We're almost halfway through the year, and mobile manufacturers have graced us with their best tech so far! From big guys like Apple, Samsung, or Xiaomi, to emerging brands like Oppo, Vivo, or Asus, we’ve seen anywhere from futuristic gaming-focused designs to out of this world 120x zoom capability!
Strip all the bells and whistles and read beyond the spec sheet, which mobile phones bested the tough competition in their real-world capabilities? Are the numbers adding up to give you a beastly performance as advertised?
Check out the best of the best mobile phones released this 2021 to late 2020. To make this list more comprehensive, here are the best ones per category.
Note: Specs are from GSMArena.
Best photo camera phone: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
From its 108MP main camera to its 100x space zoom, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn’t only sport flagship-level specs — it reflects real-world usage too! It has versatile shooters with a variety of features, perfect for both amateurs and professionals. This is paired with superior software processing capabilities to produce DSLR-grade photos.
| Rear Camera |
Main lens |
108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS |
| Periscopic lens |
10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm, 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom |
| Telephoto lens |
10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide lens |
12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Extra features |
LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Front Camera |
Selfie lens |
40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm, 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Extra features |
Auto-HDR |
Best photo camera phone: Honourable mentions
Photos are always subjective, so there’s a big chance that you may not like the photos processed by Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. There are other just as capable and versatile shooters in the market.
iPhone 12 Pro Max
| Rear Camera |
Main lens |
12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm, 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift stabilization |
| Telephoto lens |
12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide lens |
12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm, 1/3.6" |
| LiDAR sensor |
TOF 3D LiDAR scanner |
| Extra features |
Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Front Camera |
Selfie lens |
12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm, 1/3.6" |
| Biometrics/depth sensor |
SL 3D |
| Extra features |
HDR |
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
| Rear Camera |
Main lens |
50 MP, f/2.0, 24mm, 1/1.12", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS |
| Periscopic lens |
48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide lens |
48 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 128˚, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF |
| Extra features |
Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 1.1” AMOLED selfie display |
| Front Camera |
Selfie lens |
20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm, 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Extra features |
HDR, panorama |
Vivo X60 Pro
| Rear Camera |
Main lens |
48 MP, f/1.5, 26mm, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, gimbal stabilization |
| Telephoto lens |
13 MP, f/2.5, 50mm, 1/2.8", 0.8µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide lens |
13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm |
| Extra features |
Zeiss optics, Pixel Shift, LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Front Camera |
Selfie lens |
32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm, 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Extra features |
HDR |
Best video camera phone: iPhone 12 Pro Max
While its spec sheet isn’t as impressive as its competitors, iPhone 12 Pro Max still beats out its competitors when it comes to real-world footage! Its supreme software optimisation combined with capable hardware produces high-quality, stable, well-lit, and colour-accurate videos with up to 4k resolution at 60 frames per second.
| Rear Camera |
Main cameras |
4K at 24/30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60/120/240fps |
| Extra features |
10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, stereo sound recording |
| Front Camera |
Selfie camera |
4K at 24/30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60/120fps |
| Extra features |
Gyro-EIS, stereo sound recording |
Best video camera phone: Honourable mentions
You may also have different preferences when it comes to how you want their videos to look. Other smartphones may have a wide range of video profiles and approach for colours, highlights, shadows, stability, and sound recording.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
| Rear Camera |
Main cameras |
8K at 24fps, 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60/240fps, 720p at 960fps |
| Extra features |
HDR10+, stereo sound recording, gyro-EIS |
| Front Camera |
Selfie camera |
4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30fps |
| Extra features |
Dual video call |
Google Pixel 5
| Rear Camera |
Main cameras |
4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60/120/240fps |
| Extra features |
Gyro-EIS |
| Front Camera |
Selfie camera |
1080p at 30fps |
| Extra features |
Auto-HDR |
Oppo Find X3 Pro
| Rear Camera |
Main cameras |
4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60/240fps |
| Extra features |
Gyro-EIS, HDR, 10‑bit video |
| Front Camera |
Selfie camera |
1080p at 30fps |
| Extra features |
Panorama |
Best gaming smartphone: ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
If you go big on gaming, ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is the best gaming smartphone currently available in the market. Just like its previous generations, it has a top-of-the-line processor and software, encased in a futuristic gaming design. Best of all, it has extra controls for gaming like pressure-sensitive zones, touch sensors, and ROG Vision.
