Costco has great food deals and I save by buying my electronics and tires there.
I'm regularly saving 25 to 30 cents a gallon on gas by going to Costco.
When I joined Costco back in 1997, I was living in California with my then-husband. We'd wander the aisles, loading our cart with all kinds of fun things, and then get pizza from the food court.
After we split up a few years ago and I started only shopping for one, there was no way I was giving up my membership.
After all, the wholesale club has 129.5 million membership cardholders, which range from small households to midsize businesses. I was confident I'd make the most of my membership for one.
Costco's tire and auto center saves me tons on my car.
I saved $120 on tires at Costco recently.
Lori Saitz
Thankfully, I don't need tires and batteries on the regular. But when I do, I turn to Costco.
My car requires high-performance tires, which can be hundreds of dollars a pop. They're so costly that I waited as long as possible to replace them last year.
I shopped around for the lowest price and found buying at Costco saved me more than $120 on a set of four. Plus, they came with a five-year road-hazard warranty. Three months later, one of my tires got a screw in it, and I was able to have it repaired at Costco for free in just an hour.
Last month my car needed a new battery. If only I'd remembered Costco sells batteries — I could've saved $100!
The frozen-food section is great for one person.
Frozen food lasts longer for me.
Lori Saitz
Even though I shop for one, I love picking up a few staples at Costco. The freezer section is an especially great spot.
I'm an evangelist for the wild salmon burgers that come frozen in a bag of 12. They're easy to store and to pull out and grill, broil, or pan-fry any night of the week for a quick and high-protein dinner.
The large bags of frozen shrimp are also easy to portion out and use up.
I stock up on big bags of frozen organic fruit for my protein smoothies, too. It's priced well and saves me from having to keep going to the grocery store for those little bags with less than three servings.
I get pantry staples, too.
I buy Kodiak protein-pancake mix in bulk.
Lori Saitz
I love the large box of Kodiak protein-pancake mix I find at Costco. Smaller boxes of the mix are pricey, so I save by buying it in bulk.
I also stock up on large packs of canned tuna, which doesn't take up a ton of room in my pantry, is so versatile, and lasts for months.
And, when I need a sweet treat, the gluten-free, vegan, and low-sugar Unreal dark-chocolate coconut minis hit the spot with their taste and price. The minis cost way more elsewhere — I can get just over 15 ounces of them for $13 at Costco or a 4-ounce bag at Target for $5.50.
Costco's optical center saves me money and is easy to use.
I like getting glasses at Costco.
Lori Saitz
I find it convenient to book an exam with an independent Doctor of Optometry at Costco and then order glasses and contact lenses right there in the warehouse or online.
I've shopped around for my expensive multi-focal contact lenses and typically find the best prices at Costco.
Even better, Costco accepts a whole bunch of insurance plans. And I can buy the Clear Care contact solution I use in bulk for a great price while I'm at the warehouse picking up my prescription, too.
Electronics purchases come with great warranties and support.
I try to buy tech at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Costco regularly has deals on electronics, but tech purchases come with other perks, too.
I bought a laptop at Costco a few years ago and have made good use of the free concierge tech support that came with my purchase. I would call Costco's tech-support hotline at any hour and I was never made to feel stupid for needing help.
Costco also offers extended manufacturer's warranties on tons of electronics purchased at the warehouse, from televisions to computers to appliances.
Costco has some pretty great clothing options, too.
I bought my puffer jacket at Costco fro $20.
Lori Saitz
Costco sells clothing and accessories from big-name brands and lesser-known ones — all at pretty decent prices.
Last winter, I got a no-name winter puffy coat at Costco for $20 that could pass for a high-end one that costs hundreds.
I've also purchased well-made gloves, shirts, workout leggings, and shorts from Costco. I even bought a couple of sundresses there several years ago and still get compliments every time I wear one.
Lastly, the gas prices are pretty great at Costco.
I try to get gas at Costco whenever I can.
Lori Saitz
I live a nomadic life so I drive a lot and always look for the cheapest gas.
Most recently I saved 38 cents a gallon at Costco compared to the other gas stations in the area. That adds up to me saving a few hundred dollars a year on gas by choosing Costco.
Sometimes the lines to get gas at Costco are long, but I can see why. Fortunately, I find they usually move pretty fast.
A worker collects shopping carts from the parking lot of a Walmart store in Chicago.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Walmart will close eight locations across four states in 2024 so far.
The company cited financial underperformance as the reason for the decisions.
The company plans to open or begin construction on 14 new locations this year.
Walmart will close a Bay Area store later this month, as well as a Neighborhood Market in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, bringing the number of confirmed closures so far this year to eight.
Layoff notices filed with the state of Wisconsin and California follow the closures earlier this year of four stores in California, one in Maryland, and one in Ohio. In those cases, the company said the stores were not meeting financial performance expectations.
"We are grateful to the customers who have given us the privilege of serving them at our San Diego and El Cajon stores," Walmart spokesperson Brian Little said in a statement to Business Insider in January. "We look forward to continuing to serve them at any of our many locations across the area, on Walmart.com, and through delivery to their home or business."
In each case, the company said workers are eligible for transfer to another location, and Walmart will continue to operate over a dozen stores and warehouse clubs in each local market.
Walmart had over 4,600 retail locations in the US as of February, a figure that includes 3,560 supercenters, 360 discount stores, and 675 neighborhood markets. It also owns nearly 600 Sam's Club warehouses.
The company said in January it will build or up-size over 150 stores in the next five years, starting with 14 new locations this year. Four of the new locations will be in Texas, with three in the Dallas area and one near Houston, the Dallas Morning News reported.
In addition, some 650 locations will be renovated to the brand's "Store of the Future" concept.
Last year, Business Insider tracked the closures of at least 22 Walmart locations across the US, including four in Chicago. Financial performance was cited in those cases as well.
