Are you looking for a new smartphone to start the new year with? Do you want to know which phones are the best in terms of performance, features, design, and price? If so, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will review and compare the top smartphone picks for January 2024, based on the latest news, reviews, specifications, and prices. We will cover the most popular and innovative phones from different brands and categories, and help you decide which one suits your needs and budget. Let’s get started!

Samsung Smartphones

Samsung is one of the leading smartphone manufacturers in the world, and it has a wide range of phones to offer for every taste and preference. Whether you are looking for a flagship, a foldable, a mid-range, or a budget phone, Samsung has something for you. Here are some of the best Samsung smartphones that you can buy in January 2024:

Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus

The Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus are the successors of the Galaxy S22 series, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024. These phones are the premium flagships from Samsung, and they offer the best of the best in terms of performance, camera, display, battery, and design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.2-inch and a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and QHD+ resolution.
• A Snapdragon 898 or an Exynos 2200 processor with 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.
• A quad rear camera setup with a 108MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, a 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, and a 10MP periscope sensor with 10x optical zoom.
• A 40MP selfie camera with dual pixel autofocus and 4K video recording.
• A 4000mAh and a 4500mAh battery with 45W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
• An IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.
• Android 12 with One UI 4.0.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus are expected to cost around $999 and $1099 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, white, silver, pink, and green.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 are the latest foldable phones from Samsung, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024 as well. These phones are the ultimate devices for multitasking, productivity, and entertainment, as they offer a unique and versatile form factor that can transform from a compact phone to a large tablet. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.7-inch and a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and QXGA+ resolution for the Z Flip 5 and the Z Fold 5 respectively.
• A 1.9-inch and a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED cover display with 60Hz refresh rate and HD+ resolution for the Z Flip 5 and the Z Fold 5 respectively.
• A Snapdragon 898 or an Exynos 2200 processor with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of internal storage.
• A triple rear camera setup with a 12MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 12MP telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom for both phones.
• A 10MP selfie camera on the cover display and a 16MP selfie camera on the main display for both phones.
• A 3300mAh and a 4500mAh battery with 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging for the Z Flip 5 and the Z Fold 5 respectively.
• An IPX8 rating for water resistance, an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.
• Android 12 with One UI 4.0 and special features for the foldable mode.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 are expected to cost around $1499 and $1999 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, purple, gold, and silver.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and A54 5G

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and A54 5G are the mid-range phones from Samsung, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024 as well. These phones are the affordable options for those who want to enjoy the benefits of 5G connectivity, without compromising on the performance, camera, display, and battery. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.5-inch and a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution.
• A Snapdragon 778G or a MediaTek Dimensity 900 processor with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.
• A quad rear camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 5MP depth sensor for both phones.
• A 32MP selfie camera with dual pixel autofocus and 4K video recording for both phones.
• A 4500mAh and a 5000mAh battery with 25W fast charging and 15W wireless charging for the A53 5G and the A54 5G respectively.
• A side-mounted fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.
• Android 12 with One UI 4.0.

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and A54 5G are expected to cost around $399 and $499 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as blue, white, black, and pink.

Xiaomi Smartphones

Xiaomi is another leading smartphone manufacturer in the world, and it has a loyal fan base that appreciates its high-quality and low-cost phones. Xiaomi offers a variety of phones for different segments and markets, ranging from flagship killers to budget-friendly devices. Here are some of the best Xiaomi smartphones that you can buy in January 2024:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G are the successors of the Redmi Note 10 Pro series, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024. These phones are the flagship killers from Xiaomi, and they offer amazing performance, camera, display, and battery at a fraction of the price of other flagships. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution.
• A Snapdragon 870 or a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.
• A quad rear camera setup with a 108MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom, and a 2MP macro sensor.
• A 16MP selfie camera with dual pixel autofocus and 4K video recording.
• A 5000mAh battery with 67W fast charging and 33W wireless charging.
• An IP53 rating for splash resistance, an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, an IR blaster, and a USB-C port.
• MIUI 13 based on Android 12.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G are expected to cost around $299 and $399 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, white, green, and blue.

