Stuff's journalists put together a ranking of the best Apple smartphones, drawing on reviews, personal impressions, market impact, and significance for the lineup's evolution. Topping the list was the iPhone 5, launched in 2012. The authors point out that the iPhone 5 was one of Apple's most balanced models, featuring a slim body, memorable design, Retina display, and long-awaited LTE support—making it a standout update at the time of its release.
The runner-up was the original iPhone, which in 2007 fundamentally changed how people viewed mobile phones and ushered in the era of mass-market touchscreen smartphones. Claiming third place was the iPhone X—Apple's first model without a Home button or Touch ID, setting the design direction for years to come.
Rounding out the top ten were the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, third-generation iPhone SE, iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. Still, Stuff's writers consider the iPhone 5 the most important device in Apple's history, as it successfully combined a technological leap with compactness and a distinctive style.