| Body |
Build |
Front (Gorilla Glass Victus), back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminium frame |
| Audio |
DTS:X stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, 24-bit/192kHz |
| Gaming features |
Pressure-sensitive triggers, touch sensors, ROG Vision monochrome |
| Screen |
Size |
6.78 inches, ~82.0% screen-to-body ratio |
| Display |
AMOLED, 800 nits (manual), 1200 nits (auto) |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2448 pixels, 144Hz, HDR10+, ~395 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset |
Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| OS |
Android 11 on top of ROG UI |
| ROM |
512GB, non-expandable |
| RAM |
18GB RAM, UFS 3.1 storage |
| Battery |
Type |
Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging |
Fast charging 65W, Reverse charging 10W |
| Extra features |
Power Delivery 3.0, Quick Charge 5 |
Best gaming smartphone: Honourable mentions
The mobile gaming industry has been consistently growing, so big brands manufacture their own version of competitive gaming phones. If ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate doesn’t fit your extreme gaming needs, here’s a list of honourable mentions:
Lenovo Legion 2 Pro
| Body |
Build |
Front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminium frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers |
| Gaming features |
2 built-in cooling fans, 6 pressure-sensitive triggers, 4 ultrasonic buttons, 2 capacitive sliding buttons |
| Screen |
Size |
6.92 inches, ~82.3% screen-to-body ratio |
| Display |
AMOLED, 1300 nits (auto) |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2460 pixels, 144Hz, HDR10+, ~388 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset |
Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| OS |
Android 11 on top of Legion OS |
| ROM |
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, non-expandable |
| RAM |
8GB,12GB, 16GB, 18GB RAM, UFS 3.1 storage |
| Battery |
Type |
Li-Po 5500 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging |
Fast charging 65W (Single-port), Fast charging 90W (dual ports) |
Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro
| Body |
Build |
Unspecified |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, 24-bit/192kHz |
| Gaming features |
Physical pop-up gaming triggers |
| Screen |
Size |
6.67 inches, ~85.8% screen-to-body ratio |
| Display |
AMOLED, 1300 nits (auto) |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2400 pixels, 144Hz, HDR10+, ~395 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset |
Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| OS |
Android 11 on top of Joy UI 12.5 |
| ROM |
256GB, 512GB, non-expandable |
| RAM |
8GB,12GB, 16GB, 18GB RAM, UFS 3.1 storage |
| Battery |
Type |
Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging |
Fast charging 120W |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 Pro
| Body |
Build |
Glass front, glass back, aluminium frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, 32-bit/384kHz |
| Gaming features |
400Hz touch-sensing zones, built-in cooling fan |
| Screen |
Size |
6.8 inches, ~85.1% screen-to-body ratio |
| Display |
AMOLED, 630 nits (manual) |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2400 pixels, 165Hz, 1B colours, ~387 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset |
Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| OS |
Android 11 on top of Redmagic 4.0 |
| ROM |
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, non-expandable |
| RAM |
12GB, 16GB, 18GB RAM, UFS 3.1 storage |
Battery
|
Type |
Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging |
Fast charging 66W |
| Extra features |
Power Delivery 3.0, Quick Charge 5 |
Best mid-range smartphone: Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
Saving a few bucks doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the powerful features of your smartphone. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro boasts an impressive spec sheet that you see on some flagship smartphones like a high refresh rate and 108MP main camera. The best part is, it comes with a fraction of the price!
| Body |
Build |
Front and back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, 24-bit/192kHz |
| Extra features |
IP53 protection, Infrared port, FM radio, Side-mounted fingerprint scanner |
| Screen |
Size |
6.67 inches, ~85.6% screen-to-body ratio, AMOLED, Up to 1200 nits |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2400 pixels, 120Hz, HDR10, ~387 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Qualcomm SM7150 Snapdragon 732G (8 nm), Android 11 on top of MIUI 12 |
| Memory |
Up to 128GB, Up to 18GB RAM, microSDXC, UFS 2.2 |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
108 MP (main), 8 MP (ultrawide), 5 MP (macro), 2 MP (depth) |
| Front lens |
16 MP (selfie) |
| Extra features |
LED flash, HDR, panorama |
Best mid-range smartphone: Honourable mentions
The mid-range smartphone market is very stiff, and the competition gets even tougher with the introduction of new phones. Manufacturers develop bang-for-the-buck smartphones, with some of them being less than $500! Check these honourable mentions for the mid-range smartphone sector in New Zealand this 2021.
