Best smartphone performance: If you want the best of the best (and you’re willing to pay for it), the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the smartphone for you. It has everything you could want, from a best-in-class camera to an absolutely unbeatable display. Not ready for the latest? We still love the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. Best overall smartphone value: The iPhone 12 is a solid, reliable, and highly functional device that will seamlessly perform every task. It’s cheaper than the S21 Ultra smartphone, but still packs a punch (and it looks good, too). But don’t sleep on the iPhone 11 Pro, either. Best budget Android smartphone: Many people don’t want to pay more than $500 for a new phone. Luckily, there’s the Google Pixel 4a. This device sells for about $350, but it still offers some serious premium-level features. If you really want to maximize your bang for your smartphone buck, check out the Google Pixel 3a too. Best budget iPhone: The iPhone SE marries the processing power of far more expensive iPhones with a smaller form factor and a much smaller price. This iPhone SE may be from 2020, but it’s a mobile phone that will receive support from Apple for years to come, so it’s a perfect smartphone for those who want their device investment to last. Best smartphone with stylus: The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the perfect smartphone for artists, writers, gamers, and anyone who wants a big powerhouse of a phone. This huge phone has it all, including a beautifully designed and highly functional S Pen.
What do you actually want in a phone? There are a few criteria that you might want to consider. Android vs. iPhone: Both operating systems have their advantages. Android gives you more options for customization and more devices support the operating system. Meanwhile, iPhones offer unparalleled quality and design, and will pair seamlessly with any other Apple devices you have. If you’re worried about changing between the two operating systems, don’t be. Switching is easier than ever. Camera: Pretty much every phone on the market has a camera these days, but the quality ranges from very low to basically professional grade. If you’re an aspiring influencer or a serious birder who likes to capture wildlife in all its glory, then you might want to opt for the better (and pricier) cameras. Carrier: Most phones (with the exception of T-Mobile’s TCL lineup) are compatible with every phone carrier. But your existing carrier may have some awesome deals on new devices, so be sure to check out the best new deals before you make your decision. Size, stylus, and other features: Smartphones just seem to get bigger and bigger. You’ll want to think about whether you want to lug around a 7-inch brick all day or if you’d prefer to opt for something smaller. You may also want to consider other features, like flip technology and stylus pens. Price: Last, but not least, you’ll want to think about your wallet. Some phones cost well over a grand. But the difference between a $500 phone and an $1,100 phone may be less important than you think. If you rely on your phone for work, serious gaming, or professional photography, then this is the device for you. Let’s get into the details. But these days some of the most powerful innovations in camera technology are being driven by phone manufacturers, like Samsung. And the Galaxy S21 Ultra has taken things to the next level. It sports five (yes, five!) cameras:
One 108 MP wide-angle camera: This incredible camera offers unparalleled colors, pristine night mode tech, 8K video capture, and so much more. One 12 MP ultra wide camera: You’ll get a 120° field of view with this camera which is perfect for epic-looking photographs of the natural world (or your fancy dinner). Two 10 MP telephoto cameras: These two telephoto lenses will give you zoom capabilities all the way up to 100x (it does get a bit grainy at that point)! One 40 MP selfie camera: This high-end selfie camera is more advanced than other phones’ main cameras. So you can show off without worrying about bad lighting.
It means that you’ll basically have a mini-IMAX screen in your pocket. It means you’ll have better image quality than most computers and televisions, allowing you to take your gaming or watching to the next level. A 120 Hz refresh rate means that even the most action-packed images will look as seamless and beautiful as real life. This display is, in short, as good as it gets. Luckily, the S21 Ultra has a huge 5,000 mAh battery that you can charge wirelessly. That’s the same battery that the S20 had, but this one should last even longer because the processor inside of it is more efficient. Exactly how long your battery lasts will depend on how you use your S21, but even the heaviest users should get pretty far with a full charge. When your battery does start to creep into the single digits, you’ll be able to juice back up quickly. Samsung claims that you can get a 50% charge in 30 minutes. At 6.8 inches, the S21 Ultra won’t easily fit inside your pocket. It’s so large that it’s verging on tablet sized. If you want a similar phone that’s smaller check out the standard S21, or maybe even consider the iPhone 12 Mini. In fact, one of the main reasons that this phone is in the runner up category is that it actually costs more than the S21 Ultra. In fact, one of the main reasons that this phone is in the runner up category is that it actually costs more than the S21 Ultra. Of course, the standard iPhone 12 is much more affordable (more on that below). If you’re willing to drop top dollar for a phone that will make your friends jealous, the S20 Plus is the way to go. You won’t have any issues with lag or latency in the middle of a PUBG Mobile game, and you won’t have to worry about losing your work from an app shutting down unexpectedly (unless the app itself has issues). Teamed up with AT&T’s or Verizon’s super fast data speeds, this phone is unstoppable. To put it simply, this phone probably has more processing power than your home computer. And when you combine this speed with the S20’s 120-hertz display, some real magic happens. Let’s talk about those numbers a bit more: your laptop probably has a resolution of 1280x1024 or less, meaning that this phone packs twice the image quality into a 6.7-inch display. You’ll have no issues watching videos in HD, 4K, or any other fancy high definition resolutions that come out. While some might prefer a slightly smaller device, the S20 Plus shouldn’t feel clunky for most people. It’s definitely more nimble than the gargantuan S20 Ultra model. There are plenty of ways to pay for the phone in installments when you sign up for a phone plan, but most options still end up around $100 a month. Many have complained about the blocky style and boring color choices for the S20’s back cover piece. One other issue with the phone’s design is that there’s no headphone jack. The headphone jack seems to be going the way of those tricolored AV cables you used to plug your N64 into the TV, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it. Let’s discuss the main features of the device that offers the best overall value on the market.
