There’s almost never a perfect time to upgrade your phone because there’s constantly a new version ready to replace it. But that hasn’t seemed to stop us from always looking forward to what’s to come. A few phones have stuck out among the rest in the list of phones worth waiting for in 2023, like the OnePlus 11 5G and Nothing Phone 2. Here’s a short list of our favorites that are expected to make a debut this year according to a few reliable sources. 

REDMAGIC 8 Pro

This gaming smartphone has been in the works since the final end of 2022, and it was one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2023 in the gaming category. The REDMAGIC 8 Pro launched earlier this month in two variations: an elegant and minimalistic black (Matte), and a classic REDMAGIC transparent design (Void). It features the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, a larger 6000 mAh dual-cell battery, and they’ve also upgraded the internal cooling mechanism to an even cooler ICE 11.0 multidimensional cooling system with an extra layer of graphene under the screen.  

 

ASUS Rog 7 Series

Set to give REDMAGIC a run for their money is ASUS when they release the ROG Phone 7 series in the third quarter of 2023.  The Tech Outlook anticipates that there will be three variations available when it launches, namely the ASUS Rog Phone 7, Rog Phone 7D, and Rog Phone 7 Ultimate. It’s also reported that like the REDMAGIC 8 Pro, the ASUS Rog 7 series will have a 6000mAh battery and operate using a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.

OnePlus 11 5G

According to the Android Police, OnePlus is the best Android alternative if you’re not keen on owning a Samsung or Google. The design has shifted slightly from the OnePlus 10 Pro and 10T, with the square camera being replaced with a rounder one. It’s considered to be one of the most powerful flagship devices of 2023 because it uses the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and a 5000 mAh battery that’s paired with 100 W fast charging. 

Google Pixel Fold and 7a

Although there hasn’t been a confirmed release date as yet, the Google Pixel Fold is a smartphone that the tech industry has been waiting on since rumors were sparked in late 2020. An important lesson that can be learned from that is to never take rumors seriously, but we may also be learning that good things take a really long time. In the meantime, Google is expected to announce the release of the Pixel 7a at this year’s I/O conference in April/May. The Google Pixel 7a is expected to have three very powerful camera lenses with 50 MP, 64 MP, and 13 MP.

iPhone 15

Just as you’ve finished gathering all your coins to buy the latest iPhone 14 Pro, rumor has it that Apple is planning another massive release. This is perfect if you haven’t bought the 14 yet, but it’s not a train smash if you have because it’s quite possible to trade it in. MacRumors reports that there are four expected models of the iPhone15, but the official release is still months away. Some anticipated design features include the Dynamic Island being adopted across the entire iPhone 15 range. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung has already opened its platform for enthusiasts to pre-order the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which will officially be released on February 17th. According to a review on CNET, it’s designed to have the ultimate camera for photographers and cinematographers. It’s said to have a 6.8-inch screen that’s bigger than those on the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Google Pixel 7 Pro, and an unbelievable set of cameras that has up to 200-megapixels of resolution.

Nothing Phone 2

The second generation Nothing Phone has been confirmed to release in the U.S. in late 2023. There isn’t much information available currently, but the distinct transparent look of Nothing is what makes it stand out, so that’s a feature we expect to remain prominent. Android Authority also predicts that the price won’t jump too much from the first generation, as they expect that the creators will use the same strategy as last year.

There’s Something for Everyone 

This is a list of flagship smartphones and gaming smartphones to look forward to, but there’s an entire list of budget smartphones that you can check out and a whole host of other flagships that are set to launch in 2023. Is there one in particular that you were hoping to spot on this list? Let the Heyup Community know what you think.