The best smartphones in 2021
With such a huge variety of phones on offer today, finding the best smartphones in 2021 can be a daunting undertaking. Are you going to go for old faithful and pick up an Apple iPhone 12? Perhaps you'd rather snap up Samsung's latest Note 20 Ultra, complete with its innovative screen tech and S Pen stylus? Or you could brave a challenger brand like Huawei, who has blown minds with the Mate 40 Pro’s incredible camera.
There's so much to choose from – so we've done the research and tested hundreds of Android and iOS devices to bring you our best smartphones list.
The first thing you need to ask yourself is – what’s your priority? If you’re after a champion camera phone, then you’ll want to check out our round up of the best camera phones. If you need a creative toolbox, then you’re in the right place, with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20Plus taking the crown, thanks to its S Pen. Alternatively, there are other better value options from the likes of OnePlus if all you want is premium hardware across-the-board, and even Apple’s dropped a value champion this year – the iPhone SE (2020).
Before picking up any phone, remember to check that the best iPhone apps and Android apps for creatives are available. If you’re jumping from an iPhone to and Android, for example, the stellar Good Notes won’t be an option on Google’s mobile OS.
Once you’ve cross-checked your must-have apps and know which OS you need, our list of top-ten creative phones should help you figure out which is the right device for your personal life, productivity, work and everything in between.
The best smartphones available now
01. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
The best smartphone for creative superstars
Weight: 208g | Dimensions: 164.8mm x 77.2mm x 8.1mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.9-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3088 | CPU: Snapdragon 865+ | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
It’s eye-wateringly expensive, but there’s no denying that the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the best, most feature-packed iPhone Apple has ever made.
If you can handle the size of its 6.7in screen, you’ll be treated to an incredibly powerful A14 Bionic processor, 6GB RAM, one of the best smartphone cameras in the world, and all with incredible battery life to boot.
All of this is wrapped up in Apple’s tried and tested minimal design, powered by the smooth and slick iOS 14. If you can handle its larger size (and larger price tag) then you’ll be more than content with Apple’s latest and greatest handset.
(Image credit: Samsung)
The Samsung Galaxy S20 might not be the best equipped of the S20-series, but it's still one of the most popular. Why? Because it packs an impressive set of features and a sharp, crisp screen into a super-manageable size. Plus, it costs a heck of a lot less than its bigger sibling, the S20 Ultra.
The device comes complete with three rear cameras, which includes a 64MP 3x zoom telephoto camera to help you capture shots from an impressive distance. The main camera is lower resolution at 12MP, but its nighttime performance is a big step up when compared to last year’s Galaxy S10. Combined with an ultra-wide camera and up to 8K video recording, the Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus cover all bases without breaking the bank like the S20 Ultra does.
Water and dust resistant, like the iPhone 11 Pro, the S20 also supports wireless charging. Unlike its Apple rival though, you can add storage via an SD card. No doubt about it, one of the best smartphones money can buy right now.
(Image credit: Sony)04. Sony Xperia 1 II
Best smartphone for videographers
Release date: February 2020 | Weight: 181.4g | Dimensions: 165.1 x 71.1 x 7.6 mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.5-inch | Resolution: 1644x3840 | CPU: Snapdragon 855 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 8MP
(Image credit: Apple)The iPhone 12 and 12 mini are essentially the same handset, with the latter having a smaller, 5.4in display for those that prefer more compact screens, along with slower wireless charging.
Those factors aside, both handsets have the same 5G support as Apple’s other new iPhones, along with very good (but not the absolute best) camera performance. The OLED screens are a joy to behold, and the new MagSafe feature is an intriguing addition to Apple’s arsenal.
While the more expensive Pro models have swankier cameras, they’re notivably pricier, making the 12 and 12 mini the best bang for buck options in the latest iPhone range lineup. Be prepared for no included charger to avoid a shock when unboxing, and you’ll have years of happy use ahead of you.
