Trending phones in 2021

Every year we go by, it is well known that we are set to experience a range of new phone releases and after conducting certain reviews and tests, we’re confident in recommending which phones are the best for the year 2021.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro

Apple’s iPhone keeps setting the bar high and is continually consistent, but the best option in the group is the iPhone 12 Pro and that makes it the best overall smartphone you can buy today. A fresh angular design for the 12 series is taken to the next level with a steel frame and excellent finishes, in some subtle but beautiful colours. It’s punctuated by a great display, now with smaller bezels, that’s great in all conditions even though it doesn’t have a 120 Hz refresh rate like the Android competition. This phone also has Apple’s best-ever camera system, focusing on improvements in low-light performance. The main camera lets in dramatically more light, and the results show it: Photos are brighter and crisper than before.

Runner-up: Apple iPhone 12

For everything the iPhone 12 Pro has to offer, there’s one glaring issue: It isn’t dramatically better than the base iPhone 12. For just $799 you get almost the same experience as the 12 Pro, which is incredible. You miss out on the stainless steel frame, getting aluminum instead, the specs are slightly diminished, and you miss out on the telephoto camera and LiDAR sensor. But otherwise, the day-to-day experience is the same, including great main camera photos, good battery life, 5G, and the new MagSafe accessory system.

Why you should buy this: It’s the best of the best, with a huge and beautiful screen, good software, tons of features, and a great multi-lens camera. Plus, great battery life.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a single phone that can handle productivity, gaming, video, and every bit of day-to-day use, all with strong battery life. For a top-end flagship experience, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the king of the heap in Android. Samsung went well beyond the stumbles of the S20 Ultra, and even improved on the Note 20 Ultra from late 2020. The S21 Ultra brings you Samsung’s typically excellent build quality, with a sleek new matte glass back that doesn’t accumulate fingerprints like prior models. Inside is a top-end spec sheet, with a Snapdragon 888, plus 12 or 16GB of RAM and 128 to 512GB of storage.

OnePlus 9 Pro 5G

OnePlus continues to up its game in the flagship phone space, making legitimately competitive phones that can challenge the best of the best. The OnePlus 9 Pro is its best yet, coming ever-so-close to dethroning our top pick. It offers incredible specs, top-of-the-line hardware, and a huge, high-quality display. It all runs the superb OxygenOS software, which is fast, simple, and highly useful — without the cruft on offer from Samsung. Plus, its Warp Charge fast charging is incredible to use every day.

Best cheap phone: Motorola Moto G Power (2021)

Why you should buy this: Motorola gives you all of the basics in a good size with a few nice-to-have features.