Best unlocked phones 2024: choose any network or plan

Best unlocked phones: quick menu

Buying a new phone is something that most of us do on a relatively regular basis. Unlike a TV, which you can usually keep hold of for six or seven years before even thinking about an upgrade, phones get old quickly. Buying one unlocked – that means without being subsidised and tied to a particular network – allows you to stay ahead of the curve and upgrade whenever you want to, rather than having to wait for your contract to be up for renewal.  

And that isn’t the only benefit either. Buying an unlocked phone means you can sign up for a SIM-only package, which is not only cheaper, but usually allows you to change networks at shorter notice if you spot a better deal elsewhere. It also means you can choose from any carrier you want, rather than being tied to the one that sold you the phone in the first place. 

With so many people using their phones as portable media players, we’ve tested our fair share of them at What Hi-Fi? in recent years, paying particular attention to how they sound and what it’s like to watch video on their relatively small screens. That’s true of every phone on this list, but we also test what they’re like to use as day-to-day devices, taking photos, making calls, browsing the internet, and seeing just how long the battery lasts.

Every phone here has been exhaustively tested by our team of experts, a process you can read more about at the bottom of this page, but first up, here’s our pick of the best unlocked phones money can buy.

Written by
Joe Svetlik
Written by
Joe Svetlik

In nearly 20 years in the business, I’ve seen the mobile landscape alter beyond all recognition. Buying a locked handset is madness, given the pace of change, the fact that SIM-only deals are more competitive than ever, and that most networks hike their contract prices every year. If you want a great mobile device for music and movies, with more spare change in your pocket alongside it, check out the below.

The quick list

The best unlocked phone overall

What Hi-Fi? Awards 2023 winner. Picture and sound tweaks make the new Pro Max even better than its predecessor.

Specifications

Screen: 6.7in OLED
Resolution: 2796 x 1290 (460ppi)
Rear camera: 48MP + 12MP + 12MP
Front camera: 12MP
Battery: 4323mAh
Dimensions: 160 x 77 x 8.3cm
Weight: 221g

Reasons to buy

+
Incredibly sharp and punchy picture
+
Hi-fi-like sound via headphones
+
Loud, clear speakers

Reasons to avoid

-
A 21:9 ratio with no 'Island' ('Dynamic' or otherwise) would be nice

Don't ask us why, but Apple doesn't shout about the AV improvements on the latest top-end iPhone. It'll talk for days about the new camera and processing tech, but say nary a whisper about the picture and sound quality improvements. Presumably it assumes punters care more about the former than the latter. But the AV tweaks are definitely worth mentioning.

The image is much brighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max's, and packs bags of detail. But it doesn't sacrifice subtlety – rather it balances excitement with a natural feel. Sound is a little smoother as well, with more low-end impact, and a distinct lack of harshness in the treble. Its speakers reach impressively high volumes, too.

The handset has a refreshed design. It's 19g lighter, thanks to the use of titanium rather than the stainless steel of its predecessor. This also makes it harder wearing. And the Lightning port has gone in favour of a USB-C port – thanks to EU regulation, this will be the way forward for all iPhones from now on. The telephoto camera now has a little extra zoom as well. 

Plenty of improvements then. And while Apple might not talk up the AV tweaks, we're more than happy to.

Read the full Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review

The best unlocked Android phone

Sony’s flagship is the best pocket cinema money can buy.

Specifications

Screen: 6.5in OLED
Resolution: 1644 x 3840 (643ppi)
Rear camera: 48MP + 12MP + 12MP
Front camera: 12MP
Battery: 5000mAh
Dimensions: 16.5 x 7 x 8cm
Weight: 187g

Reasons to buy

+
Cinematic picture for a smartphone
+
New design looks and feels great
+
Wired and wireless audio compatibility

Reasons to avoid

-
Tall screen can be awkward at times
-
Expensive

The latest instalment in Sony's Award-winning Xperia 1 range is the best yet. Its battery is 500mAh bigger than its predecessor's, yet the phone price remains the same, which bucks the trend for recent devices. 

