Best Verizon phones 2023

As you might expect, the best phones for Verizon have a lot in common with the best phones, period. That's because, as one of the world's largest wireless carriers, Verizon supports nearly all mainstream smartphones with little exception. 

So whether you want one of the best Android phones that money can buy or something simple and affordable, the best Verizon-compatible phones can be found below. In most cases, there are also plenty of Verizon deals to pair with these devices, particularly if you have an old or broken phone to trade in. If you prefer buying unlocked phones, Verizon may even hook you up with a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) discount. No matter which route you take, there's sure to be a great Verizon phone just waiting to be found. 

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At a glance

Best overall

The Pixel 8 might look similar to the Pixel 7 in design but it’s a leap forward compared to its predecessor. That’s thanks to new updates, like its AI and cameras being powered by the excellent Google Tensor G3 chip. As we said in our review, "the Pixel 8 manages to take truly outstanding shots in any scenario, and it outshines its predecessor."

It also sports great cameras, which is to be expected from any smartphone in the Pixel line. The front 10.5MP camera has the ability to shoot 4K video at 60fps, the 50MP camera doubles as a 2x lens to get optical-quality images, and the Tensor G3 chip coupled with camera algorithms make the cameras truly shine. 

One of the downsides is an extremely limited color palette of either a Hazel, Obsidian, or Rose. A poor selection of colors isn’t going to make or break the usefulness of a smartphone, but it’s something to keep in mind for anyone wanting a fun or flashy device. That said you’re likely going to be zhushing it up with a case regardless. 

The Pixel 8 is ultimately a great choice for anyone wanting a smartphone with solid photo and video capabilities and the comfort of knowing there's years of software updates ahead. And best of all, it supports Verizon 5G with Ultra Wideband Support.

Best premium

When it comes to premium Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has just about everything going for it. It’s one of the best smartphones Samsung has to offer without a doubt. The true star of the S23 Ultra is its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

If you’re someone who likes to play everything from Fortnite to Genshin Impact on their phone and doesn’t necessarily want a phone just for gaming, the S23 Ultra is exactly what you’re looking for. It can keep games locked at 60 FPS and running buttery smooth all without making you feel like you’re holding hot coals. And the games will look absolutely gorgeous thanks to a 6.8-inch AMOLED display at 120hz.

Depending on your usage, the battery can last up to two days on a single charge alone. The camera sensor has seen a bump up from 108MP on the S22 Ultra to now 200MP. The included S Pen is identical to that of the S22 Ultra but remains a ton of fun to play around with. 

To put it simply, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a powerhouse of a smartphone, and one of the best Android phones you can buy — so long as you can afford its hefty price tag, that is.

Best foldable

Clamshell foldables are all the rage these days. If you’re in the market for one, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a great choice. We had a lot to gush about when we reviewed this phone. One of our main praises was its 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, which offered good levels of brightness and gorgeous color vibrancy.

Part of the phone’s novelty also lies in its cover screen. You’re able to view notifications without having to open your phone, and there are customizable widgets for the usual standards such as weather and alarms. But a new feature for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 allows you to hold the phone like a camcorder while it's in Flip Mode to increase your grip.

Aesthetics will undoubtedly play some role in choosing a clamshell foldable, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in flashy Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Lavender, with others available based on carriers and regions.

Best cameras

As with all phones in the Pixel line, the cameras are the stars of the show. Even more noteworthy than the quality of the cameras themselves are the new AI features. Best Take, for example, allows you to take multiple photos in a row and then the phone will identify and clip out each face so you can replace it with the best quality one. Magic Editor, on the other hand, lets you fully erase objects *and* both move and resize objects.

Both the rear and front cameras record in 4K at 24 FPS, 30 FPS, 60 FPS. They also offer 10-bit HDR, cinematic blur, and 4K timelapse. Its closest competition is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but ultimately, we prefer the cameras offered by the Pixel 8 Pro.

Best mid-range

What if you don’t want all the bells and whistles of a premium smartphone but also want something with more features than a more basic one? Mid-range phones exist exactly for that reason. And as we said in our review, the Galaxy A54 5G is the best mid-range phone that Samsung has ever made. 

