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Telephone manufacturers are innovating and evolving faster than ever before, and the past year has been one of the most interesting for telephones. Not only did we not see more devices with flexible screens and devices with 5G connection, but there was an influx of phones that met leading specifications and affordable price tags. However, some things remain the same – such as the fact that Apple and Samsung still dominate the market. Their latest flagship, the iPhone 12 and Galaxy Note 20 offer powerful processors, fantastic multi-camera setups at the back, and 5G, respectively.
But while Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy lines are the best choice for many, other companies like OnePlus and Motorola are also selling good phones. The high degree of stiff competition offers consumers excellent options to choose from at a variety of prices.
To help you determine the best of the best, we’ve put together our favorite phones to buy in 2021. Every phone on this list has been thoroughly reviewed and tested, from their batteries to the camera performance. We have linked to the unlocked version of each phone, and they should be used on most of the four major US wireless carriers, unless otherwise indicated. We update this list regularly to ensure that the best phone is always represented.
And for more information, read our guide to finding the best phone for your needs and check out our tips on how to buy a new phone.
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2020’s best smartphone
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The iPhone 12 (and its higher-end iPhone 12 Pro counterpart) achieved one of our highest scores ever. The smartphone features the powerful and fast A14 Bionic processor, dual rear cameras, 5G and a magnetic “MagSafe” feature that makes it possible to connect to other mobile accessories. Read our Apple iPhone 12 review.
Angela Lang / CNET
If you want a 5G phone that does not cost too much, the Pixel 4A 5G is one of our top choices. The device has a solid battery life, fantastic dual cameras on the back and robust software support from Google. There’s also the Pixel 5, with an excellent 90Hz screen, but it costs more at $ 699 (£ 599, AU $ 999). Read our Google Pixel 4A 5G review.
Angela Lang / CNET
OnePlus released many phones in 2020, including the OnePlus 8 Pro and the 8T, but our favorite this year is the OnePlus 8, mostly because of the price. At launch, the smartphone costs $ 699 (£ 599, AU $ 1,180 converted) and has been discounted ever since. The phone has a 6.55 inch AMOLED screen, a 90Hz screen, a waterproof design and 5G. Read our OnePlus 8 review.
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The Motorola Edge Plus has almost everything you would expect in a premium 5G phone: a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, a giant battery, a high-speed OLED screen and multiple rear-facing cameras with specifications. Motorola takes features found on other top-of-the-line Android phones, puts its own Moto twist on it and builds it all into one of our favorite Android phones of the year. Read our Motorola Edge Plus review.
Angela Lang / CNET
Starting at just $ 399, the 2020 version of the iPhone SE is the best budget phone you can currently find. With an A13 processor (same as the iPhone 11) and an incredible camera, the iPhone SE is far more powerful than it has any right to be. Old-school iPhone fans will also appreciate the return of TouchID and the home button. Read our Apple iPhone SE (2020) review.
Angela Lang / CNET
The Note 20 Ultra, along with its smaller counterpart the Note 20, is an expensive, ultra-premium Android phone with an extended screen size, a built-in S Pen stylus and 5G. The Note 20 Ultra also has a triple rear camera series, the powerful Snapdragon 865 Plus processor and reverse wireless charging. It has 128 GB or 512 GB internal storage. Read our Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review.
Angela Lang / CNET
Pixel phones are loyal and with good reason. Without considering the price, Google’s Pixel 4A has a first-class camera that takes brilliant photos. But it’s even better that the phone costs $ 349 (£ 349, AU $ 599). The 5.81-inch device also has a headphone jack, 128GB of out-of-the-box storage and better battery life than last year’s Pixel 4. Read our Google Pixel 4A review.
Juan Garzon / CNET
In addition to its flagship Galaxy S flagship phones, Samsung has a more cost-conscious A-Series phones. This year, the Galaxy A51 was launched and it’s another Samsung phone that costs $ 399 (£ 329, AU $ 599) – although there is a 5G variant that costs $ 499. The Android device has four cameras, an on-screen fingerprint reader and expandable storage. Read our Galaxy A51 review.