US Cellular is one of the minor carriers in the US, with roughly 5 million subscribers as of 2022/2023. Although trailing behind the big trio of US carriers, namely Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, US Cellular is still an important player in the industry, a not-so-minor regional carrier with excellent coverage in many areas across the continental US. In this piece, we will showcase the very best phones you can get on US Cellular in 2023.
Pixel 7 Pro - Google's top offering relies on its exceptional software.
When considering which ones among the above to get, you have to take into account a range of things. First and foremost, you will have to choose between the iOS and Android ecosystems. Yet, you've likely done that already, so you probably have an idea of what phone you're going for, be it one of the best iPhones in 2023, or one of the best Android phones. After you've made your choice, you will then have to consider what form factor, and size you want to go for.
Be it a foldable phone or a regular device, US Cellular has got you covered, as you can get some of the best foldable phones right now on the carrier. If you're more of a traditional user, you might want to make up your mind if you need a large or a compact device, an important choice as size commands battery and display sizes as well. Finally, there's the price to consider—some phones carry a premium tag that not just anyone might be willing to pay.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The best phone in early 2023
7.1
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Good
Battery life is great, big improvement from predecessor
New Snapdragon chip is the best one in years
Design is improved, feels more ergonomic
Screen is less curved and gets very dim (perfect for night time use)
Camera improvements are there, but not quite huge
Loudspeakers sound much better now
You get double the storage (256GB) at base model
The Bad
Base model still only has 8GB RAM
Charging speeds have not improved
Haptics are still not as good as rivals
Camera system hasn't improved as much as hoped for
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung's latest and most advanced flagship phone. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and boasting a sizeable 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S23 Ultra also has the beloved S Pen stylus on board, making it a perfect match for all the power users out there.
But what's the most exciting part of the hardware mix is nothing else rather than the superb and quite versatile quad camera setup at the rear. This time around, the main camera clocks in at 200MP, a rather important upgrade over the 108MP camera in the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S21 Ultra. Moreover, the 10X periscope lens continues to make this phone the zoom king of flagships, reaching up to 100X.
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The Galaxy S23 Ultra is an exceptional device to consider, even though it might come in as a little too expensive at full price. Luckily for you, there is always seemingly some deal or promotion going on, allowing you to save big on Samsung's Ultra flagship.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Best phone of 2022
7.4
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
The Good
Exceptional, industry-leading performance
Dynamic Island is a fun and useful twist on the punch hole
Very good battery life
Superb video-recording quality
Very bright and beautiful display with Always-On functionality
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is Apple's top device for 2022. It takes the iPhone 13 Pro Max design and turns it on its head with its showpiece, the Dynamic Island punch-hole cutout element, which acts as a hub for a slew of software elements. For example, you can quickly access any ongoing notifications you might have, like countdowns, timers, and navigation prompts, as well as view miniature album art for your currently playing media. We love this one.
Another exciting iPhone 14 Pro Max aspect is its all-new 48MP main camera powered by the Photonic Engine tech. In 48MP camera mode, it produces super-detailed shots with excellent sharpness, great dynamics, and lovely colors that just pop. There's improved low-light image quality in comparison with the older iPhone 13 Pro Max. Video recording has also been improved, with a new Cinematic Video at 4K@30fps.
In our iPhone 14 Pro Max review, we also highlighted that some other notable aspects of the iPhone 14 Pro Max are its improved FaceTime camera, new satellite connectivity for emergencies, and finally, a faster and more efficient A16 Bionic chipset that runs the show. It achieves excellent battery life, too. An excellent pick.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Superb functionality, compact design
7.2
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The Good
Fastest and smoothest phone in the industry
Fun and useful new "Dynamic Island"
Industry-leading video recording quality
48MP ProRAW photos will get photogs excited, but limited appeal for others
Satellite connectivity and Crash detection could save your life
Screen gets impressively bright, easy to use outdoors
The Bad
Not much has changed from 13 Pro
Charging speeds are still slower than competition
Lack of SIM card on US models might be a nuisance for travelers
The iPhone 14 Pro is similar to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, just comes in a smaller and way more manageable 6.1-inch size. It shares most of the hardware with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, namely the industry-topping Apple A16 Bionic chip, the new 48MP main camera with the Photonic Engine tech, and superb display with Dynamic Island notch and Always-On functionality, and a peak brightness of nearly 2,000 nits in the ideal conditions.