You’ll have to make compromises with a mid-range phone, of course. The Galaxy A54 5G lacks a telephoto lens and while it can certainly play games like Fortnite and Genshin Impact fine, you won’t be getting the same level of quality as more premium phones. Plus, the overall design lacks a sense of panache. 

If you don’t mind those missing features, however, there’s a lot to like about this phone. Its cameras offer 4K recording, it has a nice and bright OLED display, and Samsung has promised years of updates and support. It’s a nice middle ground.

Best stylus

Another mid-ranger, the Moto G Stylus 5G is a great pick for anyone wanting a stylus phone without breaking the bank. You won’t be doodling over animated GIFs like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but the included stylus does the job when it comes to writing notes comfortably. 

The phone itself is very nice for general use, too. It has a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip that helps it run smoothly. In our review, we noted that graphically intense games like Honkai: Star Rail could be bumped up to high settings at 60fps with stable performance. It slightly faltered on the highest settings, but it's not exactly a phone intended for gaming.

Best budget

In terms of quality, the Pixel 7a is just about perfect. We raved about it in our review, specifically for its excellent performance and cameras for a mid-range phone. The Pixel 7a sports the same Tensor G2 Chip as the rest of the Pixel 7 lineup. Its performance is the best you can get if you don’t want a phone over $500.

The 12MP sensor of the previous generation has been replaced with a 64MP sensor, which allows for photos that look absolutely crisp and beautiful. You’re also able to record videos in 4K resolution. Even better, you can expect up to five years of Pixel updates.

Best flagship

As we already mentioned, Samsung focused more on intelligent refinement than transformation with the S23 series, and that’s a great thing. The base model Galaxy S23 comes with everything you could possibly want in a modern flagship, including an outstanding Snapdragon processor, a two-day battery life with ultra-fast charging, and some improved camera software. The color options here may be a bit dull, but that’s a small price to pay for a great smartphone experience. 

The Galaxy S23 is a standout in Samsung’s lineup of phones. It may be a bit on the boring side in terms of aesthetics, but it’s much more than that. It lacks the 200MP camera of the Galaxy S23 Ultra but still supports the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. The result is a phone that excels in performance in a small flagship phone.

The small boost to the Galaxy S22’s battery life makes a world of difference. In our review, we found that the phone managed to last nearly 17 hours of use before needing to be charged. The charging speed itself might be a little lacking but the battery life certainly isn’t.

Best durability

Performance is the most important factor to take into consideration when choosing a phone. Sometimes where that performance matters the most is in practicality. While the Kyocera DuraSport 5G UW won’t be the fastest phone in technical performance, it’s one of the most durable you can get.

The DuraSport 5G UW has an IP68 rating, meaning it’s not only highly resistant to dust but can also be submerged at 6.5 feet of water for 30 minutes. It also has an MIL-STD-810H drop rating and can withstand up to a 5 foot fall on concrete. 

While the focus might be on its durability, the phone still has enough power for daily tasks thanks to its Snapdragon 480 CUP chip. And it does, of course, have 5G support on Verizon’s network.

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How to choose

What is the best Verizon phone?

Verizon supports the majority of the best Android phones if you want to buy unlocked. If you want to buy your phone from Verizon, you can pay full price to get the phone from the carrier, or can opt for monthly payments on your bill. The latter is required for some discounts, so it can be worth it. However, with 36-month payment plans being the only option, you may find yourself paying the device off early if you like to upgrade frequently.

The Google Pixel 8 is priced like a mid-range phone, but it stands toe-to-toe with the best phones on the market. Google's Tensor G3 CPU delivers plenty of performance, and the camera hardware works with the software to provide rich photos and realistic colors.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the best of Samsung's compact foldable design. Unlike folding phones that open up like a tablet, this phone folds vertically to easily fit in a pocket or bag. Since it has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, you don't give up any performance in pursuit of style either. Or, if you're a Samsung fan who prefers a classic phone design, you can also get any of the latest Galaxy S23 phones on the carrier.

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