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All the phones to spend your tax dollars on

From expensive and luxurious to affordable and solid, there are plenty of options for those looking to get a new phone around tax time.

Daniel Van Boom
Daniel Van Boom is an award-winning Senior Writer based in Sydney, Australia. Daniel Van Boom covers cryptocurrency, NFTs, culture and global issues. When not writing, Daniel Van Boom practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, reads as much as he can, and speaks about himself in the third person.
Daniel Van Boom
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1 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

iPhone X

Let's start off with the most obviously one: Apple's iPhone X. It's an excellent phone -- fast, stylish and has a great camera -- but starting at AU$1,519, it's also super pricey. 

If you're willing to go all out, and get a particularly good tax return this year, the iPhone X is for you.

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2 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

Oppo R11s

Or maybe you're not looking for the very best phone, and are instead after bang for your buck. Oppo's R11s looks a lot like an iPhone, both in terms of its hardware and software. But it's a solid device, with all the speed most will need, a long battery life and a strong camera.

And the best part? It starts at AU$659.

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3 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Moto X4

If you're in the market for a not-so-expensive phone but the Oppo is a little too Apple-esque, Moto's X4 may be what you're after.

It's AU$599, water resistant, has dual cameras and more than enough battery life to get you through a long day.

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4 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Nokia 5

If you're looking to spend even less, the Nokia 5 has a sharp 5.2-inch screen and runs on the terrific Android One operating system. It'll only set you back AU$299.

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5 of 10 Marvel Studios

Samsung Galaxy S9

If you're not about the Apple life, then Samsung is your super-premium phone of choice. The Galaxy S9 is ultrapowerful, has a great screen and a strong camera game. It looks almost identical to last year's S8, but that's a very good thing.

It does start at AU$1,199, though.

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6 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Huawei P20 Pro

Huawei's phones have been standouts for years, even if they don't get as much recognition as some of their competitors. The P20 Pro demands your attention, though, with its triple cameras and iridescent pink and blue "twilight" colour. You can snag it for AU$1,099.

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Huawei P20

Oh, and if you don't need three cameras, the P20 (not Pro) is AU$999.

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8 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Google Pixel 2

A pure Android operating system, a blazing-fast processor and arguably the best camera on a phone right now? Sign me up.

You'll pay for that quality, though: The Pixel 2 starts at AU$1,079, while the Pixel 2 XL starts at AU$1,399. 

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9 of 10 César Salza / CNET

iPhone 8

If the iPhone X is the revolution, the iPhone 8 is old faithful. The design is a little outdated, but the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are still two of the fastest, most reliable phones out there. Plus, Apple's cameras are already top of the line. You'll have to splurge AU$1,079 for the 8 or AU$1,229 for the Plus.

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10 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

OnePlus 6

What the OnePlus 6 lacks in water proofing it makes up for with... well, everything.

It has the fastest Android processor out there, sharp cameras and a slick design. And it starts at around AU$700 -- though you will have to order it online.

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