This year brought us a variety of flagships in multiple form factors. One common thing these phones shared was their focus on design and providing a premium feel, regardless of the price tag. We also saw the introduction of new material through the iPhone while Vivo continued its quest to offer unique back panels. Competition between the unique flip phones grew, while the OnePlus Open changed the game for the foldable segment. Here are our top picks for the best-designed phones of 2023.
OnePlus Open
OnePlus and its parent brand, OPPO, brought their A-game to the foldable market with the OnePlus Open. OPPO has been known to provide a thin design, crease-less display and brilliant camera in this form factor. With this product, the engineers have gone out of their way to enable an even slimmer body thanks to an advanced hinge with fewer parts.
The OnePlus Open comes in matte glass and vegan leather options and is about as light as an iPhone 14 Pro Max. It does miss out on a water resistance rating but has been certified for an impressive 1 million fold-test by TUV Rheinland.
Price in India: Rs 1,39,999 | Buy here
iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are Apple’s first phones with a Titanium frame. The new, more expensive material replaces the stainless steel sides we’ve seen on their top-of-the-line models since the iPhone X. It allows Apple to provide better durability and a more fingerprint-resistant brushed metal finish, all while reducing the weight of the device.
This upgrade was due for a while as iPhones got significantly heavier in the last few years with their camera hardware and other enhancements. However, there have been concerns over how well Titanium will retain the coated colour in daily usage or how prone it will be to chipping when dropped or scratched.
Price in India: Rs 1,34,900 | Buy here
Google Pixel 8 Pro
With the Google Pixel 8 series, the American giant has made several important decisions, the first being the removal of a curved display from its Pro model. Both devices now feature a flat panel on the front with seemingly symmetric bezels and come in fan-favourite colour options. This does help with the durability of the phones. The matte glass back has made a much-awaited comeback to the Pixel 8 Pro, and with its unique camera visor, the device maintains a distinctive look in the sea of smartphones with a camera island.
Price in India: Rs 1,06,999 | Buy here
OPPO Find N3 Flip
Book-style foldable and bar-sized phones are not the only form factors that OPPO is excelling at. At first look, it might seem like the OPPO Find N3 Flip misses out on providing a full screen on its top half compared to its competitors. But the brand offers a brilliant explanation by demoing just how well apps meant for its full-size internal screen work in this small window with a suitable aspect ratio.
The OPPO Find N3 Flip also comes in a striking Gold colour option, and the ridges on the camera bump are undoubtedly a nice touch. The decision to opt for a glossy glass back might seem weird, but it helps the device be not as slippery as its predecessor.
Price in India: Rs 94,999 | Buy here
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 brings a major design language switch to Samsung’s flip-style foldable. Samsung has provided an option to display widgets, reply to messages and even open full-sized apps on the new 3.4-inch cover screen. The glossy back glass has made an unexpected comeback. Still, the phone does come with an option for a matte back with Samsung-exclusive colour options, which are available in quite a few regions and lead to an impressive eight-colour portfolio for this device.
Price in India: Rs 99,999 | Buy here
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
Motorola’s Razr series has focused on maintaining an iconic design while providing the biggest cover display in the market. The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra is no different, with almost the entire top half of the flip-foldable being a display. It comes in a bold Viva Magenta colour option with a vegan-leather design, which is certainly our favourite.
Price in India: Rs 72,999 | Buy here
OPPO Reno10 Series
The OPPO Reno10 series is proof that OPPO’s designers come with some of the most striking design languages for their phones. These upper mid-range devices feature a unique metal camera bump paired with a beautiful set of colour options. However, the decision to opt for a plastic frame on this device is a little controversial, but it does help with the weight.
Price in India: Rs 32,999 | Buy here
Nothing Phone (2)
Nothing Phone (2) is the brand’s second device and features the iconic glyph lighting functionality on the back. It has also been improved and further divided into pieces and zones that can even show the progress of your food delivery through Zomato. It is one of the few phones in the market to provide a metal frame at its price segment and symmetrical bezels on the front.
Price in India: Rs 39,999 | Buy here
Vivo V29 Series
Vivo’s V29 series continues the brand’s streak of providing premium design to its “selfie experts.” The brand’s latest V series devices come in various colour options, with each one providing a distinctive look. The “Himalayan Blue” provides a refreshing look with faint, shimmering ice caps. The “Majestic Red”, on the other hand, features a colour-changing back that turns Purple in contact with Sunlight. It comes with a Fluorite AG Glass, similar to the classic Black variant. The Aura Light on the camera bump is a nice touch with added functionality.
Price in India: Rs 32,999 | Buy here
Realme 11 Pro Series
The Realme 11 Pro series comes with a vegan leather design for its Sunrise Beige and Oasis Green colour options. These colours also feature a 3D woven texture, bringing a “Milan urban fashion aesthetic” to the phone. The device was designed in collaboration with Matteo Menotto, a prints and textile designer who has worked for brands such as Gucci and his uniqueness is visible in the phone’s look.
Price in India: Rs 22,999 | Buy here
Motorola Edge 40 Neo
Motorola Edge 40 Neo is probably the only phone that comes exclusively with PANTONE-curated colour options. The phone comes with a soft vegan leather fashion in an ultra-thin design. The phone also features a curved screen. Motorola has further collaborated to bring Pantone Color of the Year 2024, the Peach Fuzz variant, which should be available soon in the global market.
Price in India: Rs 22,999 | Buy here
