The editorial team’s favourite smartphones – as of January 2026

Jan Johannsen

20.1.2026

Translation: Elicia Payne

In recent months, we’ve tested and reviewed numerous smartphones. Here are our personal favourites.

Since we last released a list of our editors’ favourite smartphones, we’ve published 18 new reviews. But only a select few phones have really impressed us enough to recommend them. Of the thin variety, neither the Nubia Air nor the Motorola Edge 70, nor the iPhone Air made it onto our list. None of the cheaper smartphones in recent months really excited us either.

Apple favourite: iPhone 17 for its value for money

Of the new iPhones, the regular iPhone 17 stands out for us. Yes, the Pro version is still technically better and has one more camera. But the standard version of Apple’s smartphone has now also received a 120 Hz display and has no major drawbacks. Combined with more memory at the same price as last year, the iPhone 17 ends up being a really good deal.

Android favourite: Pixel 10 finally with telephoto camera

If iPhone has it, Android has it too. The Pixel 10 has been given a telephoto camera, eliminating with it the biggest disadvantage compared to the Pixel 10 Pro. The Pro may offer higher resolutions, but in the end these are details I can overlook for the lower price.

Otherwise, it’s still the case that Pixel devices don’t have the most powerful hardware installed, but they’re provided with reliable updates. What’s more, they only have Google apps pre-installed – no apps from third-party providers or manufacturers who want to make their own products more appealing.

Battery favourite: OnePlus 15 lasts 24 hours

Silicon-carbon batteries help smartphones achieve longer battery life. Put simply, the technology ensures that a battery of the same volume can store more energy. And OnePlus makes use of this with its latest smartphone. At 7300 mAh, the battery of the OnePlus 15 has a huge capacity and retains conventional dimensions. What does this look like on a practical level? A measured running time of over 24 hours in continuous operation.

In addition, the OnePlus 15 ticks all the key features: excellent display, incredible cameras and more than enough power. It just doesn’t receive updates as quickly as the Pixel devices. The Realme GT 8 Pro performs even better in the benchmark results, but still isn’t our favourite. The reasons being subjective details, such as the look of the user interface or how the smartphone feels when you hold it.

Folding favourite: Pixel 10 Fold gets more out of its large display

Samsung’s really improved its folding smartphone [Galaxy Z Flip 7](/page/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-7-im-test-klappt- immer-besser-38862) and it hasn’t had any competition in recent months. Among the larger foldable models, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 also managed to go one better, but lost its stylus. That’s why, in the end, the Pixel 10 Fold turned out to be our favourite.

In addition to improvements to the hardware – hinge, chipset, display, battery and wireless charging – the foldable phone scores particularly well for innovations to the software. These allow, for example, more multitasking and make more use of the large display.

Jan Johannsen

Senior Editor

Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.de

As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus. more

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