Its new look is a winner too – the smooth matt glass on the rear has been replaced with a textured Gorilla Glass Victus that's stronger and easier to grip (a boon with such a tall and skinny smartphone). The rear camera housing has been slightly redesigned, and there's a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset inside. Android 13 comes as standard.

But despite these changes, the same winning formula remains. It's still one of the few handsets with a 3.5mm headphone socket, which plenty of people will appreciate, and it retains the 6.5-inch OLED screen with 21:9 aspect ratio and 120Hz refresh rate. 

In terms of a pure AV experience, it's one of the best phones currently available, with that screen delivering the closest thing you'll get to a cinematic experience on a smartphone. It supports hi-res audio when paired with a decent pair of wired headphones, and you're well served for wireless options, with Bluetooth 5.3 with LEaptxHD, aptx Adaptive and LDAC codecs. You can enable Dolby Atmos within the sound settings of the device too. 

The phone's front-firing stereo speaker arrangement floors the usual earpiece and bottom-firing speaker setup we see on most other phones, and visually, it's stunning. For a cinema on the move, look no further.

Read the full Sony Xperia 1 V review

The best cheap unlocked phone

What Hi-Fi? Awards 2023 winner. More portable budget AV brilliance from Sony.

Specifications

Screen: 6.1in OLED
Resolution: 1080 x 2520 (449 ppi)
Rear camera: 48MP + 8MP + 8MP
Front camera: 8MP
Battery: 5000mAh
Dimensions: 15.5 x 6.8 x 08.cm
Weight: 159g

Reasons to buy

+
Sharp and solid image
+
Dynamic and detailed headphone sound
+
Greatly improved speakers

Reasons to avoid

-
Slightly underpowered
-
Vibration through handset

Sony's Xperia phones are the polar opposite of Apple's iPhones. While Apple doesn't even mention its AV improvements, Sony uses them as its main selling point. Xperia phones are some of the few to still feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a boon to fans of wired headphones.

The entry-level Xperia 10 V follows the Award-winning mark IV model, and while it's only a slight upgrade, it's still a remarkable performer for the money. Sound quality is superb, especially if you take advantage of that lesser-spotted headphone port. And the picture is sharp, solid and detailed throughout, even if the screen is a relatively modest 6.1 inches.

About the only downsides we can find are that the specs like processor, RAM and storage could be a little higher. And the camera pales in the face of stronger competition elsewhere. But if you prize image and sound quality, and you're on a budget, this is the phone for you.

Read the full Sony Xperia 10 V review

The best mid-range unlocked phone

Sony’s final Mark V phone continues its trend of AV excellence.

Specifications

Screen: 6.1in OLED
Resolution: 1080 x 2520 (449ppi)
Rear camera: 48MP + 12MP
Front camera: 12MP
Battery: 5000mAh
Dimensions (hwd): 15.4 x 6.8 x 0.8cm
Weight: 182g

Reasons to buy

+
Sharp and detailed image
+
Excellent contrast and depth
+
Natural and rich sound

Reasons to avoid

-
Speakers sound slightly lightweight

If you're confused by Sony's naming convention for its phones, we don't blame you. Xperia 5 is the model, and it sits mid-way between the flagship Xperia 1 and budget Xperia 10 listed above. The 'V' part is the iteration, so this is the fifth variant of the Xperia 5. And it's the best yet.

Not that it likes to shout about it. Apart from the redesigned camera module, it's almost indistinguishable from the Xperia 5 IV, complete with 3.5mm headphone jack – a rarity nowadays. The screen is the same size and resolution as the cheaper Xperia 10 V, but has a higher refresh rate (120Hz) and Sony’s Creator Mode which brings the image closer to the creator's original vision. HDR comes courtesy of the HDR10 standard.

Sound features are also very similar to the other two models in the lineup, with front-facing stereo loudspeakers, hi-res wired audio and plenty of Bluetooth 5.3 audio codecs including A2DP, LE AudioaptX HD and aptX Adaptive, as well as immersive audio formats in the form of Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio.

While the screen is smaller than the 1 V's, it's still seriously impressive, with deep inky blacks and popping bright highlights. The only issue is that content not in the 21:9 aspect ratio gets hefty black pillars flanking the left and right of the picture. But the audio is also up there with the best on a mobile – you'll want to make use of that 3.5mm headphone port.

