9 Best iPhones of 2026

iPhone 17 is the iPhone we would point most buyers to in November 2026. Apple's spec page lists the A19 chip, a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED with ProMotion up to 120Hz and an Always-On display, and IP68 water and dust resistance. The camera pairs a 48MP Fusion Main with a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide, and the 18MP Center Stage front camera can widen the frame for group selfies. Apple rates battery life at up to 30 hours of video playback, with up to 50% charge in 20 minutes on a 40W adapter and MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging up to 25W. Storage starts at 256GB. The weak points: there is no dedicated telephoto lens, and the advertised $899 includes a $30 connectivity discount that requires activation with AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon, so the unlocked 256GB model costs $929. We compared documented features and published prices only.

iPhone 18 Pro is the iPhone to buy if the camera matters most and you want a phone that fits one hand. Apple lists the A20 Pro chip and a 48MP Pro Fusion camera system: a 48MP Fusion Main with a variable aperture from f/1.48 to f/4.0, a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide and a 48MP Fusion Telephoto at 4x that also enables 8x optical-quality zoom. Video creators get ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2 and genlock support. The 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display runs ProMotion up to 120Hz with 3000 nits peak outdoor brightness. Apple rates battery life at up to 36 hours of video playback and up to 50% charge in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter. Storage runs from 256GB to 2TB. The trade-offs are price and weight: it starts at $1,199, $300 above the iPhone 17, and weighs 211 g. We compared documented features and published prices only.

iPhone 17e is the cheapest new iPhone Apple sells in the US, at $699 for 256GB when we checked. Apple's spec page lists the A19 chip with a 4-core GPU, a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED at 2532 by 1170 pixels, Face ID, the Action button and an IP68 rating. The rear has a single 48MP Fusion Main camera that also gives a 12MP optical-quality 2x Telephoto, and the front camera is 12MP. Apple rates battery life at up to 26 hours of video playback, with up to 50% charge in 30 minutes on a 20W adapter and MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W. Apple's own C1X modem handles cellular. The savings show in the details: no Ultra Wide camera, no ProMotion, no Dynamic Island, and Wi-Fi 6 rather than Wi-Fi 7. For calls, messages, photos and apps, it covers the basics with 256GB of space. We compared documented features and published prices only.

iPhone 18 Pro Max takes everything in the iPhone 18 Pro and puts it in a larger body with a bigger battery. Apple lists a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED at 2868 by 1320 pixels with ProMotion up to 120Hz, the A20 Pro chip and the same 48MP Pro Fusion camera system, including the 48MP 4x Telephoto with 8x optical-quality zoom. The headline difference is endurance: Apple rates it at up to 45 hours of video playback and up to 30 hours of typical use, against 36 and 24 hours for the 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro. It supports up to 50% charge in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter and MagSafe or Qi2 charging up to 25W. The cost is size and weight: it is 78.0 mm wide and 249 g, the heaviest phone on this list, and it starts at $1,299 for 256GB. We compared documented features and published prices only.

Refurbished iPhone 16e is the cheapest way to buy an iPhone directly from Apple in November 2026, at $459 for 128GB unlocked when we checked. Apple's refurbished listing says the phone gets a new battery and outer shell, comes in a new white box with all accessories, and carries the same one-year warranty as a new iPhone, plus Apple's 14-day returns policy. The tech specs list the A18 chip, a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, IP68 water resistance, Face ID, the Action button and a 2-in-1 camera system with a 48MP Fusion camera and an optical-quality 2x Telephoto. Apple rates battery life at up to 26 hours of video playback. The limits are real: 128GB of storage to start, Qi wireless charging without MagSafe, USB 2 speeds, and no Ultra Wide camera. Apple also says supplies are limited, so colors and capacities come and go. We compared documented features and published prices only.

iPhone Air is the iPhone for people who care most about how the phone feels in a pocket. Apple's spec page lists a depth of 5.64 mm and a weight of 165 g, lighter than the 6.3-inch iPhone 17 at 177 g, while the screen is a larger 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED with ProMotion up to 120Hz. It runs the A19 Pro chip, uses Apple's N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 and the C1X modem, and has an 18MP Center Stage front camera. The compromises come from the thin body: one 48MP Fusion Main rear camera with no Ultra Wide, and up to 27 hours of video playback, which Apple says rises to up to 40 hours with the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery sold separately. Wireless charging tops out at 20W. At $1,099 for 256GB it costs $200 more than the iPhone 17, which has two rear cameras and longer battery life. We compared documented features and published prices only.

iPhone 16 is still on sale new at Apple, listed from $799 with carrier activation or $829 unlocked for 128GB when we checked. Apple's spec page lists the A18 chip, a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED with Dynamic Island and 2000 nits peak outdoor brightness, Camera Control, the Action button and IP68 water resistance. The rear camera pairs a 48MP Fusion Main with a 12MP Ultra Wide, which gives it a wider view than the single-camera iPhone 17e. MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging run up to 25W. The problem is value next to Apple's newer models. The iPhone 17e costs $130 less than the unlocked model, has the newer A19 chip and twice the storage at 256GB, and the iPhone 17 adds ProMotion and longer battery life for $100 more when both are bought unlocked. Apple rates the iPhone 16 at up to 22 hours of video playback, the lowest of the new phones on this list. We compared documented features and published prices only.

iPhone Duo is Apple's foldable, and Apple calls its inner screen the largest display of any iPhone. The spec page lists a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR folding OLED with a nano-texture finish inside and a 5.4-inch OLED outside, both with ProMotion up to 120Hz, plus the A20 Pro chip used in the iPhone 18 Pro. It is 5.2 mm thin open and 11.3 mm closed, and weighs 254 g. The rear has a 48MP Fusion Main and a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide, with a 12MP optical-quality 2x option, but no dedicated telephoto. Unlocking uses Touch ID in the side button rather than Face ID. Apple rates battery life at up to 44 hours of video playback on the outer display and up to 31 hours on the inner one, with up to 50% charge in around 20 minutes on a 60W-capable adapter. At $1,999 for 256GB it costs $800 more than the iPhone 18 Pro. We compared documented features and published prices only.

Refurbished iPhone 16 Plus is a low priced way to get a 6.7-inch iPhone with the A18 chip from Apple, at $749 for 128GB unlocked when we checked. Apple's refurbished listing says each unit gets a new battery and outer shell, ships with the original accessories in a new box, and has the same one-year warranty as a new iPhone. The tech specs list a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED at 2796 by 1290 pixels with Dynamic Island, the A18 chip, Camera Control, the Action button and IP68 water resistance. The cameras pair a 48MP Fusion camera with an Ultra Wide that has autofocus for macro photos. Apple rates battery life at up to 27 hours of video playback and up to 100 hours of audio playback. The drawbacks: only 128GB to start, no ProMotion display, and a price $50 above the new iPhone 17e with 256GB. Refurbished stock also varies by color and capacity. We compared documented features and published prices only.