There’s a world of excellent flagship smartphones that push photography to new levels and budget buys that confound expectations, but you won't find them in the US, for various reasons. Some Chinese phone manufacturers are banned, while other brands prefer to focus their efforts in countries where Apple doesn't have a massive market share. Whatever the reason, I've tested these global handsets for years—these are the best phones you can’t officially buy in the US. Many of these phone makers like to release multiple devices under sub-brands, so here are some basic facts to know: Xiaomi is the brand behind Poco and Redmi; Nubia came from ZTE; Honor was a Huawei subsidiary but separated after Huawei was banned; and Realme spun out of Oppo. Before diving in, it’s worth noting that folks in the UK and elsewhere in Europe can also buy many of the phones in our Best Android Phones, Best iPhones, and Best Cheap Phones guides on sale in the US. Updated March 2026: I added the Xiaomi 17 Ultra as my new top pick, the Poco X8 Pro as my budget pick, mentions for phones from Honor, Oppo, and Xiaomi, removed several discontinued models, and updated impressions and prices. The latest flagship sailing out of Xiaomi is the 17 Ultra (there was no 16), and I’m ready to crown it camera king. The now familiar design, with that huge circular camera module on the back, has ostensibly dropped a lens, but the main 50-megapixel shooter boasts a new 1-inch sensor and lens pairing that helped me capture stunning shots in a variety of scenarios. There’s just one telephoto lens this year, but it’s a 200-megapixel shooter that slides between 3.2X (75 mm) and 4.3X (100 mm) optical zoom. A 50-megapixel ultrawide and a 50-megapixel front-facing camera round out a truly top-notch camera system. The rest of the phone ain’t bad either, with a flat 6.9-inch OLED display, speedy processor, and generous RAM and storage. You also get improved battery life and fast wired or wireless charging. I love the