UPDATE: We now have two fantastic new phones in the top two spots of our best phones in Australia 2019 list, with the arrival of Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 Plus and Apple's iPhone 11. We're also currently in the process of testing a few other handsets which will definitely land a spot in our list, so keep an eye out for those over the next week or so! In the meantime, read on to find out what we thought of our two newest additions.
Here at TechRadar, we check out almost every phone under the sun, putting the ones that matter through our vigorous testing process to create our in-depth mobile phone reviews.
However, with so many to choose from, we've spent hours whittling them down to a top ten, taking into account power, specs, design and value for money. And we'll always point you in the direction of the latest handsets – after all, nobody wants to be carting around a phone that doesn't get any updates in a year's time, right?
So whether it's one of the many slick Android handsets, the latest iPhone or one from a range of other cool manufacturers, we've extensively tested them all so you don't have to!
Here are our rankings for the best smartphones that are currently available in Australia in 2019.
The ultimate refinement of Samsung’s Note line, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus brings some of Galaxy S10’s best features over to the productivity-focused handset, making it the perfect phone for both work and play. While a couple of its design changes may irk long time Note devotees, it’s still the best smartphone that Samsung has ever produced.
Screen & Design: Having gotten used to the various display notches and pinhole cutouts that have smartphone manufacturers have experimented with over the last year, it’s easy to forget that 2018’s Galaxy Note 9 still had fairly sizeable bezels at the top and bottom of its screen. By comparison, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus’ bezel-free design feels like a drastic step up, with only a small, centred pinhole camera stealing any real estate away from its otherwise all-screen front.
And what a screen! The Galaxy Note 10 Plus sports the most gorgeous Super AMOLED display we’ve ever laid eyes on, with its QHD+ resolution offering brilliant detail in photos, videos and games. Thanks to the inclusion of HDR10+, it also produces stunningly vibrant colours, deep blacks and exceptional brightness.
In terms of shape, size and layout, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is quite similar to last year’s model, albeit with a few key differences. For one, there’s no longer a dedicated power button on the phone’s right edge. Instead, the Note 10 Plus can be powered on using the left-mounted Bixby button. The biggest and most controversial change however, is undoubtedly the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack, which has long been a mainstay of the Note series. That’s easily remedied by switching to Bluetooth headphones or using the included USB-C earbuds, but we can’t say we’re pleased to see the 3.5mm port go.
Performance: Last year’s Note 9 had a huge 4,000mAh battery – the biggest Samsung had ever implemented in a device at the time. That’s since been topped by the Galaxy S10 5G’s enormous 4,500mAh battery, however, the Note 10 Plus’ 4,300mAh pack is still quite hefty, and should keep your handset juiced well until bedtime.
In terms of horsepower, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus sports Samsung’s latest Exynos 9825 chipset, offering fantastic gaming performance when combined with the handset’s Mali-G76 MP12 GPU and 12GB of RAM. We’ve spent countless hours playing the graphically-intensive Call of Duty: Mobile on the device with nary a hiccup. The same can be said of navigating the Note 10’s Android 9-based One UI and Samsung DeX desktop mode – both of which are snappy and responsive at all times.
Camera: Like the S10 5G, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus has a quad-camera setup on its rear, which includes normal (12MP), telephoto (12MP), ultra-wide (16MP), and depth-sensing (ToF) lenses. While the above-listed megapixel counts may not be the highest around, these particular cameras come together to produce some truly excellent photos, particularly when it comes to night mode and ultra-wide shots.
Likewise, the Note 10’s sole front-facing camera, despite lacking the S10’s depth-sensing lens. Surprisingly, it still has access to a suite of Live Focus effects, such as the ability to blur or drain colour from the background of your selfies. Like last year’s Note, you can also remotely snap selfies using the device’s Bluetooth-enabled S Pen.
