You think that the Apple iPhone 15 Pro is among the greatest iPhones available on the market at the moment. The majority of Apple’s most recent cutting-edge technology is available, including USB-C, the potent new A17 Pro chip, a titanium body, an enhanced camera system, a stunning ProMotion display, and an Action button. This is Apple’s most expensive phone, yet it’s small.

However, you should be aware that you have more options if you’re in the market for a new phone. If you’re not really invested in Apple’s ecosystem, you don’t absolutely need the newest and greatest products from the company.

Here are five excellent phones, some of which are even better than the iPhone 15 Pro, that you should purchase in its place if you’re not sure you want to spend at least $1,000 on an iPhone.

iPhone 15

The regular iPhone 15 is a good option if you still need an iPhone but don’t require all the other features. It is identical in size to the iPhone 15 Pro, with the same 48MP primary and 12MP ultrawide cameras, a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, and support for both USB-C charging and Dynamic Island.

Still, there are some distinctions. The iPhone 15 retains its aluminium shell rather than titanium, although it does have a quite lovely frosted matte coating on the back glass. Although it is still a quick and potent chip, it also makes use of the A16 Bionic chip, which made its debut with the iPhone 14 Pro last year.

Regretfully, the refresh rate of the display is limited to 60Hz. However, unless it’s side by side with another gadget that has a greater refresh rate, most people wouldn’t notice it. In addition, there is no telephoto lens, it still employs the conventional silent/ring toggle in place of the Action button, and it does not have an always-on display.

If you can live without the ostentatious new features, many of which you probably won’t need anyway, the iPhone 15 is still, overall, a pretty nice phone. Additionally, you can save some money because the iPhone 15 starts at $800 and is available in more vibrant colours, like pink.

Samsung Galaxy S24

In addition to starting $200 less than an iPhone 15 Pro, the new Samsung Galaxy S24 is another option for individuals who don’t mind leaving Apple’s gated ecosystem.

At about 6.2 inches, the Galaxy S24’s always-on LTPO AMOLED 2X display is nearly the same size as the iPhone 15 Pro. It also features a dynamic refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz. Additionally, it can attain a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, which is significantly brighter than the iPhone 15 Pro. It’s a superior presentation in almost every way.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip, which is an optimised variant created especially for Galaxy handsets, powers the Galaxy S24’s internal components. Better power efficiency and somewhat faster processing speeds are the results of this. Because to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, the S24’s 4,000mAh battery has a larger capacity than the iPhone 15 Pro’s 3,274mAh battery, and it can easily last more than a day. With only 25W, the charging speed is comparable to that of the iPhone 15 Pro, but it also offers 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

The Galaxy S24 boasts an amazing triple camera system for both still and moving images, consisting of a 50MP primary camera, a 10MP telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. There is a 12MP selfie camera. Though Samsung also tends to produce images with greater vibrancy, it is comparable to the iPhone 15 Pro. But this year, the S24 range boasts an enhanced colour profile that adds a little more realism to photos—it’s like having the best of both worlds.

With Galaxy AI, Samsung elevated AI to the S24 lineup’s main selling point. This includes a variety of AI-powered capabilities, such as the incredibly helpful Circle to Search function (which is also compatible with Google Pixel 8 phones), photo augmentation via Generative Edit, AI-powered Notes formatting and summarization, and more. While there are other Galaxy AI tools that also make life easier, the most remarkable is the Circle to Search option. The S24 has AI capabilities if you’re looking for them in a smartphone.

OnePlus 12

OnePlus has established a reputation for providing amazing specifications and genuinely distinctive designs that set it apart from the competition. The OnePlus 12 is an excellent substitute. It costs $200 less than the iPhone 15 Pro and boasts amazing specs and a beautiful look.

The stunning 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display on the OnePlus 12 has a refresh rate of 120Hz and a pixel density of 510 per inch. For a more immersive experience, it also features curved edges. Though it could cause unintentional touches and actions on the display, this is by no means a deal-breaker.

The OnePlus 12 boasts amazing performance and power. It easily has more RAM than the iPhone 15 Pro (8GB) since it includes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in addition to 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the storage option you choose (256GB or 512GB). Hasselblad colour tuning supports the excellent triple-lens camera system of the OnePlus 12. Three cameras are available to you: a 48MP ultrawide camera, a 64MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP primary camera. The phone has a 32MP selfie camera on the front. The colour profiles, exposure, and white balance are reasonably realistic and accurate because of Hasselblad.

The OnePlus 12 has one of the best batteries available, with a whopping 5,400mAh capacity and 80W wired fast charging (or 100W outside of the US). This implies that, using the included charger in the box, you can charge your battery from 100% to 100% in around 30 minutes. In addition, the OnePlus 12 outperforms the competition with its powerful 50W wired charging speed and 10W reverse wireless charging.

iPhone 14 Pro

Try the iPhone 14 Pro from 2022 if you’re determined to have an iPhone Pro but still want to save some cash.

The iPhone 14 Pro is still an excellent phone even though it is from an earlier generation. It was the first iPhone to come with the Dynamic Island feature, and it still sports the same 6.1-inch, 120Hz refresh rate ProMotion display. With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple also unveiled its 48MP primary camera, resulting in extraordinarily crisp and clear images. Additionally, iOS 17 still offers quick performance with the A16 Bionic.

The stainless steel coating on the iPhone 14 Pro gives it a more upscale appearance and feel than the titanium of the more recent iPhone 15 Pro, but it weighs a little more. However, when compared to the new titanium colours, the Deep Purple colour is breathtaking. The iPhone 14 Pro still has the previous silent/ring toggle, thus you won’t have the Action button either.

Pixel 8 Pro from Google

Take a look at a Google Pixel 8 Pro if you want an operating system that is clear and straightforward, like iOS, and you don’t mind moving to Android.

The Pixel 8 Pro continues to live up to Google’s reputation for having some of the greatest cameras has been used in recent years.You get a 50MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 48MP telephoto camera with a 5x optical zoom with the Pixel 8 Pro’s triple-lens camera. A 10.5MP selfie camera is also included. The Pixel 8 Pro produces stunning images with accurate colour reproduction.

However, the Pixel 8 Pro excels in other areas as well. With 12GB RAM, Google’s in-house Tensor G3 CPU handles almost anything you throw at it, including games, and is a significant advance over earlier generations. Additionally, the G3 processor does not overheat like the G1 and G2 chips do. Unfortunately, because this is just a one-day phone, its battery life is not as good as that of other Android phones.

The stunning 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display on the Pixel 8 Pro can reach a maximum brightness of 2,400 nits and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. In terms of features and power, you get a little more for your money for the same starting price as the iPhone 15 Pro. It’s undoubtedly a choice you ought to think about.