Here are the latest Walmart closings:
California:
2121 Imperial Ave. in San Diego
605 Fletcher Parkway in El Cajon
2753 E. Eastland Center Dr. in West Covina
4080 Douglas Blvd in Granite Bay (Neighborhood Market)
40580 Albrae St. in Fremont
Maryland:
1238 Putty Hill Ave in Towson
Ohio:
3579 S. High St. in Columbus
Wisconsin
7025 W Main St. in Milwaukee (Neighborhood Market)
Here are the confirmed openings:
Georgia:
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta (Neighborhood Market)
Florida:
U.S. Highway 98 East in Santa Rosa Beach (Neighborhood Market)
Texas
Preston Road in Celina (Dallas area)
16600 FM 423 in Frisco (Dallas area)
McKinney Street in Melissa (Dallas area)
8927 Fry Road in Cypress (Houston area)
8 additional locations are planned to begin construction this year.
Do you work or shop at one of the Walmart stores above and want to share your thoughts? Contact reporter Dominick Reuter from a non-work email at dreuter@businessinsider.com or call/text/Signal at 646.768.4750.
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
The best phones offer stellar performance, cameras, and battery life at affordable prices. Our top picks include the Samsung Galaxy S24 (left) and iPhone 15 (right).
Antonio Villas-Boas, Les Shu/Business Insider
It's tough to go wrong with most phones available in the US these days, and it's almost impossible to find a bad phone if you're looking for a premium device in 2024. Considering that, the "best phone" depends on your budget and priorities. Still, we can make a general assessment of the best phone overall.
Among the best phones available, Apple's iPhone 15 is our top option for most people due to its balance of performance, camera quality, camera reliability, battery life, and ecosystem for the price. Samsung's Galaxy S24 is the ideal pick for Android users for the same reasons as the iPhone 15.
On the more affordable end of the spectrum, Apple's iPhone 13 and Google's Pixel 7a are superb devices that offer incredible value. Indeed, they're not exactly "cheap," but we think they're well worth the price considering what they offer and their potential longevity.
These days, most smartphone users fall into either Team iPhone or Team Android. If you're platform agnostic and want a phone that requires the fewest compromises, we recommend the iPhone 15. (For those who prefer Apple, our best iPhone guide shows what else we recommend.)
While Android phones seem to go through identity changes more often than Ethan Hunt, iPhones have stayed relatively consistent year over year. Apple is largely sticking to a successful playbook for the iPhone 15: A phone that delivers a great user experience that revolves around a stable operating system, best-in-class camera system, popular apps, and the latest tech.
It may look like a typical iPhone, but the iPhone 15 has several improvements and new features over its predecessor.
Les Shu/Business Insider
The iPhone 15 isn't a big departure from the iPhone 14, but there are noteworthy upgrades. It runs on the A16 processor and incorporates the Dynamic Island notification display, both of which were introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro. Performance has increased over the iPhone 14 and 13, which used the A15. The 6.1-inch display is also much brighter, with a slightly higher resolution.
The big new feature is the iPhone's switch to USB-C from Lightning, which, depending on the user, could be a celebration or an annoyance. There is satisfaction in using the same cable to charge all your devices. But it's inconvenient if you own just Lightning cables and accessories, which would require purchasing new chargers and adapters.
Most people, however, probably already have USB-C accessories, particularly those who own the newest MacBooks, iPads, PCs, and even Android phones, which have been using USB-C for some time now. Our disappointment with the iPhone 15's USB-C implementation is that it doesn't offer an improvement over Lightning regarding fast charging and data transfer.
The iPhone 15's main camera sensor has been bumped up to 48 megapixels from 12, and the optical zoom is now 2x instead of 1x. While iPhone cameras have always been solid, the iPhone 15 delivers improved low-light performance and picture quality, particularly when cropping into a photo.
While the newest Android phones aren't anything to sneeze at, we still recommend the iPhone for most people due to the polished hardware and software, ease of use, and Apple's lauded support.
For older iPhone owners who held back due to the lack of upgrades in the iPhone 14, the iPhone 15 is a more attractive recommendation. However, those who could use Apple's latest high-end features should consider the iPhone 15 Pro models, as they exclusively offer faster USB 3 charging, a customizable Action button, and dedicated zoom lenses.
With its triple-lens camera, class-leading performance, AI features, and excellent battery life, the Samsung Galaxy S24 is the complete package. No other phone offers as much as the Galaxy S24 for an $800 base price, even among iPhones.
Indeed, the Galaxy S24's three cameras set it apart from other Android phones in its 6.1-inch size range and $800 price range. By including a 3x zoom lens, the Galaxy S24 offers a more versatile camera experience, allowing you to take better-quality photos of subjects further away.
Samsung's Galaxy S24 is easily the top Android phone for most people, as it makes the fewest compromises for a solid price.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
Ironically, the Galaxy S24's cameras are among our few complaints. To be sure, they're very good cameras, but they're generally less consistent than premium phones from Google and Apple, as irregular lighting can produce flat, shallow photos with reduced character.
That said, overall, the Galaxy S24 is our top pick among the best Android phones, as it is likely to satisfy most people with its stellar performance and high-end features at a reasonable price point.
If you're looking for the best iPhone experience for the lowest price, go for the iPhone 13 rather than the iPhone SE (2022). Yes, the iPhone 13 has a $599 starting price compared to the iPhone SE's $429, which stretches the definition of "budget." However, we feel the iPhone 13's extras are well worth it.
The iPhone 13 runs on Apple's A15 Bionic processor (the same as the iPhone SE, coincidentally). Although two generations old, it can easily handle any app or game in the App Store.
The iPhone 13 is expensive for a "budget" iPhone, but it's a significantly better phone than the true budget iPhone SE (2022).
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
The iPhone 13 also features Apple's modern design rather than the iPhone SE's antiquated look with its top and bottom bezels. It also includes Face ID, a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, a dual-lens camera, and support for Apple's MagSafe wireless charging and accessories. To top it all off, the iPhone 13 has significantly better battery life than the iPhone SE.