Mini verdict: With its refined form factor, powerhouse specs and unrivalled display, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus offers pretty much everything you’d want from a premium handset in 2019. If you’re a smartphone power user, look no further than the Galaxy Note 10 Plus.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
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While the iPhone 11 isn't as technically advanced as the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, its price certainly makes it the most approachable new Apple handset released in 2019. It also has most of the key features from this year’s Apple device lineup, sporting the same A13 Bionic chip as its bigger brothers Basically, the entry-level iPhone 11 is this year’s iPhone XR, making it the ideal choice for those who want the latest Apple features at the lowest cost.
Screen & Design: The iPhone 11 sports the same 6.1-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD display as last year’s iPhone XR, placing it right in between the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max in terms of size. That makes it an appealing choice for those who want a large screen, but not the absolute largest.
Sure, it doesn’t offer the same deep blacks and infinite contrast found in the OLED displays on both Pro models, but chances are you won’t notice the difference as this is a gorgeous display regardless. That said, the iPhone 11 still sports the same enormous notch that’s been present on every Apple handset since the iPhone X.
Performance: You’ll be pleased to hear that the iPhone 11 can easily deliver all-day battery life. We’ve even found it to be an improvement on last year’s iPhone XR battery, which was already very impressive. Admittedly, the iPhone 11 Pro models boast larger batteries, and it’s a bit disappointing to see that the iPhone 11 does not come with a fast charger in the box like its bigger siblings.
That said, general performance is absolutely stellar on the iPhone 11, with the new A13 Bionic chip providing incredibly snappy navigation in the latest iOS 13 update, along with exceptional gaming prowess.
Camera: This is close to the best iPhone camera, boast a dual lens 12MP + 12MP setup that includes a new ultra-wide camera that makes photos appear larger than life. Sure, it's missing the telephoto lens that’s included on the Pro models, but you're still getting the two best cameras from that particular combination, and it’s also got a long exposure night mode that will automatically brighten up dark shots.
Mini verdict: The iPhone 11 isn’t technically the most advanced Apple handset to be released this year, but thanks to its more affordable price point, it’s sure to be the most popular.
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Now in its tenth generation, Samsung’s Galaxy S range has just about reached the pinnacle of traditional smartphone design with the Galaxy S10 Plus. Boasting the world’s best display, advanced ultrasonic security, reverse wireless charging, exceptional performance and its most impressive camera setup to date, it’s difficult to see where non-folding smartphones can go from here. Combined with Samsung’s new Android 9 Pie-based One UI, the S10 Plus really feels like the ultimate Galaxy phone – it’s no wonder the South Korean electronics giant is ready to embrace a foldable future.
Screen: Regardless of where you stand on the notch vs pinhole debate, you’re likely to be floored by the S10 Plus’ almost completely bezel-free display when you see it in person for the first time.
With its 93.1% screen-to-body ratio, the S10 Plus’ pill-shaped pinhole camera is far less obtrusive than you might assume from simply seeing renders of the device – with One UI’s dark mode switched on, the pinhole practically disappears during a large portion of the phone’s daily usage.
As we’ve come to expect from each new Galaxy phone, the S10 Plus’ QHD+ Super AMOLED screen is brighter and more vibrant than ever before (it’s the first Samsung phone to support HDR10+), though its biggest update comes in the form of an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which uses sound waves to create a 3D scan of your prints for more accurate and secure unlocks.
Design: In terms of build quality, the Galaxy S10 Plus is still sandwiched between two gorgeous pieces of Gorilla Glass, although the device’s frame has seen an upgrade from aluminium to stainless steel, making this year’s model altogether more sturdy.
The 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot each make a very welcome return this year, though the S10 Plus’s design isn’t without its flaws – Samsung’s still sticking with its dedicated Bixby button this year, and for some reason, the power button’s placement is now awkwardly high on the device’s right edge, making it difficult to reach unless held a specific way.
Performance: A significant step up from the 3,500mAh battery featured in last year’s S9 Plus, the S10 Plus’ whopping 4,100mAh battery takes the crown previously held by the Note 9, making it the largest Samsung has ever placed in a phone. Even at 80% brightness and with the display’s resolution set to QHD+, we’ve always managed to get a full day’s use out of the device with some battery to spare.
