Best Android Phones Released In 2023: Galaxy Z Flip 5, iQOO 12, Nothing Phone (2) And More
Best Android Phones 2023
In a year when AI took centre stage and started bringing revolutions in our digital lives, the Android universe kept pace by rewarding us with some of the most innovative smartphones we have seen in a long time. Whether it was Motorola trying to set a new standard for flip smartphones with its radical cover display on the Razr 40 Ultra or Google building the Pixel 8 Pro entirely around its generative AI algorithms, Android smartphones this year have kept us on our toes. Now, it is time for us to look back at all the launches we saw this year and choose our best Android phones of 2023.
The beauty of the Android’s versatility was on display this year as various brands tried novel ways to lure buyers into their ecosystem. This year, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which we considered the best smartphone of 2023, pushed the boundaries of conventional smartphones with insane specifications and clever OS design. Then there was also the OnePlus Open, a foldable smartphone that beat Samsung to its own game by focusing primarily on a practical form factor rather than stuffing it with countless features.
We can keep going about more such innovative phones across various price categories but there can only be a handful to make it to Augustman’s list of the best Android phones of 2023.
Hence, if you are ready to roll down the patch of nostalgia, let’s begin with the best Android phones released this year, ranked in order.
Top-rated Android phones of 2023
1 /10
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Price: MYR 5,699
We chose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra as the best smartphone we have seen in 2023 and it was a no-brainer to see it lead the list of Android’s greatest in 2023. With a well-optimised Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, a mammoth 5,000mAh battery and an impressive 6.8-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED display, the Galaxy S23 Ultra knows how to slay. Its 200-megapixel main camera takes astonishing pictures in both day and night conditions, yet you get an arsenal of two telephoto cameras offering up to 100x digital zoom and a capable ultrawide camera. It is the only mainstream smartphone that can take photos of the Moon!
The real surprise, however, comes from the S Pen, which lets you scribble or take notes the old-school way. And once you are done with it, you can stow it away neatly in its dedicated silo.
In essence, there’s no better Android smartphone right now on the shelves than the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
(Image Credits: Courtesy Samsung)
2 /10
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Price: USD 999 (MYR 4,701)
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the next best Android smartphone released in 2023 that money can buy. It may have a crappy Tensor G3 chipset that loves to run hot, but Google’s flavour of Android comes packed with smart AI features previously unseen on any other Android smartphone. You get the Magic Editor to use Google’s generative AI to magically remove subjects from a photo without leaving any trace! Then there’s Audio Magic Eraser for removing noises from videos, Night Sight for videos to brighten up everything you recorded via Google Photos and an eager-to-help Google Assistant. You can even generate wallpapers on the Pixel 8 Pro using AI.
Look beyond the AI features, and the Pixel 8 Pro impresses with its capable and versatile set of rear cameras, a beautiful 6.7-inch Quad HD+ OLED display with a peak brightness of 2,400 nits, a fine portrayal of craftsmanship and solid build quality. The battery life could have been better, though.
(Image Credits: Courtesy Google)
3 /10
OnePlus Open
Price: USD 1,499 (MYR 7,055)
OnePlus opened its innings in the premium foldable smartphone category with an absolute banger of a product. The OnePlus Open showed Samsung and every other manufacturer how to build a well-balanced and nicely specced Android foldable.
The conventional aspect ratio of 20:9, when folded, allows it to look and feel like a traditional smartphone with a practical cover display. Once unfolded, you get a wide tablet-like 7.8-inch main display that scores high on immersion with no visible crease. Both screens can achieve a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and peak brightness levels of 2,800 nits.
OnePlus went all in with a versatile OxygenOS 13.2 interface that helps with serious multitasking, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for unparalleled raw performance, a 4,805mAh battery for all-day stamina and 67W wired fast charging. It is also one of the few foldable smartphones to feature a flagship-grade camera system tuned by Hasselblad. Additionally, you can’t go wrong with its svelte styling.
(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)
4 /10
iQOO 12
Price: MYR 3,349
Nothing can beat the value-for-money proposition of the iQOO 12! If you seek the fastest smartphone released in 2023, look no further than the iQOO 12.
Equipped with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset that will power the majority of 2024 Android flagships, the iQOO 12 offers a great combination of performance and power efficiency. For those who game a lot on their smartphones, the iQOO 12 provides top-notch frame rates. The phone also featured a highly versatile triple rear camera setup, including a 50-megapixel main camera, a 64-megapixel telephoto unit with 3x optical zoom and another 50-megapixel sensor for ultrawide photos.
