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Best 5G phones in 2024

The best 5G phones give you super quick download speeds even on the go, so we've tested the top 5G smartphones for all budgets below.

Best 5G phones - a mobile device and its stylus against a purple background

The best 5G phones can keep you connected almost everywhere you go, and this list details some of the best of the best. 5G aims to deliver the highest speeds during peak data usage, ultra-low latency with far more reliability, and a huge network capacity. Naturally, now that 5G is almost commonplace, more and more smartphones are 5G-compatible, which means a better performance and unrivalled efficiency whether you’re streaming the latest television shows on the go or jumping into some high-octane games.

While all the best cell providers already have great data plans for 5G phones, it can be tricky to pick the right handset for you – and that’s where we come in. Whether you’re looking for Samsung or Apple, the best for gaming, or the best bang for your buck, we’ve got you covered.

Why you can trust our advice ✔ At Pocket Tactics, our experts spend days testing games, phones, tech, and services. We always share honest opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

The best 5G smartphone overall

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specifications:
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
Display 6.8-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED (1440 x 3120 pixels)
Storage 256GB to 1TB
RAM 12GB
Battery Li-Ion 5,000 mAh
Reasons to buy
  • Industry-leading cameras
  • Excellent performance
  • Useful AI tools
Reasons to avoid
  • Pricey
  • Strong competition
  • Overheats when gaming

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra sits comfortably at the top of our list of the best 5G phones, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a high performer as far as day-to-day usage goes, plus it holds up as a handheld gaming device in its own right. With a fantastic set of cameras on top of all that, plus some really cool AI features, it’s no surprise to see the Galaxy S24 Ultra coming out on top.

The main selling point here is the cameras, something only the Xiaomi 13 Pro can compete with. Clean shots, good back-end processing, and excellent zoom mean that this is the best way to get good snaps on the go.

Then there’s the performance. Thanks to the unique Snapdragon chip in the S24 line of Galaxy phones, the gaming performance is near-unbeatable. Unfortunately, achieving this level of fidelity means that the handset can get quite warm.

Beyond that, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is just a well-rounded, premium package. The build quality is excellent, the operating system is as good as it gets on Android, and the display is gorgeous. Combine this with solid battery life and the included stylus, and it’s hard to beat.

The only downsides come down to personal preference. You may prefer the design of another phone like the Xiaomi 13 Pro. You might prefer using an Apple device. But if not, this is the best way to go for a premium 5G smartphone.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

The best 5G iPhone

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iPhone 15 Pro Max specifications:
Chipset Apple A17 Pro
Display 6.7-inch 120Hz Super Retina XDR OLED (1290 x 2796)
Storage 256GB to 1TB
RAM 8GB
Battery Li-Ion 4,441 mAh
Reasons to buy
  • Excellent design
  • Apple ecosystem
  • Near-perfect package
Reasons to avoid
  • Expensive
  • OS bugs
  • Strong competition

Hot on the tails of its main competitor, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is almost its equal when it comes to the best 5G phones on the market. Boasting a beautiful high-refresh-rate screen, a dynamic island, incredible cameras and all-round excellent performance, it’s without a doubt the best that Apple is currently offering. Of course, we’re all waiting for the iPhone 16 to appear, so expect to see that on this list sometime soon.

The main reason to dive in here is because it’s Apple. The integration of iOS with various accounts and other devices you may own is exceptional – no one does an ecosystem like Apple. If you have a Mac, iPad, Apple TV, AirPods, or HomePod, it’d be a bit odd to not own an iPhone.

What the hardware itself offers is also pretty exceptional. There’s a great set of cameras for taking snaps, and Apple’s photo processing is rock solid. Meanwhile, the battery life is decent (if you turn off the always-on display), and the display is a real step up versus previous generations.

Perhaps the biggest draw is the A17 Pro within, giving you excellent power for all your gaming needs, making it the best gaming iPhone, easily. Combine this with all the Apple Arcade games out there, and you’re flying.

The only issue here is also the main benefit: it’s Apple. If you don’t like iOS or want various compatibility and ease-of-use benefits, you might not want to go this way. If you need more details, check out our in-depth iPhone 15 Pro Max review.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

The best alternative 5G phone

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Xiaomi 13 Pro specifications:
Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Display 6.73-inch 120Hz AMOLED (1440 x 3200)
Storage 128GB to 512GB
RAM 8GB to 12GB
Battery Li-Po 4,820 mAh
Reasons to buy
  • Luxurious design
  • Excellent cameras
  • High performance
Reasons to avoid
  • Bulky
  • OS bugs

It’s natural for you to think of the main market leaders when considering the best 5G phone, but the Xiaomi 13 Pro holds up against the likes of Apple and Samsung’s offerings thanks to a far more affordable price tag. So, if you’re looking to steer clear of the big two, this Xiaomi might be the one for you.

