CES 2024 has come to a close, and now is the time to take a look at some of the best phones that were showcased during the week-long event. Although phones aren’t typically the center of attention at CES (especially in this day and age when events like Galaxy Unpacked catch our full attention), there have been some noteworthy additions that deserve our attention.
This year’s CES featured the big reveal of the Asus ROG Phone 8 and the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro, in addition to some intriguing display prototypes from Samsung, which is unusual because usually, the show focuses on smaller brands when it comes to phone reveals.
New phones from companies you might not be familiar with were just as surprising as those from the big names. We were pleasantly surprised to hear that TCL has released not one, but five phones, which could provide smartphone buyers with more options. It was also interesting to see Oppo go even further with the double periscope design choice that they made for the X7 Ultra.
The 7 Best Smart Phones of CES 2024
1. Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro
A major highlight of CES was the unveiling of Asus’s ROG phone lineup for the upcoming generation. When it comes to gaming phones in 2024, the Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro are going to be the gold standard. They’re mind-blowing.
With features that should make them superior to their predecessors, both the standard and Pro versions provide excellent value for money. Either phone can have a mind-blowing amount of RAM and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Asus showed off general performance in multi-core Geekbench results, which teasingly showed off to users. It appears that Asus’ gaming phone might be among the most powerful devices available this year if rumors are to be believed.
2. Oppo Find X7 Ultra
As part of its exhibit at CES 2024, Oppo unveiled the Oppo Find X7 Ultra, its upcoming flagship phone, which featured an unusual camera design decision.
It would appear that Oppo is reiterating its choice to incorporate two periscope lenses into its phone. With the addition of a larger Sony sensor, this phone truly stands out when it comes to its camera capabilities.
Still, the camera isn’t the only feature of these phones. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and up to 16 GB of RAM make this a sufficiently powerful device from Oppo. The Find X7 Ultra will thus succeed where others have failed.
Oppo hasn’t said if it plans to sell its next phone in the US, and based on the company’s past behavior, we think US customers won’t be able to get their hands on it.
3. TCL 50 series
In the eyes of bargain hunters who have purchased TCL handsets through carriers and retail outlets, the phone maker is not regular at CES. Additionally, TCL is tackling volume this year with a slew of new devices, or at least multiple iterations of the same phone.
The TCL 50 is the latest iteration of the range, encompassing the base model, 5G variation, and NxTPaper models along with it.
Be sure to look closely at the TCL 50 XE and 50 XL NxtPaper 5G. For the first time in the United States, you can buy a 50 XL or 50 XE with a 6.8-inch or 6.6-inch screen, respectively, and both feature TCL’s NxtPaper display. To alleviate some of the strain on your eyes, this state-of-the-art display technology makes the screen look like paper and provides a novel experience.
4. MM Guardian phone
At CES 2024, the MMGuardian phone stood out as one of the most peculiar devices. This may be the first smartphone that began as an app and then turned into a phone.
The MMGuardian phone is an adaptation of the eponymous app, which aims to help parents keep their children safe while using the internet by tracking their activity on mobile devices. Plus, it will utilize AI to notify parents when their children take inappropriate selfies.
5. Punkt MC02
Punkt unveiled the Punkt MC02 at CES 2024; it is the first phone to run the Apostrphy OS, which could make it the ideal phone for privacy-conscious consumers.
In case you are unfamiliar, Apostraphy OS is essentially an Android OS with open-source code. Punkt has assured us that this phone will function similarly to other Android phones, but with greater privacy controls over our data. Changes in the way Apostrophe operates in comparison to the standard Android operating system are said to be responsible for this. Its software is partitioned into two sections: one that safeguards user data and app integrity and another that allows files to be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
6. Samsung Flex liple
Although Samsung did not show off a new phone but rather a display design, the company did show off two of the more interesting designs that were released this year. Our group had the opportunity to examine the Flex Liple, a name that combines the words “light” and “simple” (I’m told it’s not a typo), and the Flex In and Out.
Unlike previous models, the Flex Liple does not have an exterior display; instead, part of the screen extends over the top of the phone.
Overhanging the device’s top edge is the internal screen, which shows little bits of data like the time and alerts from notifications.
The Liple receives the inverse direction of the Flex In and Out, allowing for the full utilization of the screen footprint. Both the forward and backward motion of the display are possible. guarantees that, should Samsung find a way to implement these ideas into real phones, they will have the most adaptable phones on the market.
Bottom Line
You could think of CES 2024 as the opening act for this year’s phone releases, with two major headliners following in January. One must attend the previously mentioned Galaxy Unpacked event in order to learn about the new Galaxy S24 phones, particularly the Galaxy S24 Ultra. On January 17th, that happens.
The global launch of the OnePlus 12, a flagship phone that has already been released in China, takes place a week later, on January 23. We should also see the OnePlus 12R, a more affordable version of OnePlus’ new phone, at that time.