With all this in mind, we think you'll better enjoy the experience with the iPhone 13 for the years you'll use it. Based on Apple's support cycle, we'd estimate Apple will support the iPhone 13 for another three years.
However, if budget matters more than features and design, you'll still be happy with the iPhone SE (2022), as it remains another top option among the best cheap phones available. But be aware that the iPhone SE uses an outdated design with a small screen and Touch ID.
Best budget phone for Android users
Budget Android phones often try to appear more premium than they are, mostly with high refresh-rate displays and bunk "macro" cameras that few people will use. Most fall flat when it comes to performance or camera quality. Google's Pixel 7a, however, is the exception.
At its $499 starting price, the Pixel 7a pushes the boundaries of "budget," especially for an Android phone. Yet, we feel it's well worth it if your budget allows for it, as it's easily the best budget Android phone you can buy now, and it's often discounted. (We expect Google will launch a new Pixel A-series model around the company's Google I/O event on May 14. Consequently, you might want to wait for a price drop of the Pixel 7a or see what the next model offers.)
Google's Pixel 7a can be pricey for a budget phone, but the features are worth it.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
The Pixel 7a has a smooth 90Hz display, but that's par for the course on budget Android phones. What's impressive is that it runs on the same Tensor G2 processor as Google's flagship Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, meaning it has high-end performance at an excellent value.
The Pixel 7a's cameras also beat any other phone in its price range. In fact, the Pixel 7a's camera system comfortably competes with phones that cost twice as much. You don't get a dedicated zoom lens with the Pixel 7a, but it's not expected on a $500 phone.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro has three cameras: a 48MP ultrawide camera, a 50MP main camera, and a 48MP 5x zoom camera. It takes excellent photos and imparted the most confidence during our testing, over both Samsung and Apple phones, that it would reliably do so repeatedly.
The Pixel's signature photo look is gleefully present, with rich and natural colors, and lighting is properly balanced without trying to enhance darker and brighter details with extra brightness. Pixel photos have plenty of contrast, too, which gives photos gorgeous depth.
The Pixel 8 Pro gives us the most confidence that photos and videos will turn out great.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
Our top camera pick among the best Google Pixel phones, the Pixel 8 Pro's three lenses offer plenty of versatility, and we love its 5x zoom compared to the 3x zoom cameras that are more common.
If you want to stick to Apple's ecosystem, the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers the best camera system among iPhones, and it's the only option that matches the Pixel 8 Pro's 5x zoom lens.
The iPhone 15 Plus is our recommendation if you're looking for a phone that can last over a day on a single charge. Every user's mileage will vary, but we achieved, on average, 66% of battery life remaining after rounds of testing. A close runner-up is the Samsung S24 Ultra, which yielded similar test results but is a more expensive phone.
In terms of performance and features, the iPhone 15 Plus shares the same pros and cons as the iPhone 15. But the iPhone 15 Plus is a larger device that can accommodate a bigger battery. It also has a 6.7-inch display versus 6.1, which gives you more viewable real estate. The problem is that you can't get longer battery life without getting a large phone, so it's something to consider and worth trying out at a store. That said, we haven't experienced issues when holding it in our hand or stashing it in a pocket.
The iPhone 15 Plus' larger size allows for a bigger battery. Most people can expect over a day's worth of battery life before recharging
Les Shu/Business Insider
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, with its 6.8-inch display, is a good example of how larger phones tend to offer longer battery life. However, it scored notably higher than other phones with large screens, like the Galaxy S24 Plus and Google Pixel 8 Pro.
That's all to say that the Galaxy S24 Ultra, specs-wise the best Samsung phone, offers the best battery life for Android users, but they have to pay a higher price than iPhone users.
We prefer book-style foldable phones that unfold into compact tablets for their superior functionality and performance relative to clamshell foldables, which fold into compact squares.
Among the three phone-tablet hybrid foldables available in the US, the OnePlus Open is our favorite option, topping the Google Pixel Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The OnePlus Open sets itself apart with its build quality, larger displays, and a traditional shape and size for the cover display that's familiar and comfortable to use.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
All phone-tablet hybrid foldables essentially offer the same level of performance, top-of-the-line displays with premium specs, like 120HZ refresh rates and OLED panels, excellent camera quality, and superlative battery life.
What sets the OnePlus Open apart is its superior, rock-solid build quality, its cover display that's sized and shaped like a traditional phone, and its slightly larger cover and tablet displays compared to other available foldables.
The only gripe we have with the OnePlus Open is the omission of wireless charging, which should be expected on a phone with a $1,700 price tag. It does support super-fast 67W charging speeds, but only with the included proprietary OnePlus charger.
Overall, Apple's iPhone 15 is the phone we'd recommend to most people, at least those who live in the US. Android phones these days are fantastic, but they still lack certain key features, like advanced biometric authentication that's on par with Apple's Face ID. Even minor features, like Apple's Dynamic Island, make us lean toward the iPhone 15 for an overall recommendation.
48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP 2x zoom (uses main camera sensor)
48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 64MP 3x zoom
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
512GB
How we test phones
We test and use phones extensively to land on the top options for our guides.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
We test iPhones and Android phones as if they were our daily drivers for at least a week, often longer, to get a feel for their performance, battery life, cameras, and new features. We have extensive experience testing various phone models from different companies at various price points, which lets us quickly identify any issues.
In addition to real-world usage, we conduct standardized tests on all phones reviewed and included in our guides.
For performance, we put phones through a series of benchmarking apps to check for discrepancies between devices. We use Geekbench 6 for general performance and the 3DMark Wild Life Stress Test to gauge extended heavy gaming performance. These tests help us estimate how long a phone could maintain its performance relative to comparable phones.
For camera testing, we photograph a consistent set of scenes with every phone and compare the results with their direct competitors. We take photos and videos with each lens on each phone and evaluate the differences. We even compare budget camera phones to premium options to assess the discrepancies in image and video quality.