The Xperia 5 V is also cheaper than its predecessor, which is very welcome indeed. 

Read the full Sony Xperia 5 V review

The best unlocked Samsung phone

Ultra by name, Ultra by nature?

Specifications

Screen: 6.8in AMOLED
Resolution: 1440 x 3088 (500ppi)
Rear camera: 200MP + 10MP + 12MP + 10MP
Front camera: 12MP
Battery: 5000mAh
Dimensions (hwd) : 7.8 x 16.3 x 0.9cm
Weight: 233g

Reasons to buy

+
120Hz display
+
Next-generation camera
+
Fantastic build

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive
-
Minimal AV updates over last year
-
Tough competition

The S22 Ultra took over where the now-defunct Galaxy Note handset left off, with a massive OLED screen and support for the S Pen stylus. But its successor, though still mighty fine, doesn't move things along to anywhere near the same degree. 

It looks almost identical to its predecessor, and has a very similar screen. The main improvement is the new 200MP main camera, and it is brilliant, fusing top-notch performance with intuitive software, meaning even the most amateur of photographers can snap a quality image.

The screen shows off movies in wonderful detail, while for audio, its speaker performance trumps most rival smartphones'. Though when listening through headphones, you will be better served elsewhere.

It's another great entrant in the Galaxy range, but just a shame it's not quite as giant a leap as its predecessor.

Read the full Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review

Also consider

Google Pixel 8 Pro: Android is synonymous with Google, and its phones often get new OS features first, so the Pixel range is particularly appealing to Android aficionados. Its AV skills aren’t as accomplished as the Sony Xperia 1 V, but as an Android all-rounder there’s still a lot to like about the Pixel 8 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Samsung’s latest Galaxy is absolutely packed with cutting edge smartphone features, but like its predecessor listed above, it can’t quite match its main competitors when it comes to AV performance. If you’re a Samsung fan but aren’t fussed about having the very latest handset, you can save yourself a bit of cash by opting for the S23 Ultra instead. 

OnePlus 11 5G: It’s older than the similarly priced Sony Xperia 5 V, and the newer OnePlus 12 is now available, but for at least £200 less the OnePlus 11 5G still offers solid AV performance and a more premium build than phones at the more budget end of the market, such as Sony’s Xperia 10 V.

How to choose the best unlocked phone for you

Choosing the best unlocked phone is no different to choosing from a network, it just gives you more flexibility around how you use it. Most of the big phone makers, including Apple, Samsung and Google, all sell unlocked phones, or you can buy them through retailers such as Amazon.

For many people the key consideration when looking for a new phone is its operating system. Apple phones run iOS, while pretty much everything else from Alcatel to Xiaomi is powered by Google’s Android platform. For better or worse most manufacturers will add their own skins, apps and features to set them apart from the competition, but the way they work underneath is fundamentally the same. Most people are more familiar with one or the other and switching sides can take quite a bit of getting used to, so bear that in mind before changing allegiance.

Screen size is another major feature that should inform your decision. It’s hard to find a phone with a screen smaller than six inches these days, and while bigger obviously means better when it comes to watching videos and using apps, if you go too large you might end up testing the seams of your pockets. Bigger phones can also be trickier to operate with one hand, too.

Perhaps more important than outright size is what kind of tech the screen uses. OLEDs can offer the best contrast, blackest blacks and most vibrant colours, which will be important if you want to use your phone to stream videos. Resolution is also important, although a phone screen crams lots of pixels into a relatively small space, so you don’t necessarily need the very highest resolution to get a sharp, detailed picture. As standard, many phones come with at least 1080p, although 4K displays are starting to appear on the highest-end models.

Smartphone speakers have improved significantly in recent years, but there aren’t many situations when they’re required for watching movies or listening to music out loud, so you’re better off focusing on which Bluetooth audio codecs it supports. LDAC, aptX Lossless and LHDC are among the best currently available, but you also need to check which ones your headphones support or you won't be able to take advantage of them.

Speaking of cans, 3.5mm ports have become an endangered species in the smartphone world, but if you’re still committed to wires there are some phones that have them, mainly those made by Sony. 

