We’re here to help you pick the best stylus phone for you, whether you want a touch of professionalism, something to assist with mobile gaming, or just like the feel of using a stylus. New phones equipped with a stylus don’t crop up as often as your regular handsets, but we keep our eyes on any new options and vet them against our testing criteria.
While the best Samsung phones generally dominate this market, we also dive into great picks from Motorola, Microsoft, and TCL, with options to suit a wide range of budgets and needs. So, let’s get into it.
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.
The best stylus phones:
The best stylus phone overall.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specifications:
Display |
6.8-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED (1440 x 3120 pixels) |
Battery |
5,000 mAh |
Chipset |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy |
RAM |
12GB |
Storage |
256GB-1TB |
Reasons to buy
- Brilliant cameras
- Gorgeous display
- Helpful AI tools
Reasons to avoid
- Expensive
- Can run hot
- Slower charge speed
Samsung continues to create the pinnacle of smartphones with the S24 Ultra. It’s a step up from the S23 – which still remains a great choice, though – and beats other huge brands like Apple and Google. In our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review, we say that it aims to be the best Android phone out there, and it’s certainly up there with the best of the best, fending off competition from the Google Pixel 8 Pro, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and Honor Magic6 Pro.
The S24 is incredibly polished with refined technology going into the cameras, hardware, and the suite of Galaxy AI tools available with the phone. The tools mostly pertain to image editing, which we think is finally up there with Google Pixel’s suite of tools, but assist with productivity, too. The price is a little higher to reflect these changes, but this seems unavoidable when getting the latest flagship devices.
The phone itself is actually a little lighter and thinner than the S23, which we found made it a little bit more comfortable for day-to-day use. It’s available in a stunning range of colors – including an orange shade if you purchase directly from Samsung, otherwise, you can pick from violet, yellow, black, and gray.
In terms of performance, the S24 is powerful. It’s got a sublime display with now 2,600 nits, a good 300 more than the previous model, allowing for brighter output and the ability to use the phone even in harsh sunlight. Samsung uses Gorilla Armor glass, a new type on the market, which is up to four times more scratch-resistant than other competitors, which is especially important when using a stylus.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
The best mid-range stylus phone.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra specifications:
Display |
120Hz 6.8 inch AMOLED (1440 x 3088) |
Battery |
5,000 mAh |
Chipset |
Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
RAM |
8GB/12GB |
Storage |
128GB-1TB |
Reasons to buy
- Bright, beautiful display
- Solid camera
- Affordable
Reasons to avoid
- Older chipset
- Can’t expand storage
- Limited charging ability
If you like the look of the S24 Ultra but can’t justify the cost, then an earlier Samsung model may be the one for you. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a solid stylus phone that is a little bit behind its successors but still offers solid performance and a stunning display for a slightly lower price.
The S22 Ultra comes bundled with an incredibly smooth S Pen boasting a latency of only 2.8ms that slots right into the phone’s built-in pen holder. The phone uses AI to predict your hand movements, emulating that real pen-and-paper feel, and offers very accurate handwriting-to-text conversion so you can jot down notes on the go without worrying about deciphering them later. Plus, its 120Hz AMOLED screen is just as impressive as the S24’s, offering a gorgeously vivid and smooth display capable of running demanding mobile titles.
Around its release, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra was a major competitor for the best camera phone on the market and, while newer phones have out-paced its specs now, it still stands up today. It boasts a 2.4um pixel sensor for capturing more light and data, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and dual 10MP telephoto cameras, offering 10x optical zoom and 100x space zoom.
On top of that, it makes use of a Super Clear Glass lens for capturing low-light photos without flare, as well as adaptive pixel technology that combines nine pixels into one. As a comparison, its camera is a good leap ahead of both the S21 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, capturing far sharper and more detailed images regardless of lighting.
The S22 Ultra was one of the first phones to make use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. Newer phones now have the Gen 3 or Gen 2 version of the chipset, and this means it’s a little behind some of its competitors, but it still offers silky smooth performance.
On the other hand, the S22 Ultra is still pretty expensive, especially if you go for the higher storage versions – which you may want to do, considering there’s no expandable storage via microSD slot. Additionally, while its battery capacity is decent, its lackluster charging of 45W wired and 15W wireless is quite disappointing. However, if you’re happy to splash the cash and can deal with the minor downsides, it will certainly serve you well.
