A Look at the Top Smartphones Heading Into 2020

Across the board, smartphones are useful. People can manage their home, work, and social lives through their phone. They can feed their pets, order food, and get about anywhere with the use of a smartphone. As 2020 descends upon us, we thought it would be smart to take a look at some of the top smartphones you can buy.

Most of these smartphones will meet any need that you could possibly have for your phone. There are budget options that will do most of the things you could want and more expensive flagship phones that will be a cut above and handle everything you throw at them and more. Here is our list of best phones for sale, right now:

Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus

Samsung has developed the most premier Android smartphone for years now and with their latest flagship device, the Galaxy s10 Plus, they again sit atop any “best phone of the year” rankings. The Galaxy s10 Plus weighs in at 6.17 oz and features a new Dynamic AMOLED display fitted onto an aluminum frame. The phone is finished in Gorilla Glass 5, and features sharper edges than Samsung’s previous three models. 

The guts of the Galaxy s10 Plus are equally impressive, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, storage options ranging from 128 gigabytes to a full terabyte, and 8-to-12 gigabytes of RAM depending on the model. As for cameras, it now has five, including a wide angle, ultra-wide angle, and a telephoto option. For security, the fingerprint reader is now hidden under the display. The s10 Plus is also likely to be the last Samsung flagship with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Until the Galaxy s11 Plus is released, the s10 Plus is the standard for the Android smartphone, and is available in the following colors:

• Prism White
• Prism Black
• Prism Green
• Prism Blue
• Canary Yellow
• Flamingo Pink
• Ceramic Black
• Ceramic White
• Cardinal Red
• Smoke Blue

The Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus can be had for somewhere between $599 and $1,200.

Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 6 front, Gorilla Glass/Ceramic back
Display: 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED (~522 ppi)
OS: Android 9.0 with Samsung One UI skin
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Memory: 128 GB/8 GB RAM; 512 GB/8GB RAM; 1 TB/12GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSD up to 1 TB
Cameras: Three back-facing (12 MP, 26mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 16 MP, 12mm ultrawide); Two front-facing (10 MP, 26mm; 8 MP, 22mm)
Sounds: Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,100 mAh battery (91 hours)
Security: Ultrasonic, under display fingerprint reader; IP 68 resistant
Miscellaneous: Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 15W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, NFC, FM Radio
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy s10, Samsung Galaxy s10e

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

The iPhone 11 Pro Max continues Apple’s resurgence in the premium device category, as it is considered one of the top three phones developed in 2019. The device’s hardware features a 6.5-inch Super Retina OLED display, built onto a stainless steel frame. Inside the device users will find Apple’s proprietary A13 Bionic chip, four gigabytes of RAM, and either 64 gigabytes or 512 gigabytes of onboard storage. 

The camera is much improved with three separate 12-megapixel cameras, an ultra-wide angle lens, a wide angle lens, and a telephoto lens. The latest iOS has some new features, including an advanced neural engine built into their A13 Bionic processor to improve Siri’s performance and some other camera and AI features. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is available in SpaceGray, Gold, Silver, and Midnight Green from most major carriers for around $1,100.

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Body: Stainless steel frame with glass front/back
Display: 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 1,242 x 2,688 (~458 ppi)
OS: iOS 13
Chipset: Apple A13 Bionic
Memory: 64 GB/4 GB RAM; 256 GB/4 GB RAM; 512 GB/4GB RAM
Expandable Memory: None
Cameras: Three back-facing (12 MP, 26mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 12 MP, 13mm ultrawide); Two front-facing (12 MP, 23mm; SL 3D camera)
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 3,969 mAh (102 hours)
Security: Face ID, IP 68 resistant 
Miscellaneous: Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 18W fast charging, wireless charging, NFC
Other versions: Apple iPhone 11, Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

Just a few years ago, the Galaxy Note line of smartphones were the absolute best devices users could buy, but battery issues forcing Samsung to recall well over a million devices. In all the snafu cost the company over $5 billion. The Note 10 Plus, doesn’t have any of those issues, and for the business professional, it may be the best phone on the market, especially if you like big phones.

Built on an aluminum frame and draped in Gorilla Glass 6, the Note 10 features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, and stores the on-board s-pen stylus inside the chassis. Inside it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, up to 12 gigabytes of RAM, and a 4,300 mAh battery with game-changing 45-watt fast charging. 

The Note 10 Plus has three 12 megapixel cameras that are paired with a time-of-flight 3D depth sensor to provide better depth of field on pictures. The device features wireless QI charging and reverse QI charging (so you can charge other wireless charging devices with it) and all the benefits found within Android 9.0, which can now be upgraded to Android 10 (based on your wireless carrier).

