As we’re halfway through March and wrapping up Q1 of 2023, we have already tested a number of phones already–specifically in the flagship segment. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the dominant processor as far as top performing phones for 2023 are concerned, a few 2022 flagship processors still made it through our list.

Our list of top performing phones in 2023 is based on what we have reviewed on the site, so benchmark numbers play a key role with our tests. Do note that not all phones listed here are available in the Philippines, so be aware of that while reading through this listicle.

Top 5 Best Performing Phones We’ve Tested in 2023 (Q1, As Tested)

• Xiaomi 13/13 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy S23
• OnePlus 11
• realme GT3
• TECNO Phantom X2 Pro

 

Xiaomi 13/13 Pro

Geekbench 6 Single-Core: 1984 (Xiaomi 13) / 1986 (Xiaomi 13 Pro)

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 4610 (Xiaomi 13) / 5155 (Xiaomi 13 Pro)

Geekbench 6 Compute: 6522 (Xiaomi 13) / 6529 (Xiaomi 13 Pro)

Wild Life Extreme: 3721 (Xiaomi 13) / 3722 (Xiaomi 13 Pro)

Both the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro are on top of our list, as they utilize a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, along with the latest LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. Aside from offering vastly better performance than last year’s Xiaomi 12 series, the most significant part about the 13 series is that they handle thermals much better.

 

Samsung Galaxy S23

Geekbench 6 Single-Core: 1938

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 4906

Geekbench 6 Compute: 8465

Wild Life Extreme: 3840

Despite claims that the custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor used by the Galaxy S23 series perform higher than the vanilla ones, the scores show that it’s situational. Compared to other Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered phones we’ve tested so far, the Galaxy S23 has roughly the same CPU scores, but they do show their advantage when it comes to GPU performance–which is a given, since the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy has an overclocked Adreno 740 GPU.

 

OnePlus 11

Geekbench 6 Single-Core: 1513

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 4720

Geekbench 6 Compute: 8547

Wild Life Extreme: 3577

While OnePlus did redeem itself with the OnePlus 11 (beyond the mere return of the alert slider), our findings show that they still opt to underclock the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, even if Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip has addressed all of the thermal problems associated with the Snapdragon 888 and 8 Gen 1. Regardless of that, the use of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage still makes the OnePlus 11 a true flagship.

 

realme GT3

Geekbench 6 Single-Core: 1395

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 3910

Geekbench 6 Compute: 4912

Wild Life Extreme: 2779

As a flagship killer, the realme GT3 proves that the previous-generation Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is still a solid processor option. It has none of the thermal issues associated with its non-plus sibling, and that realme also designed a good, non-active cooling system for the GT3 to keep it cool even if it has the fastest charging speed on a phone at 240w. Unlike the rest of the phones in this list, there’s no official local availability on the GT3–and we really hope realme makes it available in the Philippines.

 

TECNO Phantom X2 Pro

Geekbench 6 Single-Core: 1227

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 3522

Geekbench 6 Compute: 5856

Wild Life Extreme: 2407

The Phantom X2 Pro rounds up our top 5, and it is the only non-Snapdragon-powered device on our list. Instead, it uses a Dimensity 9000+ processor that’s proven to be one of the best MediaTek chips we’ve seen in a while, offering a performance that can rival Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series chips. It’s also the most powerful TECNO device as well, which shows that the young brand is ready to compete against more established ones in the flagship segment.

That rounds up our list of the top 5 best performing phones we have tested so far in 2023 for the first quarter. Which flagship will you most likely buy if you have the budget?