Whether you prefer Android or iOS, smartphones are a must-have gadget in your life. Every year the giants of the mobile phone business bring out their latest products. And while the best of the best tends to come with hefty price tags, they do deliver what is promised.
It is not just about 5G technology these days. Smartphones have gone beyond just the basic communication of voice calls and texting. It is all about doing more on these little gadgets with mobile accessories to support them.
And with so many smart gadgets, like smartwatches, offering pairing options with smartphones, the stakes are getting higher. From workouts to office meetings, mobile phones play an integral part in simplifying everyday tasks.
When your old phone has reached its end of life and repair is no longer a viable option, you need a new phone. Mobiles these days come in beautiful glass construction with EIC standard ratings that handle just about any situation.
If you are a photography fanatic, you will love the multiple camera systems with a plethora of photography features. With the best shots or the best audio, the choice does not have to sway either way with the newest communication devices.
Our list of 2021’s favourites includes the best of both Apple and Samsung. These phones have evolved both in terms of their chipsets and camera systems. While these two brands dominate the market, Google and OnePlus are gaining momentum with their smartphones.
Let us get right into discovering the best phones of 2021 in the UK!
Apple Smartphones for the Connoisseur
Apple smartphones have set a standard amongst all smartphones. Their classic styles and professional looks make these flagship phones the right choice for the sophisticated crowd. The iPhone 12 series tops the year 2021, but rumours about the iPhone 13 are making rounds too.
iPhone 12: Best Apple Smartphone Setting the Standard
The iPhone 12 comes with an IP68 waterproofing rating which means it will survive up to 6 metres’ depth for up to 30 minutes! Additionally, its powerful dual camera features Cinematic video stabilisation for those amazing pool-side memories.
The A14 Bionic chip next‑generation Neural Engine makes this phone and its successors fast and efficient. You can have multiple apps on your phone without having to deal with lag.
Features that you’ll love:
- Its Super Retina XDR display gives you brilliant resolution in a 6.1-inch all‑screen OLED display.
- Add a splash of colour to your life with its black, white, red, green, blue, and purple colour options.
- Enjoy its FaceID feature with its TrueDepth camera for facial recognition.
- Charge the iPhone 12 wirelessly via MagSafe accessories or Qi chargers.
iPhone 12 Mini: Best iOS Phones with Small but Big Joy
It could be red, or it could be purple, the iPhone 12 Mini comes with a more colourful range of options. And with the fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating and scratch-resistant feature, this phone will always look as good as new.
Its 5.4-inch screen size still delivers the quality you can expect from an iPhone. Enjoy all your favourite videos in top quality with its Super Retina XDR display and 5G connectivity support.
Features that you’ll love:
- You can choose from black, white, red, green, blue, and purple colours to match your style.
- Do not worry about a little splish-splash, thanks to its IP68 waterproofing rating (maximum depth of 6 metres for up to 30 minutes).
- It supports Apple Pay that is Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified for cardless payments.
- You can take great pics with its lens correction (Ultra-Wide), advanced red‑eye correction, and auto image stabilisation features.
iPhone 12 Pro Max: Best 5G Phones that are a Visual Feast
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is here to blow your mind. The unique and stellar design of this smartphone will keep you mesmerised. The range of colour options in the stylish stainless-steel design is just too delicious.
The OLED display with 2778 × 1284-pixel resolution at 458 PPI brings every image and video to life. You also get to enjoy Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) for all your wireless payment needs.
Features that you’ll love:
- This iPhone is available in gorgeous Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue.
- The phone comes with a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, so the display remains smudge-free.
- It comes with a standard IEC 60529 rating of IP68 (maximum depth of 6 metres for up to 30 minutes).
- It comes with a non-removable 3687mAh Li-Ion and supports Qi wireless charging.
Samsung Smartphones for Dazzling Style
The arch-rival of Apple mobile phones is the Samsung smartphone. These devices are always ahead of their game and come in brilliant design options that iPhones could take notes on. These Android phones are the best of their kind.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: Best Samsung Phone that Never Runs Out of Charge
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with 5G network support comes with a humungous 5000mAh built-in lithium polymer battery. Thanks to fast charging capabilities and Qi/PMA wireless charging, you will always have more power.
This Galaxy phone also supports the Galaxy SmartTag tracker, so you can always keep track of things you tend to lose easily. And with support for the S Pen (sold separately), you can enhance your experience and simplify everyday life.
Features that you’ll love:
- The dual sim feature allows you to use a Nano-SIM and/or an eSIM, dual stand-by.
- It comes with an IP68 dust and water rating and Gorilla glass construction to handle every situation.
- Its quad-camera system with 108MP (2nd gen) main sensor, Ultra-Wide 12MP, and two telephoto 10MP with dual pixel PDAF give you the best photography experience.
- It supports Galaxy SmartTag and S Pen for an enhanced user experience.
Samsung Galaxy S21+: The Best Mobile Phone with Superior Performance
With an octa-core CPU and the new Exynos 2100 chip technology, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G offers impressive performance. This stylish phone features a 6.7″ large screen that delivers vivid imagery full of life.
Its gorgeous design with Gorilla glass front and back and aluminium frame also comes with an IP68 dust and water-resistant rating. It also supports Samsung Pay (available only in FR, IT, CH, SE, UK) for all of your wireless payment needs.
Features that you’ll love:
- The massive 4800mAH battery will keep your device powered up all day long.
