Another unique feature of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is its S Pen Stylus, which has its own place inside the smartphone's frame. A detail that's grown to become quite unique.

Oppo has always experimented freely with the design of its flagship phones, sometimes with over-the-top solutions that didn't stand the test of taste. The Find X8 Pro strikes a good balance by using materials well. Each Pearl White model has a unique pattern on the textured back—that's the one to get. Verdict: “Pearlescent”

The round metal camera unit with the Hasselblad logo is a perfect match for the marble-y finish of the Pearl White model, regardless of the high-end marble kitchen countertop vibe.

Apple's design team knows the value of iteration well. The iPhone 16 Pro might be almost indistinguishable from its predecessor, but that's good!
No need to change a perfectly honed design just for the sake of it, unless you're making it significantly better. This leaves time and space for deliberate focus on other design details, like materials and colors. Verdict: timeless classic.

One single detail distinguishes the iPhone 16 Pro Max from the 15 Pro Max—the new camera button. We like it.

While the Pixel's design has evolved towards a more rounded appearance, Google's designers were able to keep the overall look and feel intact. This year's models have particularly good colors, although the outer metal rim steps may venture a trifle too far into iPhone territory. Yet, we believe this remains one of the best-looking Android phones of 2024. Verdict: all hail the Android King

The camera unit in the back has a unique horizontal shape that, despite changing shape, size, and color, has remained a recognizable design staple of the Pixel family generation after generation.

Xiaomi's almost top-tier 14T Pro goes for a classic shiny silver finish in its flagship color. It's a nice, balanced-looking phone. It won't make heads turn, to be fair, but it has a soft, adult elegance to it that talks to the taste of a wider audience.
Verdict: Silver fox.

The 4-lens camera unit is the only element standing out from the flat back. We like its precision, bonding well with the Leica logo incision.

Motorola has focused heavily on color in all of its lineup, and the new Edge 50 Neo is no exception. The phone comes in four Pantone colors with specific names, and the reason is simple: color is a massive consumer spending driver, so why hold back in making it a protagonist of a phone's design? Verdict: chromatic champion.

Each model sports a Pantone card on the back with the name of the color printed on it. The Poinciana red model is our favorite.

The OnePlus Nord, the only metal unibody smartphone currently on the market, is a testament to how industrial design has become a critical differentiator in the smartphone market, even at lower price points. It comes in three different finishes, including this Obsidian Midnight version in brushed aluminum.

Verdict: Affordable design piece.

The colored camera unit at the top stands out and gives the phone a distinguished dual-color look. In this version, the insert is quite reflective.

Carl Pei's Nothing operates more like a lifestyle brand specializing in capsule collections than a tech company, and that's refreshing. The Phone 2A now brings the brand's attention to design (and Teenage Engineering's recognizable brush strokes) to a much wider audience.
Verdict: Gen Z cares about Nothing.

The Glyph, Nothing's light signature, has a slightly different shape on the Phone 2A. It's a great little playful detail that you won't find in any other smartphone.

The new Vivo V40 leads the company's comeback in the European market. The brand has always been associated with simple and elegantly designed phones, and this model is no exception. The materials are very good, and you can notice the attention to detail. It's not the most outstanding design of 2024, but it's a solid one.
Verdict: Vivo, nice to have you back.

The Aura Light ring in the back is a primarily functional element for adding soft lighting to videos and photos, but it doubles as a unique design trait.

Xiaomi's first clamshell foldable smartphone isn't breaking new ground in a segment where engineering constraints severely limit design choices. Yet the Mix Flip keeps its own distinctive Xiaomi signature, thanks to high-quality materials and finishes.
Verdict: Interesting newcomer.

Xiaomi really wants everyone to know about its Leica camera. On the Mi Flip the logo is etched on the hinge cover.

Motorola's color-first design philosophy extends to its latest Razr 50 Ultra clamshell foldable, whose flagship color is a beautifully opinionated Forest Green. The Motorola etched logo on the back of the Razr 50 Ultra is a nice touch that highlights the green shade.

Verdict: Folding colors.

Thanks to its finish, the smartphone's colored chassis adds a distinctive tactile element. Motorola likes to cater to all senses, after all, and the brand's smartphones come in a perfumed box. We like that! Unfortunately, some users have gone ballistic about it online, claiming the scent annoys smell-sensitive individuals. Motorola, don't listen to that. Keep the scent flowing.

Honor's new Magic V3 is the thinnest foldable in Europe, but apart from that, it's just a great, well-designed product overall. The issue? A foldable is a foldable is a foldable. The new devices that promised to disrupt the boring landscape of smartphone design ended up homologating even faster.

Verdict: Folding to win.

One of the few elements where foldable can differentiate in design is the camera unit. Honor doubled the sides of its Magic 6 Pro and donned the V3 with a rounded octagon. It's a bold, big feature that some will like and others will loathe. Nevertheless, it adds character.