Apple isn’t usually known for its value for money, but the new iPhone SE bucks the trend, delivering flagship features like water-resistance and wireless charging as well as flagship power from just £409 (at time of writing).
If the new iPhone SE’s design’s familiar, that’s because this 2020 phone comes in the body of a 2017 flagship, the iPhone 8. Bringing back Touch ID and a notch-free, bezel-heavy screen, the SE definitely isn’t the most futuristic looking phone you can pick up at its price, but it is a perfect compromise for Apple fans on a budget.
The ample power inside will blast through everything from the latest 3D games to creative software, and CAD viewers through to 4K video editors like iMovie. Despite only sporting one 12MP camera around the back, thanks to smart software, the iPhone SE can still grab Portrait Mode photos, and with availability in three colours - black, white and Product Red, its classic design is matched with classic finishes.
When
it comes to storage, with a starting capacity of 64GB, be sure to pick
up the right iPhone for your needs - 128GB should be enough for most.
Other than that disclaimer, the iPhone SE is a guaranteed win for anyone
who doesn’t want to stump up for an iPhone 11 or 11 Pro. 
(Image credit: Google)
The Google Pixel 5 isn’t a phone that blows you away with fancy multiple lenses. It keeps things simple with a 12.2MP main camera and a 16MP ultra-wide one, with no dedicated zoom lens.
Power-wise, things are middling too, with a Snapdragon 765G processor, and 8GB of RAM. On paper, then, the Pixel 5 isn’t up there with the most powerful, feature-packed phone in the word, but its price fairly reflects that.
What it does do, is offer a pure up to date Android experience in a smart minimal package, with solid well-lit camera performance and powerful image editing tools for tweaking on the move, with a battery that will comfortably last you through the day.
If you want to keep up with the latest Android features for the next few years and aren’t fussed about night or zoom photography, this could very well be the best handset for you.
08. Honor Play
The best cheap smartphone for creatives
Release date: August 2018 | Weight: 176g | Dimensions: 157.9 x 74.3 x 7.5mm | OS: Android 8.1 | Screen size: 6.3-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Hisilicon Kirin 970 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 3750mAh | Rear camera: Dual 16MP | Front camera: 16MP
A 6.3-inch smartphone for around the £200/$200-mark should ring alarm bells – it must be terribly slow to use, have awful cameras or at least be downright ugly, right? Wrong, actually, and the
Sony has a rich heritage in camera tech, and the Motion Eye technology in the Sony Xperia XZ Premium
is a continuation of that. For one, it features super-slow motion video
– recording at 960 frames per second. Yes, 960! Next, there’s
predictive capture, which basically starts buffering your shot a second
before the shutter is pressed – and then gives you four images to pick
from. Its 19-megapixel sensor also has intelligent exposure controls to
automatically adjust light levels (there’s also manual focus controls),
while 5-axis stabilisation should make for steady 4K videos. The other
big selling point of the 2017 XZ Premium (its elder statesmanship means
it's now a lot cheaper) is that it was the first smartphone to have a 4K
HDR display, which means a delightful screen on which to play back your
creations. 
(Image credit: Huawei)
The Mate 40 Pro is one of the best smartphones ever made. It has a stunning design, thanks to a futuristic wrap-around display and pearlescent rear paint job. It’s rammed to the hilt with tech, including Huawei’s very own beastly Kirin 9000 processor, not to mention an array of cameras which, combined, make it one of, if not the absolute best, cameraphones in the world today.
It’s a shame then, that it’s crippled by the lack of Google Play Services, which ultimately means no Google Play Store. While Huawei’s own App Gallery has come a long way and continues to do so, there are still too many glaring omissions and apps that won’t work without that all-important Google framework.
Still, if the absolute best photography experience is a must, and you’re not too tied into Google’s ecosystem, the Mate 40 Pro could very well still be worth a look, if you’ve got the deep pockets to spring for it.
