So, personification successful your life needs a caller smartphone, and you want to gift it to them. That's nary easy feat. There are a batch of smartphones retired there, and while they're each akin successful galore ways, location are cardinal differences that whitethorn aliases whitethorn not matter to your recipient. Do they favour iOS aliases Android? Do they want a modular phone, aliases a foldable? (Or moreover a flip phone?)
My first portion of proposal is to inquire them precisely what they want. The much circumstantial they tin be, the easier it'll beryllium for you to shop. If they don't person an nonstop exemplary successful mind, don't worry: There are plentifulness of awesome phones to take from. As agelong arsenic you person a small intel astir your giftee, you tin prime up a smartphone that will apt activity good for them. Here are my picks for the champion smartphone gifts, surgery down by category.
Best iPhone to gift: iPhone 17e
You've apt heard a batch astir Apple's newest iPhones. There's the iPhone 18 Pro, of course, but the talk of the municipality is the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable phone. It's undeniably cool, and possibly Apple's astir revolutionary iPhone since the original. It besides starts astatine $1,999—not the astir "gift-friendly" value tag. The iPhone 18 Pro isn't rather truthful expensive, but it's pricey too, starting astatine $1,199. While the 18 Pro it mightiness beryllium Apple's "best" iPhone yet, I'm not judge it's needfully the champion iPhone to gift.
When considering the champion iPhone to gift, I wanted to take the instrumentality that offers the champion wide value. It should do each the things group expect their iPhones to do, without breaking the bank—and Apple products are pricey successful the champion of times. As such, I deliberation that prime for 2026 is the iPhone 17e. It isn't the champion iPhone Apple makes. It doesn't travel pinch the champion show aliases the champion cameras. But it does connection a coagulated 1170p 60Hz show pinch a max brightness of 800 nits (1200 nits for HDR content). It has a azygous 48MP rear camera (the aforesaid arsenic the main camera connected the iPhone 17) and a 12MP selfie camera. It besides supports features that you mightiness expect Apple to driblet from its "budget" iPhone, including MagSafe charging, 5G support, and a Ceramic Shield 2 display. (Anecdotally, the Ceramic Shield 2 connected my iPhone 17 Pro Max is the astir durable show I've ever used, truthful I can't opportunity capable bully astir it.)
Most importantly, the iPhone 17e comes pinch the aforesaid A19 Pro spot arsenic Apple's different 17 bid iPhones, minus a azygous GPU core. That intends the iPhone 17 mightiness person a flimsy advantage for gaming compared to the 17e, but not by much. The 17e supports each the aforesaid iOS 27 features arsenic the iPhone 17, including Siri AI—though some miss retired connected immoderate "Pro" AI features. Of course, location are different omissions: You don't get the 2nd aliases 3rd cameras you get connected different iPhones, nor do you get the Camera Control button; the selfie camera isn't arsenic high-resolution aliases feature-filled arsenic different devices; the show isn't arsenic agleam aliases arsenic fast; and artillery life isn't arsenic agelong arsenic different iPhones. But the tradeoffs aren't excessively important erstwhile weighed against the importantly cheaper starting price—at $699, it's $500 cheaper than the 18 Pro.
The bottommost line? The iPhone 17e does conscionable astir everything you'd expect an iPhone to do. If your giftee wants a telephoto lens, aliases a brighter high-refresh-rate display, you mightiness request to upgrade. But for the group successful your life who conscionable want a awesome wide iPhone experience, the 17e is the measurement to go.
Best Android to gift: Google Pixel 10a
It's difficult to prime 1 Android smartphone to urge supra each others. You tin walk very small connected a tin Android device, aliases driblet a mates expansive connected a souped-up pouch computer. But arsenic pinch the iPhone, choosing a wide "best" Android to gift intends weighing features, cost, and accessibility. With each that successful mind, my ballot is for the Pixel 10a.
If the privilege is staying connected apical of the latest Android features, you can't do amended than the Pixel. This is Google's ain statement of smartphones, which intends it gets the latest versions of Android—and each the caller features that travel pinch them—before immoderate different manufacturer. Pixel flagships thin to rival those from competitors for illustration Samsung successful each but earthy performance—in practice, you astir apt wouldn't beryllium capable to show overmuch of a quality betwixt day-to-day usage of a comparable Pixel and Galaxy.
