Apple iPhone XS Max dethroned as Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus claims Best Phone crown

The king is dead… Long live the king!

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

In news that is sure to delight Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus owners the world over, the Samsung flagship has just been officially recognised as the best phone in the world, dethroning the long-reigning incumbent, the Apple iPhone XS Max.

The Galaxy S10 Plus, which now sits proudly atop T3's authoritative best phones guide, not only received a glowing, 5-star review but also impressed the T3 Awards judges, who simply couldn't look past one of the most complete, feature-laden packages they'd ever seen in a smartphone.

Apple's more big-boned iPhone had rested at the pinnacle of our smartphones chart for months, with the phone's large HDR screen, strong camera system and powerful internal hardware making it an easy recommendation as a premium phone upgrade. 

However, as desirable and user-friendly as the iPhone XS Max is, it's now been ousted from the top spot by Samsung's Galaxy flagship. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus doesn't just hit hard in one or two areas, but across the entire board. 

From its phenomenal build quality to its stunning Quad HD+ AMOLED screen, to its powerhouse hardware and astonishingly large storage capacity – a whole 1TB! – and its rapid and slick OS and apps, the S10 Plus has left every other device in its wake. It's a premium, holistic smartphone that's beautiful to look at and great to use.

How will Apple respond to losing its best phone throne? We'll find out around September, when it looks set to officially announce its new iPhone. Some stunning iPhone 11 Max images, supposedly based on bona-fide CAD models, have already hit the web.

With the Galaxy S10 Plus riding high, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 scheduled to be announced in August, just before the new iPhone, Apple will need a seriously good device to win back its crown.

Robert Jones

Rob has been writing about computing, gaming, mobile, home entertainment technology, toys (specifically Lego and board games), smart home and more for over 15 years. As the editor of PC Gamer, and former Deputy Editor for T3.com, you can find Rob's work in magazines, bookazines and online, as well as on podcasts and videos, too. Outside of his work Rob is passionate about motorbikes, skiing/snowboarding and team sports, with football and cricket his two favourites.