May 28th, 2021 | Updated on June 30th, 2022
We have rounded up the ten best smartphones, both Android and iOS phones, you can buy in 2021. Read features and reviews of these smartphones so that you can compare them all and arrive at a decision. We have taken into account price, cameras, battery backup, performance to choose the best ones for you.
1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
With a sleek, new design, hyper-fast processing, and a battery that won’t give out when you need it most, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra lets you get creative, stay connected, and do it all your way.
Galaxy S21 Ultra is purposefully crafted so you don’t need to choose between video and photo. With a single tap, you can pull super-clear stills — up to 33MP — straight from high-resolution 8K video.
Unleash your creativity by adding S Pen, allowing you to edit with precision and bring your vision to life. Or if you’re looking to capture stunning photos, the 108MP camera feels like you’ve brought your own professional studio with you. Galaxy S21 Ultra, designed to be epic in every way. S Pen sold separately.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G Review: Tech Radar
It wowed us with a huge screen, five cameras and the best zoom on any readily available Android phone. Caution: while it’s cheaper than last year’s ‘Ultra’ phone, it remains pricey for average consumers, and it doesn’t come with a microSD card slot nor does it include a charger. Read More
Review: The Verge
GOOD STUFF
- Excellent camera system
- Beautiful screen with high refresh rate
- Great battery life
BAD STUFF
- Ads in Samsung software
- No expandable storage
- Bixby
2. iPhone 12 Mini
5G speed. A14 Bionic, the fastest chip in a smartphone. An edge-to-edge OLED display. And Night mode on every camera. You can get faster downloads, better quality video streaming, more responsive gaming, and real-time interactivity.
A14 Bionic is the fastest chip in a smartphone. With a 16-crore Neural ENgone, it crunches trillions of operations each second. And it’s super efficient for great battery life.
iPhone 12 Mini Review: CNET
With flat aluminum sides and a glossy glass back, the iPhone 12 Mini looks like a premium version of the iPhone 5, which is absolutely a good thing.
In fact, it isn’t much bigger than an iPhone 5 and it’s smaller than the 2020 iPhone SE. The 12 Mini has a much higher screen-to-body ratio than the SE, which is great for watching videos or just having more information displayed on screen, like extra conversation threads in the Messages app. Read More
3. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Galaxy Note20 5G and Note20 Ultra 5G strike a balance between beauty and brawn, with three stunning metallic colors and the toughest Gorilla glass ever in a smartphone.
Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G takes power to the next level with cutting-edge technology, letting you master whatever you choose to do next. Pen precision meets PC power with S Pen and Samsung Notes.
So responsive, it feels like you’re using a real pen to jot notes and sketch ideas. Then convert into Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, and save and sync across all your Galaxy devices while on the go.
Send files to your friends wirelessly with Point to Share with other compatible Samsung devices. Simply select the pictures, videos or documents you want to share, then point your Galaxy Note20 Ultra at your friend’s device and tap Share. Intelligent Battery and Super Fast Charge learn from how you work and play to optimize battery life and boost your battery in minutes.
Get the best Galaxy mobile gaming in the palm of your hand with its smooth gameplay experience and the adaptive Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Get smooth motion, fluid scrolling and low blue light emissions on the 6.9″ Infinity-O Display.
HyperFast Processor transforms your working, gaming, and bingeing so you can multitask without slowing down. Operate from mobile to PC seamlessly with Link to Windows and share files with a simple drop and drag. Power on with Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G to take your mobile experience to the next level.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Review: Android Authority
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is beast of a phone that meets the bar in many ways. While it offers top specs in nearly every category, the phone still feels like it is playing catch-up to competitors.
While Samsung has clearly assembled a fine device that will serve many people well, it’s not the best all-around winner we hoped it would be. Read More
4. Google Pixel 5 – 5G Android Phone
What happens when you bring together the ultimate Google phone and the speed of 5G? You get Pixel 5. Download a movie in seconds, play your favorite games on the go, and so much more with the super fast 5G Google smartphone.
Your phone will automatically receive the latest OS and security updates for at least 3 years; [9] the custom-made Titan M chip helps secure the operating system and sensitive data, like passwords.
Take vibrant photos on your phone even in the dark with Night Sight, bring studio quality light to you pictures of people with Portrait Light, and get more scenery and people in the shot with the rear facing ultrawide lensYour phone will automatically receive the latest OS and security updates for at least 3 years; the custom-made Titan M chip helps secure the operating system and sensitive data, like passwords.
Take vibrant photos on your phone even in the dark with Night Sight, bring studio quality light to you pictures of people with Portrait Light, and get more scenery and people in the shot with the rear facing ultrawide lens.
Google Pixel 5 Review: ZDNet
The Pixel 5 has a 4,000mAh battery inside it, and maybe it’s due to the lack of Soli or facial recognition hardware or further optimizations Google made in Android 11, but the battery has yet to let me down.
I’m able to get through a full day of use, starting around 6:30am and ending around 10pm without any worries about the battery. Picture quality is still as good as it’s always been for the Pixel line, which normally is a good thing. Read More
5. Apple iPhone SE
Apple iPhone SE brings you a 12 MP camera with innovative camera features. Forget about relying on a professional cameraman or a DSLR to come up with stunning portraits.
When you have this mobile phone, all you need to do is pick from the six studio-light effects – Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High-Key Mono. Modern photography is about natural faces with zero artificiality.