And the 10a is simply a awesome telephone successful its ain right. It comes pinch a 6.3-inch 1080p show pinch a refresh complaint of 120Hz (take note, Apple), arsenic good arsenic 2 rear cameras—a 48MP "wide" lens and a 13MP ultrawide lens—and a 13MP selfie camera. Unlike the immense mostly of today's smartphones, those rear cameras are flush pinch the backmost of the 10a, which erstwhile Lifehacker tech editor Michelle Ehrhardt praised successful her reappraisal of the phone. Google devices are known for outstanding photography, peculiarly connected the package side, and the 10a is nary exception—though it is surely down Google's flagship Pixel 10 and Pixel 11. Expect bully point-and-shoot results, though reviews do statement that the last products often showcase less specifications than much costly competitors.
The 10a uses Google's G4 Tensor chip, which is acold from the astir powerful spot connected the marketplace (even astatine this value point), but it's plentifulness to tally Android 17, including each of Google's caller AI features. That includes Circle to Search, which lets you commencement a Google hunt by highlighting thing connected your screen; AI photograph editing features for illustration Magic Eraser and earthy connection edits; and Gemini for AI adjunct support. You could bargain a Pixel 11 to powerfulness these features, but the 10a's Tensor G4 tin tally them too. Plus, Google has pledged to support devices for 7 years aft release, which intends the 10a will proceed to person updates done March of 2033.
You tin prime up a usable Android instrumentality astatine conscionable astir immoderate value point. But astatine its MSRP of $499, the Pixel 10a is arguably the champion wide worth successful the Android world correct now—especially erstwhile you tin find it connected sale. If your giftee is simply a diehard Samsung fan, aliases wants the champion mobile cameras connected the market, you mightiness want to look towards a different product. But for astir Android users, the Pixel 10a is the move.
Best Android gift for powerfulness users: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Let's opportunity there's personification connected your database who doesn't want the champion "value"; they want the best. They want their smartphone to beryllium arsenic powerful arsenic possible, pinch cameras that return the highest-quality shots. In that case, we'll request to steer clear of "budget" aliases "mid-range" devices, and attraction alternatively connected phones that costs good complete $1,000. If that's your market, I person 1 main recommendation: the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Samsung's latest "Ultra" instrumentality lives up to its name. It comes pinch a 6.9-inch 1440p display, pinch a 120Hz refresh rate, support for HDR10+, and a highest brightness of 2,600 nits. While galore high-end smartphones person fantabulous screens, only the Galaxy S26 Ultra has a "Privacy Display," a hardware characteristic that makes it very difficult—if not impossible—for onlookers to spot your screen. It's not needfully a logic to bargain the S26 Ultra, but it's noteworthy, considering location are truthful fewer caller hardware upgrades successful smartphones these days.
Not that the S26 Ultra's hardware is boring. The S26 Ultra runs connected the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 spot for Samsung, the aforesaid spot arsenic the remainder of the S26 line. Unlike the different S26 devices, however, you tin upgrade the S26 Ultra from 12GB of RAM to 16GB if you opt for the 1TB retention option. Unlike the Tensor G4, this processor does not make compromises, arsenic evidenced by benchmarks. In fact, the full S26 statement tops the charts for Android benchmarks, according to Geekbench.
Perhaps the prima of the show present is the Galaxy S26 Ultra's camera system. You get the 200MP main shooter, a 50MP "periscope" telephoto lens pinch 5x optical zoom, a 10MP telephoto lens pinch 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens. You besides get a 12MP selfie cam, which isn't the astir megapixels we've seen connected a beforehand camera, but it useful well. CNET says this one's designed to amended seizure earthy tegument tones and texture successful each types of lighting conditions.
Like Google, Samsung is all-in connected AI, truthful the Galaxy S26 runs the company's latest features. That includes Samsung versions of Google features we talked astir above, including AI photograph editing features, arsenic good arsenic exclusives for illustration the Now Brief and Now Bar. And since this is an "Ultra," this telephone comes pinch the S Pen. While I'm happy the iPhone Duo will support the Apple Pencil, I do wish Apple would besides widen the aforesaid to its modular smartphones for illustration Samsung has done here.
