Top 7 Best Phones for Vlogging on YouTube in 2023

It’s that time again. You need a new phone. Maybe your screen cracked. Maybe it fell out of your pocket at a concert. Maybe you’re just ready for an upgrade.

But your situation is slightly different than the average person’s. You’re trying to grow your YouTube channel and your phone has become a vital device in helping you create quality content.

The trouble is, how do you choose? Should you stick with the same brand you’ve been using for the last ten years or is it time to switch things up?

From a vlogger brother, let me help you make the right decision, I’ve taken an in-depth look at the newest phones on the market and picked out the 7 best smartphones for YouTube vlogging. To get things going, I’ll start with the most popular choices:

The Best Smartphones For Vlogging on YouTube

Why Use a Smartphone for Vlogging

Vlogging is a creative and social expedition that can easily run your bank account dry.

From expensive cameras to almost necessary accessories like tripods, external mics, and even light setups to make your vlog look professional, the costs can skyrocket easier and much quicker than expected.

However, vlogging doesn’t have to drain your bank account if you don’t want it to.

In fact, it’s recommended to not invest so much on a camera when you’re starting.

Almost all of us have smartphones. Smartphones nowadays are smarter and more advanced than ever, many of them containing the same technology and specs as some sophisticated DSLR cameras.

Most flagships from 2023 already have 4k recording. Well, guess what? Many real cameras can’t even do that. For something that you already carry around with you all day, you actually might have more options available to you using your smartphone, the same piece of technology you use to text, call, and “social media.”

One of the benefits of using your smartphone to vlog is that it’s always with you. DSLRs can take up quite a bit of carrying space, and even thin mirrorless cameras will need a separate pocket to carry.

Using your phone to vlog can save valuable space and money as you’ll already have it by your side.

With that said, let’s look at the in-depth reviews of some of the best phones for video blogs you can get this year.

1. iPhone 15 Pro Max

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The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max has to be the winner for vlogging. Not a surprise at all, as the Apple flagship of each gear seems to be built almost specifically for vlogging.

Boasting an advanced camera system, including an impressive 200MP camera, it excels in delivering videos with exceptional clarity and detail.

Something else that stands out about this new model is its enhanced low-light performance. The new wide camera allows 47% more light, resulting in reduced noise and heightened performance in challenging lighting conditions. This upgrade enhances its versatility, ensuring reliable video quality across various environments.

Although this isn’t specific to the iPhone 15—it was first launched with the 13—, the Cinematic Mode is still a big selling point for video. This feature automatically adjusts focus when a person enters the frame or changes direction, lending a professional touch to your videos. The dynamic focus shifts can significantly enhance the visual appeal of your vlogs, providing a polished and cinematic feel. And the most important thing about all, it is reliable at keeping you focused.

In conclusion, the combination of high-quality video capture, Apple Pro Res support, improved low-light performance, and the Cinematic Mode feature make the iPhone 15 Pro Max an outstanding choice for vlogging and video recording in general.

Specifications:

• Design: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium design with Ceramic Shield front and Textured matte glass back.
• Capacity: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB.
• Size and Weight: Width: 3.02 inches (76.7 mm), Height: 6.29 inches (159.9 mm), Depth: 0.32 inch (8.25 mm), Weight: 7.81 ounces (221 grams).
• Display: Super Retina XDR display, 6.7‑inch (diagonal) all‑screen OLED display, 2796‑by‑1290-pixel resolution at 460 ppi.
• Chip: A17 Pro chip with new 6‑core CPU, 6‑core GPU, and 16‑core Neural Engine.
• Camera: Pro camera system with 48MP Main, 12MP Ultra Wide, 12MP 2x Telephoto, and 12MP 3x Telephoto.

2. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

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The Galaxy S23 Ultra is a monster for video. It supports 8K video recording at up to 30fps, delivering ultra-high-definition video quality. And it’s packed with a bunch of camera features, including a 10x zoom and 480fps Full HD slow-motion capture.

Moreover, the large battery capacity ensures that vloggers can capture content for extended periods without interruption, enhancing the device’s practicality for content creation.

These are good reasons why popular YouTuber MrBeast has selected the Galaxy S series as the official mobile vlog device for his videos, showcasing the potential of Galaxy smartphones for aspiring and professional creators.

However, not everyone will indeed have the same needs as MrBeast. All of these features are amazing for video capturing in general, but to be honest, it’s probably too much if you only care about vlogging, that’s why there are other models here that are a bit tuned down but might hit the perfect balance between features and price.