Xiaomi Mi 13 and Mi 13 Lite

The Xiaomi Mi 13 and Mi 13 Lite are the successors of the Mi 12 series, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024. These phones are the premium flagships from Xiaomi, and they offer the best of the best in terms of performance, camera, display, battery, and design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.4-inch and a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and QHD+ resolution for the Mi 13 and the Mi 13 Lite respectively.
• A Snapdragon 898 or an Exynos 2200 processor with 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage for the Mi 13 and the Mi 13 Lite respectively.
• A quad rear camera setup with a 200MP main sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, a 8MP telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom, and a 5MP macro sensor for the Mi 13 and a triple rear camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 5MP macro sensor for the Mi 13 Lite.
• A 32MP selfie camera with dual pixel autofocus and 4K video recording for both phones.
• A 4500mAh and a 5000mAh battery with 120W fast charging, 50W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging for the Mi 13 and the Mi
  Okay, I will continue writing the article for you. Here is the rest of the outline of the article:

Xiaomi Mi 13 Lite respectively.

• An IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.
• MIUI 13 based on Android 12.

The Xiaomi Mi 13 and Mi 13 Lite are expected to cost around $699 and $499 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, white, blue, and green.

Huawei Smartphones

Huawei is another leading smartphone manufacturer in the world, and it has a loyal fan base that appreciates its high-quality and innovative phones. Huawei offers a variety of phones for different segments and markets, ranging from flagship to budget devices. Here are some of the best Huawei smartphones that you can buy in January 2024:

Huawei Mate 50 Pro and Mate 50 Pro Plus

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro and Mate 50 Pro Plus are the successors of the Mate 40 Pro series, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024. These phones are the premium flagships from Huawei, and they offer the best of the best in terms of performance, camera, display, battery, and design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.76-inch and a 6.9-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and QHD+ resolution for the Mate 50 Pro and the Mate 50 Pro Plus respectively.
• A Kirin 920 or a Snapdragon 898 processor with 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of internal storage for the Mate 50 Pro and the Mate 50 Pro Plus respectively.
• A quad rear camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 20MP ultra-wide sensor, a 12MP telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom, and a 3D ToF sensor for the Mate 50 Pro and a penta rear camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 20MP ultra-wide sensor, a 12MP telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom, a 10MP periscope sensor with 10x optical zoom, and a 3D ToF sensor for the Mate 50 Pro Plus.
• A 13MP selfie camera with dual pixel autofocus and 4K video recording for both phones.
• A 4500mAh and a 5000mAh battery with 66W fast charging, 50W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging for the Mate 50 Pro and the Mate 50 Pro Plus respectively.
• An IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.
• HarmonyOS 3.0 based on Android 12.

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro and Mate 50 Pro Plus are expected to cost around $999 and $1199 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, silver, gold, and green.

Huawei P50 and P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 and P50 Pro are the successors of the P40 series, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024 as well. These phones are the camera-centric flagships from Huawei, and they offer amazing photography and videography capabilities, along with great performance, display, battery, and design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.1-inch and a 6.6-inch OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution for the P50 and the P50 Pro respectively.
• A Kirin 920 or a Snapdragon 898 processor with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage for the P50 and the P50 Pro respectively.
• A triple rear camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 16MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 12MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom for the P50 and a quad rear camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 16MP ultra-wide sensor, a 12MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, and a 8MP periscope sensor with 10x optical zoom for the P50 Pro.
• A 32MP selfie camera with dual pixel autofocus and 4K video recording for both phones.
• A 3800mAh and a 4200mAh battery with 40W fast charging, 27W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging for the P50 and the P50 Pro respectively.
• An IP53 rating for splash resistance, an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.
• HarmonyOS 3.0 based on Android 12.

The Huawei P50 and P50 Pro are expected to cost around $799 and $899 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, white, blue, and pink.

Apple Smartphones

Apple is the most valuable smartphone manufacturer in the world, and it has a loyal fan base that appreciates its high-quality and innovative phones. Apple offers a variety of phones for different segments and markets, ranging from flagship to budget devices. Here are some of the best Apple smartphones that you can buy in January 2024:

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are the successors of the iPhone 13 series, and they are expected to be launched in September 2023. These phones are the premium flagships from Apple, and they offer the best of the best in terms of performance, camera, display, battery, and design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.1-inch and a 6.7-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and QHD+ resolution for the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro respectively.
• An A16 Bionic processor with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage for the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro respectively.
• A dual rear camera setup with a 12MP main sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide sensor for the iPhone 14 and a triple rear camera setup with a 12MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 12MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom for the iPhone 14 Pro.
• A 12MP selfie camera with Face ID and 4K video recording for both phones.
• A 3110mAh and a 3687mAh battery with 20W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 7.5W reverse wireless charging for the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro respectively.
• An IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, a Face ID scanner, stereo speakers, and a Lightning port.
• iOS 16.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are expected to cost around $799 and $999 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, white, red, blue, and green.

iPhone SE 3

The iPhone SE 3 is the successor of the iPhone SE 2, and it is expected to be launched in March 2024. This phone is the budget-friendly option from Apple, and it offers great performance, camera, display, and battery at a low price. Some of the rumored features of this phone are:

• A 4.7-inch LCD display with 60Hz refresh rate and HD+ resolution.
• An A15 Bionic processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.
• A single rear camera setup with a 12MP main sensor.
• A 7MP selfie camera with Touch ID and 1080p video recording.
• A 1821mAh battery with 18W fast charging and 7.5W wireless charging.
• An IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, a Touch ID scanner, stereo speakers, and a Lightning port.
• iOS 16.

The iPhone SE 3 is expected to cost around $399, and it will be available in various colors such as black, white, red, and yellow.

Other Smartphones

There are many other smartphone manufacturers in the world, and they offer a variety of phones for different segments and markets, ranging from flagship to budget devices. Here are some of the best smartphones from other brands that you can buy in January 2024:

Sony Xperia 5 IV and Xperia 10 IV

The Sony Xperia 5 IV and Xperia 10 IV are the successors of the Xperia 5 III and Xperia 10 III, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024. These phones are the premium and mid-range phones from Sony, and they offer great performance, camera, display, and battery with a distinctive design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.1-inch and a 6.0-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution for the Xperia 5 IV and the Xperia 10 IV respectively.
• A Snapdragon 898 or a Snapdragon 778G processor with 8GB or 6GB of RAM and 128GB or 64GB of internal storage for the Xperia 5 IV and the Xperia 10 IV respectively.
• A triple rear camera setup with a 12MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 12MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom for both phones.
• An 8MP selfie camera with 1080p video recording for both phones.
• A 4500mAh and a 4000mAh battery with 30W fast charging and 15W wireless charging for the Xperia 5 IV and the Xperia 10 IV respectively.
• An IP68 rating for water and dust resistance,
  Okay, I will continue writing the article for you. Here is the rest of the outline of the article:

An in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.

• Android 12 with Xperia UI.

The Sony Xperia 5 IV and Xperia 10 IV are expected to cost around $799 and $499 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, blue, pink, and green.

Motorola G52 and G52 Plus

The Motorola G52 and G52 Plus are the successors of the G51 series, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024. These phones are the mid-range phones from Motorola, and they offer great performance, camera, display, and battery with a simple and elegant design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.5-inch and a 6.8-inch LCD display with 90Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution for the G52 and the G52 Plus respectively.
• A Snapdragon 778G or a MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor with 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage for the G52 and the G52 Plus respectively.
• A triple rear camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor for the G52 and a quad rear camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor for the G52 Plus.
• A 16MP selfie camera with 1080p video recording for both phones.
• A 5000mAh and a 6000mAh battery with 20W fast charging and 10W wireless charging for the G52 and the G52 Plus respectively.
• A rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB-C port.
• Android 12 with My UX.

The Motorola G52 and G52 Plus are expected to cost around $299 and $399 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as gray, white, blue, and red.

Vivo X90 and X90 Pro

The Vivo X90 and X90 Pro are the successors of the X80 series, and they are expected to be launched in January 2024. These phones are the premium and mid-range phones from Vivo, and they offer great performance, camera, display, and battery with a sleek and stylish design. Some of the rumored features of these phones are:

• A 6.56-inch and a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and QHD+ resolution for the X90 and the X90 Pro respectively.
• A Snapdragon 898 or a Snapdragon 870 processor with 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage for the X90 and the X90 Pro respectively.
• A quad rear camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, a 13MP telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom, and a 8MP periscope sensor with 5x optical zoom for the X90 and a penta rear camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, a 13MP telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom, a 8MP periscope sensor with 5x optical zoom, and a 2MP macro sensor for the X90 Pro.
• A 32MP selfie camera with dual pixel autofocus and 4K video recording for both phones.
• A 4200mAh and a 4500mAh battery with 55W fast charging and 30W wireless charging for the X90 and the X90 Pro respectively.
• An in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port.
• Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12.

