Main points
- In 2026, used iPhone 15 Pro, Google Pixel 9 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra models remain relevant thanks to their powerful hardware and long-term support.
- These smartphones stand out with high performance, camera quality, and innovative features, while maintaining their value on the secondary market.
These three phones remain relevant even after several years / Collage 24 Channel
Smartphone prices may increase in 2026 due to rising component prices and the boom in artificial intelligence. Against this background, buying a used flagship seems like a rational decision, if the model still has powerful hardware and long support.
Rising prices for memory and components are forcing manufacturers to reconsider the cost of new smartphones. Because of this, more and more users are paying attention to the secondary market. However, not every flagship of past years is worth attention. Performance, software support, autonomy and cameras play an important role. This is written by BGR .
Which phones have not lost their relevance after the release of new models?
Among the models that remain relevant in 2026, three smartphones from different ecosystems stand out.
iPhone 15 Pro is considered one of the best purchases among used iPhones. This is the first Apple smartphone that has enough memory and a powerful neural unit for local operation of Apple Intelligence. The device copes with image generation, Siri voice scripts and automations without an Internet connection. At the same time, it remains a full-fledged flagship – the titanium case, programmable Action Button and A17 Pro chip provide high performance even in heavy games or video editing. The camera unit with a 48-megapixel main sensor allows you to shoot detailed photos and videos in 4K, including Log format. When buying, it is important to pay attention to the condition of the battery – the optimal level of wear is considered to be not lower than 80–90%.
Google Pixel 9 Pro has become one of the most balanced Android flagships of its generation. The smartphone has received an updated design and a clean version of Android with an emphasis on AI functions. Among them are smart photo editing, automatic screenshot processing, summary generation and local operation of Gemini Nano. The camera system with 50, 48 and 48 megapixel sensors provides high quality shooting, especially at night and with zoom up to 30x. The OLED display with a frequency of 120 Hz and peak brightness of up to 3000 nits remains one of the best in its class. The Tensor processor is inferior to competitors in synthetic tests, but in everyday use it works stably and without noticeable delays.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra remains a strong flagship even several years after its release. According to Toms guide , the model is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which provides high performance and stable system operation. The smartphone has a large OLED screen with a frequency of 120 Hz , a 5000 mAh battery and support for fast charging. The main advantage of the device is a 200-megapixel camera with dual pixel binning and a system of two telephoto lenses, which allows you to shoot with 2x, 3x, 5x and 10x optical zoom. The proprietary One UI shell based on Android 16 offers a set of Galaxy AI, including live translation of conversations and personal event summaries.
All three smartphones have a long update cycle and remain relevant in terms of functionality, making them a profitable choice on the secondary market in 2026.