Incredible cameras
Pros
Cons
The Pixel 7 Pro is a subtle refinement of the winning new design and software combination of the Pixel 6 Pro, and that’s a good thing. The 7 Pro is Google’s best smartphone ever, and it has a big beautiful 6.7in screen tying it all together.
It’s an OLED with only a slight curve to it, so it feels expansive but slim in your hand (though it’s a weighty 212g) and it gets very bright. Android 13 looks great and you can customise it with system-wide colour changes.
Through that display you’ll enjoy some of the best cameras on a smartphone with very good still-image quality thanks to a 50Mp main sensor and Google’s photography post-processing. It also has superb ultra-wide and 5x telephoto lenses for a versatile pocket camera experience. Add to that clever software tricks like Magic Eraser to remove unwanted people or things from photos, or Face Unblur to tune that slightly blurry shot.
Battery life is solid, though you might not be sold on the design – but you’ll probably stick it straight in a case, right?
5. Vivo X80 Pro – Most underrated
Pros
Cons
The most underrated phone of 2022 is the Vivo X80 Pro. It’s by far one of the best phones you can buy right now, and one of it’s best features is its big colourful display.
Through that you will be able to enjoy what could possibly be the best cameras on a smartphone. Apple, Google and Samsung lead the conversation but Vivo is just as good this year, with a phenomenally good main lens with excellent dynamic range and a level of contrast and detail few other phones can manage.
Add to that a capable ultrawide lens and two (!) telephoto lenses to handle zoom and portrait shots, and it’s one of the most versatile phones of the year. The battery life is great, it’s fully waterproof, and the included charger charges it up ridiculously fast. As long as you don’t mind the design and the slightly plain software then you’re sure to love the phone that none of your friends will have.
6. Oppo Find X5 Pro – Superb camera
Pros
Cons
The Oppo Find X5 Pro is a phenomenal phone by any measure. The 6.7in 10-bit 120Hz QHD+ panel is one of the best displays in any phone right now and Oppo backs it up with 80W wired and 50W wireless charging, a 5000mAh battery, and a top-tier camera that boasts 50Mp sensors on both the main and ultrawide lenses.
You’ll have to live without a periscopic zoom lens – the telephoto here is a measly 2x zoom – but results across all three rear lenses are exceptional. The design is unique too, thanks to a seamlessly sloped camera module built right into the ceramic of the phone’s body.
In terms of pure performance, the Find X5 Pro is also hard to beat, with all of the above, plus a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, 256GB storage and 12GB RAM. You just have to be willing to pay the price, as it doesn’t come cheap.
7. Xiaomi 12 Pro – Well-rounded
Pros
Cons
The Xiaomi 12 Pro has an awful lot going for it, but that’s coupled with a pair of major flaws.
It sports a sleek, understated design, there’s a beautiful display paired with a quad-speaker setup and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip delivers impressive performance. For the most part, the camera system is great too, not quite best-in-class but good.
Unfortunately, the battery life is a clear failing – which might be fixed with updates, but for the moment frustrates.
8. Xiaomi 11T – Best value
Pros
Cons
A mid-range reworking of Xiaomi’s Mi 11 flagship from the start of 2021, the 11T sports a similar top-tier Snapdragon 888 chipset and other highlights, like a strong lead 108Mp camera, but all at a considerably lower price.
It lacks the astounding 120W super-fast charging of its‘Pro’-branded siblingbut still supports rapid 67W speeds that aren’t to be sniffed at.
The 6.67in 120Hz Full HD+ AMOLED display comes protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, while a 480Hz touch response rate and stereo speakers mean the 11T is also great for gaming.
9. Nubia Red Magic 7 – Best for gaming
Pros
Cons
While only a minor update to theRed Magic 6S Profrom 2021, the Red Magic 7 pushes the envelope by being one of the first gaming phones to feature Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
The stunning 165Hz display endures from the last few Red Magic flagships, while also continuing to outpace mainstream rivals – making it ideal for gaming – and Nubia’s finally addressed camera performance too, which is better than it’s ever been.
The Red Magic 7’s Android launcher won’t be to everyone’s tastes, the move to a smaller battery has proven to be a detrimental change (especially for gaming phone) and this is still a big bulky device, but the price/performance balance it strikes and the gaming prowess it facilitates are unrivalled.
10. Motorola Moto G200 – Ideal for productivity
Pros
Cons
The Moto G200 is something of an outlier in Motorola’s affordable mid-range Moto G line, but the oddities that make it stand out also happen to be its greatest strengths.
One of the few devices rocking a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ that delivers flagship-class performance on a budget, while its expansive 6.8in display offers super-smooth 144Hz visuals, making it ideal for gaming, while Ready For support also affords you a desktop-like user experience when plugging into an external display.
A sizeable 5000mAh battery also ensures great battery life and 33W fast charging ensures you’re not left waiting for the phone to fill back up for hours at a time.
Your buying guide to the best big-screened phone for you
Does size matter?
Most phones with displays over 5.5in (measured corner to corner) and sporting an aspect ratio of 16:9 are considered phablets, but in recent times phones have gotten taller and narrower, allowing displays to get bigger without the phones feeling bigger overall. Most of the phones in this chart have these taller aspect ratios.
Such a quality is the reason this roundup includes both the screen sizesandthe aspect ratios of these devices; so you have a better idea of whether a phone is generally big or just tall and slim.
Not all phones with large screens are considered ‘big’ – despite its 6.1in display, we wouldn’t consider the regularGalaxy S22to be a phablet, because its tiny bezels and narrow aspect ratio mean it’s relatively compact in-hand.
Samsung, Sony, Motorola and others all offer phones that require two-handed use most of the time as a result of their displays, but to their credit, big phones don’t just offer a better viewing experience, they boast other great benefits, like larger batteries.
Resolution
It’s also important to take into account that the bigger the screen, the more resolution matters; so Quad HD is favourable over Full HD and anything less than 1080p is probably best avoided, where big phones are concerned.
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Author: Henry Burrell, Contributor
Previously Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, Henry covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.
