A world of smartphones lies beyond Apple, opening you up to features such as pen input, triple cameras and even leather backs. From wonderful to whacky, right through to just plain indulgent, here are 10 of the best iPhone alternatives …
Best for movie buffs
Sony Xperia XZ3 (from £699)
Movie fan? You’ll love the Sony Xperia XZ3. Featuring Sony’s curved OLED Bravia screen technology, it’s like having a top-end HDR TV in your pocket. Pin sharp, the inkiest blacks, punchiest colours and an 18:9 aspect ratio, the XZ3 is purpose built to show off the latest jaw-dropping blockbusters – and it sounds great too, thanks to stereo speakers. The rest of the phone is also on-point, with a sleek glass design, water resistance, tonnes of power under the hood for gaming and a high-resolution 19-megapixel camera around the back.
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Best if you’re on a budget
Xiaomi Redmi 6A (£99)
A new player to the UK, Xiaomi has undercut the competition with its Redmi 6A, priced at £99 on Three. It packs a 5.45-inch HD screen, a high-res 13-megapixel camera, selfie beauty filters and a 3000mAh battery that’ll get you through a day without breaking a sweat. App support on the A6 is excellent, from favourites such as Instagram and Snapchat, right through to streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and YouTube. This makes the 6A an affordable smartphone for anyone on a budget or an ideal first smartphone for social-media savvy teens.
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Best mid-range buy
Nokia 7.1 (£279)
If you’re in the market for the most premium design £279 can buy, then the Nokia 7.1 is it. A rich, metal frame meets glass on the front and back to create an in-hand experience that bests many pricier phones. Running Android One, it’s also future-proofed, guaranteeing two years of software updates and three years of security patches for extra peace of mind. You’ll also love watching videos on the vivid Full HD+ HDR screen, as well as capturing memories using the 12-megapixel camera that can even capture 4K video too.
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Best for gamers
Asus ROG phone (from $899, UK price TBC)
Light-up RGB logos, a cooling fan, an overclocked central processing unit – you’d think we were talking about a monstrous gaming PC, but no – meet the Asus ROG phone. With a boosted version of the latest Snapdragon 845 processor, it can tear through 3D games, all the while keeping thermals in check with advanced vapour chamber cooling. The 90Hz AMOLED screen is super smooth, deep and rich, while the two USB-C ports enable a slew of accessories to power up your gameplay. Overkill? Probably. Gamer’s dream? Most definitely!
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Best for wannabe directors
Huawei Mate 20 Pro (£899)
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is taking the world by storm thanks to its no less than three cameras around the back. The main camera is a pixel-tastic 40 megapixels (MP) sensor. The secondary camera has an ultra wide-angle lens for dynamic, GoPro style shots and the third 3x zoom camera will get you closer to the action. Thanks to Huawei’s AIS stabilisation, handheld videos look like they were recorded on a tripod, and with its giant 4,200mAh battery and an in-display fingerprint scanner, video isn’t the Mate 20 Pro’s only standout feature.
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Best for photographers
Google Pixel 3 (from £739)
From three cameras to one, the Google Pixel 3 goes for a minimalistic approach with its lonesome 12-megapixel snapper. Using Google Images’ search engine smarts, though, it knows what makes a picture pop, and tunes each one you take accordingly. Automatic bokeh effects, among the best night-shooting mode on any smartphone to date, great object tracking – this camera is stellar. Cutting-edge internals also combine with an AI-powered interface and beautiful design to ensure the rest of the phone is more than just “OK, Google”, making the Pixel 3 a serious contender.
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Best for everything-in-one
OnePlus 6T (from £499)
If you’re after much of what makes £800+ smartphones excellent, but don’t want to spend the big bucks, this could be just the ticket. For as little as £499, you can get the top of the line Snapdragon processor, 128GB storage, vibrant OLED screen tech, a dual camera and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. As if that wasn’t enough, the 6T also delivers excellent battery life and even ships with a pre-fitted screen protector and a case in the box, screaming good value while others occasionally whisper it.
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Best for artists
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (from £899)
If you’re going to pay a premium for your phone, you’ll want it to do something unique, and the Note 9 does just that with its S Pen. Delivering 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, it packs the same drawing tech professional graphic design tablets do – so for any digital creative or even recreational doodler, this phone is a game changer. Its handwriting recognition is also stellar, and with a huge 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen, your canvas on which to create is ample.
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Best speakers
Razer Phone 2 (£779)
The Razer Phone 2 blows the competition out of the water when it comes to sound. The huge Dolby tuned stereo speakers bookending the screen blast audio right at you, and the left and right speaker separation is so on-point, it can trick you into thinking you’re listening to a surround sound set-up. Loaded up with a customisable EQ and a 24-bit DAC adapter, whether listening out loud or plugging in your cans, you won’t be disappointed, and with expandable storage and a huge battery, it’ll keep you, and your music going for hours.
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Best if you’re really blowing the budget
Porsche Design Huawei Mate 20 RS (€1,595, available on import)
Huawei isn’t just about masterfully getting a whole bunch of cameras on to its phones, it also knows how to buddy up with a luxury sports carmaker for some pocketable va-va-voom, too. The Huawei Porsche Design Mate 20 RS rocks a 2K OLED screen, masses of storage and a triple-camera set-up. Reverse wireless charging means it can charge up your friend’s phone if you’ve got some extra juice in the tank, and just like Porsche’s luxury upholstery, there’s even some leather here too.
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To find discount codes for the best smartphones from major electricals retailers, visit discountcode.theguardian.com/uk
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