As always, these phones compete on the same things. The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s screen is excellent, it has really impressive battery life and fast charging, some of the best cameras we’ve seen on a smartphone, and the latest chip from Qualcomm. Sounds like all the other flagships out there, right?

Well, the big difference is design. The Xiaomi 13 Pro is a gorgeous slab of glass, with curved edges, a gargantuan camera bump, and an overall luxurious feel. It’s big, it’s bold, and it’s lovely. But it’s also a tad slippery.

Beyond design, there’s not much else that sets the phone apart. It performs admirably against the competitors in every single category bar one. And that one category is the operating system.

While you may not notice over a week, a year spent using the Xiaomi 13 Pro may highlight some operating system hiccups that will begin to irritate. Whether it’s the home screen stuttering or hard-to-find settings options, it’s still a bit fresh. It’s also improved loads over the years, so hopefully that won’t be the case forever.

Read our Xiaomi 13 Pro review.

ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro

The best 5G phone for performance

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ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro specifications:
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Display 6.68-inch 165Hz Samsung E6 AMOLED (2400×1080 pixels)
Storage 24GB
RAM 1TB
Battery 5,500 mAh
Reasons to buy
  • Top-class gaming
  • Improved cameras
  • Massive internal storage
Reasons to avoid
  • Expensive
  • Impractical cooling fan

If you’re a gamer, the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro is one of the best choices for a solid 5G phone. It features impressive X Capture and X Sense 2.0 X Capture systems that utilize AI to detect and record your valiant clutches and heated battles in games, so you don’t have to worry about screen-recording a whole session to then have to pick it apart in editing later. This system is perfectly optimized for some of our favorite games, including the best FPS games and games like Genshin Impact.

With the ROG Phone 8 Pro, you can pick up the separate cooler attachment to keep the phone at a comfortable temperature while gaming, which also has dual triggers so you have a couple of extra buttons to utilize in a pinch. Outside of performance, it has a snazzy, ergonomic design with a mini, customizable LED display on the back.

The ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro does have a slightly lower battery life than its predecessor, but it makes up for this small gripe with its HyperCharge adapter that allows you to get a full charge in just 39 minutes, meaning you don’t have to be away from your game for too long.

Check out our ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition review for more.

CMF Phone 1

The best 5G smartphone for small budgets

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CMF Phone 1 specifications:
Chipset MediaTek Dimensity 7300
Display 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED (1080 x 2400 pixels)
Storage 128GB / 256GB
RAM 8GB
Battery 5000 mAh, 33W wired charging
Reasons to buy
  • Stylish design
  • Solid performance
  • Great value
Reasons to avoid
  • Mediocre cameras
  • Only IP52 rated

The CMF Phone 1 is easily the best budget 5G phone you can get your hands on, with Nothing delivering something truly extraordinary for such a low price point. Not only does this thing look the part, with three stylish colorways to choose from in the form of Black, Light Green, and Orange, but this is a tinkerer’s dream, thanks to just how easy it is to take apart and put back together again.

We were so impressed with this thing that we gave it a 9/10 in our CMF Phone 1 review. It just feels better than anything else at this price point, and we mean that literally, with the comfortable form factor ideal for long gaming sessions or doom-scrolling on social media. It also helps that the CMF Phone 1’s performance is much better than you might anticipate for a phone at this price point, and we were able to happily run Genshin Impact, a relatively demanding game, at 30fps without issue.

The only real downsides to the CMF Phone 1 are the lackluster cameras and slightly disappointing IP52 rating. For those who don’t know, IP52 means it’s relatively dust-proof, but anything more than a light splashing might render your new phone useless. With that in mind, if you’re opting for this one, it might be worth picking up a case to go with it.

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

The best mid-range 5G phone

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Samsung Galaxy A54 5G specifications:
Chipset Exynos 1380
Display 120Hz 6.4-inch AMOLED (1080 x 2340)
Storage 128GB-256GB
RAM 6GB-8GB
Battery Li-Po 5,000 mAh
Reasons to buy
  • High-refresh-rate screen
  • Good battery life
  • Samsung reliability
Reasons to avoid
  • Expensive
  • Barebones design

If the iPhone 15 Pro Max and other high-end devices are a little out of your budget, the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is a great mid-range option. It might not have all the bells and whistles of the S23, but it’s incredibly impressive for its price range, beating out plenty of other mid-rangers in terms of battery life, display, and reliability.

