Best smartphone under £800

Camera quality is the most heavily weighted criterion because the camera is the feature most people use every day on their smartphone. This analysis considers photo quality, video recording, low-light performance and zoom versatility.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 scores 9/10. Its 50MP main sensor captures sharp, detailed images with punchy colour processing that works well for social media sharing. The 3x optical telephoto provides genuine zoom capability without resorting to digital crop. Samsung's AI-enhanced processing delivers consistent results across lighting conditions, and features like Nightography mode produce clean low-light shots. Video recording is very good with effective stabilisation, though it does not quite match Apple's computational video pipeline.

The iPhone 15 also scores 9/10 but excels in different areas. Video recording is the iPhone's standout strength, with Cinematic Mode, Action Mode and superior colour science producing footage that looks more natural and polished. Still photography produces excellent colours with a more true-to-life rendering than Samsung's punchier processing. The 2x telephoto is functional but less versatile than the Galaxy S24's 3x zoom.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro scores 9/10 as well, offering the best computational photography. Its night mode captures more light and detail than either Samsung or Apple. Portrait mode edge detection is the most accurate, and AI editing tools like Magic Eraser, Best Take and Photo Unblur are genuinely useful. The 5x optical telephoto provides the longest zoom range in this comparison. Its main weakness is video quality, which trails both Samsung and Apple.

The OnePlus 12 scores 8/10. Its Hasselblad-tuned camera produces vibrant colours with good detail from the 50MP main sensor. The 3x telephoto is capable and the ultrawide lens performs well. However, processing consistency across different lighting conditions is not as reliable as the other three phones, and night mode performance trails the Pixel and iPhone noticeably.

Performance is rated critical because processor capability directly affects how responsive the phone feels during daily tasks and how long it remains usable as apps grow more demanding.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and OnePlus 12 both use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, scoring 9/10 and 8/10 respectively. The Samsung achieves the higher score because its thermal management sustains peak performance more consistently during extended workloads. The OnePlus 12 occasionally throttles under sustained heavy load despite having a larger cooling system.

The iPhone 15 scores 9/10 with the A16 Bionic chip. It leads in single-core performance, which affects everyday app responsiveness, and delivers the most consistent sustained performance thanks to Apple's excellent thermal design. In GPU-heavy tasks like gaming, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has a slight edge.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro scores 7/10. The Tensor G3 chip is optimised for AI and machine learning tasks rather than raw processing speed. This means photo and video processing are excellent, but in general benchmarks and demanding games, the Tensor trails both the Snapdragon and A16 Bionic. For most daily tasks, the difference is not noticeable.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 scores 9/10 with the best display in this comparison. Its 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel reaches approximately 2,600 nits peak brightness, making it clearly visible in direct sunlight. The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate delivers smooth scrolling and animations, and Samsung's panel calibration produces accurate, vivid colours.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro scores 8/10 with a larger 6.7-inch LTPO OLED running at 120Hz. Peak brightness is approximately 2,400 nits, slightly lower than the Samsung. Colour accuracy is excellent, and the larger screen is beneficial for content consumption and photography review.

The OnePlus 12 scores 8/10 with the largest display at 6.82 inches. Its LTPO AMOLED panel runs at 120Hz with peak brightness of approximately 4,500 nits in high-brightness mode. The display is excellent for media consumption and gaming, though its sheer size makes the phone less pocket-friendly.

The iPhone 15 scores 7/10. Its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display is sharp and colour-accurate but is limited to 60Hz on the standard model. This is the single most noticeable compromise compared to the competition, and once you have used a 120Hz display, the difference is immediately apparent in everyday scrolling.

The OnePlus 12 scores 9/10, leading this category with its 5,400 mAh battery and extraordinary 100W wired charging speed. It can charge from empty to full in approximately 26 minutes, which fundamentally changes how you think about battery management. Screen-on time reaches 13 to 15 hours in typical use.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro scores 8/10 with a 5,050 mAh battery delivering 12 to 14 hours of screen-on time. Charging at 30W is reasonable and wireless charging support adds flexibility. The Samsung Galaxy S24 also scores 8/10, with its 4,000 mAh battery managing 11 to 13 hours of screen-on time and 25W wired charging.

The iPhone 15 scores 7/10. Its 3,349 mAh battery delivers 10 to 12 hours of screen-on time, which is adequate for most users but provides less margin than the competition. Charging at 20W wired is the slowest in this comparison, though MagSafe wireless charging is convenient.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 scores 9/10 with seven years of guaranteed OS and security updates, extending support until 2031. Samsung has demonstrably improved its update speed in recent years, with major Android updates now arriving within weeks of Google's release. Galaxy AI features continue to receive updates and new capabilities over time.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro also scores 9/10 with seven years of updates and the additional benefit of receiving Android updates first, on the day of release. The pure Android experience means fewer compatibility issues and a cleaner interface.

The iPhone 15 scores 8/10. Apple has a proven track record of supporting iPhones for six or more years, with updates arriving simultaneously worldwide. The slightly lower score reflects the fact that while Apple's track record is excellent, it does not make formal multi-year commitments in the way Samsung and Google now do.

The OnePlus 12 scores 6/10 with four years of OS updates and five years of security patches. While adequate, this is meaningfully shorter than the seven-year commitments from Samsung and Google, and means the phone will lose OS update support in 2028.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 both score 8/10 for value at identical £699 price points. The Galaxy S24 offers more raw features for the money (120Hz display, 3x zoom, Galaxy AI), while the iPhone 15 counters with stronger resale value and tighter ecosystem integration that reduces friction if you own other Apple devices.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro scores 7/10 at £749. It is slightly more expensive and offers the best camera system and clean software experience, but its weaker processor and heavier weight count against it for some buyers. The OnePlus 12 also scores 7/10 at £749. It offers the best battery, fastest charging and flagship performance, but shorter software support and lower brand recognition in the UK reduce its overall value proposition.