The Exynos 9820 chipset and 8GB of RAM featured in the base model S10 Plus offers snappy app-switching, effortless multi-tasking and excellent gaming performance, producing buttery smooth gameplay in Fortnite at 60FPS while on the ‘epic’ graphics setting. Of course, Galaxy S10 Plus models with up to 12GB of RAM are also available.
Camera: Samsung pulled out all the stops for its latest flagship’s cameras this year, sporting a triple lens setup on the device’s rear – that’s a 12MP regular lens, a 12MP optically-zoomed telephoto lens, and an eye-opening 16MP ultra-wide lens which is said to have a field of view that’s similar to the human eye.
On the front of the device, the S10 Plus features a dual lens camera setup, with a 10MP primary camera and an 8MP depth sensor, allowing users to take bokeh self-portraits and photos with other effects. All of this is once again backed by Samsung’s AI-based scene optimiser, which is able to recognise objects and automatically adjust the camera’s settings, as well as show shot suggestions to improve your photos.
Mini verdict: Until the Note 10, Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Plus was the best phone of 2019, impressing with its breathtaking display, refreshed user interface, excellent battery life, terrific performance and carefully considered design choices. Simply put, the Galaxy S10 Plus is up there with the best phones currently available.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
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The Google Pixel 3 is the smaller sibling to the Pixel 3 XL, with a smaller screen and battery, but the same power and excellent camera under the hood.
This is a great handset for those looking for a top-flight phone that can be used comfortably with one hand (although those with smaller palms may need both still).
Screen & Design: At 5.5 inches, the screen on the Google Pixel 3 isn't exactly small, but it's one of the smallest in this list of the best smartphones. The full HD resolution isn't quite as sharp as its larger sibling's QHD panel, but it still looks great.
Thankfully, Google has reduced the size of the Pixel's bezel this year, as last year's model looked pretty dated compared to the competition. While the 3 XL sports a notch cutout in its display, Google has wisely opted to keep its full bezels on the regular Pixel 3, making it look classier in the process.
Camera: You get the same camera here as you do on the Pixel 3 XL, and that's great news as it's one of the best smartphone snappers we've ever tested. It's easy to use, extremely powerful and produces excellent shots – even compared to cameras with multiple lenses.
Performance: The Google Pixel 3 battery life isn't as impressive as the larger Pixel 3 XL which has a bigger power pack. It should give you a day of use, but don't expect much more than that.
Elsewhere, the Pixel 3's stock Android OS offers smooth, snappy performance with nothing to bog it down.
Mini verdict: If you're looking for a compact flagship smartphone with a class-leading camera experience the Google Pixel 3 is the best phone for the job.
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Undoubtedly the most advanced smartphone Samsung has ever produced, the Galaxy S10 5G may actually offer more than many users will arguably need this early in our 5G network's infancy.
At present, there's not a lot of 5G coverage outside of a few key metropolitan spots, so you could be forgiven for wanting to wait until the network establishes itself a bit further. The handset isn't currently available for outright purchase, either – the only way to get one is to go on a 24/36-month contract at Telstra – something which may put off potential buyers.
That said, Telstra is at least offering customers a free trial of its 5G network on its entry-level Small and Medium plans until June 30, 2020, after which users can choose to keep their 5G access for an extra $15 per month (the fee is waived on the telco's pricier Large and Extra Large plans).
Of course, it's only a matter of time before 5G coverage expands its reach across Australia, so if you're the type who likes to get in early on next generation technological advancements and are willing to sign up to an expensive contract for the privilege, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is absolutely the way to go.
Screen: The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus already offered an amazing screen, and the S10 5G offers even more of it – boasting a slightly larger 6.7-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy S10 5G is directly comparable to the Note 9 in terms of screen real estate, making it ideal for consuming media, playing games and browsing the web. Like the other phones in the S10 range, it's incredibly vibrant, offering HDR10+ support for fantastic colour accuracy and exceptional brightness.