For battery life, we run phones through a stress test that simulates a range of typical daily workloads, like streaming video and music, and high-intensity activities, like playing demanding games. This test includes five runs of the Geekbench 6 app, two runs of the 3DMark Wildlife Stress Test, two hours of video streaming at a set average brightness, and one hour of music streaming with a Bluetooth speaker connected. At the end of the test, we note the phone's remaining battery percentage.
FAQs
How much storage should a phone have?
These days, 128GB is the standard, minimum option for storage on most phones. Anything lower than that, like 64GB, can be quite limiting in terms of how many apps you can install, and you can basically forget about storing a significant number of photos, videos, and music.
128GB of storage can be enough, especially if you use cloud storage for photos and often stream. Depending on how many apps you use, you can also get by downloading videos for flights.
You should opt for more than 128GB of storage if you tend to download your music rather than stream it or store lots of photos and videos on your phone. More storage can be helpful if you have many apps and games.
How long should a phone's battery life last?
A phone's battery should last you through a typical day, even for heavy users with extensive screen time. Thankfully, most phones tend to have good enough battery life to do so.
Larger phones tend to have longer battery lives than smaller ones, so users with lots of screen-on time would benefit from a larger phone if not for the larger display.
Your best options for a phone that can last longer than a day routinely are Apple's iPhone 15 Plus and Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra, large-screen devices that scored the highest among all phones in our intensive battery test.
What is a good camera for a phone?
More than anything, a good camera for a phone should give you the confidence that you'll get a high-quality photo or video without making you feel like you need to check and retake your content.
We find that Google's Pixel phones and Apple's iPhones tend to give us the most confidence in this regard. Correspondingly, our top overall picks for phone camera systems are Google's Pixel 8 Pro and Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max, which both offer a dedicated 5x zoom lens.
Best phone overall: iPhone 14
Apple's excellent iPhone 14 offers exceptional value at its new starting price.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Insider
Pros: Enhanced value after recent $100 price drop, stellar performance, excellent camera quality, excellent battery life, valuable safety features
Cons: 60Hz display feels outdated, no dedicated zoom lens
Apple has released the iPhone 15 generation, and once we've reviewed those phones, one of those models will likely replace the iPhone 14 as the best phone overall. For now, however, the iPhone 14 is still technically our pick for the best iPhone and best phone overall, and that's especially the case now that its starting price has dropped by $100 down to $699.
The iPhone 14 offers a hard-to-beat balance of features, battery life, camera quality, and performance for its price, which all combine to make it our top recommendation for most people.
Some might point out that Samsung's Galaxy S23 devices, which are among our best Android picks, don't make the same compromises as the iPhone 14 does, like a 60Hz display, or a camera system with "only" two lenses. These are valid points, but looking at the overall picture, the iPhone 14 is still the phone we can most widely recommend.
Apple's ecosystem is still a major hook for the iPhone, and while Samsung is building out its own ecosystem, it's not there yet. Popular Apple devices, like the Apple Watch, Macs, AirPods, iPads, and iPhones work seamlessly with each other to offer access to popular services like iMessage, FaceTime, AirDrop, taking and making phone calls, and instant mobile hotspot connectivity.
The safety features Apple introduced with the iPhone 14 series, including Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection, especially, are valuable to have on hand, even if you hope to never use either. Both have proven to save lives, or at least been useful, in emergency situations.
There's also something to be said about Apple's physical presence with Apple Stores — if iPhone users need help or repairs, the Apple Store is an easy, clearly defined place to go. To be fair, official repairs by Apple are often pricey. Still, at least it's a convenient option to get help, if imperfect, compared to the murkier options available for Android phone users.
Cons: Occasional shutter lag, some unwanted bloatware
Chances are that if you're looking for a particular feature, or all the best phone features you can get in 2023, Samsung's Galaxy S23 Plus has what you need at a starting price of $1,000.
The Galaxy S23 Plus, our best Android phone overall, is a delight to use thanks to its smooth 120Hz display and incredibly snappy performance from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that's specially optimized for Samsung's Galaxy S23 phones.
To be sure, the Galaxy S23 Plus with its 6.6-inch display is for those who like larger displays. But despite its screen size, the Galaxy S23 Plus maintains a comfortable 6.91-ounce weight, which is positively featherweight for a phone of this size.
Battery life is excellent and support for fast 45W charging speeds is a cherry on top. Wireless charging is included and rated for up to 15W on the Qi common standard. You can even charge other devices off the back of the Galaxy S23 Plus, albeit at a slow 4.5W that's best suited for smaller accessories, like wireless earbuds.
The Galaxy S23 Plus' versatile triple-lens camera offers nearly everything you would want in a premium phone, with sharp, clear, high-quality photos and video.
Apple’s iPhone SE offers entry to the Apple experience and ecosystem for the lowest price.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
Pros: Excellent performance-to-price ratio, impressive single camera, lightweight, 4.7-inch display is comfortable to use one-handed
Cons: Antiquated design, lacks multiple cameras, 60Hz LCD display, short battery life compared to larger phones
The least expensive way to get the Apple experience, as well as access to its ecosystem of apps, accessories, and services, is the third-generation iPhone SE. Starting at $429, it's also less expensive than even our budget Android pick.
The iPhone SE runs on Apple's A15 Bionic processor, which also powers the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. That means it's a powerful processor that opens and runs apps quickly now and for the next few years.
For its relatively low price, the iPhone SE is missing some high-end features. It has a 4.7-inch LCD display, which not only is small, but isn't as high-quality as the OLED displays on other more expensive iPhones. Having a small display and overall size doesn't have to be a negative, as some may actively want a smaller screen for the most comfortable one-handed reachability. Plus, at 5.09 ounces, the iPhone SE is the lightest iPhone currently available.
The biggest caveat with small phones like the iPhone SE is a smaller battery, which leads to shorter battery life than bigger iPhones — it might need a charging top-up once or twice during the day, depending on your usage.
The iPhone SE also has an antiquated design. Many liken it to the iPhone 8, but the design with large bezels above and below the display can be traced back to the iPhone 6 generation from 2014.