A super-fast and efficient A14 Bionic chip means seamless performance on any app. A beautiful OLED display gives you a perfect picture whether you’re streaming, gaming, or taking photos. The phone is more durable with Apple’s new Ceramic Shield installed. 3 powerful 12-megapixel cameras: one wide angle, another ultra-wide angle, and, of course, a front-facing selfie camera.
You’ll get all of that and more on the iPhone 12 for about $700. While that’s certainly not the cheapest phone on the market, it’s significantly cheaper than the S21 Ultra or iPhone 12 Pro Max while still offering tons of premium features. The new iPhone design doesn’t fail to deliver, even if it does rock the boat a bit. The main thing you’ll probably notice when looking at this device is that the edges are flat, rather than curved. It looks more like an iPhone 4 than an iPhone 11. But it works. The phone looks classier than its competitors, while still looking (and feeling) durable. Of course if you really want a phone that will wow your buddies, you should probably be the first to pick up one of Samsung’s new flip phones … What’s going on here Apple? Upping the local storage isn’t an issue of physical space in the device. It also wouldn’t cost the company much to do. It’s hard to feel like this is anything but a plan to get people to buy the more expensive models. The new iPhone 12 is shipping out with just a single Lightning-to-USB-C cable. You have to provide your own iPhone accessories like a USB-C wall charger to plug it into (or your own MagSafe charger). While most folks will have one of these lying around somewhere, it may be a big inconvenience for some. Apple’s excuse for cutting the charger and headphones is that it saves on packaging and is more green. While we commend this thinking, it’s hard to fully believe that their heart is in the right place, given Apple’s history of charging tons of money for extra cables and accessories. But what we really want to focus on here are the iPhone 11 Pro’s incredible cameras. The phone’s trio of cameras have ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto lenses for all kinds of shots. Even the front facing camera can record 4K video and boasts a full 12 megapixels for stellar selfies. Here’s a deep dive into some of our favorite camera features on the iPhone 11 Pro. The ultra-wide lens is perfect for those “larger than life” shots. This will be your go-to lens you want to capture the epic size of the landscape or the obscure beauty of a tiny alleyway. It’s also great for taking artistic pictures of, well, anything at all. Night Mode can reduce the “noise” that you get in your photos at night. It can also brighten them up a surprising amount. And it does this automatically, meaning you don’t have to mess around with a bunch of settings. Just open the app and snap away, no matter what time of day. Basically, with Smart HDR and Deep Fusion the iPhone 11 Pro actually takes several photos in very rapid succession and then blends them together. In that blending process, the phone’s super-smart chip looks for common things like faces and hair and sharpens the detail in those parts of the image. This means you’ll end up with less static in the background of your images, more detail and focus on faces, and better lighting ratios. The net effect will be that your images look more natural, not less. We expect more local storage from a premium device like this. Sure, you can shell out some extra money to get 256 or 512 GB models, but you shouldn’t have to pay extra for such a basic feature. Here are the things we love most about the Pixel 4a. The 4a comes equipped with a 12.2-megapixel camera with a powerful night mode feature. If you opt for the pricier Pixel 4a 5G model, you’ll also get an ultra-wide camera on your phone for those dramatic Instagram photos. When it comes to the display on the 4a, you’ll get more than you’d expect for the price. As Tshaka says, the display on the Pixel 4a “rivals much pricier displays for image brightness and quality.” There’s been this recent trend among premium cell phone manufacturers to do away with the headphone jack, rendering all of your favorite wired headphones (and aux cords) useless, unless you buy an adapter (which makes it so that you can’t charge your phone while you listen). Why have they done this? My theory is that it’s just a ploy to force us all to buy expensive wireless AirBuds. So, when I learned that the Pixel 4a was bringing back the jack I was stoked. It may seem like a small feature, but those who are buying a cheaper phone like this one really appreciate being able to use their existing headphones. Phones are usually given an “IP” (Ingress Protection) rating to demonstrate how waterproof they are. For instance, the iPhone twelve has a rating of IP68, meaning that it can withstand water at a depth of up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. That’s pretty impressive. But the 4a doesn’t have an IP rating at all, meaning that if you drop it in the sink you’ll be pretty much out of luck. This might not be the phone for your if you’ve got butterfingers! However, the new iPhone SE went ahead and ditched the headphone jack (yes, we