The best foldable stylus phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 specifications:
Inner display |
120hz, foldable HDR+ 7.6” AMOLED (1856 x 2160) |
Cover display |
120hz 6.3” AMOLED cover display (968 x 2376) |
Battery |
4,400 mAh |
Chipset |
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
RAM |
12GB |
Storage |
256GB – 1TB |
Reasons to buy
- Brighter and wider screens
- Galaxy AI features
- Huge 12GB RAM
Reasons to avoid
- Noticeable crease
- Expensive
Another Samsung pick, but it’s a leader in the market for a reason. The Samsung Galaxy Fold 6 is the latest foldable smartphone from Samsung, though you do need to purchase the stylus separately if you wish to use it.
This device folds out into an excellent display, a little larger than the Z Fold 5, and has a lot of new features just for the S Pen using the Galaxy AI tools. The specific S Pen tools include the ability to search by circling items and AI image generation. Air Commands make a return from other Samsung devices, allowing ease of use with the stylus.
While a lot of specs are similar to the Fold 5, if you like to keep up to date with the latest phones, the Fold 6 will fit well for you. Though, it has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip instead of the previously used Gen 2, allowing for slight overclocking and a faster phone overall.
You can read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review here.
TCL Stylus 5G
The best budget stylus phone.
TCL Stylus 5G specifications:
Display |
6.8” LCD (1080 x 2460) |
Battery |
4,000 mAh |
Chipset |
MediaTek Dimensity 700 |
RAM |
4GB |
Storage |
128GB (expandable with microSD) |
Reasons to buy
- Affordable
- Large, bright display
- Impressive camera
Reasons to avoid
- Sub-par battery
- Struggles with some games
- Limited RAM, slow OS
Sometimes we don’t have loads of cash to splash or simply want to get the job done. The TCL Stylus 5G is here to provide a great entry point Android device with a stylus, and that’s just about everything it does. For that great budget price it’s hard to complain, just don’t go in with huge expectations.
For that budget price, however, you are getting quite a wide and bright screen, which alongside the stylus means this could be a fantastic pick for older users who simply want to browse emails and maybe scroll through some videos. If you need to grab a phone for Gran, she’s going to love that slide-out stylus.
It also features a 50MP camera which is not bad for this budget range, and pictures do look lovely on that modest display. The sensor captures color accurately, and if you just need to grab a few snaps the TCL Stylus 5G won’t disappoint you.
However, if you’re looking for a stylus phone that also plays some games, the TCL Stylus 5G just doesn’t have the power under the hood. With just 4GB RAM and that MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip, don’t expect to load up Honkai Star Rail and get anything near a playable experience. It’s absolutely fine for Fruit Ninja, but just make sure you adjust your expectations.
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
The best value stylus phone.
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G specifications:
Display |
6.7″ (1080 x 2400px) |
Battery |
5,000 mAh |
Chipset |
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 |
RAM |
8GB |
Storage |
128GB / 256GB |
Reasons to buy
- Great performance
- Sleek design
- Strong battery life
- Good cameras for day and night
Reasons to avoid
- No charger included
- No HDR video support
- Basic stylus
Another budget-friendly pick, but the Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G just starts to nudge the price point into that middle range. With a pretty decent chip under the hood, the Moto G Stylus is a surprising pick that performs pretty well across the board no matter what you want your phone to do.
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G is a nice, slim device, feeling great to hold in the hand with a layer of eco-leather on the back to provide some style and comfort. The stylus slides perfectly into a slot located in the bottom right of the phone and is long enough for most people to use comfortably.
It’s important to note that the stylus with the Moto G doesn’t require a Bluetooth connection, so while you’ll always be able to use it with your phone, it does mean you can’t use it for any remote clicks, you will have to use it on the screen at all times. It does have a clicky top, so that might be a bonus for you if you like that sort of thing.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip in the phone keeps it running very well with average performance that keeps up with the likes of the Nothing Phone and the Sony Xperia 10. With this chip and 8GB of RAM, titles like Genshin can get up and running well. The device is pretty new, at the moment Motorola is promising at least a year of updates to the OS, so if you choose the Moto G Stylus you can expect some lovely little improvement over time.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2
The best stylus phone for professionals.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2 specifications:
Display |
8.3” HDR AMOLED (1892 x 2688) |
Battery |
4,449 mAh |
Chipset |
Snapdragon 888 5G |
RAM |
8GB |
Storage |
128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
Reasons to buy
- Fantastic display
- Solid camera
- Unique
Reasons to avoid
- Stylus sold separately
- Underwhelming battery
- Obvious hinges
It might not be an obvious pick but don’t count this one out. The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 looks a little like Dr. Frankenstein put it together, but if you’re a busy professional and enjoy using Windows, then you just might have a good reason to pick this one up.
