Think you need the best phone when you head back to class? Premium handsets are designed to deliver everything you would want. Flagship smartphones are supposed to be the best a company can bring to market. It’s not just the specs, but also the design, functionality and user experience that help make them the elite models they’re supposed to be. Best screens, best processors, best cameras, and best software.

But you don’t always have to go the flagship route if you don’t need or want to. There are great smartphone options, with the features you need and very good cameras, suitable for any budget now that we’re back to school. This list is to help give you some context on what’s available and what to keep in mind before you make the call.

Apple iPhone 14

The iPhone 14 comes in four different models. You can go the flagship route with the iPhone 14 Pro or 14 Pro Max. The Max may be the biggest of them all, but the regular Pro is the more functional of the two because of its comfort and operatibility. It’s easier to use one-handed, fits in more pockets. Mind you, if you want to go even smaller, you could always consider the iPhone 13 mini.

The iPhone 14 Pro has a 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display made of tougher sapphire glass framed by stainless steel edges. If you’re upgrading from another iPhone that has the home button, don’t fret too much about it. You can use Face ID or a PIN code in lieu of a fingerprint sensor. By now, the gesture controls to navigate iOS are intuitive and easy to grasp.

The iPhone 14 Plus is as big as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, so if you want size without the extra bells and whistles, that’s one way to go. Apple did not make a mini version of the iPhone in 2022, choosing to go bigger this time. All the iPhone 14 models have improved camera performance, including video. Action mode will be easier to capture moving subjects. Cinematic mode gives videos the Hollywood treatment. Low-light photography also gets a boost, and there are plenty of third-party apps to shoot with.

No matter what you’re studying, the App Store likely has something to help make class and homework easier. And if you have a Mac or iPad, the integration is better than it was before.

iPhone SE

This is the best value you can find if an iPhone is what you’re looking for. The latest iPhone SE has the same A15 Bionic processor equipped in the iPhone 14 models (not the Pro though), yet brings back the fingerprint sensor from past models. You can look at this like an iPhone 8 design with the guts of an iPhone 13.

The 4.7-inch Retina HD display is vibrant and includes a 12-megapixel rear camera to shoot photos that are on par with at least the iPhone 11. Wireless charging, fast wired charging and an IP67 waterproof rating round out what is one of the best mid-range phones available.

If you did want something with a bigger screen and a second rear camera lens, you could always go the way of the iPhone 11 or iPhone 12. They are more mid-range options within Apple’s phone lineup, and more affordable options outside of the Pro models.

Samsung Galaxy S23 lineup

Samsung took some bigger strides with the Galaxy S23 phone trio, so they’re worth consideration if you’re willing to go more high-end on the Android side. The Galaxy S23 Ultra stands out compared to the Galaxy S23+ and S23, especially when it comes to the S Pen and camera performance. Beyond just the spec sheet, where the S23+ and S23 are very similar, they also offer more value compared to the Ultra if you want a premium experience for less.

The S Pen integrates into the S23 Ultra with a holster at the bottom. If you remember the Galaxy Note series, that’s essentially what that device is now. Unfortunately, the other two phones don’t come with the pen, nor are they compatible with it. If you’re after something that can be useful in class, like jotting down notes, the phone can convert your handwriting into text you can use in a word processing app on your computer or tablet. It can also function as a remote shutter for the camera app to simplify taking photos hands-free.

All have gorgeous screens to look at, though if you were looking for more of a one-handed size, the S23 is your best bet. Samsung’s One UI software blends in well with Android, and looks the same on all three of these phones. It’s easy to like the excellent performance, supported by four years of Android updates and five years of monthly security updates.

The Ultra is unique for its large 200-megapixel image sensor for the main camera, capable of shooting larger images you can crop in to afterward. The S23+ and S23 won’t give you that, but they do share good camera specs capable of capturing quality images

Google Pixel 7a

The Pixel 7a is a bit of a rarity in that it’s a mid-range phone that can take photos like something double the price. Indeed, the device borrows heavily from the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, and not just with camera output. It’s not only water-resistant, but also finally supports wireless charging. It comes with 128GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM, which is pretty good for a mid-ranger. The 6.1-inch OLED screen is not only nice to look at, but also has a smoother 90Hz refresh rate. Battery life than is better than the other Pixels, mainly because the phone’s Google’s Tensor G2 chip runs things more efficiently.

The camera is the jewel of the Pixel 7a, capturing some of the best images you’ll find in a device of its calibre. The setup is very similar to the previous Pixel 6a, except the cameras are different on this one. Google’s software computation is best in class, and it shows with every shot you take. Try it in night and low-light conditions and you can expect amazing results most of the time. In lieu of a telephoto lens, Super Res Zoom can step in to take decent shots at 2x zoom. Portrait shots—both from the rear and front cameras—are even better than before.

Once you do get a shot and you want to remove people or objects from it, you can always try Magic Eraser in Google Photos. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help wipe them out and blend in other elements in the image as if they were never there.

Samsung Galaxy A54

When it comes to more budget-friendly Samsung devices, the Galaxy A54 comes to mind. It’s fairly sizeable with its 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen and polycarbonate body in the back. It’s not a premium phone, but looks and feels like something more elegant and refined.

This is the kind of phone that just works. It doesn’t stand out for the best specs or performance, though Samsung did make some improvements across the board to make this phone a better performer. If you’re looking for a phone that can handle messaging, social media, browsing, media streaming, and some casual gaming, the Galaxy A54 is well suited to all of that.

The 128GB of storage is on the lower end these days, but you can expand on that with a memory card all the way up to 1TB. There are three cameras in the rear to take photos, plus one in front for selfies. While you can’t expect mage quality on par with the Galaxy S23 lineup, you should find photos come out looking good—not to mention better than the Galaxy A53.

Battery life holds up well, lasting longer than the Galaxy S23 phones generally do. Still no wireless charging support, unfortunately, but it can charge quickly if you use a 25W Samsung charger, going from 0-100% in about 80 minutes.

Finding the phone for you

The list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some of the other unique handsets available. If your budget is tighter, yet still want some of the goodies available in flagship is worth a look. Take a look at the latest smartphones available now, as well as all the best back to school products you can find today.

Ted Kritsonis
Editor Cellular/Mobile Technology
I’m a fortunate man in being able to do the fun job of following and reporting on one of the most exciting industries in the world today. In my time covering consumer tech, I’ve written for a number of publications, including the Globe and Mail, Yahoo! Canada, CBC.ca, Canoe, Digital Trends, MobileSyrup, G4 Tech, PC World, Faze and AppStorm. I’ve also appeared on TV as a tech expert for Global, CTV and the Shopping Channel.

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