#PokdePicks Best Smartphones of 2023
We’ve reviewed a good number of smartphones this year, and this is the time where we pick out the best smartphones of 2023. Without further ado, let’s dive right into.
#PokdePicks Best Smartphones of 2023
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
This year, the iPhone 15 Pro Max made waves with its A17 Pro chip, being so powerful that it could run console-grade AAA games like Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 Remake. It was also a huge step forward unlike anything we’ve seen from Apple before, now coming with USB-C instead of Lightning and that it uses a titanium build instead of stainless steel.
Of course, you still get an excellent camera setup across the board, powerful stereo speakers, and the tried-and-true Super Retina XDR ProMotion adaptive 120Hz display with Dolby Vision. Sure, it didn’t get the best start with some issues plaguing the device but it has since been fixed via a software update and runs relatively fine. Just keep in mind of its asking price which starts at RM6,499.
Check out our Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review by clicking right here.
Sony Xperia 1 V
Among all the flagships of 2023, nothing quite stands out like the Sony Xperia 1 V did. It’s practical, powerful, and designed well to make it both comfortable to use while still giving you all the power and more. As to be expected, the display and cameras are some of the best around, together with the best stereo speaker setup in a non-gaming phone this year.
It’s also the only mainstream Android flagship to still have both a headphone jack, microSD slot, and a physical shutter button. For most consumers nowadays, what it offers can be a bit overkill and I believe this caters more to creators and enthusiasts. The only thing stopping people from buying this is its asking price of RM6,399.
Check out our Sony Xperia 1 V review by clicking right here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
Foldables are becoming more viable as a daily driver and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is one of the few that made it so. We finally got our wish to have a bigger cover display in the form of the Flex Window, the Flex Hinge has seen significant improvements, and the gap is practically non-existent. Everything else is par for the course among Samsung flagships, from performance all the way to camera prowess.
While the battery life has improved, it could still use some improvements. Furthermore, the charging speed is in dire need of an upgrade. With that being said however, you will not feel like you’re missing out on anything by jumping into this foldable. Just keep in mind that if you’re a mobile gamer or a power user, you might need to carry around a powerbank with you. With prices starting from RM4,499, it certainly is an attractive offer.
Check out our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 review by clicking right here.
ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
For the avid mobile gamer, I’m sure the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has come up in your list of smartphones to consider. After all, it’s a beastly device powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip mated to a 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and sports a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display tuned by ROG with 165Hz refresh rate and 720Hz touch sampling rate. It also has the best dual speaker setup among all the smartphones here with its 5-magnet front-facing speakers with Dirac HD Sound but if that wasn’t enough, the AeroActive Cooler comes with a built-in subwoofer, making it a multimedia masterpiece.
At the price of RM4,999, it’s far from cheap but you do get what you pay for. It also signifies how far the ROG Phone series has come as it doesn’t feel like you’re sacrificing camera quality just for the sake of having a smartphone that’s geared more towards gaming. It’s an excellent daily driver that can serve pretty much anyone well.
Check out our ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review by clicking here instead.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
This one might seem like an odd choice but bear with me for a bit. This is far from the most powerful smartphone of 2023 but the idea here is to have what you need. It’s adequately powerful, excellent main camera performance, you get a flat Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120Hz refresh rate, reliable battery life, and futureproofed wireless connections like Wi-Fi 6E and 5G.
You get something pretty close to your typical Android flagship experience of 2023 at a much more reasonable price, starting from RM2,999. Furthermore, it’s also the smartphone with the most consistent experience throughout, making it a great daily driver with an excellent value proposition. You just have to look past the disdain that many people have over the Exynos chip.
Check out our Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review by clicking right here.
And that’s all for our picks of the best smartphones of 2023. None of these are necessarily better than the other as everyone’s use case and needs for a smartphone is different. We believe that any of these will be able to serve you well. If you feel like we missed out on anything, make sure to drop a comment and let us know.