The Vivo X90 and X90 Pro are expected to cost around $599 and $799 respectively, and they will be available in various colors such as black, silver, gold, and blue.

General Terms

There are some general terms that are related to smartphones and that you might want to know more about. Here are some of the most common and important terms that you should be familiar with:

5G

5G is the fifth generation of mobile network technology, and it offers faster speed, lower latency, higher capacity, and more reliability than the previous generations. 5G can support up to 10 Gbps of data transfer, which is 100 times faster than 4G. 5G can also reduce the delay between sending and receiving data to less than 1 millisecond, which is 10 times lower than 4G. 5G can also handle up to 1 million devices per square kilometer, which is 100 times more than 4G. 5G can also provide more consistent and stable connectivity, even in crowded and remote areas.

5G is expected to enable many new applications and services, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, cloud gaming, smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and internet of things. 5G is also expected to improve the performance and quality of existing applications and services, such as video streaming, online gaming, social media, and e-commerce.

To enjoy the benefits of 5G, you need a 5G-compatible smartphone and a 5G-enabled network. 5G networks are still being deployed and expanded around the world, and they might not be available in all areas or countries. 5G networks also use different frequency bands and standards, which might not be compatible with all 5G smartphones. Therefore, you should check the 5G coverage and compatibility of your smartphone and network before buying or using them.

AMOLED

AMOLED stands for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode, and it is a type of display technology that is used in some smartphones. AMOLED displays consist of organic materials that emit light when electric current passes through them. AMOLED displays do not need a backlight, unlike LCD displays, which means they can produce deeper blacks and higher contrast. AMOLED displays also have faster response time and lower power consumption than LCD displays, which means they can offer smoother animations and longer battery life.

AMOLED displays have some disadvantages, such as higher cost, lower brightness, and shorter lifespan than LCD displays. AMOLED displays also have the risk of burn-in, which is when a static image or a part of an image remains on the screen even when the display is turned off or changed. Burn-in can be caused by prolonged exposure to high brightness, high contrast, or high saturation images, such as icons, logos, or notifications. Burn-in can be prevented or reduced by using dark mode, adaptive brightness, screen saver, or screen rotation.

AMOLED displays have different variants, such as Super AMOLED, Dynamic AMOLED, and OLED. Super AMOLED is a trademark of Samsung, and it refers to AMOLED displays that have an integrated touch layer, which makes them thinner and more responsive. Dynamic AMOLED is another trademark of Samsung, and it refers to AMOLED displays that have HDR10+ certification, which means they can support a wider range of colors and brightness. OLED is a generic term that refers to any display that uses organic light emitting diodes, and it can include AMOLED displays or other types of OLED displays, such as POLED or WOLED.

Snapdragon

Qualcomm markets a line of system-on-chip (SoC) chips under the moniker Snapdragon, which are found in certain smartphones. A system on a chip, or SoC, houses the CPU, GPU, RAM, ROM, modem, and other crucial parts of a computer. Snapdragon SoCs are made to provide cutting-edge features like gaming, artificial intelligence, and 5G, together with great performance and low battery consumption.

Snapdragon SoCs have different models and generations, and they are usually named with a number and a letter, such as Snapdragon 888 or Snapdragon 778G. The number indicates the series and the performance level of the SoC, with higher numbers indicating higher performance. The letter indicates the special features or capabilities of the SoC, such as G for gaming, L for lite, or X for extreme.

Snapdragon SoCs are used by many smartphone manufacturers, such as Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Motorola, and others. Snapdragon SoCs are also compatible with different operating systems, such as Android, Windows, or Linux. Snapdragon SoCs are considered to be one of the best and most popular SoCs in the smartphone market, and they often compete with other SoCs, such as Exynos, Kirin, or MediaTek.

Conclusion

We have reviewed and compared the top smartphone picks for January 2024, based on the latest news, reviews, specifications, and prices. We have covered the most popular and innovative phones from different brands and categories, and we have helped you decide which one suits your needs and budget. We hope you have enjoyed this article and found it useful and informative.

If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.