Specifications:

• Design: Green Phantom Black Lavender Cream colors with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, and aluminum frame.
• Capacity: 256GB/512GB/1TB storage, no card slot.
• Size and Weight: Width: 78.1mm, Height: 163.4mm, Depth: 8.9mm, Weight: 234g.
• Display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak), 6.8 inches, 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density).
• Chip: Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) with Octa-core CPU and Adreno 740 GPU.
• Camera: Quad camera setup with 200 MP main sensor, 10 MP periscope telephoto, 10 MP telephoto, and 12 MP ultrawide.

3. iPhone 14 Pro

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The iPhone 14 Pro is still a really good phone, and you should consider it if you have a lower budget, although it’s not by any means cheap. We’ll suggest even cheaper alternatives below.

At the forefront of its capabilities is the iPhone 14 Pro’s support for 4K video recording at up to 60fps, delivering ultra-high-definition video quality. It features a dual-camera system with a 48MP main sensor and a 12MP Ultra Wide sensor. This dual-camera setup provides vloggers with more than enough versatility to record while yourself in selfie mode, but also for recording the environment.

As we mentioned, Apple’s Cinematic Mode is a really strong feature for vloggers. It allows them to craft videos with a shallow depth of field and automatic smooth focus transitions between subjects.

Finally, its large battery capacity is almost as good as the 15’s, so that’s another reason to choose it if you want to save some money.

Specifications:

• Design: Available in Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple with Ceramic Shield front, Textured matte glass back and stainless steel design.
• Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB.
• Size and Weight: Width: 2.81 inches (71.5 mm), Height: 5.81 inches (147.5 mm), Depth: 0.31 inch (7.85 mm), Weight: 7.27 ounces (206 grams).
• Display: Super Retina XDR display, 6.1‑inch (diagonal) all‑screen OLED display, 2556‑by‑1179-pixel resolution at 460 ppi, Dynamic Island, Always-On display, ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz.
• Chip: A16 Bionic chip with 6‑core CPU, 5‑core GPU, and 16‑core Neural Engine.
• Camera: Pro camera system with 48MP Main, 12MP Ultra Wide, 12MP 2x Telephoto, and 12MP 3x Telephoto.

4. Samsung Galaxy S22

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The previous model from Samsung’s Galaxy series, the S22 may not have such a specific cinematic mode as the iPhone, but it has the capacity of shooting video in a resolution of up to 8K and other very interesting and useful features for vloggers.

First off, the video stabilization feature comes in handy, especially for vloggers, who mostly shoot video with the phone in their hands or attached to selfie sticks. No excessive shaking should get in the way of the watchability factor of your videos, which is also improved by an autofocus feature capable of detecting and tracking up to 10 people within the frame.

A lot of improvement – compared to its predecessor, the S21 – happened regarding the quality of images under low light conditions, both through the front and rear cameras. However, when compared to the overall quality of images produced by the iPhone 13, for example, the S22 may fall a bit short, especially regarding the colorization of images. 

But is still a phone capable of producing top-of-the-line imagery. It’s solid enough to be able to shoot video in a resolution of up to 8K (something that the iPhone 13 doesn’t do, for instance). 8K video shooting can happen at up to 24 fps, and 4K can be managed at up to 60 fps.

On the downside, S22’s buyers are essentially unanimous regarding the battery life: it’s not good. That’s something that should be kept in mind by any vloggers interested in the product. 

Specifications:

• Frontal camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video
• Selfie camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF
• Video Quality: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
• Chip: Exynos 2200 (4 nm) – Europe; Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) – ROW
• Display: 6.1 inches, 90.1 cm² (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
• Weight: 167 g / 168 g (mmWave) (5.89 oz)
• Dimensions: 146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm (5.75 x 2.78 x 0.30 in)
• Battery: Li-Ion 3700 mAh, non-removable

5. Google Pixel 8 Pro

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Google has been trying for a while to keep up with Apple when it comes to smartphone capabilities. I’ve got to hang it to them, the Google Pixel 8 Pro stands out from their previous offerings with its superior camera setup, including a 48MP ultrawide camera and a 5x 48MP telephoto shooter with faster aperture.

Something really interesting about it is the inclusion of Google AI in the form of Video Boost. The new Google Tensor G3 chip is custom-designed with Google AI for cutting-edge photo and video features on Google Pixel 8 Pro3. This can give some surprising results, although I don’t think AI technology is at the point of being consistently better than the enhancement features we already have in the best phones. Still, it’s cool to play with it.

On the more boring —but really important— side, it has a decent battery capacity, which is crucial for vloggers who need to record videos for extended periods. Still, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is much better at this with 14 hours of battery duration, while the Google phone sits at around 10 hours with continuous usage.

