You may have heard the term ‘phablet’, which is a portmanteau of ‘phone’ and ‘tablet, but we prefer just saying ‘big phone’. Say what you see. If you’re anything like us, you might also prefer to use a large-screened phone all the time, instead of having to resort to a tablet for specific situations. If so, here are the ten best big smartphones to consider when buying a new phone.
Best big phone 2023
Your buying guide to the best big-screened phone for you
Does size matter?
Most phones with displays over 5.5in (measured corner to corner) and sporting an aspect ratio of 16:9 are considered phablets, but in recent times phones have gotten taller and narrower, allowing displays to get bigger without the phones feeling bigger overall. Most of the phones in this chart have these taller aspect ratios.
Large 7.6in display is great for multitasking Hugely improved rear camera setup All-day battery life New software enhancements via Android 12L
Still a gap between displays when folded Under display camera is bad App support is hit-and-miss 25W charging is slow
If you love the idea of having a phone and a tablet in one, this is the device to get. The phone is well built if fragile by nature (it folds!) but the utility it gives you is unparalleled. Call up an app on the large screen to read more text, see video in a larger size, or even use Android’s split screen to run two or three apps on the big display at once. The Z Fold 4 is a truly portable computer more than anything else and still manages to pack in capable triple cameras and solid battery life.
Excellent camera Phenomenal display Integrated stylus
Bulky Expensive Sluggish charging
The design is distinctly different from the other entries in the Galaxy S22 range (which is to say very ‘Note-like’) and features an integrated S Pen stylus that expands functionality beyond most rivals, especially in terms of productivity. Despite familiar-looking camera hardware, the upgrades made by Samsung render it one of the best systems in any phone right now; with a 108Mp main shooter backed up by an ultrawide and two telephoto lenses at different zoom levels – with the zoom performance particularly improved on previous models. The expansive 6.8in LTPO AMOLED display delivers both high WQHD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, while long-term software support that surpasses even Google’s Pixels rounds out an impressive list of pros.
Dynamic Island is a game-changer Always-on display Long battery life Industry-leading performance
Expensive, especially in the UK No longer the best iPhone for battery life Hefty
The wider aspect ratio Apple has adopted means that while some Android devices have bigger displays on paper, few feel as big as this, especially once you factor in the squared off sides and completely flat screen. That means the 14 Pro Max is a decidedly two-handed device, but those who relish the extra screen space will love it. Otherwise, you get all the top specs you’d expect from the latest Apple flagship that make it the most powerful phone on the market in terms of processing power, along with very good battery life that makes the most of the space for a truly multi-day device, though the best battery life on an iPhone can be found on the iPhone 14 Plus – a phone with the same size screen but only 60Hz compared to the Pro Max’s superior and smoother 120Hz.
Superb display Incredible, versatile cameras Strong battery life Exclusive software features
Big and heavy Ugly design Slow charging
It’s an OLED with only a slight curve to it, so it feels expansive but slim in your hand (though it’s a weighty 212g) and it gets very bright. Android 13 looks great and you can customise it with system-wide colour changes. Through that display you’ll enjoy some of the best cameras on a smartphone with very good still-image quality thanks to a 50Mp main sensor and Google’s photography post-processing. It also has superb ultra-wide and 5x telephoto lenses for a versatile pocket camera experience. Add to that clever software tricks like Magic Eraser to remove unwanted people or things from photos, or Face Unblur to tune that slightly blurry shot. Battery life is solid, though you might not be sold on the design – but you’ll probably stick it straight in a case, right?
(Maybe) the best camera around Fast wired & wireless charging IP68-water resistance Great battery life
Awkward-looking camera design Frustrating software
Through that you will be able to enjoy what could possibly be the best cameras on a smartphone. Apple, Google and Samsung lead the conversation but Vivo is just as good this year, with a phenomenally good main lens with excellent dynamic range and a level of contrast and detail few other phones can manage. Add to that a capable ultrawide lens and two (!) telephoto lenses to handle zoom and portrait shots, and it’s one of the most versatile phones of the year. The battery life is great, it’s fully waterproof, and the included charger charges it up ridiculously fast. As long as you don’t mind the design and the slightly plain software then you’re sure to love the phone that none of your friends will have.
Best-in-class display Versatile cameras Unique design
No periscopic zoom Expensive
You’ll have to live without a periscopic zoom lens – the telephoto here is a measly 2x zoom – but results across all three rear lenses are exceptional. The design is unique too, thanks to a seamlessly sloped camera module built right into the ceramic of the phone’s body. In terms of pure performance, the Find X5 Pro is also hard to beat, with all of the above, plus a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, 256GB storage and 12GB RAM. You just have to be willing to pay the price, as it doesn’t come cheap.
Nice design Excellent display Strong cameras Fast 120W charging
Disappointing battery life No IP rating
It sports a sleek, understated design, there’s a beautiful display paired with a quad-speaker setup and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip delivers impressive performance. For the most part, the camera system is great too, not quite best-in-class but good. Unfortunately, the battery life is a clear failing – which might be fixed with updates, but for the moment frustrates.
Fast performance Great main camera Nice display
MIUI still iffy Middling telephoto & ultrawide cameras No IP rating
It lacks the astounding 120W super-fast charging of its ‘Pro’-branded sibling but still supports rapid 67W speeds that aren’t to be sniffed at. The 6.67in 120Hz Full HD+ AMOLED display comes protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, while a 480Hz touch response rate and stereo speakers mean the 11T is also great for gaming.
Outstanding performance 165Hz refresh rate display Greatly improved cameras
Clunky user experience Bulky design Disappointing battery life
The stunning 165Hz display endures from the last few Red Magic flagships, while also continuing to outpace mainstream rivals – making it ideal for gaming – and Nubia’s finally addressed camera performance too, which is better than it’s ever been. The Red Magic 7’s Android launcher won’t be to everyone’s tastes, the move to a smaller battery has proven to be a detrimental change (especially for gaming phone) and this is still a big bulky device, but the price/performance balance it strikes and the gaming prowess it facilitates are unrivalled.
Super-smooth display Great performance Affordable mid-ranger
LCD not OLED display tech Limited OS updates
One of the few devices rocking a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ that delivers flagship-class performance on a budget, while its expansive 6.8in display offers super-smooth 144Hz visuals, making it ideal for gaming, while Ready For support also affords you a desktop-like user experience when plugging into an external display. A sizeable 5000mAh battery also ensures great battery life and 33W fast charging ensures you’re not left waiting for the phone to fill back up for hours at a time. Such a quality is the reason this roundup includes both the screen sizes and the aspect ratios of these devices; so you have a better idea of whether a phone is generally big or just tall and slim. Not all phones with large screens are considered ‘big’ – despite its 6.1in display, we wouldn’t consider the regular Galaxy S22 to be a phablet, because its tiny bezels and narrow aspect ratio mean it’s relatively compact in-hand. Samsung, Sony, Motorola and others all offer phones that require two-handed use most of the time as a result of their displays, but to their credit, big phones don’t just offer a better viewing experience, they boast other great benefits, like larger batteries.
Resolution
It’s also important to take into account that the bigger the screen, the more resolution matters; so Quad HD is favourable over Full HD and anything less than 1080p is probably best avoided, where big phones are concerned.
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Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.