Other attention-grabbing features include a 67-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED display, a 5,000 mAh battery and a 120W wired fast charging. You can’t ignore its unique design, especially the Legend colourway with the BMW M Motorsport stripes, either.
(Image Credits: Courtesy iQOO)
5 /10
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Price: MYR 3,599
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is probably one of the coolest flip smartphones to be released in 2023. Other than its segment-leading specifications like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, the latest One UI 6 based on Android 14, a 120Hz folding OLED display and a pair of two 12-megapixel main cameras, the Flip 5 stands out with its 3.4-inch cover display that’s interestingly shaped like a folder.
The cover display lets you run some essential apps as well as provide a larger viewfinder for the main cameras. With the Samsung Good Lock app, you can run almost any app on this display, including Instagram and Snapchat! The only drawback is the puny 3,700mAh battery that can barely last an entire day.
(Image Credits: Courtesy Augustman)
6 /10
OnePlus 11R
The OnePlus 11R is easily among the best value-for-money midrange smartphones released in 2023. Featuring a very fast and capable Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display with curved edges, a massive 5,000mAh battery and 100W fast charging, the OnePlus 11R checks all the right boxes for mobile gamers who want to avoid the pricey flagships. It even imitates the same flagship design as the OnePlus 11, thereby riding high on the style quotient.
The only weak point in this otherwise brilliant package is an average triple rear camera setup that struggles to impress shutterbugs.
(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)
7 /10
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Price: MYR 6,299
Although the OnePlus Open was our choice of the best foldable smartphone this year, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers a highly compelling package for those who care about productivity. Despite having an unusually narrow aspect ratio and a thicker profile, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 impresses with its well-designed One UI 6 interface based on Android 14. You can run up to four apps simultaneously in floating windows, and there’s a Windows 11-inspired taskbar for quickly accessing more apps. It supports S Pen stylus inputs on the main display, and there’s even an under-display 4-megapixel video call camera to make the experience more immersive.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip offers adequate performance, and Samsung’s clever optimisation makes the battery last an entire day. The cameras are good enough for casual photography, but the device’s exorbitant price tag may push consumers towards the more affordable and better-designed OnePlus Open.
(Image Credits: Courtesy Samsung)
8 /10
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
Price: MYR 2,785
Had it not been for its older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra would have been our top pick for the best flip smartphone released in 2023. The basic concept of the Razr 40 Ultra is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, but Motorola goes overboard with the cover display. Measuring 6.7 inches, it is the biggest cover screen on any flip smartphone, stretching to the edge and swallowing the main dual camera setup. Using a 144Hz OLED panel, Motorola’s version of a Pixel-like stock Android skin lets you run all apps and games on this tiny display without requiring a third app to download.
The rest of the phone has a good set of features for a premium flip smartphone. If you get it in the Viva Magenta colour variant, it comes with a vegan leather finish on the back.
(Image Credits: Courtesy Motorola)
9 /10
Realme 11 Pro Plus
The Realme 11 Pro Plus portrays a fine example of how affordable smartphones can also look gorgeous. With a rather posh vegan leather finish, a striking overall rear design and desirable curved edges on the massive 6.7-inch screen, this Realme smartphone has got our hearts ever since it was released. Behind that snazzy design also lies a feature-packed mid-range smartphone that is easy to recommend.
The Realme 11 Pro Plus offers a 200-megapixel main camera that has impressed a lot of shutterbugs with its decent performance. The Dimensity 7050 chipset has enough performance to tackle busy days with ease. Additionally, the 5,000mAh battery keeps the phone alive for an entire day, and when there’s a need for charging, this Realme phone uses its 100W wired charger to fill up the battery in less than 30 minutes.
(Image Credits: Courtesy Realme)
10 /10
Nothing Phone (2)
Price: MYR 2,999
The Nothing Phone (2) redefines what a flagship-killing midrange smartphone should be. Prioritising design over raw specifications, the phone impresses highly with its one-of-a-kind semi-transparent design adorned by the Glyph LED lights and a premium glass-metal build. It is as well constructed as an iPhone 14.
Since it comes from the team of ex-OnePlus CEO Carl Pei, who prioritised top-notch specs, the Phone (2) has got a fast and capable Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, a 120Hz 6.7-inch OLED display, a 4,700mAh battery and up to 45W wired fast charging. However, the dual 50-megapixel rear sensor doesn’t offer a reliable camera setup for shutterbugs and is best reserved for casual photography. The Phone (2) makes up for it with a well-designed and polished Nothing OS 2 based on Android 13.
(Image Credits: Courtesy Nothing)