- The triple camera system offers Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, and super steady videos for the perfect photos and videos.
- Enjoy crystal clear audio and voice calls with its stereo speakers that are tuned by AKG and boast active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic.
- In addition to sensors like fingerprint, proximity, compass, and barometer, you also get to reverse wireless charge devices.
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra: The Best Camera Phones with Breathtaking Designs
The elegant Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G features an infinity edge-to-edge screen that takes your breath away. The large screen, along with the improved S Pen, is an ideal choice for letting your creativity flow on the go.
This phone will never run out of charge thanks to its fast Qi/PMA wireless charging and reverse wireless charging (9W) 4500mAh battery. Experience the joy of high-quality photos with its triple camera system hosting a 108MP camera with OIS and 5x optical zoom.
Features that you’ll love:
- The Always-on-display comes with a dynamic AMOLED 2X capacitive touchscreen and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
- Far away objects, or low-light conditions, always get the perfect shot with the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
- Get multitasking with its 8-core processor and massive 12GB RAM without any lag.
- The S Pen, with its improved accuracy, can also be turned into a controller for your phone.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Best Mid-range Phone Tuned by AKG
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE comes tuned by AKG to deliver extraordinary sound on its stereo speakers. The quality audio combined with the 6.5″ screen with 16M colours will enhance your movie experiences too.
This Galaxy phone features an octa-core CPU and Exynos 990 chipset for improved efficiency. Additionally, the massive 4500mAh lithium polymer battery can be fast-charged the traditional way as well as wirelessly.
Features that you’ll love:
- The Galaxy S20 FE supports reverse wireless charging (4.5W) to charge small gadgets like a power bank.
- With its IP68 rating, you do not have to worry about dust and water damage during everyday use.
- Enjoy using your NFC-based apps, such as smart wallets, with this Galaxy phone
- This mobile phone supports hybrid dual SIM and GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, and LTE networks.
Samsung Galaxy A52: Best Phones Under £500 for Crystal Clear Photos
The Samsung Galaxy A52 with 5G can be considered a budget phone amongst Samsung phones. The gadget comes in four awesome colours to suit every style. Additionally, its super AMOLED display comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection against falls and scratches.
You also get to enjoy its Quad camera set-up, with which you can take 4K and 1080p videos. With a fingerprint sensor, you get enhanced security. It also comes with an accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass for all your other needs.
Features that you’ll love:
- Its built-in 4500mAh Lithium Polymer battery can be fast-charged by 50% in just 30 minutes.
- This phone has an IP67 dust/water resistance (up to 1m for 30 mins) to always keep it protected.
- Experience ultra-fast 5G network support with the Galaxy A52.
- Always expect crystal clear photos with its quad 64 MP camera with PDAF and OIS.
Fresh Players in the Smartphone Game
Samsung and Apple smartphones have been dominating the market for quite a long time. But new and old tech companies are expanding their horizons with their mobile devices. These are our top two favourites amongst the new challengers.
Google Pixel 4A: Ok, Google! The Best Budget Android Phones
The Google Pixel 4A is a budget-friendly choice that offers so much at its range. With double the storage capacity and a better price than its predecessor, this phone comes with updated UFS 2.1 storage speeds.
This device comes with an Always-on OLED capacitive touchscreen that delivers brilliant 16M colours. And despite its low price, you get all the features you’d expect in a smartphone. The phone comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, compass, accelerometer, and other sensors.
Features that you’ll love:
- The Pixel 4A supports both a Nano-SIM card and eSIM for your telecommunication needs.
- Its HDR10+ display comes with the protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
- Besides supporting mobile data, WLAN, and Bluetooth, it also features NFC.
- Its octa-core CPU, Adreno 618 GPU, and Qualcomm SDM730 Snapdragon 730G chipset deliver the best performance.
OnePlus 9 Pro: Best New Android Phones with Top-Notch Features
Sporting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, the OnePlus 9 Pro gives you powerful performance. This phone is a top contender in the smartphone race with its range of desirable features.
Designed with Gorilla Glass 5 and an aluminium frame, the OnePlus 9 Pro also has a water and dust resistance rating of IP68. This mobile phone comes with support for 5G connectivity and NFC, besides other standard communication features.
Features that you’ll love:
- This OnePlus smartphone comes with a 4500mAh lithium-polymer battery that supports fast charging as well as wireless fast charging.
- The quad-camera system lets you take amazing photos and videos with features like the omnidirectional PDAF, Hasselblad Colour Calibration, and 3.3x optical zoom.
- In addition to the standard sensors, it comes with an optical fingerprint sensor and a colour spectrum sensor.
- Its stereo speakers, with 4-bit/192kHz audio, open up a world of auditory experiences.
Smart Living with Smart Gadgets
Whether it is a 120hz refresh rate display or an amazing rear camera that decides your phone choice, when it is time to purchase them, you can’t go wrong with MyTrendyPhone. We offer not just the above list of the best mobile phones in 2021 but also budget-friendly options that are not cheap phones.
Do not just stop at buying a phone. We recommend you also invest in a good screen protector to keep the much-used surface free of damage. A good cover will also keep your mobile phone looking brand new whilst keeping it protected. Get yourself a personalised phone cover with our 3-step, 2-minute online cover personalisation app.
Want to discover more smartphone choices, or want to learn more so you can make the right decisions? Get in touch with us to keep everything smooth sailing.