Here are the handsets with the best smartphone speakers

Most phone speakers are not that great, mainly because of their size. However, a few handsets are available that pay more attention to audio than others, offering better quality sound and even front-facing speakers in some instances. Here are the smartphones with the best speakers.

Smartphones with the best speakers:

Editor’s note: We will regularly update this list of smartphones with the best speakers as new devices launch, but the latest isn’t always the best! We’ll always focus on the best audio rather than the newest, but natural tech improvements may mean clear winners are newer devices. Read on!

Samsung Galaxy S 23 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra seems to keep showing up on many of our best lists. And for good reason; this device offers an impressive experience across the board. It has stunning performance, a gorgeous screen, S Pen support, great battery life, amazing cameras, and more. Unsurprisingly, this is also one of the best phones with the best smartphone speakers.

In our Galaxy S23 Ultra review, we mention these speakers are “nothing short of remarkable.” We specifically praise the volume, mentioning it’s one of the loudest phones we’ve ever used. Not only that, but we couldn’t notice any distortion coming from the earpiece or down-firing speaker. And while bass could be better, we were still impressed by the overall experience.

Sadly, there is still no headphone jack, but you get plenty of Bluetooth support, and you can still use dongles. It’s also worth noting that this phone is expensive, starting at $1,199 MSRP.

Galaxy S 23 Ultra specs:

Google Pixel 7 Pro

As usual, Google’s latest flagship phone stands out thanks to its excellent photo quality, stock Android implementation, and brisk updates. But you’re also getting a phone with some of the best phone speakers, thanks to its dual-speaker setup.

The Pixel 7 had pretty good speakers, but we found the Pixel 7 Pro speakers to be much more impressive. This device has the loudest speakers we’ve heard in a while. It uses both the earpiece and a down-firing unit, and these happen to offer little to no distortion.

In our Pixel 7 Pro review, we mention that higher pitches outperform the bass notes, but that is a common occurrence in smartphones. There’s also plenty to like in terms of general audio. It supports plenty of Bluetooth codecs, such as LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, AAC, and SBC. You should get a pretty good experience if you go with wireless headphones.

Pixel 7 Pro specs:

ASUS ROG Phone 7

The following top picks for the best phone speakers are the two gaming phones that are part of the ASUS ROG Phone 7 series. Not only do they have excellent speakers, but they also have an old-fashioned 3.5mm headphone jack.

The ASUS ROG Phone 7 front-facing speakers are great out-of-the-box, but they get an added bonus if you decide to also purchase the AeroActive Cooler 7 accessory. Aside from featuring another 3.5mm headset jack, this optional accessory also has a subwoofer to improve the bass.

Audio quality aside, the device also comes with impressive specs, a gorgeous design, an amazing battery life, and a gorgeous screen with a 165Hz refresh rate.

ROG Phone 7 specs:

ROG Phone 7 Ultimate specs:

Motorola Edge Plus (2023)

Motorola isn’t known for making phones amazing flagships, but the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) shows it knows how to make things sound good. In our Edge Plus review, we mention the speakers are excellent. And this was the case even at peak volumes. It might not take the crown, but it is definitely one of the best phones with the best smartphone speakers.

Everywhere else, we have very little to complain about with the Motorola Edge Plus. The device offers great performance, a premium construction, a smooth 165Hz refresh rate, and fast 68W wired charging.

As if all those pros weren’t enough, the Motorola Edge Plus also happens to be relatively affordable for what it offers. It has a $799.99 MSRP, and competes with phones that may cost well over $1,000.

Motorola Edge Plus (2023) specs:

Apple iPhone 14 series

We can have the Android vs iPhone argument all you want, but at the end of the day, we can’t deny Apple makes some pretty good phones, with a generally pleasant experience across the board. The same applies to the iPhone 14 series, which happens to also have some of the best speakers in mobile.

All four devices come with dual speakers; one in the earpiece and one firing downwards. In our iPhone 14 Pro review, we found that these are very well-tuned, and we had no issues raising the volume. There was no distortion. As it goes with mobile phone speakers, the bass isn’t great, though.

Aside from the speakers, these iPhones come with great audio features. These include Bluetooth 5.3, spatial audio when paired with Apple’s headphones, and Dolby Atmos.

iPhone 14 specs:

iPhone 14 Plus specs:

iPhone 14 Pro specs:

iPhone 14 Pro Max specs:

Sony Xperia 1 V

Sony has offered smartphone speakers with great audio quality for a long time, including other original big brand ideas like being one of the first to commit to offering water-resistant Android phones. To the goods: the Sony Xperia 1 V kept the stereo front-facing speakers, still offers a 3.5mm port, and brings IP68 water/dust resistance to the party.

These speakers offer high-resolution audio and Dolby Atmos support. Additionally, you’ll enjoy Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) and a dynamic vibration system.

Otherwise, Sony’s phone is quite impressive, offering top-of-the-line specs for outstanding performance, a great camera experience, a simplified but elegant design, and a 4K display. Just be ready to pay a pretty penny for it, as it carries a $1,399.99 price tag.

Xperia 1 V specs:

Xiaomi 13 series

The Xiaomi 13 series is nothing short of amazing. This lineup includes the Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro, and Xiaomi 13 Ultra. These devices have stunning performance, gorgeous designs, outstanding camera systems, and great battery life. They’re also some of the best phones with the best speakers.

In our Xiaomi 13 Pro review, we mention these speakers are crisp, loud, and we couldn’t notice any distortion. Even at high volumes. It uses a down-firing speaker and the earpiece, coupled with Dolby Atmos tuning.

The only downside is that the Xiaomi 13 devices are very hard to find in the USA. You can get them imported, though. And those in other markets can probably get a hold of them.

Xiaomi 13 specs:

Xiaomi 13 Pro specs:

Xiaomi 13 Ultra specs:

OnePlus 11

OnePlus doesn’t usually stand out in terms of speaker quality, but it did things right with the OnePlus 11. The stereo speakers are placed in the earpiece and the bottom. In our OnePlus 11 review, we found these to be “impressively loud and punchy.” They offer Dolby Atmos tuning. And, as you would expect, this one also struggles with bass, something we’ll just have to live with for some time.

Otherwise, it’s a pretty good phone, overall. We love the design, it has a stunning display, powerful performance, and the fast charging is insane at 100W (80W in the USA). The price is also pretty enticing, which means OnePlus had to make some sacrifices.

The device lacks wireless charging, for example. Its camera isn’t great, and it comes with a lesser IP64 rating.

OnePlus 11 specs:

These are the best smartphone speakers, in our opinion. It’s rare that a phone doesn’t have some kind of loudspeaker, but this is all about those that do it better. We’ll also be keeping an eye on new models that fit the bill, so stay tuned for updates to this list of best phone speakers.