Aside from AV features, it’s also worth checking how capable the cameras are, how long the battery lasts, and how much storage is onboard, especially if you’re going to use it to store music files. 

Longevity is also worth considering, which rests mainly on what kind of processor is inside and how much RAM it’s paired with. The newest phones tend to come with the newest, most powerful processors, which in theory will keep the phone feeling quick and responsive for longer. Owning an unlocked phone does give you the opportunity to sell it and buy a new one at any point, though, and unlocked phones tend to be worth more on the second-hand market, so lifespan might not be as important as when you’re buying a new phone on a long contract.

And that’s the beauty of buying an unlocked phone. While it’s obviously better to get it right the first time, if you decide you’ve made a mistake, or something better comes along soon after, it’s easy to switch to a different phone. Just swap the SIM cards over, transfer your data and you’re good to go.

How we test the best unlocked smartphones

Testing an unlocked phone is no different to testing one that’s tied to a particular network. In fact, the majority of the phones we test are unlocked because they come direct from the manufacturer rather than being supplied by one of the carriers, but they all go through the same fine-toothed evaluation.  

Every phone we test, whether it’s made by Apple, Samsung, Sony, Google or one of the more new-on-the-scene manufacturers such as OnePlus or Huawei, is thoroughly lived with. So while we have state-of-the-art facilities in London and Bath, where we’ll take the phones for some dedicated interrogation, there’s a lot of real-world use that goes into testing each one. After all, when you buy a phone you use it in all sorts of situations and environments, not just at home on your sofa.

As you’d expect from a title called What Hi-Fi? we put extra effort into testing audio and video performance, but every feature and spec is put on trial during the process. We see what it’s like to use the screen in different lighting conditions; use the cameras to take enough photos to fill a whole album; assess general usability and processor performance; and do full battery tests to see how long you can expect it to last before you need to reach for your charger.

Testing at What Hi-Fi isn’t done totally in isolation either. Every phone is compared to its rivals, and our verdicts are the result of a collaboration between the whole editorial team, so no review is ever just the opinion of one individual. That’s why you can rely on our reviews to be impartial and consistent, backed by the knowledge and experience of a team that has collectively been in the reviewing business for more than 100 years. You can read more about our general testing procedures, processes and protocols here.

Through this painstaking process we are able to single out the very best products in a whole range of categories and compile our Best Buy guides. That means anything included on this list, or any of our other Best Buy pages, comes recommended by our team. In other words, these are the only products you should consider buying.

FAQ

What’s the difference between a locked and unlocked phone?

When you sign up for a mobile phone contract with a network, the phone you get as part of the deal will only work with SIM cards from that particular carrier. That means it’s locked to that network and the cost of the handset itself will be spread across the length of the contract. If you want to change to a different network when your contract comes to an end but keep that phone, you’ll need to pay to have it unlocked.

Buying an unlocked phone directly from the manufacturer, however, means it will work with SIM cards from any network straight out of the box. 

What are the benefits of getting an unlocked phone?

The main one is choice. Owning an unlocked phone gives you the freedom to choose a SIM-only plan from any network you like, potentially even on a rolling month-by-month deal, so if you find that the coverage is no good where you live, or a better offer comes along from a different network, you don’t have to wait as long to jump ship.

SIM-only deals don’t include an expensive handset either, so they’ll usually cost less per month, particularly if you’re willing to commit for a period longer than 30 days. 

Are there any downsides to unlocked phones?

Getting an unlocked phone does mean you need to find a pretty hefty chunk of money upfront to buy it outright, rather than spreading the cost out over a year or two (or sometimes even longer these days). That can be tough to stomach, but in many cases it actually works out cheaper than taking out a contract that includes the cost of a locked phone. 

Recent updates

  • 8th March 2024: Added new intro, product grid, author block, photo galleries, also consider, how to choose, how we test, and FAQ sections.

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Joe Svetlik

Joe has been writing about tech for 17 years, first on staff at T3 magazine, then in a freelance capacity for Stuff, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, Men's Health, GQ, The Mirror, Trusted Reviews, TechRadar and many more (including What Hi-Fi?). His specialities include all things mobile, headphones and speakers that he can't justifying spending money on.

With contributions from