In our iPhone 14 Pro review, we called the phone a "perfect illustration of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" saying", which goes to show that it's a mature product, scoring mature features that might not exactly be as exciting as, say, a foldable device.
Still, all things considered, the iPhone 14 Pro is the perfect phone for anyone deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, but requiring some Pro features, like a high-res camera, superb video-recording capabilities, and super-fast performance. It has slightly worse battery life than the iPhone 14 Pro Max due to the smaller battery but is still a very durable phone that could give any Android handset a run for the money.
Apple iPhone 14
Best new entry-level iPhone
6.7
Apple iPhone 14
The Good
Improved low-light photos, color balance, and dynamic range
Faster graphics subsystem and connectivity options
Bright display
Good battery life
Much cheaper to repair
The Bad
Too wide of a specs and performance gap with the iPhone 14 Pro
The iPhone 14 is the best new iPhone that offers an entry into the Apple ecosystem. Due to the absence of a "mini", the regular iPhone 14 is now the most compact and affordable new iPhone. However, this phone has a couple of shortcomings that need to be addressed. First of all, it's pretty much identical to the iPhone 13, with little improvements here and there that doesn't mean you should upgrade.
On the other hand, in comparison with the higher-tier iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the regular iPhone 14 comes with the older Apple A15 Bionic (and not the A16 Bionic), doesn't have a telephoto camera, and relies on a traditional 60Hz display (unlike the 120Hz on the Pro and the Pro Max), as well as lacks novel features like the fun Dynamic Island and Always-On display feature.
And yet, it has more RAM emergency satellite connectivity, faster 5G, the Photonic engine tech for its camera system, and improved ultra-wide and front-facing cameras, which make it an even better phone than before. At the starting price of $799 for the 128GB, it's a good device to jump into Apple's semi-walled garden, which also happens to be the conclusion of our iPhone 14 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The most advanced Samsung phone
6.4
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The Good
Solid build
Empowering multitasking features
Beautiful displays
Stylus support
Smooth performance
Good battery life
The Bad
Expensive
Still has a crease
Thick and heavy, harder to carry around than a slab phone
The foldable Samsung Galaxy is, without a shadow of a doubt, Samsung's most advanced phone ever. With a foldable 7.6-inch 120Hz display, it's a phone that can transform to better fit your needs. When you require exceptional functionality, its unfolded state is up for the task, but during mundane use, you can still rely on the outer display which comes in useful when you need to quickly type in an email, check your notifications, or take a quick selfie. The phone also supports Samsung's S Pen stylus for even better functionality.
Inside, one can find the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and a relatively modest 4,400mAh battery, along with the same 50MP main + 12MP ultra-wide + 10MP telephoto camera setup that graces the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus. But hardware is just part of the equation. The Z Fold 4's has many software accommodations like the PC-like taskbar which improves the multi-tasking capabilities of the foldable super-star.
In our Galaxy Z Fold 4 review, we called it "not only a phone in your pocket and a tablet in your hands but even your PC replacement," which perfectly sums up the overall functionality of the Galaxy Z Fold 4. We still wish it had a larger battery for even greater endurance, but this would have probably interfered with the slim profile of the phone.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Samsung's top phone of 2022, with S Pen support
8.8
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
The Good
S Pen in a flagship, great for creatives
Industry-leading screen quality
Faster charging than before
10X zoom camera is improved significantly
Video recording gets smoother stabilization
4 years of major software updates!
