Ideally, the best phones should help to make your life easier, but that can mean different things for different people. I personally suffer from dyspraxia, meaning that I have issues with hand-eye coordination.
While this condition is manageable, it requires that I consider different factors when looking for a phone to use. For instance, I can struggle to get the most out of smaller screens. On top of that, I’ve also dropped more phones than I can count, which can certainly be a problem even for more durable models.
I know how challenging it can be to find the ideal phone that answers all the needs we have, and that can lead to indecision. So I've compiled this breakdown to help people looking for some help to find a device that maximizes accessibility.
A larger screen helps avoid typing mistakes
One of the biggest issues I have, especially as I have gotten older, is that typing on a touchscreen has become a lot harder. This issue is certainly worse on phones with a smaller screen, so ideally, I need a device with a bigger display that offers a bit more leniency when it comes to mistakes.
Whether in portrait mode or landscape, typing on an on-screen keyboard is a lot easier when a bigger screen allows for more space for that keyboard. Not only that, it's easier to control the phone in the way that you intend to, especially when trying to navigate the settings menus. For instance, I currently have the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and it’s much easier to type on than one of Apple's more compact models like the smaller Pro or the standard iPhone.
As for settings, both Apple and Samsung offer a wealth of options to adapt their respective on-screen keyboards, including being able to read back the keys you hit or making all the text bigger. This allows smaller screens to be more useful, but it has the downside of making all text on the phone bigger, which can be off-putting and hard to use — again why a larger screen is often ideal.
Nevertheless, on an iPhone, go to Settings and select Display & Brightness followed by Text; you can use a slider to make your iPhone show larger text. (A Display Zoom feature in iOS can magnify the entire iPhone screen.) On Android devices, the Displays section of the Settings app has a Font Size and Style control for adjusting text size.
When it comes to the best big phones, you won't find bigger displays than the interior panel on a foldable phone. For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 unfolds to reveal an 8-inch display, essentially allowing you to set up the phone like a laptop so that you can use half the screen as a keyboard.
However, the $1,999 starting price of this current model cuts down considerably on its wider appeal. Thankfully, larger screens and keyboards can be found on older models, too, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 still decent options if you can get them at a decent rate. Of course, the Galaxy Z Fold 5's cover screen is more narrow, making it difficult to use for some people.
With all that said, here's the big screen phones I'd suggest taking a look at if you're like me and need the biggest and best display possible.
If you're looking for a large, responsive touchscreen, then the iPhone 17 Pro Max is one of the best options. The phone features a 6.9-inch OLED display that can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. That's big and bright enough for most people to use with ease.
You can read our full review here.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is one of the peaks of the foldable phone design. It has an 8-inch inner display, as well as a 6.5-inch outer display that helps mitigate one of the biggest issues with older foldables.
Read our full review here.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL might not be the most powerful phone in the world, but the Tensor G5 chip helps to offer a fantastic AI experience. The phone works perfectly with Google Gemini, offering nearly an unparalleled experience.
You can read our full review here.
AI can help circumvent some of the usual issues
Artificial intelligence has made a real splash with smartphones, and for those of us with hand-eye coordination issues, it can be a real lifesaver. I’m not talking about features like image generation, as fun as that can be, but rather ones that minimize how much we have to type. So a phone that offers a smart assistant and extended search features can really improve accessibility.
Sadly, Apple's phones come up short here as Apple Intelligence is really not where it needs to be yet, especially relative to what other phone makers offer. While Siri is usable — I myself make great use of it in the car — it falls short of Gemini on Android devices.
For that reason, I'd also consider devices like the Google Pixel 10 series — particularly the Pixel 10 Pro XL with its 6.8-inch display. While Google phones might not have the most power, the Tensor series of chips that the phones feature are designed to get the most out of AI.
Alternatively, we turn back to our old friend Samsung, with the Galaxy S25 series offering some of the best AI on the market. If you don’t want to spend too much money either, then the AI experience on the 6.9-inch Galaxy S24 Ultra is perfectly serviceable and has access to many of the helpful features.
Durability is key — and cases can help
I have dropped more phones than I can really count, and that has led to a whole bunch of dented edges and chipped screens. This includes the time my leg got caught on a fence, which sent my iPhone 14 flying — still not sure how that one happened.
Unfortunately, the reality is that as durable as phone makers try to make their devices, gravity always wins in the end, and repeated drops are likely to result in disaster. That's why you should turn to a good case designed specifically for your particular phone.
You'll find guides for specific models all around Tom's Guide, but I wanted to call out some specific case makers who I find excel at making durable accessories for phones. The Otterbox Defender XT series offers military grade drop protection, as well as grippy sides to help keep any phone in your hand.
Alternatively, Mous is also a good option — yes, that lot from all the YouTube ads. You'll find several cases that help protect your phone from drops, such as the one I've used without issue to safeguard my iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Finally, I have found that the RokForm cases tend to hold up really well. I use one on my Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the added benefit of allowing for easy attachments to stands is a real win.
For more ideas, you can check out our best case lists for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Accessories can help make up the shortfall
While having a larger screen and AI can be a real help, sometimes there are a few other options that can help to make life easier. For instance, even with the biggest screen, gaming can be a real challenge on most smartphones. The best way to mitigate this is to make use of a controller. One device I've used a lot is the Backbone one, which also tends to go on sale quite often. More importantly, it's a big help when it comes allowing me to get a handle on game controls.
Meanwhile, if you're looking for some more help with typing, then you can grab an attachable keyboard that slots into your phone’s power port. One such example, if you have an iPhone, would be the Clicks keyboard. However, the downside to using a Clicks keyboard case is that it will block you from putting an actual case on your phone.
Alternatively, if you have a Samsung phone, then you can make use of Samsung DeX to bring your phone screen onto a monitor and use a computer keyboard.
Finally, if you want to keep your phone safe, then a good lanyard attached to the case can be a decent addition. There are a lot of options here, from Apple’s more expensive crossbody strap to Google’s own much more affordable version.
Hopefully, these suggestions help, as I know many of them have helped me get over some of my own issues. However, let me know what phones, cases and accessories you have found so that we can all help each other.
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