Best iPhone gift for powerfulness users: Wait earlier you buy
If you had asked maine past period what the champion iPhone to get a powerfulness personification was, I'd opportunity the iPhone 17 Pro Max. If you inquire maine adjacent week, I'll astir apt opportunity the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Unfortunately, we're astatine a crossroads here: Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro Max past week, but it doesn't travel retired until Friday, Sept. 18. Reviews aren't retired yet either, which intends we don't cognize precisely really the telephone stacks up.
That said, Apple usually has these iPhone releases figured out, truthful my conjecture is the iPhone 18 Pro Max is going to connection a humble "real world" update complete the iPhone 17 Pro Max, making it the "best" Pro Max yet. But I can't opportunity that for sure. Maybe the caller adaptable aperture doesn't rather activity arsenic advertised; possibly the A20 Pro spot puts excessively overmuch unit connected artillery life. Again, I don't deliberation these things will beryllium true, but until we cognize for sure, I can't counsel readers which Pro Max to buy. As such, my proposal is to clasp disconnected connected a acquisition until we cognize much astir the 18 Pro Max.
Best Android foldable to gift: Galaxy Z Fold 8
That "8" isn't location for nothing. This is Samsung's eighth foldable smartphone, and it shows. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is simply a polished and awesome loop of Samsung's foldable line. In fact, CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti said the Galaxy Z Fold 8 was 1 of the astir enjoyable devices she's ever used.
When closed, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 5.5-inch 1248p show pinch a 120Hz refresh rate. You could astir apt get by conscionable utilizing the outer show without ever opening up the device. But erstwhile you do unfold it, you get a overmuch larger 7.6-inch display. This soul show besides has a 120Hz refresh rate, but this 1 reaches 3,000 nits of brightness. This is the main perk of a foldable for illustration the Z Fold 8: You tin usage it for illustration a "normal" smartphone, past unfold it erstwhile you're looking for a tablet-like experience, whether that's streaming shows and movies connected a larger show aliases moving aggregate apps side-by-side. Like each foldables, location is simply a crease successful the larger screen, but reviews propose you apt won't announcement it erstwhile staring astatine the show head-on.
Like the Galaxy S26 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and it comes pinch 12GB of RAM. You tin get 16GB if you opt for the 2TB version, but that mightiness beryllium much costly than the other RAM aliases retention is worth. That spot should beryllium much than capable to powerfulness some the soul and outer displays arsenic good arsenic each the Android features you'll use, including Samsung's aforementioned AI options.
With this foldable, you're getting 2 rear cameras—a 50MP wide and a 50MP ultrawide—as good arsenic 10MP selfie cameras connected some the soul and outer displays. While the cameras connected the Z Fold 8 are good, they aren't the champion connected a Samsung foldable. For that, you'd request to upgrade to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which comes pinch a 200MP wide shooter and a 10MP telephoto lens pinch 3x optical zoom. If your giftee wants the champion Android foldable money tin buy, sure, the Ultra whitethorn beryllium for them. But for the money, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the amended value—not that it's inexpensive by immoderate definition.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is astir the champion wide acquisition you tin expect from a foldable smartphone. But if your giftee is looking for thing that runs banal Android, Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold is besides a awesome bet. If your giftee is alternatively looking for a flippable, Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 8 offers galore of the benefits of the Z Fold 8 successful that flip telephone shape factor, followed intimately by the Motorola Razr Ultra.
In a normal year, Apple wouldn't beryllium mentioned successful this section, but it's not a normal year. The institution has officially entered the foldable marketplace pinch the iPhone Duo, though it's facing the aforesaid rumor arsenic the iPhone 18 Pro: It isn't retired yet, which intends it hasn't been reviewed. What's more, Apple isn't releasing the Duo until mid-October, truthful it'll apt beryllium immoderate clip earlier immoderate general recommendations tin beryllium made. That said, while I can't yet springiness it the separator successful a comparison to the Galaxy Z Fold aliases Pixel 11 Pro Fold, it is the only prime for immoderate foldable fans who want to enactment connected iOS. If your giftee wants a foldable that tin nonstop iMessages, this is your only choice.
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