Design: In the hand, Samsung's Galaxy S10 5G is as premium as they come, feeling weightier than the S10 Plus and sporting two new striking colour options in Majestic Black and Crown Silver. Obviously the phone is larger than its siblings, however there are a few other changes to take note of.
In our S10 Plus entry on the previous page, we noted that its power button is a little too high up on the phone, making it slightly awkward to reach. This has been remedied with the S10 5G, as the button is now placed around a third of the way down along the right edge of the handset.
The phone's in-display fingerprint sensor has also moved, only this time it's in the opposite direction – it's now slightly higher at a more ergonomic position about an inch and a half from the bottom of the device, meaning you won't have to force your thumb downwards when unlocking with one hand.
Of course, one change is sure to rub longtime Galaxy users the wrong way – the S10 5G has unfortunately dropped its microSD card slot, meaning you'll have to make do with the onboard storage on offer. Thankfully, there's a lot of it, with options for 256GB and 512GB of space. Fans will also be happy to hear that the 3.5mm headphone is also still around.
Performance: Previously, we noted that the S10 Plus’ 4,100mAh battery was the largest Samsung has ever placed in a phone. Well, that record has already been beaten, as the S10 5G's battery is even larger at a staggering 4,500mAh.
As for its internals, the S10 5G is pretty much identical to its siblings, offering the same Exynos 9820 chipset. That said, the S10 5G only offers 8GB of RAM, so you'll have to stick with a top-tier Galaxy S10 Plus model if your heart is set on having 12GB of memory at your disposal.
Camera: It would've been easy for Samsung to just bring the S10 Plus' triple-lens system (12MP primary + 12MP telephoto + 16MP ultra-wide) over to the S10 5G, however, it's opted to upgrade the handset's camera's even further, adding a fourth 'Time of Flight' (ToF) 3D lens to the phone's rear.
Like the S10 Plus, the S10 5G has a pill-shaped cutout for its front-facing cameras, and if you look closely, you'll notice that it's slightly longer than the one featured on its sibling – this is to accommodate a new dual-pixel autofocus system, which allows the phone to judge depth in selfies more accurately.
Mini verdict: Unquestionably the most impressive handset Samsung has ever released, there are a few reasons why it's still easier to recommend the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus over the 5G. For starters, it isn't available to purchase outright (yet), meaning your only way to get one is to sign up for a two or three-year contract with Telstra. There's not a lot of 5G coverage at the moment, either. That said, the S10 5G does offer an enormous battery, unrivalled design, beastly performance, a fantastic camera and a stunning OLED screen, making it the most impressive Galaxy handset we've ever used.
Read the hands on review: Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
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iPhone XS is a minor, but important upgrade over last year's completely redesigned iPhone. It's noticeably faster and has an improved dual-lens camera to make it a better choice, if you're willing to pay the same launch price.
Screen & Design: The 5.8-inch OLED on this iPhone is big, but not a turn off for some people who literally can't handle the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max (which we like a bit more in our big mitts). This phone size isn't too much bigger than your old 4.7-inch iPhone 7 or iPhone 6 thanks to its reduced bezel – though you'll miss the Touch ID home button. You'll forget about that when staring into the beautiful OLED that's dreamier than the old iPhone LCD.
In terms of its design, the iPhone XS is practically identical to last year's model, colour options aside. However, if you're after a more one-hand-friendly size for a cutting-edge iPhone, this is the one to buy. Alternatively, you could opt for the cheaper iPhone XR, which has a slightly larger LCD display, an aluminium rim (instead of the stainless steel one on the XS) and a series of funky colours to choose from.
Camera: This is where you'll see differences in the otherwise familiar-looking iPhone XS. Its dual-lens camera offers Smart HDR and optical image stabilisation (OIS). It's not as vivid as the cameras on a Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9, but you'll get true-to-life photos that make the 2018 iPhone's a worthy upgrade.