The Bad
Battery life has gone down from the S21 Ultra
You get less RAM than last year
No microSD card slot, no headphone jack
Loudspeaker quality could be better
Jittery swiping, microstutter with gesture nav in One UI
The Galaxy S22 Ultra, with its S Pen on deck, is Samsung's best phone of 2022. Not only does it have some excellent hardware inside, but it also tops up all that with an impressive camera and superb zooming capabilities, besting the competition.
Inside the device, you can expect to find a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, Qualcomm's top silicon this year, as well as some 12GB of RAM on board, and either 128, 256GB, or even 1TB of storage on deck. Its quad-camera system is helmed by the 108MP camera, with its large 1/1.33" camera sensor and wide f/1.8 aperture, but the true showpiece here is the super-long 10X periscope camera, which weighs in at 10MP.
In our Galaxy S22 Ultra review, we loved the superb screen quality of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, its built-in S Pen, and much smoother video stabilization, as well as the four years of major software updates. However, we were somewhat irked by the lack of a microSD card slot, the somewhat uninspiring battery life, and the loudspeaker quality which could use some improvements.
The Galaxy S23 is Samsung's compact flagship offering for 2023. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, a slightly tuned-up version of the regular Snapdragon chip, and the same-old 6.1-inch Dynamic OLED display that's become a staple of the most compact Galaxy, this phone can easily be regarded as a compact powerhouse that should be considered by all those longing for an easy-to-handle but a very adept phone. Available in Botanic Green, Misty Lavender, Phantom Black, and Cotton Cream, it has a color option for just about anyone.
With a slightly improved design and the same old triple-camera setup at the rear, the Galaxy S23 is still a perfectly capable device that rivals the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7, delivering excellent value. Considering that you can almost always find a decent deal, you won't have to break the piggy bank to get the Galaxy S23. And with a qualifying trade-in on US Cellular, you might not even have to pay a dime.
Before you make a purchase, make sure to check out our full Galaxy S23 review which might answer all the questions you have about this trooper.
The Pixel 7 Pro is powered by Google's second-gen Tensor G2 chipset, which once again emphasizes the user experience and overall functionality instead of raw performance. But this doesn't mean that the hardware is severely lacking; on the contrary, the Pixel 7 Pro is an incredible deal at its starting price of $899.
In our Pixel 7 Pro review, we revealed that we're very impressed with its powerful zoom camera and dedicated software support, which means that the Pixel 7 Pro will remain a secure device for years to come. What sets the Pixel 7 Pro apart, however, are the machine-learning and artificial intelligence strengths of the phone, which is fueled by the second-gen Tensor chipset. It gets some exclusive Pixel features that no other Android phone has, which truly sets it apart and makes it user-oriented as much as possible.
It's a great deal at $899, and an easily recommendable phone for potential Pixel adopters.
What kind of cell phones does US Cellular have?
US Cellular sells all kinds of phones from both the iOS and Android ecosystems. The carrier's offerings include not only the most premium offerings that Apple, Samsung, and Google have in tow but also some basic feature phones. You can also buy tablets, including the latest iPads, and different kinds of mobile accessories, like smartwatches. There are even connected home devices on sale with US Cellular.
Are phones on US Cellular Locked?
For years now, US Cellular has been selling unlocked phones, except for some devices that are locked to the carrier for 120 days after purchase (you can find the complete list here).
If you have an older device that was sold before February 2016, your phone might be locked to US Cellular but a subsequent software update should have unlocked it to other networks. Have in mind that the carrier might not be able to unlock such older phones or devices that have technical limitations and can't access other networks. To make sure your phone is locked or unlocked by the carrier, you can try calling 611 while connected to the US Cellular network.
Can I unlock a phone bought from US Cellular?
Yes. US Cellular allows you to unlock phones that are locked to it for 120 days after the initial purchase. After that 120-day period has passed, the carrier will automatically unlock your device. You can apply for earlier phone unlock provided that you meet any of the following criteria: you have paid your device in full and are in good standing with the carrier, have fulfilled all your pending obligations, or you are on military duty and prove that you will be deployed outside of US Cellular's coverage area. For more info, feel free to check out US Cellular's support page.
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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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