Still, having such large bezels affords the iPhone SE an old favorite — Touch ID. While not as seamless as the more modern Face ID, Touch ID is still incredibly reliable, and some prefer to use their fingerprints rather than their faces to unlock their iPhones.
Then there's the question of cameras, or a single camera, to be precise. The iPhone SE lacks the ultrawide and zoom lenses of more expensive iPhones, but its main camera can still hold its own with high-quality photos. Again, they're not as high-quality as those on more expensive iPhones, but anyone would be more than happy with the iPhone SE's photos for its sub-$500 price.
Best budget phone for Android users: Google Pixel 7a
Google's Pixel 7a is available at a new low price that further cements its position as the top budget Android phone.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
Pros: Flagship performance on a budget phone, stunning dual-camera system, 90Hz display, wireless charging
Cons: mmWave 5G model is more expensive and a Verizon exclusive, thicker and heavier than premium phones its size
Budget Android phones often try to appear more premium than they are, mostly with smooth high refresh-rate displays and bunk "macro" cameras that few people will use. Most fall flat when it comes to performance or camera quality. Google's Pixel 7a, however, is the exception.
Marked down from its typical MSRP of $499, the Pixel 7a is an especially great deal at its current starting price of $374, which easily makes it the best budget Android phone you can buy.
The Pixel 7a has a smooth 90Hz display, but that's par for the course on budget Android phones. What's impressive is that it runs on the same Tensor G2 processor as Google's flagship Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, meaning it has high-end performance at an excellent value.
The Pixel 7a's cameras also beat any other phone in its price range. In fact, the Pixel 7a's camera system comfortably competes with phones that cost twice as much. You don't get a dedicated zoom lens with the Pixel 7a, but it's not expected on a budget phone.
Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra is simply the best phone for taking photos thanks to its versatile four-lens camera and S Pen that offers more precision for on-device editing.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Insider
Pros: Exceptional quad-lens camera system, 10x optical zoom ability, stellar optical image stabilization, large screen and S Pen make on-device editing easier
Cons: Surprisingly lackluster battery life for its size, may be too large for some people, occasional shutter lag
Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra has the most camera tech out of any other phone we've tested. It's the most versatile phone for taking photos thanks to its four lenses, including a main camera, an ultrawide, a 3x zoom, and a 10x zoom.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra's 200MP camera takes 12MP photos by default, but you can set it to take photos at 50MP or the full 200MP for stunning clarity and detail. The caveat is that a 200MP photo can take up to 200 megabytes, so storage inside and out of the phone should be a consideration.
Another perk of the massive 200MP sensor is better low-light performance, as more megapixels can combine to capture more light in a process called "binning." Indeed, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is also the best phone for taking high-quality photos in low-light situations.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra's 10x zoom lens is one of those things you never knew you needed until you tried it. I often wish I had 10x zoom when I'm using a different phone, as no other phone can capture far-away subjects as sharply and clearly as the Galaxy S23 Ultra. To take sharp photos at such a high zoom, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has impressive optical image stabilization, too, which also makes for incredibly stable video recording.
Then, there's the S Pen — a built-in stylus that offers more precision and functionality than any finger could for editing photos right on the device, which is only made easier by the Galaxy S23 Ultra's larger-than-usual 6.8-inch display. There's no better phone if content capture is your top priority.
Once we've finished testing and reviewing it, the new iPhone 15 Plus could replace the iPhone 14 Plus as the phone with the longest battery life. For now, though, the iPhone 14 Plus still reigns in that department.
Apart from offering the big-screen iPhone experience for less than a Pro Max model, the iPhone 14 Plus also has the best battery life out of any phone we've tested to date. It ended our intensive battery test with 73% remaining, which is astounding. Out of the dozens of phones I've tested with our latest battery test, only one other phone obtained a result in the 70th percentile — the OnePlus 11 with a 71%.
Otherwise, the iPhone 14 Plus is essentially a bigger version of our pick for the best phone overall, the iPhone 14. It runs on the same processor, has the same cameras, the same 60Hz screen, and the same features.
Following the announcement of the iPhone 15 generation, Apple reduced the iPhone 14 Plus' price by $100 down to $799. That's a stunning deal for an iPhone with a 6.7-inch display, but you may find the iPhone 15 Plus warrants the $100 premium.
Google's Pixel Fold is the best foldable we've reviewed thanks to the familiar, traditional shape of its exterior display.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
Pros: Smooth flagship performance, excellent five-camera system, familiar-shaped exterior display, 120Hz displays inside and out, stellar battery life, thin and light as a tablet
Cons: Thick and heavy as a phone, prohibitive pricing
Between clamshell-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr Plus, and tablet hybrids like the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5, we've decided the hybrid design is the best form factor for foldable phones. That's primarily because clamshell phones sorely lack the battery life and cameras of traditional flat phones, while the best hybrid foldables are more comparable to high-end flat phones in those respects.
Out of the tablet-hybrid foldables we've tried and reviewed, Google's Pixel Fold tops our list thanks in large part to the exterior display's familiar, traditional phone shape. The tall, narrow displays on the Galaxy Z Fold series phones are more awkward to use and take more getting used to than the Pixel Fold's exterior display. (The new OnePlus Open foldable has a cover screen that strikes a welcome middle ground between the narrowness of the Z Fold phones and the width of the Pixel Fold, and it could take the Pixel Fold's spot here once we've finished testing and reviewing it.)
The Pixel Fold runs on the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7 flagship lineup, so performance is stellar. It also comes with a total of five cameras, and when talking about Google's excellent Pixel cameras, more can only mean better — there are three cameras on the rear, a front-facing camera, and an interior camera for tablet mode. Not to mention, you can unfold the Pixel Fold and use its superior main rear camera to take selfies while using the exterior display as a viewfinder, which is a common perk in foldable phones.
Both the Pixel Fold's OLED displays run at a smooth 120Hz for a seamless experience, inside and out.
