CheckMag | 3 smartphones for travelers

For those who are always hopping between cities and countries, owning a smartphone that is reliable is a worthy investment. Some of the features you may want to consider include battery life, cameras, and connectivity. Thankfully, there are a more than a handful of options that tick some, if not all of these requirements.

If you are a frequent traveler, the Pixel 8 Pro (curr. US$799 on Amazon) should be the phone in your pocket. There is a lot to love about Google’s 2023 flagship smartphone. Its display is the brightest ever on a Pixel phone, which makes it great to use outdoors. In addition, the Pixel 8 Pro has improved cameras, including a telephoto camera, paired with new and improved AI camera features that are nothing short of incredible.

Among these AI features is Magic Editor which can remove unwanted persons and objects in photos or remove distracting sounds from recorded videos, move subjects around, and enhance the lighting. This is particularly useful if you’d be taking photos in public places.

Other than the camera features, another AI feature of the Pixel 8 Pro which travelers would find useful is Live Translate which helps with on-the-spot translation of several languages and comes in handy when trying to have conversations. The feature can also help users translate signs.

The iPhone 15 Plus is another great choice. It shares the same screen size as the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro Max and also offers a similar battery life. While its cameras do not match up to that of the other devices on this list, it is capable of Amazing shots.

What makes the iPhone 15 Plus great for travelers are features such as satellite connectivity which is a valuable feature if you find yourself in a place where there is no mobile network. Apple’s Find My also works via satellite, so your loved ones can know your location. Although, it is important to state that some of these features are still exclusive to select regions.

The iPhone 15 Plus also has great battery life that bests even more expensive rivals such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra. This is thanks in part to the Apple A16 Bionic chip. The impressive battery life of the iPhone 15 Plus can also be extended with the wide range of MagSafe battery packs available on the market.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is one of the best smartphones that launched in 2023, and that praise is rightly earned. Xiaomi’s flagship ticks all of the boxes of what a premium flagship should be. From its display to its cameras to its overall build, there are only a few devices that can rival it.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a great companion for travelers with its impressive quad camera setup, all of which are 50 MP sensors. Its massive 1-inch primary camera which has a variable aperture not only allows users to capture images that are sharper and brighter in low-light environments but also gives users control over the depth of field for bokeh photos. Also, thanks to Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica, users have access to a handful of filters and color profiles similar to what’s obtainable on Leica cameras.

Another feature that makes the Xiaomi 13 Ultra great for travelers is its fast charging capability. While its 5000 mAh battery capacity is a tad smaller than the Pixel 8 Pro's 5050 mAh battery, Xiaomi’s phone charges way faster. If you choose to charge it via the included 90 W adapter, Xiaomi claims you can get it from empty to full in just 35 minutes while wirelessly charging it at 50 W takes 49 minutes, although real life stats are slightly different. Nevertheless, since you’d most likely be away from a wall outlet most times, being able to quickly top up your phone’s battery in the shortest possible time is a huge plus.