- Without a doubt,
the most important gadget in your life is your phone.
It's everything.
It's communication, information, entertainment,
gaming, navigation.
It's really hard to think about life
without a phone at this point,
so picking the right phone is all that much more important,
because this is the thing
that you're going to be looking at the most
over the next one, two, maybe even three years.
Here's the brutal, honest truth.
Even though phones have been a thing for over a decade,
there still isn't a perfect smartphone.
There isn't even a phone that I could say
will be perfect for everyone's needs.
There will always be something
about whatever phone you buy
that annoys you, or doesn't wor, or you don't like.
But there is a recommendation I can make for most people
who want a good phone with a great camera,
great display, great performance,
easy and simple to use software,
and a great support structure.
And if that doesn't work for you,
you've got a bunch of alternatives to talk about too.
so let's roll those graphics.
The best phone for most people looking to buy something
that will still be modern and fresh
a couple of years from now is Apple's iPhone X.
Has a great display, great camera, wicked fast performance,
a great support structure from Apple,
and has forward looking features and design
that won't feel stale next year.
Now the iPhone X is not the best phone
in a bunch of specific categories,
and it's definitely not perfect.
It has an all glass design
that will definitely break when you drop it.
Its Face ID Log In System is not as fast or convenient
as a fingerprint scanner,
and it doesn't have a headphone jack,
which is still a pain in the ass to live with.
And, oh yeah, it starts at a thousand freaking bucks,
which basically means it's going to be
the most expensive phone you've ever purchased.
You could soften the blow of that price
if you buy the phone on a payment plan from Apple
or your carrier, but that doesn't change the fact
that the iPhone X is really pricey.
But the price is worth it
because you get a big edge-to-edge display
that still fits in one hand,
it has a gesture control system
that's by far the most fun way to navigate a smartphone,
and it has fast performance with a reliable battery life.
Overall, the iPhone X
has the best complete package for most people.
So what about the iPhone 8 or iPhone Plus?
If you must have an iPhone,
and you don't want to pony up for the X,
the 8 or 8 Plus are cheaper.
But they don't have the X's new designer display,
and they're going to feel old and dated far quicker,
but what if you don't want to spend a grand on a phone,
or you don't want an iPhone,
or maybe you do want a headphone jack?
For the best Android phone for most people,
my recommendation is Samsung's Galaxy S9, or S9 Plus,
which sells for between $720, and $840 bucks.
The Samsungs have great design,
great performance, great cameras,
they're available at every carrier,
and they've a strong ecosystem of accessories available.
And yeah, they've got a headphone jack,
which lots of phones don't have anymore.
Now, they're not the overall best phones
because Apple still has a far better support network,
and the iPhone X edges out the Samnsungs
in a number of areas,
especially when it comes to software.
But they're still great devices
that I really have no hesitation recommending.
So at this point you're probably wondering
why I'm not recommending that Google Pixel 2 XL,
or the OnePlus 6, or whatever your favorite phone
at the moment is.
So let's talk about them.
Now, the Pixel 2 and 2 XL
have the best software you could get on any Android Phone.
They're made by Google.
They've the best cameras on any phone, period.
And they get updates direct from Google,
so they're always fresh.
But they're only available
to purchase from one carrier, Verizon.
They don't have the support system of Apple,
or even Samsung, and they've other hardware issues
like a lower quality screen
that makes 'em a bit tough to recommend
without reservations.
But if none of those things are a problem for you,
then go nuts.
You'll love a Pixel.
And OnePlus's new OnePlus 6
is the current value king in smartphones,
you simply can't get a better deal for performance.
It's literally half the price of an iPhone X,
but you do give up a lot for that.
Its cameras, they're nowhere near as good.
It doesn't work on half the carriers here in the US,
and OnePlus's support is definitely inferior
to established makers like Apple or Samsung.
Then there's lots of other phones with specific niches
like LG's G7, which gives you a lot of screen
in a relatively small package.
Or HTC's U12 that has four cameras.
Or Huawei's P20 Pro
that has an equally ridiculous camera system
that can take really stunning shots.
Samsung's Note 8 has a whole legion of fans
that swear by its extra large screen and S Pen capability.
But none of those phones are the best overall,
because they might have bad software,
weak battery life, too big design,
or just weird design.
Things like these fake buttons on the HTC.
So while you'll never hear me say that
this is the perfect phone, what I will say is
that if you're looking to buy a phone now
that's going to last two or three years,
then you should buy the Apple iPhone X.
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