As with any tablet-hybrid foldable, the Pixel Fold is rather heavy and chunky as a traditional phone, even more so with its smaller 5.8-inch exterior display. Still, its small display means it's comfortable to use one-handed and offers superior reachability with your thumbs relative to large displays. To boot, the Pixel Fold is also thin and light as a 7.6-inch tablet.
Battery life is also excellent on the Pixel Fold, as it ended our intensive battery test with a 69% result while in folded phone mode — that's a result we'd expect for phones with larger, 6.7-inch displays. In tablet mode, the Pixel Fold scored 65%, which may not seem impressive for a 7.6-inch tablet, but it still means you can use the Pixel Fold exclusively in tablet mode all day, like you would your traditional phone, without worrying about battery life, though that'll depend on how intensively you use it.
While we rigorously test the iPhone 15 series, Apple's iPhone 14 offers the best overall combination of performance, camera quality, battery life, and value with its new starting price of $699. If you want to buy into the Apple ecosystem at a more affordable price point, we recommend the third-generation iPhone SE starting at $429 as the best budget iPhone currently available.
The new Google Pixel 8 phones have the best explicit support window of any phones on the market with their guaranteed seven years of Android operating system and security updates, and they'll likely take at least one spot on this list once we've finished testing and reviewing them.
While Apple doesn't explicitly state how long it will support its devices, the company's recent history has shown that it will support iPhones for at least six years of software updates. That means the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and third-generation iPhone SE included above should see iOS and security updates at least through 2028.
Among the Android phones on our list, Samsung's flagship devices have the best current support window for software and security updates, as the company said its Galaxy S23 phones will get four years of Android software updates and five years of security updates from their February 2023 release.
The Google phones included above, on the other hand, have a comparatively short support window. Google said that the Pixel Fold will see Android software updates until June 26, 2026 and security updates until June 25, 2028, while the Pixel 7a will see software updates until May 8, 2026 and security updates until May 7, 2028.
Apart from a brief stint at McKinsey, her career has spanned multiple roles for LVMH since 2000.
All of her siblings also work at LVMH brands, including Louis Vuitton, Berluti, and TAG Heuer.
Delphine Arnault is one of the most powerful women in fashion.
The eldest daughter of the world's richest man, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, the 49-year-old Delphine is now a year into her role as CEO of Dior.
Since 2000, her career has spanned multiple roles with LVMH, including CEO of Dior since 2023.
Here's a look at Delphine Arnault's background and career.
Her father's eldest child (she has four younger brothers), she is the heiress-apparent to his luxury goods empire and fortune worth $218 billion.
From left: Alexandre, Frederic, and Jean Arnault, Helene Mercier, and Bernard, Delphine, and Antoine Arnault.
DENIS CHARLET/AFP via Getty Images
Delphine was born near Paris on April 4, 1975, to Bernard Arnault and his first wife, Anne Dewavrin. She attended primary school in Paris, with a stint in the US at a French-American school where she became fluent in English.
After graduating from the London School of Economics in 1997, Delphine Arnault took a job at McKinsey.
From left: Alexandre Arnault, Antoine Arnault, and Delphine Arnault.
Vianney Le Caer/AP
"I was learning strategy," she told the Financial Times of her time at McKinsey. "In a presentation in America they would start with the conclusion and say how they got there, and I found that very interesting. It was straight to the point."
After McKinsey, she joined the fashion designer John Galliano's brand to gain more industry experience.
Bernard Arnault and John Galliano.
Raphael GAILLARDE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
At the time, Galliano was also Dior's creative director.
In 2005, she married Italian wine heir Alessandro Vallarino Gancia in what Forbes called "France's wedding of the year."
Delphine Arnault and Alessandro Vallarino Gancia.
DERRICK CEYRAC/AFP/Getty Images
Her wedding dress reportedly took 1,300 hours to make, but the marriage didn't last, according to Vogue.
She then began a relationship with French telecom billionaire Xavier Niel. They now have two children.
Xavier Niel.
Kima Ventures
Niel is sometimes referred to as the Steve Jobs of France, according to Vogue. "She's his biggest cheerleader. He's her biggest cheerleader," artist Mark Bradford told the magazine.
Arnault is credited with elevating Raf Simons to replace John Galliano.
Raf Simons.
FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP via Getty Images
Galliano abruptly left Dior in 2011 after video footage of him making antisemitic remarks led to his ouster, and Delphine played a key role in shielding the company from fallout.
In 2013, Ms. Arnault took over all product-related activities for Louis Vuitton.
A model holds a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images
Louis Vuitton is the biggest brand at LVMH.
She told the FT her managerial style is "quite calm," though she's known to make surprise visits to stores on busy Saturday afternoons.
Shoppers walk past a Louis Vuitton store.
Miguel MEDINA / AFP
"I am always on my phone but it's good to meet people, to see them. To send a clear message," she said.
At 43, Arnault became the youngest member on the LVMH executive committee when she joined in 2019.
Delphine Arnault.
Getty Images
She was also just the second woman to join the committee.
In January 2023, LVMH announced she would take over the CEO role at Christian Dior.
A Dior storefront. Arnault took over as CEO of the brand in 2023.
Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Former Dior CEO Pietro Beccari moved over to Louis Vuitton.
"Under her leadership, the desirability of Louis Vuitton products advanced significantly, enabling the brand to regularly set new sales records," her father said in the announcement.
Delphine and Bernard Arnault.
Getty Images
"Her keen insights and incomparable experience will be decisive assets in driving the ongoing development of Christian Dior," he added.
As a group, LVMH posted over $92 billion in sales last year, up 13% from the prior period.
A woman walks with a Louis Vuitton shopping bag.
REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
The company doesn't separate financial information by brand, but half of its revenues come from fashion and leather goods.
Delphine's move is "significant," Citi analyst Thomas Chauvet told Reuters.
Delphine, Bernard, and Helene Arnault.
Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images
"Succession planning in strategic roles has been instrumental to the success of LVMH's key brands over the past 20 years," Chauvet said.
