{"id":7233,"date":"2021-11-16T11:14:35","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T10:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1246824"},"modified":"2021-11-16T11:31:10","modified_gmt":"2021-11-16T10:31:10","slug":"best-smartphones-to-buy-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/best-smartphones-to-buy-in-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Best smartphones to buy in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Andrew Williams\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 16 November 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Is your contract about to expire? Have you decided it\u2019s time to buy a new phone? There are loads of great handsets out there, but this will be something you\u2019ll have to use every day, possibly for years. Feeling the pressure yet?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t worry; we are here to help. Our experts have used many of the best and worst phones around, so here\u2019s our selection of the top models you can buy in 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking for more of the latest releases from Apple? Be sure to read our iPhone 13 mini review<\/a>, iPhone 13 review<\/a>, iPhone Pro review<\/a> and iPhone 13 Pro Max review<\/a>. For more on the latest Android device and how it compares, don\u2019t miss our in-depth Google Pixel 6 Pro review<\/a> and this iPhone 13 Pro vs Pixel 6 Pro<\/a> guide. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jump to:<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to choose the best smartphone<\/a><\/li>\n
Best phones at a glance<\/a><\/li>\n
Best smartphones to buy in 2021<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
How to choose the best smartphone<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How much should you spend on a new smartphone in 2021? We think they start to get interesting around the \u00a3200 mark. But in this round-up, we\u2019re not going to focus too much on the lower end of the market. If that\u2019s what you\u2019re looking for, read our guides to the best budget smartphone<\/a> for affordable alternatives.<\/p>\n
Mid-range phones cost anything from around \u00a3350 to \u00a3700. Here you get a phone that, in many ways, will feel very similar to the most expensive phones going. If this price bracket is for you, read our best mid-range phone<\/a> guide.<\/p>\n
So why should you pay the big bucks? A few features you just don\u2019t tend to get in mid-tier mobiles include long zoom cameras, which now extend as far as 10x in some phones, and ultra-high resolution screens. Some budget models have slightly lesser build quality, trading aluminium or glass for plastic to lower costs.<\/p>\n
When our experts put a handset through its paces, they consider battery, cameras, specs and features, design, set-up, connectivity, storage and more.<\/p>\n
So it\u2019s worth spending a little time working out which of these is most important to you when buying a phone. Do you need a large screen to stream films and play games? Or, is a brilliant camera the deciding factor? Try our best 5G phone<\/a>, best iPhone<\/a> and best camera phone<\/a> guides if these factors are important to you.<\/p>\n
Read on for the best smartphones to buy in 2021.<\/p>\n
Best phones to buy at a glance<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Best iPhone for most people:<\/strong> iPhone 13 Pro<\/a>, from \u00a3949<\/li>\n
Best overall Android handset:<\/strong> Google Pixel 6 Pro<\/a>, from \u00a3849<\/li>\n
Best phone for photography fun:<\/strong> Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra<\/a>, from \u00a31,149<\/li>\n
Best phone for shooting videos: <\/strong>iPhone 13 Pro Max<\/a>, from \u00a31,099<\/li>\n
Best foldable phone: <\/strong>Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3<\/a>, \u00a31,599<\/li>\n
Best performer at a mid-range price: <\/strong>OnePlus 9<\/a>, \u00a3629<\/li>\n
Best for high-end design at a lower price: <\/strong>Xiaomi Mi 11<\/a>, \u00a3749<\/li>\n
Best pick for small phone fans: <\/strong>Samsung Galaxy S21<\/a>, \u00a3759<\/li>\n
Best 4G buy:<\/strong> Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro<\/a>, \u00a3269<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Best smartphones to buy in 2021<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Apple iPhone 13 Pro, from \u00a3949<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Best iPhone for most people<\/strong><\/p>\n
$\""iPhone\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n
Incredible camera setup<\/li>\n
Sharp, clear display<\/li>\n
Responsive and fast<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Cons: <\/strong><\/p>\n
Expensive compared to some rival phones<\/li>\n
Lacks some of the power of the 13 Pro Max<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Alongside the Pro Max, the iPhone 13 Pro is Apple\u2019s premium flagship smartphone this year \u2013 and we consider it to be the best iOS handset for most people. Yes, it\u2019s an expensive piece of tech, and the same can be said for the previous model. The iPhone 13 Pro has a stunning display, great software performance, strong battery life, 5G connectivity and a highly-impressive 12 MP triple camera setup.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
As our tech expert wrote in our iPhone 13 Pro review<\/a>: [The phone] represents the best option of the entire iPhone 13 range because it combines next-level hardware with optimised software, all within a form factor that will suit most people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro at Amazon<\/a><\/li>\n
Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro at Apple<\/a><\/li>\n
Buy the iPhone 13 Pro at EE<\/a> | \u00a365 per month, \u00a350 upfront (24 months)<\/li>\n
Buy the iPhone 13 Pro at Sky Mobile<\/a> | \u00a333 per month, \u00a30 upfront (36 months)<\/li>\n<\/ul>