Google seems to be the one betting the most on using AI to improve smartphones. If you love this kind of technology, this might be a really fun choice for you.

Specifications:

• Design: Available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay colors with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, and aluminum frame.
• Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB.
• Size and Weight: Width: 76.5mm, Height: 162.6mm, Depth: 8.8mm, Weight: 213g.
• Display: LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak), 6.7 inches, 1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density).
• Chip: Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) with Nona-core CPU and ARM Mali-G715 GPU.
• Camera: Triple camera setup with 50 MP main sensor, 48 MP telephoto, and 48 MP ultrawide.

6. OnePlus 10 Pro

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My current choice for vlogging is the OnePlus 10 Pro. It has an amazing triple-camera system (co-developed by Hasselblad, by the way) that serves as a solid cornerstone for an amazing video-producing capacity.

The main camera has a 48 MP Sony IMX sensor, then you have an ultra-wide 50MP camera with a 150° field of view, and a telephoto sensor with 8MP, which may be a low megapixel quantity for those interested in using the telephoto camera bit more frequently. 

The camera also offers great colorization on images, although some buyers point out a slight overall yellow tint in the images/videos produced by the phone. However, this tint seems to be present at a very minor level and doesn’t appear to bother most people that much. 

There’s a solid video stabilization feature here, and the video recording in low light conditions – propelled by the Nightscape feature –  seems to be competent, although it can’t provide outstanding images. 

Video shooting can happen in a resolution of up to 8K at 30 fps max., 4K at 120 fps max., and 1080p at 240 fps., which all things considered, are pretty impressive achievements. 

The phone also has great battery life, and such a battery can also be fully charged in a very quick fashion just by using the charger that comes along with the product. A great feature indeed for people looking forward to doing some vlogging content without having to stop to charge the phone so frequently.

The camera comes at a not-so-affordable price, which can be a downer for some. 

Specifications:

• Main Cameras: 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43″, 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom; 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 150˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76″, 0.64µm, AF
• Selfie Camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8µm
• Chip: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
• Display: LTPO2 Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 800 nits (HBM), 1300 nits (peak)
• Weight: 201 g (7.09 oz)
• Dimensions: 163 x 73.9 x 8.6 mm (6.42 x 2.91 x 0.34 in)
• Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable

7. iPhone 13

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The last phone I’d like to recommend is the first iPhone model that I felt was perfect for vlogging at its time of release, and it’s still a great choice today if you love Apple and want to save a lot of money.

One of the main reasons is that it was the first iPhone to include the Cinematic video mode which made iPhones so much better in terms of autofocus reliability and truly cinematic feel. This technology is excellent even at changing focus between subjects, something I find truly annoying when using some cameras while vlogging with more than one subject inside the frame.

Also, its power is not that far behind the newest model. The phone’s processing is propelled by the amazing 5G-ready A15 Bionic chip that ensures that everything from switching between the several shooting modes available or trading the front camera for the rear cameras happens at a fast and smooth pace. 

The images the iPhone 13 can produce in proper light conditions are truly amazing and don’t fall short even when compared to many professional cameras out there. The cinematic mode brings an amazing depth of field and stabilization to your footage and can also automatically control focus based on the subject’s movement within the frame. 

However, it’s worth noting that the stabilization may not perform as well for walking. These were no better than previous models, and it was the weakest point when vlogging at the time. It’s not unusable, but there are better stabilizers out there. Might be worth using with a gimbal.

Specifications:

• Frontal camera: 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide)
• Selfie camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6″
• Video Quality: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
• Chip: Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
• Display: 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm² (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio)
• Weight: 174 g (6.14 oz)
• Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.30 in)
• Battery: Li-Ion 3240 mAh, non-removable (12.41 Wh)

Don’t Forget Your Add-Ons

Whichever smartphone you choose in the end, you will need a selfie stick. Here I made a list of some options you can get straight from Amazon. Also, you will certainly want a microphone to go with it. There are extremely cheap mics for 10-20$ that will improve your audio a lot.

After these two cheap add-ons and a fast micro SD for 4k recording with decent storage, you will be good to go to start vlogging with your phone.

And finally, you can check here the best apps for vlogging.

Conclusion

Vloggers have a growing number of tools at their disposal. A great camera phone is one that is non-negotiable. However, when it comes time to pick and choose, the vast variety can be overwhelming. Properly vetting the options and identifying your device priorities is the most effective way of making the right decision.

The above list includes all of my favorite phones going into 2023. However, it is important to dig deeper before making the final call. Know what you want and do your research.

There are other excellent phones are the market and some of those could better fit your vlogging needs, especially for niche bloggers who want very specific features and functions. In the end, it’s worth the time and effort that a little research requires.