What is the best phone you can buy right now? As always, it depends – it depends on whether you want an iPhone, an Android phone and how much you want to spend.
Here are our picks for the best phones that cover all of the above – from foldable flagships to iPhones, new and old, and affordable Android phones from brands like OPPO, Xiaomi, and RealMe…
Best Phone Overall?
If you want the best of the best when it comes to battery life, camera tech, screen quality, and overall performance, there are basically two options on the market right now that tick all of the above boxes.
I’m talking, of course, about Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra. If you want the best of Android or iOS, these are the two phones you want to be looking at – each phone packs in market-leading specs and hardware.
Right now, these two phones are the market leaders where it counts. They’re expensive, sure, but they’re immensely powerful, future-proofed with 5G and the latest CPUs, and the pack in utterly brilliant cameras for professional-grade images and video.
Best Phones 2022
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Amazing Camera
- ProMotion 120Hz Display
- Excellent Battery Life
- LiDAR Sensor
- Beautiful Design
- Fast 5G Support
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- OnePlus 9 Pro 5G
- Google Pixel 5
It has the best camera, the best battery, one of the best screens ever put in a production phone, and it has the fastest chip on the market. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is by far and away the best phone you can buy now. Yes, it is expensive. But keep in mind that you’ll be able to comfortably run this phone for at least the next six to seven years without issue.
Like the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the Galaxy S21 Ultra represents the best of the best in the Android market. You have a market-leading camera module, the best display in the business, stunning industrial design, and laptop-grade power under the hood. As Android phones go, this one will take some beating…
If you want something a little different, a little less common, then the OnePlus 9 Pro could be just what you’ve been looking for. This phone is a monster with respect to specs and hardware. It also looks stunning too. Add in a brilliant camera, rapid charging speeds, and brilliant performance and it is easy to see why the OnePlus 9 Pro is one of our favorites from the last 12 months.
I know the Pixel 6 range is now available. But the Pixel 5 is still a great investment. You’ll get three years’ worth of Android updates, a super-reliable phone that is wonderfully sized and features a bright, detailed OLED display. The Pixel 5 isn’t as fancy as the iPhone 13 or the Galaxy S21, but as a cheaper option it delivers value for money by the boat-load.
Best Affordable Android Phones
Choosing an affordable Android phone is tricky, there are just so many great options on the market right now. For us, an affordable Android phone needs to do a few things: it needs to look good, have 5G, it needs a decent camera, and it must be a solid performer.
And right now, the phone that does all of that and more is the Samsung Galaxy A72 5G – it looks and functions like a flagship phone, just for a fraction of the cost. And this is why it is currently our most recommended affordable Android phone option for 2021.
Samsung Galaxy A72 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A72 5G looks every bit the flagship phone. You get 5G, great performance, three years’ worth of Android updates, flagship stuff, essentially, for around a third of the cost of the Galaxy S21. This phone delivers monumental value for money. We love the Galaxy A72 5G.
Best Foldable Phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
There aren’t too many foldable phone options around right now, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is by far the best option at the moment. Samsung is now three years into its foldable phone concept and its latest, the Z Fold 3, is a brilliantly executed phone, so long as you can handle the price…
Best Refurbished Phone
iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro Max is no longer available to buy direct from Apple. But the phone lives on as one of the best refurbished phones you can buy right now. It doesn’t have 5G but it is still a killer option if you’re looking to save some cash in 2021 but still want a flagship-grade phone.