The smart HDR of this smartphone identifies faces, and intelligently modifies the colours, skin tones and shadows. All you get is realistic pictures. A 7 MP selfie camera extends this quality for your selfie-moments. Enjoy 4K video shooting with a quality better than 1080p HD videos.
Apple iPhone SE Review: The Verge
Most Android phones — from the cheapest to the most expensive — top out at two years of updates. Even the best, Google’s Pixel line, are only guaranteed updates for three years.
As I said last week, it’s not just about the $399 cost; it’s about how often you have to spend it. No other phone at this price will last as long as the iPhone SE will in terms of software support. Read More
6. Apple iPhone XR
Apple iPhone XR offers a blend of style and innovation that stands out. This water-resistant iPhone also comes with a reliable liquid retina display with one of the most advanced LCD screens in the industry. The iPhone XR includes fast-acting face ID and uses a smart and powerful chip to provide the quality experience you want.
It features a breakthrough camera system with depth control for capturing amazing pictures. It has rounded corners for your safety and comfort and has built in wireless charging making it easier than ever to grab and go anytime.
Apple iPhone XR Review: Tech Radar
The iPhone XR is the first in a long time to come in so many colors: (product) RED, which is the sample we have, blue, white, yellow, coral and black – to some, this would feel like the natural successor to the iPhone 5C. If you’re thinking of buying an iPhone from a fashion point of view, this could well be the way to do it, with the colors chosen impressing when we checked them all out at the launch event. Read More
7. Samsung Galaxy S21+ Plus 5G
Samsung Galaxy S21+ Plus smart phone lets you get creative, stay connected and do it all your way. With the ability to record in 8K, your videos aren’t just cinema quality, they’re double the resolution of 4K video. Or use the 64MP camera for still shots that come out clear whether it’s day or night. Better yet, why not do both? Single Take AI transcends the usual restrictions of photo and video editing to capture life’s greatest moments, wherever they happen, in one single take. Galaxy S21+ Plus, made for the epic in every day. Single Take AI captures images and video up to 15 seconds.
Samsung Galaxy S21+ Plus 5G Review: Pocket-Lint
The new Samsung Galaxy S21 models all get a new design compared to the previous generation, characterised by the camera surround that’s integrated into the frame of the phone – or it appears to be at least. In some colours of this phones – such as the Phantom Violet, pictured here – that makes something of a feature of those three lenses on the rear. Read More
8. OnePlus 9
Powered by the most powerful Snapdragon platform yet, the OnePlus 9 5G delivers fast and smooth performance across every app. Alexa Support – Simply by saying “Alexa”, you can play music, make calls, hear the news, or check the weather wherever you are. Download the Alexa app, complete setup and just ask – and Alexa will respond instantly.
OnePlus 9 Review: Tech Radar
The OnePlus 9 comes with a fix for the most glaring flaw of prior OnePlus flagships: courtesy of a partnership with Hasselblad, the cameras offer better color correction, and both regular and ultra-wide photos look great. The lack of a telephoto lens and other flagship perks found on its Pro sibling aren’t missed too much, given the relatively low price you’re paying for high specs and very fast charging. If you’re hunting for a flagship Android phone at an affordable price, the OnePlus 9 is worth considering. Read More
9. Google Pixel 4A
Have a photoshoot day or night, capture moments with stunning clarity and take clips with Hollywood-inspired effects. Power up quickly, stay charged all day, and turn on Extreme Battery Saver to get up to 48 hours of battery when you need it most. With Google Assistant, you can get help on the go, find answers when you need them, and even see who’s calling and why before you answer the phone.
Google Pixel 4A Review: Wired
Affordable. Excellent cameras. Choices between a nice, compact size, and a big screen, both with colorful and sharp OLED screens. Good performance. You get rear fingerprint sensors, NFC for Google Pay, and headphone jacks. Solid battery life. Access to 5G (on the bigger model). Three years of OS and security updates. Polycarbonate shell means they’re more durable. Lots of helpful software features. Read More
10. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G
Folded, it’s a phone. Unfolded it’s a tablet. Have the best of both worlds with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. This latest factory unlocked new Android is a mobile device unlike any other. It features two immersive displays on one incredible device. Enjoy its cinematic brilliance with an expansive 7.6” dynamic AMOLED screen. This a smartphone that can stand on its own. Use either of the large displays and enjoy viewing or taking pictures and video from any angle without needing any stands or accessories.
Cutting-edge performance, long-lasting battery life, and an expansive 120Hz refresh rate display make Galaxy Z Fold2 5G the perfect addition to any gamer’s arsenal. With faster processing power and faster graphic rendering, you get a supercomputer in the palm of your hand.
Catch every idea, knockout work, score big and share all your moments without slowing down. With 12GB of RAM for intensive multitasking — from gaming to streaming, and even live broadcasting all at once. Plus, 256GB built in storage is ample space for your apps and media. Get next-level power for everything you love to do with Galaxy 5G . Share more, game harder, experience more and never miss a beat.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G Review: Phoe Arena
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is improved in almost every way over the first Galaxy fold. The phone features a 7.6-inch 120Hz display and utilizes a punch-hole design. The second screen has grown to 6.2 inches. Under the hood are Snapdragon 865+ with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, and 4500mAh battery. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 supports 5G and has three cameras on the back. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is available for the price of $2000. Read More
