Best iPhone in 2024: Which Apple Phone Should You Buy?
We test every iPhone in real-world scenarios, focusing on its features, design, performance, camera, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in our preliminary review, which is updated regularly when there are new iOS updates or comparisons with new phones from competitors like Samsung, Google, and OnePlus.
photography
Photography is one of the highlights of the iPhone, so we captured photos and videos of a variety of subjects in a variety of settings and lighting scenarios. We tried out all the new camera modes, like 4K 120fps slow-motion video, first introduced with the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.
battery life
Battery testing can be performed in a variety of ways. We evaluate iPhone battery life during daily use and record its performance during more intensive sessions such as video calls, media streaming, and gaming. We also ran a video playback test, which wasn’t always included in the initial review but was added in a later update.
performance measurement
We use benchmark apps to measure performance and review them in conjunction with our own anecdotal experiences using the phone. Of particular note is the look of the graphics and animations. Are they smooth? Or do they have lag or stutter? We also looked at how quickly the phone switched between horizontal and vertical orientations and how quickly the camera app opened and was ready to take a picture.
Emergency SOS may be one of the most important features launched on any phone this year.
We perform processor-heavy tasks such as editing photos and videos, exporting videos, and playing games. We evaluate whether new iPhones include enough features to make them worth upgrading from older models. Some of these tests were added in updates after the original review was posted.
Read more: CNET How to test a phone