With a 120Hz display, lovely build quality, and a shared design language with the big boys in the bunch, it definitely feels like a premium product. The battery is nice and big, the main camera is pretty ace for the price, and all around, for day-to-day tasks, this is more than enough.

Still, there are of course drawbacks to buying a phone at a third of the cost of a flagship. The chip inside is nowhere near the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 if you really want to push your phone – the A54 is enough for standard stuff, but don’t expect to max out the graphical settings or do some in-depth photo editing.

That’s the main drawback, mind you. The camera is good enough – nowhere near the low-light or zoom performance of the S23 Ultra, however – while the trusted Samsung software support is a boon against some of the smaller-scale competition. It’s a great deal.

Take a look at our Samsung Galaxy A54 review for more information.

OnePlus Open

The best foldable 5G phone

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OnePlus Open specifications:
Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Inner display 7.82-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED (2440 x 2268)
Outer display 6.31-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED (2484 x 1116)
Storage 256GB
RAM 16GB
Battery 4805mAh with 67W wired charging
Reasons to buy
  • Ergonomic design
  • Useful multitasking features
  • Top-notch cameras
  • Stellar performance
  • Reliable battery
Reasons to avoid
  • No wireless charging
  • Some OS bugs
  • Basic IP rating

Despite its first gen status, the OnePlus Open is an extremely impressive foldable phone that demonstrates a high level of polish. Built with multitasking in mind, this little beauty introduces a brand new feature called ‘Canvas’, which essentially acts as a big whiteboard that extends beyond the phone’s display area. This allows you to have up to three apps open side by side on the screen, with two in view and the third outside of the display area. You can switch between each app with a simple tap of a finger, making it a dream for work, play, and just about anything else.

Of course, the center of attention for any foldable is the display, and the OnePlus Open truly impresses us here – so much so that our review describes it as “one of the best foldable displays” so far. This is in no small part due to its nearly invisible crease, and the impressive consistency between the main and cover screens, which show little difference in sharpness, color reproduction, or refresh rate. And its performance lives up to the brilliance of its displays, too, thanks to its powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. This ensures a buttery smooth experience regardless of what tasks you’re throwing at it, be it browsing, taking photos, or diving into the best mobile games.

With OnePlus boasting that the device is “built to the hilt with aerospace materials” (titanium alloy, carbon fiber, and more), it has a truly premium feel, and in our review we describe it as an “absolute head-turner”. It’s very ergonomic, and, despite its bifold design, two displays, and all that high-end hardware inside, it’s surprisingly light. It can even fit comfortably into the smallest hands – that is, as long as you’re comfortable with its thickness.  It also supports Wi-Fi 7 and n71 5G dual cellular connectivity, meaning it’s fast, smooth, stable, and ready for the future.

On top of all of that, the OnePlus Open’s cameras are truly top notch, with us describing it as “the first OnePlus phone to have the kind of camera setup we’d consider flagship-class with no cost cuts.” Thanks to its Hasselblad partnership, the cameras have a dstinct visual feel, and its 3x telephoto lens allows for some outstanding portraits.

In terms of battery, its 4,800mAh capacity means it can last for over six hours on a typical day. It’s not the most impressive, but it’s still pretty impressive considering it’s powering two displays. The only real downsides with the OnePlus Open are its lack of wireless charging and basic IP rating, the latter of which means it’s not quite up to standard as far as dust- and waterproofing goes. Its OxygenOS 14 operating system also comes with a few bugs and feels a little unpolished, but we think OnePlus is likely to iron out these issues over time, considering how new it is.

Overall, we’re truly impressed with this device, and it certainly deserves its spot on this list as the best foldable 5G phone. If you want to know more, be sure to check out our OnePlus Open review.

What is 5G?

5G is the 5th generation mobile network, designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices. As the global wireless standard following on from 1G through 4G, 5G is intended to deliver higher peak data speeds, ultra low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, and a more stable user experience.

Essentially, having a 5G phone means a smoother experience when browsing the internet, gaming, making calls, or sending texts while out and about, resulting in smoother performance whether you’re streaming your favorite TV shows, playing the best mobile games, or hopping into a Zoom call on the train.

How did we choose the best 5G phones?

The first thing we keep in mind when picking the best 5G phones is budget. Though a budget below $1,000 excludes almost all of the flagship devices from companies such as Apple and Samsung, this list includes some fantastic mid-range and budget phones, too, so there’s something to suit everyone.

Of course, price is only part of the equation – we also have to consider the phone’s other features, including performance, cameras, battery life, build quality, and more. To find out more about how we check each product to decide what to include, be sure to check out our how we test page.

For more beyond the best 5G phones on the market today, check out our guides to the best 4g phones, the best budget gaming phones, and the best rugged phones to pick out even more tech titans.