take it personally), so it only earned the runner-up spot on our list. Let’s dive into the best features of this device. This performance is good news for those who want to play AdventureQuest 3D without shelling out for a flagship device (just make sure your phone’s network is fast enough to keep your game from lagging). Speaking of gaming, you’ll enjoy watching your avatar (or anything else) on the Pixel 3a’s 5.6-inch OLED display with 2220x1080 resolution. That’s better resolution than the standard iPhone 11. While most companies will nix expensive technology for their budget devices, Google is still equipping the 3a with a rear 12.2-megapixel camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. These cameras can utilize plenty of great features, like Night Sight and slow motion. The exception to this would be those who really like to take advantage of their unlimited data plan by watching five or more hours of video a day. Those folks might want to consider the Pixel 3a XL, which comes with a larger battery. The 3a comes with a standard 18-watt fast charger that should help you get back up to full battery in no time. While this minimal storage capacity is less offensive on a budget phone like the 3a than it is on the iPhone 11 Pro, it’s still an annoyance. The iPhone SE gives you all of the great design, functionality, and features of an iPhone for less than $400. It’s a great gift to go along with your teenager’s phone plan. Let’s get into the details. The SE has a 4.8-inch LCD liquid retina display that is a step down from the iPhone 11 Pro’s OLED Super Retina XDR display, but most users will hardly notice the difference in the quality. Meanwhile, the re-introduction of the home button (and touch ID) will be a welcome change for many. Aluminum casing and custom glass make this phone durable for everyday use and resistant to water. Most people will have a hard time seeing any difference between pictures taken on this phone and those taken by phones that cost three times as much. The major exceptions are shots taken at night. The SE does not come with Apple’s great Night Mode feature. It also lacks the amazing wide-angle lens of the iPhone 11 Pro. Thankfully, you can charge this phone wirelessly, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to give it a power boost in the middle of the day. These pens are great for those who like to make art, take notes, or play games on their phones. They also tend to come along with large devices (and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is nothing if not large). So if you want a big, powerful device to help fuel your creativity, this is it. With quad HD Plus technology and a 120 Hz refresh rate, you’ll see every art project, game, or streaming video in its full glory. But, in short, these are professional grade cameras. Just check out Tshaka’s example of the zoom in this video (at the 7:40 mark). Here’s what you need to know about Xbox Game Pass on your phone.
Best performance: If you want the best, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the phone for you. It has everything you could want, from a best-in-class camera to an absolutely unbeatable display. Looking for great performance at a lower price? The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus goes above and beyond when it comes to hardware performance and top-notch features. Best overall value: The iPhone 12 is a solid, well-designed device that will perform pretty much any task. It’s cheaper than the S21 Ultra, but still packs a punch (and it looks good, too). There’s a lot to love about Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro, but what makes the phone truly special is its cameras. These ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto lenses can capture every detail with crisp clarity. Apple’s amazing Deep Fusion and Smart HDR will help make every photo look like it was taken by a pro. Best budget Android phone: If you don’t want to pay more than $500 for a new phone, check out the Google Pixel 4a. This device sells for about $350, but it still manages to provide premium-level features. The Google Pixel 3a gives you premium performance for a budget price. You’ll get plenty of processing power for gaming, browsing, and editing the photos you take on the Pixel 3a’s fantastic camera. Best budget iPhone: The iPhone SE is a truly affordable phone from Apple that doesn’t skimp on the important stuff. It runs on the same processor as the iPhone 11 Pro but costs less than half as much. Best phone with a stylus: The Samsung Note 20 Ultra is the perfect machine for creatives and anybody else who covets a powerhouse of a phone. This big phone has it all, including a beautifully designed and highly functional S Pen.
These are the best phones on the market right now. For the best deals on these and other devices be sure to check our weekly deals page. Our team of experts narrowed these down to determine which ones are the best for various lifestyles. We considered multiple criteria, including price, display, camera, battery life, and size. This research, combined with Tshaka Armstrong’s hands-on testing, helped us determine the winners of each category.