First of all, the gorgeous dual displays are really impressive. Thanks to that HDR AMOLED screen, this is a decent way to unwind and watch some of your favorite clips or flick through your holiday snaps. It’s also really quite big when spread out to its widest, though that does mean it’s not the most portable of devices even when snapped together again.
However, the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is also a Microsoft device first and foremost, meaning it doesn’t quite have the snappy OS of something like the iPhone or the Pixel 7. If you’re used to using a Microsoft Surface or something similar, a lot of the operating system here is quite familiar, but the midpoint between phone and laptop is apparent in just how sluggish the device is at points.
It’s still a phone though, and thankfully the three rear cameras are quite good. Pictures are bright and full of color, and you can grab some lovely wide-angle shots that still maintain a great amount of detail. Plus, flicking through your photos and videos on that amazing screen is a blast. With the stylus to boot, that huge screen is easy to navigate and simple to use for just about every task you can throw at it.
There are rumors that the Microsoft Duo 3 could turn up in the future, but Microsoft seems committed to improving and stabilizing the current generation of devices for at least the next year or so.
The best premium foldable stylus phone.
HONOR Magic V2 RSR Porsche Edition specifications:
Inner display |
7.92-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED (2156 x 2344 pixels) |
Cover display |
6.43-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED (1060 x 2376 pixels) |
Battery |
5,000 mAh |
Chipset |
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
RAM |
16GB |
Storage |
1TB |
Reasons to buy
- Great camera
- Excellent foldable display
- Sleek design
Reasons to avoid
- No IP rating
- No wireless charging
- Very expensive
While the Porsche name might draw in car lovers, the HONOR Magic V2 RSR is a great bit of kit for smartphone aficionados, too. Most notably, the design of the phone is incredibly sleek, modern, and in a pleasantly muted grey color.
The V2 RSR excels as a foldable phone. When open the displays are crisp and there’s not a crease in sight, and there’s no noticeable gap when closed. The display is helped by the 16GB of RAM, keeping videos looking excellent and games running smoothly – speaking of, you can fit tons on this phone, too, as it boasts a giant 1TB of storage.
The cameras on the phone are excellent, which is another key selling point for us. While they may not be the best in low light, any brighter situations produce vivid and crisp images with up to 10x zoom.
HONOR’s V2 is expensive, we can’t deny, but with the price you don’t just get a really good handset – you get a fabulous Porsche design, two chargers, cables, of course a stylus, and cases for both phone and stylus. You also get four years of Android software updates and five years of security updates, making sure your device has longevity. For an in-depth look at the phone, you can read our Porsche Design HONOR Magic V2 RSR review here.
How we choose the best stylus phones
We decided on our list of the best stylus phones by comparing and contrasting a range of stylus-focused devices, and entries that represent different price points. Whatever your budget, you should find something for you here.
We also compared devices by their performance, operating systems, and chipset. If you want a stylus you likely focus on workflow, so devices like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offer a really snappy OS, plus a great collection of apps and options to make your tasks easier.
Meanwhile, devices like the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 balance somewhere between phones and laptops, meaning you can get an experience similar to that of a netbook or touch-screen laptop, while still getting the compact design you need for everyday use.
Not every pick on this list is good for gaming, especially older chipsets and anything where RAM dips towards 4GB, however, we’re confident that these picks fit the needs of lots of consumers. We especially feel that some users who prefer using a stylus, and maybe don’t use phones for everything like other users, will find a comfortable device here that fits their needs. Check out our how we test guide for more details.
Why aren’t there more stylus phones?
There aren’t more stylus phones on the market as there simply isn’t the demand for them. Like rugged phones and gaming phones, stylus phones occupy a niche, and most brands are more concerned with offering all-rounder devices that appeal to all rather than a small crowd who still want to use a stylus. We still occasionally see new stylus phones arrive, but not as often as your standard brick phone, and it’s a market that Apple doesn’t seem to be concerned with at all.
That’s all our picks for the best stylus phones. If you prefer Apple, be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming iPhone and pair it up with the best wireless charger for extra playtime.