The Note 10 Plus is available in Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, and Aura Blue and can be found as an option at most major carriers for somewhere between $849 and $1,200.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 6 front and back
Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,040 (~498 ppi)
OS: Android 9.0 with One UI skin 
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 
Memory: 256 GB/12 GB RAM; 512 GB/12 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSD up to 1 TB
Cameras: Four Back-Facing (12 MP, 27mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 16 MP, 12mm ultra-wide angle; TOF 3D VGA camera); Front-Facing 10 MP, 26mm wide angle
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 4,300 mAh (~107 hours)
Security: Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint, IP68 resistant 
Miscellaneous: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 45W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, NFC, S-Pen functionality
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy Note 10

Google Pixel 4 XL

The Google Pixel 4 XL is the latest attempt by Google to grab ahold of some of the smartphone device market. Running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, the Pixel 4 XL might have the best display available in the U.S. market. It’s trendsetting 6.3-inch P-OLED display comes in at about 537 pixels per inch. The Pixel 4 XL can also summon Google Assistant with a simple squeeze. 

Somewhat curiously, the Pixel 4 XL still doesn’t feature a fingerprint reader, instead landing on a software based face verification. The most impressive feature of the Pixel 4 XL, as with its predecessors, is its camera. It features a 12.2 MP wide-angle lens and a 16 MP telephoto lens that has the ability to take high quality shots in very low light. This is one of Google’s big selling points for the Pixel, as you can point the camera up to the sky on a clear night and get incredible photos of the stars. 

The device comes in Clearly White, Just Black, and Oh So Orange, and can be had from all major carriers. Depending on the model, it will cost somewhere between $899 and $999.

Google Pixel 4 XL
Body: Aluminum Frame with Gorilla Glass 5 front/back
Display: 6.3-inch P-OLED, 1,440 x 3,040 (~537 ppi) 
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Memory: 64 GB/6 GB RAM; 128 GB/6 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Two back-facing (12.2 MP, 28mm wide angle; 16 MP, 45mm telephoto) Two front-facing (8 MP; 22mm
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 3,700 mAh (~73 hours)
Security: Face ID
Miscellaneous: Bluetooth 5.0, 18W fast charging, wireless charging, NFC, Squeeze for Google Assistant
Other versions: Google Pixel 4

OnePlus 7T Pro

While the other phones on this list are from some of the world’s biggest companies, there are dozens of smaller manufacturers that make elite-level smartphones. One such product is the new 7T Pro from OnePlus. Behind this device’s flagship-level specs is a dedication to developing user speed. The 7T Pro is one of the very first smartphones that run with a 90 hz refresh rate, which makes the device feel faster. 

The phone itself is no slouch either. It features a 6.67-inch fluid AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint reader. The device runs on the Qualcomm’s best mobile processor, the Snapdragon 855+, and features three rear-facing cameras including a 48 megapixel wide angle lense. Another cool feature is that there is no camera notch, because the selfie camera is motorized, and pops up from the chassis when it is called upon.

Compared to the other flagship phones out there, this one is probably the friendliest on the budget. The 8 GB RAM version is available online for about $699.

OnePlus 7T Pro
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 5 front/back
Display: 6.67-inch Fluid AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,120 (~516 ppi)
OS: Android 10 with OxygenOS 10.0.4 skin 
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+
Memory: 256 GB/8 GB RAM; 256 GB/12 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Three back-facing (48 MP wide angle; 8 MP, 78mm telephoto; 16 MP, 13mm ultra-wide angle); Motorized pop-up 16 MP, 25mm wide angle
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 4,085 mAh (~100 hours)
Security: Optical in-display fingerprint reader, pop-up facial recognition
Miscellaneous: Bluetooth 5.0, 30W “Warp” charge, NFC
Other versions: OnePlus 7T

Other phones to consider: Huawei Mate 30 Pro, Huawei P30 Pro, Sony Xperia 1, LG v50 ThinQ, Samsung Galaxy Fold

Two of the best phones available right now didn’t make this list. The U.S. currently has a ban on Huawei, which has manufactured both the Mate 30 Pro and the P30 Pro. Each provides users with superior hardware, but with sanctions threatening the western markets for these devices, it will be interesting to see how these superior devices sell. 

We’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention that new foldable devices are beginning to come to market. Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Huawei Mate X, and the (pretty darn cool) Motorola Razr are all out there for your consideration.

Another consideration as we move further into 2020 is 5G. Select cities have begun to launch 5G, and that means manufacturers will be adding 5G-capable phones in the near future. The standardization might be years away, but if you have access to 5G in your market, you may want to make the leap. The benefits will ultimately outweigh the detriments. 

What smartphone do you currently use? Would you like one of these? Should we have listed any other smartphones? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.