In April, Bernard Arnault added two more of Delphine's siblings to the LVMH board.
Bernard Arnault on his private jet.
Marc DEVILLE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Of the five children, only the youngest, Jean Arnault, doesn't sit on the company's board – for now.
LVMH is "the leading business in Europe," Delphine told Vogue, and "Dior is the most famous French name in the world."
Mal Langsdon/Reuters
Of LVMH's 70-plus luxury brands, Dior has a particularly special significance in French culture, and Bernard Arnault has pledged €200 million to restore Notre Dame and €150 million to the Paris Olympics.
Two Stifel employees have left following an investigation into their conduct.
They worked in London for the St. Louis-based investment bank.
Stifel told The Times of London it had "investigated and have taken appropriate action."
Two employees of Stifel have left the investment bank following an investigation into their conduct with a cleaning contractor.
The Times of London first reported the story involving workers at the US bank's offices in the City of London, near St Paul's Cathedral.
Stifel opened an investigation following allegations about improper relationships between employees and a "member of the external cleaning contractor," a Stifel representative told Bloomberg.
One worker resigned after the probe found misconduct had occurred, while the other left and was now involved in a "legal progress" with the firm, The Times reported.
A Stifel representative told The Times: "This matter, involving two employees, came to light several months ago. We investigated and have taken appropriate action. Both individuals are no longer with the firm."
Stifel did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
Like many companies, the bank operates a code of conduct for employees.
According to its code of business conduct and ethics: "Stifel expects all Associates to act with integrity in their dealings with clients, other Associates, third parties, or anyone else they come into contact with as part of their association."
The firm has about 600 staff in London after acquiring another company a decade ago.
The #MeToo movement reportedly brought about some social change about sexism in Britain's financial sector.
However, MPs on the Treasury select committee were told earlier this year that some women felt that sexist conduct had now becomemore "underhand and pernicious."
The MPs heard that initiatives aimed at improving diversity and inclusion in financial services were welcome, but were "often 'tokenistic' or 'box-ticking' in nature and lacked the 'teeth' needed to drive genuine change."
Anyway, Warren Buffett isn't sticking around to find out. The famed investor, who not very long ago owned 15% of Paramount, disclosed over the weekend that his Berkshire Hathaway holding company has sold its entire stake in the company this year.
"I was 100% responsible for the Paramount decision," Buffett told attendees at Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting. "It was 100% my decision, and we've sold it all, and we lost quite a bit of money."
So how much is "quite a bit of money?"
Berkshire Hathaway hasn't disclosed the total amount (I've asked). But when someone who's worth an estimated $132 billion says "quite a bit of money," it's probably a very big amount. By my very rough estimates, it could be something in the $1.5 billion range.
That left Berkshire with another 63.3 million Paramount shares at the beginning of 2024, and sometime between then and Saturday they have sold off the rest. Paramount's average during that timeframe was $12.38. That suggests Berkshire got another $784 million from those sales.
Add all that up, and it looks like Berkshire sold its Paramount stake for $1.2 billion after paying $2.7 billion for it — a $1.5 billion loss. Which does indeed seem like "quite a bit of money."
Fisker has begun closing its office in Manhattan Beach, three sources told Business Insider.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/Getty Images
Fisker is closing down its Manhattan Beach headquarters, three sources told Business Insider.
The company has warned multiple times it might run out of money and could file for bankruptcy.
Fisker has also gone through a number of layoffs over the past few months.
Fisker has begun to close its Manhattan Beach office, the site of the company's headquarters,three company sources told Business Insider.
Last month, the electric carmaker began telling workers at the office in Manhattan Beach, California, that they would be moved to the company's site in La Palma, California, by May 1, according to three workers with knowledge of the change.
Some workers were told to collect their belongings from the Manhattan Beach office in preparation for the move, the sources said.
The two facilities are located about 40 miles apart in California. Fisker began leasing the 73,000-square-foot office space in 2020. The La Palma site had been initially set up as a research and development space.
Fisker began leasing the Manhattan Beach office space in 2020.
MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images
A spokesperson for Fisker declined to comment and a spokesperson for Continental Development Corporation, the company that leases out the office space, did not immediately respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.
The move comes as Fisker faces headwinds from a slowdown in the EV industry. The carmaker has warned multiple times over the past few months that it might run out of money and could file for bankruptcy within the year.
On April 23, Fisker said in the regulatory filing that it had just $54 million in cash equivalencies as of April 16 and "believes that its available liquidity will not be sufficient to meet its current obligations."
Fisker has said it is looking for additional funding or a potential buyer. In April, Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker told staff during an all-hands that the company was in talks with four different automakers regarding a potential acquisition.
The company has initiated a series of layoffs over the past few months and warned workers on April 29 that they could be laid off and Fisker's "facility will close" in two months if the automaker is not able to change its course.
Do you work for Fisker or have a tip? Reach out to the reporter via a non-work email at gkay@businessinsider.com
A coming recession could end up sparking a "violent correction" in stocks, Gary Shilling told BI.
The top forecaster pointed to warning signs of a downturn, such as a weaker job market.
A full-blown recession could kill investor speculation, sending stocks crashing, he warned.
Investors should be prepared for a recession with the potential to send the stock market plummeting this year, according to top forecaster Gary Shilling.
In an interview with Business Insider, the Wall Street vet — who was among the investors in the mid-2000s to call the subprime mortgage bubble — said he saw a recession coming by the end of the year as the job market continues to weaken. That could be the final blow to the stock market rally fueled by investor overconfidence, causing stocks to drop by as much as 30%, Shilling said.
Shilling pointed to the recent run-up in risky assets, such as stocks and cryptocurrency. That itself is a sign the market is poised to drop, especially once a downturn gets underway, he said.
"You look at all the kind of speculation that we've had out there, it's indicative of a lot of overconfidence, and that usually gets corrected and corrected violently," he said.