Performance: The iPhone XS has about the same battery life as the iPhone X, so you'll get all-day battery life with normal use. Power users may struggle a bit without one of the best power banks, and although Apple says it has 30 minutes more battery life than the iPhone X, the smaller capacity and our tests show it's shy of that claim.
Mini verdict: Although still expensive, the iPhone XS is our best phone for someone who wants to use iOS 12 and doesn't want to spend even more money on the bigger iPhone XS Max.
Read the full review: iPhone XS
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UPDATE: While we'd previously placed the Huawei P30 Pro in a higher position, the ongoing trouble the company faces with the US Government casts a great deal of uncertainty on the degree of support its products will receive into the future. As such, we've moved Huawei's handset lower on our top 10 recommendations list.
We're starting to sound like a broken record at this stage, but Huawei's latest handset is the Chinese phone maker's greatest to date. It's got a gorgeous build, fantastic specs and the best photographic capability of any phone on the market.
Screen: This year's P-Series handset once again features a vibrant Super AMOLED display which delivers crisp images and gorgeous colours. If there's one downside to the P30 Pro's screen, it's that Huawei has opted to go with a FHD+ display – last year's Mate 20 Pro featured a QHD+ display and the difference is noticeable.
It's a curious decision given the P30 Pro's premium price point and focus on photo-taking, but we can't complain too much given the other high-end features found in the handset. Under the display, you'll also find a speedy fingerprint scanner that's pretty much identical to the one featured on the aforementioned Mate 20 Pro.
Design: As one of the only non-Galaxy handsets employing curved glass on its display, Huawei's P30 Pro looks very slick and premium from the outset. That commitment to luxury carries over to the back of the phone, which also features curved glass (perfect for the device's power-sharing functionality). Sandwiched in-between the two panes is an aluminium frame that's a touch thicker than some of the other flagship phones on the market (8.4mm), resulting in a bit of added weight, too (192g).
Like last year’s P20 Pro, the P30 Pro lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack – a strange design choice given how thick the phone is. That said, we’re glad Huawei has opted to include support for expandable storage via the device’s SIM tray, even if that means being forced to use the company’s relatively obscure NM (Namo Memory) card format.
Performance: If the camera setup on the Huawei P30 Pro is the headline feature, its battery life is the device’s unsung hero. This thing lasts, thanks to a huge 4,200mAh battery, which is larger than those in pretty much all of its rivals – that's also handy when it comes to sharing power via the P30 Pro's reverse wireless charging feature.
The P30 Pro packs in Huawei’s latest Kirin 980 chipset and 8GB of RAM, giving the handset plenty of grunt under the hood. This means the handset is capable of handling any app you throw at it, with swift load times and the ability to render graphically demanding games such as PUBG on the highest settings without skipping a beat.
Camera: Thanks to an ongoing partnership with German camera company Leica, we've come to expect incredible photographic capability from Huawei's flagship handsets, and the P30 Pro is no exception. In fact, it wouldn't be overstating things to describe the P30 Pro's triple lens setup as the best smartphone camera implementation of 2019 to date.
First off, you have a 40MP main sensor which is capable to taking unmatched photos at full resolution (without any zoom) — perfect if you’re planning on professional-grade editing or producing prints later on. Of course, photos are captured at 10MP by default, and look pretty darn good at that resolution, too.
The big new camera feature in this year’s model, however, is its 5x optical zoom functionality, which cleverly employs a periscope-style mirror array to achieve zoomed-in shots without any image degradation. Push past that barrier though, and the camera implements an optical/digital hybrid zoom up to 10x, followed by a staggering 50x purely digital zoom. Surprisingly, the P30 Pro is able to maintain a steady picture even at full zoom capacity – something that can be attributed to the camera’s exceptional image stabilisation tech.
Mini verdict: While it's let down slightly by a couple of its design choices, the P30 Pro is steadily closing the gap and getting closer to that highly coveted 'best phone' crown.
Read the full review: Huawei P30 Pro
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So how do you follow-up one of the best flagship phones ever made? By making an even better one, that's how! With its new Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, Samsung has addressed pretty much every issue levelled at the S8 range, from the awkward fingerprint sensor placement to the underwhelming built-in speakers.
