Phone Buying Guides

Step-by-step decision guides for buyers. Every guide links its recommendations back to phones that won (or placed in) MKBHD's Smartphone Awards.

Guide

5G vs 4G Explained: What Actually Matters for Phone Buyers in 2026

5G vs 4G explained for phone buyers in 2026. Sub-6 vs mmWave, standalone vs non-standalone, and which 5G band matters for your carrier.

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Guide

Apple Intelligence vs Galaxy AI vs Pixel AI: What's the Difference?

Apple Intelligence vs Galaxy AI vs Pixel AI explained. Feature differences, supported devices, and which AI suite to pick in 2026.

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Are Foldable Phones Worth It in 2026?

Are foldable phones worth it in 2026? Honest take on hinges, durability, battery, and price. With MKBHD's Best Foldable award winners.

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Guide

Best Samsung Galaxy: Which Model Should You Buy in 2026?

Best Samsung Galaxy in 2026 — every current model ranked by use case. S25 Ultra, Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, A55 picks with MKBHD award context.

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Guide

Galaxy S22 to S25: Should You Upgrade in 2026?

Galaxy S22 to S25 upgrade decision in 2026: Galaxy AI, 7-year update commitment, dramatic chip improvement evaluated.

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Guide

How Much Phone Storage Do You Need in 2026?

How much phone storage you actually need in 2026. 128GB vs 256GB vs 512GB vs 1TB explained with usage breakdowns.

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Guide

How Much Should You Spend on a Phone in 2026?

How much to spend on a smartphone in 2026: price tiers explained with award-winning picks at each level. Backed by MKBHD's awards.

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Guide

How to Choose a Smartphone in 2026: A Buyer's Guide Backed by 12 Years of Awards

How to choose a smartphone in 2026: budget, ecosystem, camera, battery, and updates explained — with award-winning picks at every price tier.

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Guide

iPhone 13 to iPhone 17: Worth Upgrading After 4 Years?

iPhone 13 to iPhone 17 upgrade decision: Apple Intelligence, USB-C, ProMotion, and the 2025 Phone of the Year award.

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Guide

iPhone 15 Pro to iPhone 17 Pro: Should You Upgrade in 2026?

Should you upgrade from iPhone 15 Pro to iPhone 17 Pro in 2026? Decision framework with award context, costs, and trade-offs.

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iPhone 17 vs Pro vs Air vs Pro Max: Which Model Should You Buy?

iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max compared. Recommendations by use case, with MKBHD-award context for each model.

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Guide

iPhone Trade-In Guide 2026: How to Get the Most for Your Old iPhone

iPhone trade-in guide for 2026: Apple, carrier, third-party options compared. Maximize your trade value when upgrading.

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Guide

iPhone vs Android in 2026: How to Decide What to Buy

iPhone vs Android in 2026: ecosystem, AI features, camera, and price decision-making framework. Backed by MKBHD's Smartphone Awards.

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Mobile Photography Buyer's Guide 2026: Which Phone, Which Lens, Which App

How to choose a phone for photography in 2026: lens systems, computational features, video pipelines. Backed by MKBHD's Best Camera awards.

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Guide

Mobile Photography Glossary 2026: Terms Every Phone Buyer Should Know

Mobile photography glossary 2026: ProRes Log, periscope, computational photography, OIS, EIS explained for phone buyers.

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Guide

Phone Screen Sizes Explained: 5.4 to 8 Inches in 2026

Phone screen sizes in 2026 explained: small (under 6.4 inches), standard (6.4-6.7), big (6.7+), and foldable (8+). Award-winning picks at each size.

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Guide

Pixel 7 to Pixel 9: Is the Upgrade Worth It in 2026?

Pixel 7 to Pixel 9 upgrade decision: Magic Editor, Tensor G4, and 7-year update commitment. Pixel 9 Pro won MKBHD's 2024 Most Improved.

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Guide

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to S25 Ultra: Should You Upgrade in 2026?

Should you upgrade from Galaxy S23 Ultra to S25 Ultra in 2026? Decision framework with award context, costs, and trade-offs.

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Guide

Should I Upgrade My Phone in 2026? A Decision Framework

Should you upgrade your phone in 2026? Framework for deciding by phone age, OS version, and what's actually new. Backed by MKBHD's Smartphone Awards.

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Guide

Unlocked vs Carrier Phones in 2026: What's the Difference?

Unlocked vs carrier phones explained: pros, cons, and which to buy in 2026. Includes financing, trade-in, and resale considerations.

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Guide

When Should You Upgrade Your Android Phone? A Decision Framework

When to upgrade your Android phone in 2026: signs to watch for, support timelines by manufacturer, and best targets.

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Guide

When Should You Upgrade Your iPhone? A Decision Framework

When to upgrade your iPhone in 2026: signs to watch for, support timelines, and best targets. Backed by MKBHD's Smartphone Awards.

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