The economy has already been flashing key signs of weakness as high interest rates take their toll. The labor market is weakening, with the unemployment rate sticking close to a two-year high in March.
Meanwhile, quit rates slumped to around 2% in March, a sign that workers are waking up to difficult hiring conditions and are less willing to leave their jobs than they were in the past.
The job market, for one, is "obviously slipping" as firms pull back on hiring, Shilling said.
Shilling believes companies have held onto more workers than they needed due to the shortage of labor that slammed employers during the pandemic. Layoffs will escalate later this year, with unemployment peaking at 5%-7% as the economy continues to weaken, he predicted.
"Employers wanted to hang onto their workforce and even add to it, because they figured things were going to be tight forever. Well, they haven't been tight forever. The economy's growth has been slipping … Employers are simply cutting back," Shilling warned.
Job losses could end up hitting Americans hard, especially since there are signs that many may be in worse shape financially than they were several years ago. Consumers probably blew through the last of their excess savings from the pandemic in March, San Francisco Fed economists estimated.
Meanwhile, a handful of recession indicators have been sounding the alarm on the economy for months. The 2-10 Treasury yield curve, the bond market's most famous recession gauge, has been signaling a downturn since July 2022. The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index, another gauge of economic strength, ticked lower in April, though the measure is not yet in recessionary territory.
"When you start to see the softness in these indicators and the actual turn down in business can be long and variable, but they are reliable enough, and I think that the safe bet is for a recession starting later this year if we're not already in it," Shilling said.
Shilling is known for his contrarian and often bearish takes on the market. Previously, he told Business Insider he looks to actively disagree with other Wall Street strategists, as the consensus view is typically already discounted in markets.
"I think people are being overly optimistic and hopeful in the face of a lot of evidence to the contrary," he warned.
The US economy may already be mired in recession, Danielle DiMartino Booth told Bloomberg TV.
Downside labor revisions and rising job losses indicate a downturn has hit, the QI Research CEO said.
She argues that by one unemployment indicator, a recession was triggered in October 2023.
The US is already mired in recessionary downturn, and rising job losses prove it, veteran forecaster Danielle DiMartino Booth told Bloomberg TV.
"Oh, my goodness, there's already been 22,000 job loss announcements in the month of May and it's still a fairly young month. So on a seasonal level, we're seeing a major pickup," the QI Research CEO said on Monday.
Booth supports this using an indicator developed by Goldman Sachs. It says that when the unemployment rate's three-month average moves up 0.3 percentage points from its 12-month low, it historically indicates a recession.
By that standard, the rule was triggered in October of last year, according to recently published labor revisions through the third quarter of 2023, indicating job losses of 192,000.
"These revisions, they keep pushing us back further and further from where we thought we were," Booth told Fox Business late last month.
And fresh data only points to a worsening labor environment, she now added.
April's job report delivered fresh weakness to markets, with the number of nonfarm payrolls added coming in significantly below estimates. Unemployment also ticked up slightly month-to-month, rising to 3.9%.
"There were 115,000 [job losses] in the month of April, which was seasonally higher than that of January and again, we're about 22,000 with just a hop skip and a jump four days into May of data, so we're definitely seeing an acceleration of job cut announcements," she said.
Other analysts have also projected rising recession risk, hand-in-hand with a labor market fallout. For instance, a hard landing could hit at the end of this year and send unemployment surging to 5%, economist David Rosenberg has said.
With the ramp up in layoffs, Booth also noted that offered severance will drop to 60 to 90 days, as opposed to the six to nine-month packages offered in 2023.
MrBeast is hitting the brakes on his relationship with his talent-management company, Semafor reported.
Talent firm Night Media has been working with the superstar YouTuber for six years.
Two sources told Semafor that Night would "no longer be his primary talent management agency."
Superstar YouTuber MrBeast and his talent-management company, Night Media, are growing apart, according to a new report from Semafor.
The 25-year-old creator, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is taking increasing control over his business and told Texas-based Night that it would "no longer be his primary talent-management agency," Semafor reported, citing two anonymous sources who were briefed on the matter.
Night had been working with Donaldson since early 2018, when the company's CEO, Reed Duchscher, began helping Donaldson with his business.
"Reed has been with me since early on and has helped us grow to where we are," Donaldson said in the statement to Bloomberg. "As the company develops and our needs change, he and I continue to have a great relationship. At this point, it makes sense to put full focus into the growth of Feastables and for me to start building my own internal team."
Night declined to comment to Business Insider. The company told Bloomberg that Duchscher would still work with Donaldson on Feastables.
Night has developed into one of the biggest and most respected talent agencies in the creator space, and has developed a roster of clients, including YouTubers Dream, ZHC, and Safiya Nygaard. It's opened an early-stage venture-funding arm, a production studio, and a venture arm to help creators build their own companies. In 2023, it acquired another talent firm, LFM, which brought with it Kai Cenat, one of the largest Twitch streamers in the world, and it also bought a podcast network earlier this year.
At the same time, MrBeast's empire has continued to expand: the YouTuber told Time earlier this year he makes between $600 and $700 million in revenue a year. He's launched a variety of philanthropic initiatives, as well as a chocolate and snack brand, Feastables, and a virtual restaurant chain, Beast Burger.
The latter has been a source of conflict, and Donaldson has been trying to shut it down. A series of lawsuits were filed in 2023 and are still being litigated. Donaldson filed a suit against Beast Burger's partner company, Virtual Dining Concepts, alleging it had been serving "low quality," sometimes "inedible" food. The company responded with another lawsuit claiming that Donaldson and his company, Beast Investments, failed to keep contractual obligations.
Recently, Donaldson inked a partnership with Amazon Prime for a reality TV show. And MrBeast's main YouTube channel is about to snatch the top spot on the platform for the most subscribed channel in the world, with 256 million subscribers.
In this scenario of immense growth, it would make sense for Donaldson to be looking for a more bespoke approach. Other creators, like popular gaming YouTuber Preston Arsement, did just that with his company TBNR, as did TikTok star Charli D'Amelio.