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro
| Body |
Build |
Front (Gorilla Glass 6), plastic back |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, 24-bit/192kHz |
| Extra features |
Infrared port, FM radio, Side-mounted fingerprint scanner |
| Screen |
Size |
6.67 inches, ~84.6% screen-to-body ratio, IPS LCD, Up to 450 nits |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2400 pixels, 120Hz, HDR10, ~395 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 (7 nm), Android 11 on top of MIUI 12 for POCO |
| Memory |
Up to 256GB, Up to 8GB RAM, microSDXC, UFS 3.1 |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
48 MP (main), 8 MP (ultrawide), 2 MP (macro), 2 MP (depth) |
| Front lens |
20 MP (selfie) |
| Extra features |
Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
| Body |
Build |
Front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack |
| Extra features |
Under display optical fingerprint scanner, IP67 protection |
| Screen |
Size |
6.5 inches, ~84.1% screen-to-body ratio, Super AMOLED, Up to 800 nits |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2400 pixels, 120Hz, HDR10, ~407 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm), Android 11 on top of One UI 3.1 |
| Memory |
Up to 256GB, Up to 8GB RAM, microSDXC, UFS 2.2 |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
64 MP (main), 12 MP (ultrawide), 5 MP (macro), 5 MP (depth) |
| Front lens |
32 MP (selfie) |
| Extra features |
LED flash, panorama, HDR |
Google Pixel 4a 5G
| Body |
Build |
Front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back and frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack |
| Extra features |
Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, Always-on display |
| Screen |
Size |
6.2 inches, ~84.1% screen-to-body ratio, OLED |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2340 pixels, HDR10, ~413 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm), Android 11 |
| Memory |
128GB, 6GB RAM, UFS 2.1 |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
12 MP (main), 16 MP (ultrawide) |
| Front lens |
8 MP (selfie) |
| Extra features |
LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
Best compact smartphone: ASUS Zenfone 8
If your hands are on the smaller side, you may enjoy the ASUS Zenfone 8. At first glance, it may not look as powerful as larger smartphones — but it’s a flagship in its own right. It has all the best features such as a powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset, IP68 dust and water resistance, super AMOLED screen, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus screen protection.
| Body |
Build |
Front (Gorilla Glass Victus), back (Gorilla Glass 3), and aluminium frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, 32-bit/384kHz |
| Extra features |
Under display optical fingerprint scanner, IP68 protection, FM radio |
| Screen |
Size |
5.9 inches, ~84% screen-to-body ratio, Super AMOLED, Up to 1100 nits |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2400 pixels, HDR10+, 120Hz, ~446 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm), Android 11 on top of ZenUI 8 |
| Memory |
Up to 256GB, Up to 16GB RAM, UFS 3.1 |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
64 MP (main), 12 MP (ultrawide) |
| Front lens |
12 MP (selfie) |
| Extra features |
LED flash, HDR, panorama |
Best compact smartphone: Honourable mentions
There aren’t as many options when it comes to compact phones in the competitive smartphone market. However, some flagship-level smartphones still manufacture their small phone counterparts to those who may not like larger and bulky phones. Here are some of the best ones available in the market.
iPhone 12 mini
| Body |
Build |
Front and back (Gorilla Glass), aluminium frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers |
| Extra features |
Face ID, IP68 protection, Ultra-Wideband support |
| Screen |
Size |
5.4 inches, ~85.1% screen-to-body ratio, Super Retina XDR OLED, Up to 1200 nits |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2340 pixels, HDR10, Dolby Vision, ~476 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm), iOS 14.6 |
| Memory |
Up to 256GB, 4GB RAM, NVMe |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
12 MP (main), 12 MP (ultrawide) |
| Front lens |
12 MP (selfie), SL 3D (biometrics/depth sensor) |
| Extra features |
Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
Samsung S21 5G
| Body |
Build |
Front and back (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminium frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers, 32-bit/384kHz, Tuned by AKG |
| Extra features |
Under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, IP68 protection, Samsung Dex |
| Screen |
Size |
6.2 inches, ~87.2% screen-to-body ratio, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Up to 1300 nits |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2400 pixels, HDR10, 120Hz, ~421 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Exynos 2100 (5 nm), Android 11 on top of One UI 3.1 |
| Memory |
Up to 256GB, 8GB RAM, UFS 3.1 |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
12 MP (main), 12 MP (ultrawide), 64 MP (telephoto) |
| Front lens |
12 MP (selfie) |
| Extra features |
LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama, dual video call |
Google Pixel 5
| Body |
Build |
Front (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminium back and frame |
| Audio |
Stereo speakers |
| Extra features |
Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, IP68 protection, wireless charging |
| Screen |
Size |
6.0 inches, ~87.6% screen-to-body ratio, OLED |
| Resolution |
1080 x 2340 pixels, 90Hz, ~432 PPI |
| Memory |
Chipset and OS |
Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm), Android 11 |
| Memory |
128GB, 8GB RAM, UFS 2.1 |
| Camera |
Rear Lens |
12.2 MP (main), 16 MP (ultrawide) |
| Front lens |
8 MP (selfie) |
| Extra features |
LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
Pair the best smartphone with the best mobile plan!
These phones are already great on their own, but what will take them to the next level is a really good mobile plan! Getting unlimited data credits, texts, and calls means you’re covered whenever and wherever you are.
Compare the best mobile plans in New Zealand, using our comparison tool right here at CompareBear.
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May 27, 2021
Mobile Phone
