Since the advent of technology introduced smartphones, have found them to be almost as important as the air we breathe. These gadgets are a part of our day-to-day activities whether it’s socially in terms of communication and expression or even health-wise with the availability of phone apps that can tell you your heart rate or provide fitness updates for you. They are also part of impacting the growth of related industries, not at least gaming. The growth of the mobile gaming industry in Japan clearly correlates with recent developments of Japanese games on Android and iOS platforms.
One thing is certain, owning a smartphone in the 21st century isn’t a choice, it’s flat-out compulsory once you get to a certain age. The only choice attached might be in terms of brand, operating software, or preferred hardware options of these smartphones. A great smartphone offers a nice screen, a great camera, long-lasting battery life, social networking apps, and gaming. All of this is nice to have but it became clear during the pandemic that it's not enough. Today you also need to be able to do your job using your smartphone and not be dependent on a PC.
So, where are we going with this? To be called the best, a smartphone must be a mobile gaming device, a home office, and a social tool all at the same time. Not many phones of today live up to this but regardless of what your needs are, there’s a smartphone for everyone, and choosing the right one shouldn’t be a chore, and if you’re searching for the best smartphone out there in 2021, here are some of the best options.
5. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
Ever wanted to use a smartphone that could double as a phone and a tablet, then the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is for you. Folding phones have been available for some time now, but none offers the flexibility of the Fold 2. The 7.6-inch internal tablet display makes gaming and watching videos more exciting, though, the phone is twice as thick as your average smartphone when folded. The size ensures it can be fitted in your pocket quite easily, but Fold 2 is quite delicate with the absence of well-rated water and dust resistance capability.
4. Google’s Pixel 4A 5G
Buying a new smartphone just to get 5G isn’t the smartest decision ever, but the Pixel 4A 5G offers a lot at a competitive starting price of $500 besides it 2021, you should buy a 5G smartphone if you can. The Pixel 4A 5G offers access to a nice and big 6.2-inch screen, a fast-operating Android software, and Google’s wonderfully made Pixel camera.
The Pixel 4A 5G gets timely, new Android software updates directly from Google way ahead of other Android phones. It also possesses a 1080 x 2340 pixels, 6.2 inches display to go along with its 4K video recording capabilities. The Pixel 4A 5G also has a dual back camera arrangement (one 12.2 MegaPixel wide and one 16 MegaPixel ultra wide), along with an 8 Megapixel Selfie camera. The lack of a memory card slot on the Pixel 4A 5G is compensated by an internal memory of 128GB, and a processing memory of 6GB.
3. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Notebooks have been game-changers since their inception, but only a few smartphones can match the productivity and reliability of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Its massive battery life (4500mAh) ensures you can go from morning till night with heavy usage and your phone doesn’t go off. The Note 20 Ultra has a big 6.9-inch screen to go along with its 4K display and a 120Hz refresh rate which offers an awesome and crispy display.
The USB Type-C on the Note 20 Ultra offers fast charging and good USB power delivery to go along with the reverse wireless charging. The Note 20 Ultra is fully equipped with three cameras (one 108-megapixel wide camera, one 12 megapixel periscope telephoto camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera) and also one 10 megapixel selfie camera. The phone also allows you to record in 8K, 4K, and full-HD (1080p)videos, including the option of High Dynamic Range (HDR). Note 20 Ultra has an available memory card slot option, while the internal memory ranges from 128GB to 512GB -depending on your choice.
2. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
If your phone budget isn’t an issue and size matters to you, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is for you. Released in January 2021 to a host of positive reviews, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best Android smartphone to buy this year. The phone has the best specifications you can find in an Android phone including the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and features that support the S Pen styluses.
The S21 Ultra has a 120Hz refresh rate for its 6.8-inch, 1440×3200 4K display which makes gaming and videos appear crystal clear. Its hardware consists of an aluminum frame, a glass front, and a glass back whilst being dust and water-resistant (up to 30mins). S21 Ultra has a camera setup that bests that of the iPhone 12 Pro Max in some cases. It possesses four cameras (one 108-megapixel wide camera, one 10-megapixel 240mm periscope telephoto, one 10-megapixel 70mm telephoto, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera), as well as the option to record 8K, 4K, 1080p, 720p, and HDR10+ videos.
1. Apple iPhone 12
Apple might have three other variations of the iPhone 12 in the mini version, Pro version, and Pro Max version but none offers value more money than the iPhone 12. It possesses the same physical design, same 5G support, same camera specifications (except the telephoto camera), same processor, same Face IF system, and other similar features as the more pricy iPhone 12 Pro.
At a size of 6.1 inches, the iPhone 12 provides a screen good enough for gaming and watching videos, whilst its ability to fit easily in your hands and pockets is a positive. It also has a scratch-resistant ceramic glass screen with 1170×2532 resolution and a Dolby Vision display. The iPhone 12 is a dust/water-resistant smartphone with the usual lack of memory slot prominent in iPhones, but the internal memory options range from 128GB to 512GB.
The Apple iPhone 12 has a quad back camera arrangement (one wide, one telephoto, one ultrawide, all with megapixel, and a TOF 3D LiDAR depth scanner), along with a 12-megapixel selfie camera, and can also record 4K videos.
Honorable mentions
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
One Plus 8 Pro
Oppo Find X2 Pro
iPhone 12 Mini