Best Android Smartphones 2021: Which Model to Buy?
Choosing the Best Android Smartphones 2021 is not an easy task. It is difficult to navigate as there are several phones available in the market. Follow this guide to choose the phone that best suits your needs.
The various manufacturers are waging a merciless battle on the Android smartphone market. The best models are no longer limited to high-end products from Samsung or Huawei. For the price of a mid-range smartphone, it is now possible to afford a smartphone with very comfortable performance.
If you want to buy the best phone without compromise and are willing to pay the price, a Galaxy S21 Ultra Smartphone will always be better than of OnePlus North. In this buying guide, we focus on the best models around.
9 Best Android smartphones 2021
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Two big novelties are to be noted. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is compatible with the S Pen, a first for a smartphone in the Galaxy S line. It is also the first smartphone to include an LTPO screen which consumes much less energy.
You can therefore take advantage of the 120 Hz screen without worrying too much about battery life. Besides, the software part automatically adapts the screen frequency between 11 and 120 Hz depending on the current task.
For the rest, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is powered by an Exynos 2100 chip which erases some defects of the SoC of the S20 series. Indeed, Samsung now uses ARM cores, in this case, the Cortex-X1. The new SoC thus approaches the Snapdragon 888 and fills a long-criticized gap in terms of performance and energy efficiency.
For the photo part, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has 4 sensors: a 108 MP main module, a 10 MP periscope telephoto lens (10x optical zoom), a second 10 MP telephoto lens (3x optical zoom), and finally an ultra-large sensor. 12 MP angle. As you can see, Samsung has put a lot of money into the S21 Ultra’s Zoom capabilities.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Specs
- Screen: 6.8 ″, 3200 x 1440px
- SoC: Exynos 2100
- RAM: 12/16 GB
- Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 108 MP wide angle + 10 MP telephoto (10x optical zoom) + 10 MP (3x optical telephoto) + 12 MP ultra-wide angle
- Front sensor: 40MP
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Samsung Galaxy S20 + and S20
Both models are ideal if you want a smartphone that is a little less imposing and less expensive than the S21 Ultra while retaining most of its qualities. The Galaxy S21 + is equipped with a screen almost as large as that of the S21 Ultra.
Its diagonal is 6.7 inches but in Full HD + definition. It has a 4800 mAh battery that lasts more than a day for normal use. The base S21 has a smaller screen (6.2 inches), still in Full HD + definition. It has a 4000mAh battery.
Galaxy S20+ Specs
- Screen: 6.7 ″, 2400 x 1080 px
- SoC: Exynos 2100
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 12 MP (wide angle) + 64 MP telephoto (1.1x optical zoom) + 12 MP ultra-wide angle
- Front sensor: 10MP
- Battery: 4800mAh
Galaxy S21 Spec Sheet
- Screen: 6.2 ″, 2400 x 1080 px
- SoC: Exynos 2100
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 12 MP (wide angle) + 64 MP telephoto (1.1x optical zoom) + 12 MP ultra wide angle
- Front sensor: 10 MP
- Battery: 4000mAh
- Xiaomi Mi 11
The Mi 11 is the reference for Xiaomi’s 2021 catalog pending the arrival of the Mi 11 Pro. It has an excellent AMOLED display with a billion colors and a peak brightness of 1500 nits. Its diagonal is 6.81 inches in 3200 x 1440 px definition. Inside, we obviously find the Snapdragon 888 and it is supported by 8 or 12 GB of RAM and a storage of 128 GB or 256 GB non-expandable.
For the photo part, the Xiaomi Mi 11 relies on a triple sensor consisting of a 108 MP (wide angle) module, a 13 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and finally on a 5 MP macro for close-up photos. Here are the key features of the smartphone.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Specs
- Screen: 6.81 ″, 3200 x 1440 px
- SoC: Snapdragon 888
- RAM: 8/12 GB
- Storage: 128 GB or 256 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 12 MP (wide angle) + 64 MP telephoto (1.1x optical zoom) + 12 MP ultra-wide angle
- Front sensor: 10MP
- Battery: 4000mAh
- Google Pixel 5
Within the Google catalog, you have the choice between the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a 5G, two smartphones that are very similar on paper. And although they both ship the same Snapdragon 765G SoC, the Pixel marks the difference in a few aspects such as waterproofing (IP68), a 90 Hz screen against a standard frequency of 60 Hz for the Pixel 4a 5G. The Pixel 5 also has more RAM (8GB vs. 6GB) and a better 4000mAh battery.
The smartphone has leaped in terms of autonomy compared to its predecessors. It can be used in any condition for at least a full day. Finally, even if it relies on a dual 12MP and 16 MP (ultra-wide-angle) sensor, the Pixel 5 provides very good shots.