Screen & Design: Until the Galaxy Note 9, the Galaxy S9 Plus boasted the greatest phone display ever produced — quite a feat when you consider the strength of the competition. Its QHD+ 18:9.5 AMOLED display is sublime to look at, with its incredible brightness and rich colours offset by deep, inky blacks that never cease to amaze.
In terms of its design, you'd be forgiven for thinking the S9 Plus looks almost identical to its predecessor from the front, with the only real change coming in the form of a 1.4mm difference in height (that's thanks to the S9 Plus' smaller bottom bezel). The back is where the biggest changes have occurred, with a new vertical camera and fingerprint sensor layout that instantly feels more natural than last year's model.
At the base of the phone, you'll find that Samsung has kept the 3.5mm headphone jack around for at least another year, and it's now accompanied by stereo speakers for more immersive sound — much better than last year's mono offering.
Performance: Boasting Samsung's most advanced in-house chipset to date, the Exynos 9810, as well as 6GB of RAM, the Galaxy S9 Plus is a beast when it comes to grunt. Snappy and responsive, the S9 Plus never caves under pressure, boasting some of the strongest benchmark scores of any handset released in 2018. Admittedly, this can cause its commendable but not incredible 3,500mAh battery to drain a little quicker than normal, though you'll still get a full days usage out of it.
Audio performance is another area where the S9 Plus has taken a big leap over its predecessor. Having listened to music through the S9 Plus' new speaker mouth (so long, speaker grill) we can confirm that a drastic improvement in sound quality has taken place. Audio is much fuller than before, exhibiting some added depth and bass. Sure, it won't inspire you to throw away your Bluetooth speaker, but the difference in audio quality is significant — especially when you take into account the inclusion of Dolby Atmos support.
Camera: But the Galaxy S9 Plus' biggest selling point is undoubtedly its revamped dual camera setup (something not found on the standard S9), which is now capable of taking super slow motion video (up to 960fps at 720p resolution) and has variable aperture capabilities, which allows the phone to automatically switch between f/1.5 (for very low-light photography) and f/2.4 (super bright and vibrant photography). You can even seen the camera's tiny shutter opening and closing depending on available light.
While Apple may have beaten it to the punch with its AR-enabled Animoji, Samsung has come up with its own equivalent AR Emoji mode, which lets you create a digital avatar (and a set of shareable GIFs) of yourself. It's a good bit of fun, but if you're not the selfie type, your mileage on this feature may vary.
Mini verdict: There are a number of other factors that put the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus ahead of the competition, from its incredible QHD+ 18:9.5 AMOLED display, to its powerful new Exynos 9810 chipset. However, it's the way that Samsung has truly listened to its customers and created a phone specifically for them that makes the Galaxy S9 Plus our current pick for best smartphone.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
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UPDATE: While we'd previously placed the Huawei Mate 20 Pro in a higher position, the ongoing trouble the company faces with the US Government casts a great deal of uncertainty on the degree of support its products will receive into the future. As such, we've moved Huawei's handsets to the bottom of our top 10 recommendations list.
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the supercharged version of the 'standard' Huawei Mate 20, and while its specs are similar to its less expensive counterpart, with both handsets boasting Huawei's latest Kirin 980 7nm processor, 128GB of onboard storage and 6GB of RAM, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is able to justify its higher cost with several impressive additional high-end inclusions.
Sporting a number of futuristic features (including one world-first) and a more premium price point than we're used to seeing from the Chinese manufacturer, the Mate 20 Pro is clearly Huawei's play for the 'best smartphone in the world' crown – and for once, the company is very much within reach, offering a handset we think belongs in the same league as the iPhone XS Max and Samsung Galaxy Note 9.
Screen & Design: With its curved glass display and coloured aluminium frame, it's very easy to mistake the Huawei Mate 20 Pro for a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus at first glance. Look closer, and you'll start to notice Huawei's signature styling and other, more subtle differences.
