Stuff 2024 Gadget Awards winners - Smartphones

What a year! What a lot of gear! Struggling to remember what’s hot and what’s not? We’ve done the hard work for you – join us in celebrating the very best tech to have come out in the previous 12 months. If you’re planning to add something to your gadget arsenal, these are all excellent choices. After all, they’ve just won an award.

PHONE OF THE YEAR

APPLE iPHONE 16

It was awesome even before its headline innovation, the Apple Intelligence suite of AI tools, turned up . Robo-assisted shopping lists aside, though, there’s more than enough about the iPhone 16 to make it this year’s top phone. While it looks very similar to its last-gen equivalent, it’s improved in several key areas.
Battery life is better – enough that we noticed the extra hour or so of use it provides. The biggest glow-up, however, is the camera: it now has a 2x telephoto zoom mode, while the new Camera Control hardware button makes opening and using this iPhone’s snapping app a more slick and user-friendly process. Last time around, we’d have recommended the Pro model as the go-to choice for anyone buying a new iPhone; with this generation, the baseline iPhone 16 proves itself to be more than enough smartphone for most
of us.
from R21 000 / incredible.co.za

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Huawei Pura 70 Pro Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

ALSO SHORTLISTED
Xiaomi 14 Ultra

MID-RANGE PHONE OF THE YEAR

SAMSUNG GALAXY A55

Samsung consistently makes it hard for every other brand that makes mid-range smartphones. The Galaxy A55 includes the brand’s signature design and polish, incorporates a 120Hz 6.6in Super AMOLED few others can touch at any price point, and also bangs in a decent collection of camera hardware. At less than half the price of a flagship, the A55 makes for attractive viewing from all directions. South Africans only have the 256GB/8GB model on offer but that’s hardly a hardship. It’s stylish, speedy, and even offers a full IP67 waterproof rating. About the only thing missing is Samsung’s quickest processors but then it wouldn’t be mid-range any more , would it?
R10 000 / samsung.com/za

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Honor 200 Pro

ALSO SHORTLISTED
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13

AFFORDABLE PHONE OF THE YEAR

HUAWEI NOVA 12i

There is a ton of competition in the South African market’s budget lineup each year but this time the choice was simple enough. Huawei’s Nova 12i packs loads into a very affordable frame, combining unique (for smartphones) design with components and features outside of their price point. The Snapdragon 680 4G delivers decent speed for a R5k device and Huawei has gone all-in on one big feature – the camera. There’s the obligatory dual rear sensor setup but it’s the main lens that’s noteworthy. A massive 108MP sensor handles image duties, making this a sensible choice for wannabe influencers with cash-flow issues. An excellent 6.7in IPS display also helps matters.
R5 300 / huawei.com

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Xiaomi Redmi 13c – Hisense U70 Pro

ALSO SHORTLISTED
Samsung Galaxy A05s

CAMERA PHONE OF THE YEAR

XIAOMI 14 ULTRA

This category’s top dog really is a no-brainer. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra sits head and shoulders above every other 2024 smartphone when it comes to camera hardware. It can even be combined with an optional case and grip to give it the look and feel of a retro rangefinder and make use of 67mm lens filters. Cynics will sniff that the Leica co-branding is just a marketing move; we say the proof of the pudding is in the eating – or the snapping. The legendary camera company developed the lenses for this phone, as well as a couple of colour-processing modes, and the results are astonishing. The 14 Ultra’s cameras deliver in every key aspect: sharp clarity, low noise, accurate colours and wide dynamic range. The app also gives you tons of creative control.
R37 000 / mi.com

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Google Pixel 9 Pro ● Apple iPhone 16 Pro

ALSO SHORTLISTED
Sony Xperia 1 VI ● Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

FOLDING PHONE OF THE YEAR

HONOR MAGIC V3

If 2024 goes down in the history books as the year that foldable phones finally went mainstream, the Honor Magic V3 will hold a big chunk of the responsibility for it. Yes, acquiring one will still put a hurtin’ on your bank balance compared to a non-folding flagship, but the Magic V3 is much easier to live with than the average bendable handset. We love how thin and light it is – this is the first foldable that feels like a regular smartphone in your pocket. In fact, the hardware in general just feels reliable and pleasant to use, with none of the fragility we often find in foldables. It even has an IPX8 dunkability rating.
There’s room for improvement in the MagicOS UI, but elsewhere – screens, battery life and performance – it’s hard to find fault here.
R37 500 / honor.com