Smartphones are perhaps the most personal tech we own. That’s why it’s super important to pick the phone that’s best for your needs. There are many factors to consider from design and operating system to security and durability. We consider every aspect of the smartphone to determine whether it’s a good buy for you, or if you’re better off with something else.

When it comes to choosing the best smartphones, it’s always a tough decision. This year is an incredible year for phones because of the sheer variety available, thanks to new contenders such as Razerand Essential. Even on the iPhone side, you have the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and the new X to choose from. After much debate and soul searching, we landed on the iPhone X as our top pick for the best smartphone of 2017, though Google’s Pixel 2 XL is the closest second we’ve ever had in this race. Here’s why the iPhone X ultimately triumphed, and a list of our picks for other smartphone categories.