Yes, it's got a notch, but it's for the inclusion of a second sensor to allow for 3D facial recognition functionality, which is said to provide more security than the standard Mate 20's image-based facial unlock.
Although our tests have shown the Mate 20 Pro's 3D face unlock to be exceptionally fast (way speedier than Apple and Samsung's equivalent implementations), the Pro also offers an in-display fingerprint scanner that you can use instead.
Camera: Of course, being a Huawei phone, it's photographic capability is also off the charts. Once again sporting Leica branding, the Mate 20 Pro has ditched the monochrome sensor this year, instead opting for a primary 40MP sensor that handles both RGB and monochrome modes.
With this ultra-wide sensor and Huawei’s 3X fixed and 5X hybrid zoom, you can not only close in on any subject (macro photography allows for photos from just 2.5cm away), but also pull out to get a much wider view, making the Mate 20 Pro the most versatile camera we’ve yet seen on a flagship smartphone.
Performance: While Google's Pixel 3 handsets have only just received wireless charging functionality, Huawei has taken things a step further with the inclusion of reverse wireless charging – and yes, you read that correctly. Compatible with any phone that boasts Qi functionality, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is actually able to wirelessly charge another device when you place the two back-to-back.
Easily the most advanced phone that Huawei has produced to date, the Mate 20 Pro is premium in every sense of the word. Throw in a massive 4,200mAh battery, and what you have is a handset that's very hard to resist.
Read the full review: Huawei Mate 20 Pro
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While LG may have left behind any notion of being a game-changing phone maker in recent years, the company’s become quite reliable at producing exceptional all-rounder handsets that are good at pretty much everything.
Screen & Design: With the new LG G7 ThinQ, the South Korean manufacturer has delivered a phone with sophisticated AI smarts, a fantastic dual lens camera, a stylish design, a super bright QHD+ 18.9:5 display (complete with iPhone X-style notch that can, thankfully, be hidden), terrific audio performance and top-end specs.
That said, unlike most other notch-bearing handsets, the G7 ThinQ sports an LCD display, meaning it's unable to reach the pure-blacks of an OLED, something that becomes apparent when you first try to hide the notch with a fake bezel and immediately notice the backlighting behind them. Still that does allow the G7 ThinQ to get extremely bright, which means you can always see the screen perfectly, no matter how sunny it happens to be.
Performance: Admittedly, it's not quite as strong as some of the other handsets on this list in terms of performance, and its battery life left us wanting — we got around 6 and a half hours of heavy usage, which is around an hour or two less than most flagship phones available right now.
LG wants its awkwardly-branded ‘ThinQ AI’ functionality to be the big drawcard here, but having spent some time with the phone, it’s clear that it’s perhaps better suited to music lovers and audiophiles. Thanks to its built-in hi-fi quad DAC and DTS:X 3D Surround functionality (both of which require headphones to be plugged into its 3.5mm socket), the LG G7 ThinQ delivers an unrivalled audio experience in the smartphone arena.
Switching on the quad DAC instantly makes audio richer and deeper, providing additional bass in the process, while the latter DTS feature also impresses by offering virtual three-dimensional surround sound regardless of the headphones you’re wearing. It also packs an especially loud built-in speaker, for occasions when you want to listen to something without cans.
Camera: LG is bound to win fans with its terrific AI-powered camera this year, offering similar functionality to the Huawei P20 Pro — simply point at a subject and the LG G7 ThinQ will automatically identify it, adjusting its settings to make sure your picture looks as good as can be. And, thanks to its dual camera setup, the G7 ThinQ can also take those blurry background portrait shots that have become all the rage.
Its Super Bright Camera mode also makes it especially adept at low light photography, and just like the G5 and G6 before it, the G7 ThinQ can take super wide angle photos that fit more into the frame.
Mini verdict: Minor quibbles aside, there's plenty to love about the LG G7 ThinQ. We think it's the best phone the South Korean company has released in years.
Read the full review: LG G7 ThinQ
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