Google Pixel 5 Specs
- Screen: 6 ″, 2,340 × 1,080 px
- SoC: Snapdragon 765G
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 128 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 12 MP + 16 MP ultra-wide angle
- Front sensor: 8 MP
- Battery: 4000mAh
- Oppo Find X2 Pro
It is the most premium smartphone in the Oppo catalog pending the arrival of the Find X3 Pro. The smartphone excels in all compartments: screen, camera, high-end design. The icing on the cake offers a very fast 65W recharge which brings the battery from 0 to 100% in less than 40 minutes. In terms of autonomy, the smartphone easily lasts a day and a half. Here are its main characteristics.
Oppo Find X2 Pro Specs
- Screen: 6.7 ″, 3.168 × 1.440 px
- SoC: Snapdragon 865
- RAM: 12 GB
- Storage: 256 or 512 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 48 MP (wide-angle) + 13 MP (telephoto, 5x zoom), 48 MP (ultra-wide-angle)
- Front sensor: 32 MP
- Battery: 4260mAh
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- OnePlus 8T
The OnePlus 8T has a positioning halfway between the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. For 200 € less, it offers better value for money. Its strengths: an excellent AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz with the Always-on Display function. The photo part is based on a triple sensor composed of the main module of 48 MP (wide angle), an ultra-wide-angle sensor of 16 MP, a macro of 5 MP, and a ToF of 2MP.
OnePlus 8T Specs
- Screen: 6.55 ″, 2400 x1080 px
- SoC: Snapdragon 865
- RAM: 8/12 GB
- Storage: 128 or 256 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 48 MP (wide-angle) + 16 MP (ultra-wide-angle) + 5 MP (macro) + 2 MP (ToF)
- Front sensor: 16MP
- Battery: 4500mAh
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra ships the Exynos 990 SoC on the European market. It is supported by 12 GB of RAM and a 4500mAh battery. The smartphone stands out for its S-Pen which improves a little more every year and offers new ways of using the smartphone. The screen is one of the best on the market. It is ultra-fluid thanks to its refresh rate of 120 Hz and is imposing by its diagonal of 6.9 inches.
Its photo unit made up of 3 sensors allows you to take beautiful photos day and night. You have two storage options: 256 GB and 512 GB offered respectively at € 1,309 and € 1,409.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G Specs
- Display: 6.9 ″, 3088 x1440 px
- SoC: Exynos 990
- RAM: 12 GB
- Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 108 MP (wide-angle) + 12 MP (periscope, 5x optical zoom) + 12 MP (ultra-wide-angle)
- Front sensor: 10 MP
- Battery: 4500mAh
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20
The standard Note 20 does distinguish it from the Ultra version by its slightly different design. Its ends are flat against a curved format for the Note 20 Ultra on both sides. The Galaxy Note 20 is also slightly smaller (6.7 ″) with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. For the rest, both have the same components or almost. The SoC is identical, as is the amount of RAM (8 GB).
It is equipped with a triple photosensor, but the configurations are different compared to the Note 20 Ultra. No 108 MP sensor here, but 64 MP at most (telephoto). The other two are wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle sensors of 12 MP each. As for the price, it is 959 € for the 4G version and 1059 € for the 5G version.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Specs
- Display: 6.9 ″, 2400 x1080 px
- SoC: Exynos 990
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB (no micro SD)
- Rear photo sensors: 108 MP (wide-angle) + 64 MP (periscope, 3x optical zoom) + 12 MP (ultra-wide-angle)
- Front sensor: 10 MP
- Battery: 4300mAh
- Huawei P40 Pro
It has everything to be the best Android smartphone on the market but suffers from US sanctions which deprive it of Google services including the Play Store. However, you can take advantage of most of the Android applications, most of which can be found on the manufacturer’s App Gallery store. And for those who are not there, you can find them via the Petal Search APK search engine or via the APKPure platform.
Huawei P40 Pro Specs
- Screen: 6.588 ″, 2640 x1200 px
- SoC: Kirin 990 5G
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB (expandable)
- Rear photo sensors: 50 MP (wide-angle) + 12 MP (periscope, 5x optical zoom) + 40 MP (ultra wide-angle) + ToF 3D
- Front sensor: 32 MP + ToF
- Battery: 4200mAh
Final Words
In just a few years, the competitive landscape has been radically transformed. Samsung still dominates debates in the premium segment. The Premium Segment Phone, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is undoubtedly one of the Best Android Smartphones of 2021 to Buy in the US.
Huawei has taken a heavy blow with US sanctions depriving it of Google services. The Huawei P40 Pro is a great smartphone but still can’t take advantage of the Play Store. This blow is benefiting Xiaomi and other Chinese competitors.
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