May 2021
Smartphones: Aggregated Ranking Report
This report contains an aggregate consensus of Smartphone rankings posted by key online experts, as of May 2021.
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Smartphones.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Smartphones, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for May 2021 ranking
The Verge
Tom's Guide
ZD Net
T3
Digital Trends
Pocket-lint
Creative Bloq
Consumer Reports
Laptop Mag
TechRadar
At a glance - May 2021 Ranking
| Rank | Price | Smartphone |
The Verge
|
Tom's Guide
|
ZD Net
|
T3
|
Digital Trends
|
Pocket-lint
|
Creative Bloq
|
Consumer Reports
|
Laptop Mag
|
TechRadar
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#1
|
$2000 |
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
|
2
|
3
|
8
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
1
|
|
#2
|
$829 |
iPhone 12
|
1
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
-
|
7
|
4
|
-
|
1
|
4
|
|
#3
|
$1099 |
iPhone 12 Pro Max
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
19
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
-
|
|
#4
|
$1290 |
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
2
|
3
|
6
|
|
#5
|
$600 |
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
|
-
|
9
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
8
|
|
#6
|
$1070 |
OnePlus 9 Pro
|
-
|
2
|
9
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
6
|
5
|
|
#7
|
$999 |
iPhone 12 Pro
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
9
|
1
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
|
#8
|
$689 |
OnePlus 9
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
4
|
9
|
-
|
11
|
9
|
|
#9
|
$349 |
Google Pixel 4a
|
9
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
13
|
|
#10
|
$399 |
iPhone SE
|
-
|
12
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
7
|
|
#11
|
$1800 |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
|
10
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
#12
|
$700 |
Google Pixel 5
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
11
|
|
#13
|
$750 |
Samsung Galaxy S21
|
3
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
#14
|
$599 |
Apple iPhone 11
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
12
|
|
#15
|
Check price |
Motorola Moto G Power
|
-
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
|
#16
|
$499 |
Google Pixel 4A 5G
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
13
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
|
#17
|
$1484 |
Oppo Find X3 Pro
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
18
|
-
|
2
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
#18
|
$947 |
Samsung Galaxy Note 20
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
#19
|
Check price |
Samsung Galaxy S20
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
|
#20
|
$354 |
Xiaomi Mi 11
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
15
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
#21
|
$1148 |
Sony Xperia 1 II
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra #1 in May 2021 because:
- 9 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 3 experts ranked Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra as #1.
Tom's Guide
Samsung's best phone
|
Pros
Dynamic 6.8-inch AMOLED display
Dual telephoto lenses
S Pen support
|
Cons
No charger in box
Lacks microSD card slot
|
T3
The best hyper-premium smartphone on the market
|
Pros
Superb 120Hz, WQHD+, HDR10+ screen
Hyper premium internal hardware
Versatile, feature-packed camera
S Pen digital stylus support
|
Cons
Very high price
|
Digital Trends
Best Android phone
|
Pros
It’s the best of the best, with a huge and beautiful screen, good software, tons of features, and a great multi-lens camera. Plus, great battery life.
|
Creative Bloq
The best do-it-all smartphone
|
Pros
Wacom pen tech
Excellent camera zoom
|
Cons
Big and bulky
Expensive
|
Laptop Mag
Best premium Android phone for most people
|
Pros
Unmatched optical zoom
Gorgeous adaptive QHD+ AMOLED screen
Excellent battery life
S Pen support
|
Cons
No charger included
No microSD storage
|
TechRadar
A top tier smartphone,and it takes our best crown
|
Pros
+The best camera zoom
+Mesmerizing design
|
Cons
-Expensive at any level
-No microSD card slot
|
We ranked iPhone 12 #2 in May 2021 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 3 experts ranked iPhone 12 as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best iPhone for most people
|
Pros
Attractive new design with MagSafe
Comprehensive 5G coverage
Incredible performance
|
Cons
Only 64GB of base storage
Digital zoom could still use work
|
T3
The best phone for most people
|
Pros
Fantastic HDR screen
High quality camera system
Now with 5G
|
Cons
Screen only 60Hz
|
Creative Bloq
The best bang for buck iPhone
|
Pros
Beautiful display
Solid camera
|
Cons
Battery life could be better
Base storage low
|
Laptop Mag
Best smartphone for most people
|
Pros
Excellent photos and video
Fantastic value
Beautiful new design
Strong software support
Powerful A14 Bionic CPU
|
Cons
Base storage is too low
60Hz display
No charger in the box
|
TechRadar
The best Apple iPhone bang for your buck
|
Pros
Colorful OLED display
Future-proofed with 5G
|
Cons
Cameras are similar to last iPhone 11
Battery life only okay
|
We ranked iPhone 12 Pro Max #3 in May 2021 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 3 experts ranked iPhone 12 Pro Max as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best phone overall
|
Pros
Best-in-class cameras
Immersive 6.7-inch display
Superior performance
|
Cons
Charger sold separately
A bit heavy
|
T3
More like a film studio than a phone
|
Pros
Spectacular cameras
Superb low light performance
Sensor-shift stabilisation
5G
|
Cons
Incredibly expensive
Pocket breaking
Only 60Hz refresh rate
|
Creative Bloq
The best iPhone ever
|
Pros
Superb camera
Great battery life
|
Cons
Very expensive
Bulky
|
Laptop Mag
Best high-end iOS smartphone
|
Pros
Top-end A14 Bionic CPU
Fantastic battery life
Vivid and bright OLED display
Extensive 5G support
Solid photos and unmatched video quality
|
Cons
Expensive starting price
60Hz display
Charger not included
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra #4 in May 2021 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best Android phone for productivity
|
Pros
Dynamic 6.9-inch 120Hz display
Smoother S Pen performance
Powerful 50x zoom camera and laser autofocus
Very good battery life
|
Cons
Expensive
|
T3
The best phone with digital stylus functionality
|
Pros
The best S Pen yet
Huge, bright screen
Plenty of power
|
Cons
Galaxy S21 Ultra also has S Pen support
|
Creative Bloq
The best smartphone for creative superstars
|
Pros
Superb camera
Incredible screen
|
Cons
Expensive
Slower charging
|
Laptop Mag
Best Android smartphone for productivity
|
Pros
Powerful Snapdragon 865+ processor
Strong camera and video features
Long battery life
Unique S Pen
Beautiful Super AMOLED 120Hz display
|
Cons
Expensive
|
TechRadar
The 5x optical camera zoom crushes it
|
Pros
Amazing camera zoom
Handy S Pen stylus
|
Cons
'Ultra' expensive
Photos exhibit skin smoothing
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G #5 in May 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best Samsung bargain
|
Pros
Big 120Hz display
Affordable price
Solid performance
|
Cons
Battery life bit shorter than expected
Fast charger costs extra
|
Laptop Mag
Best Android smartphone value
|
Pros
Incredible value
Large 120Hz OLED display
Excellent performance
Fantastic photo and video
|
Cons
Plastic build
|
TechRadar
Flagship specs at a more affordable price
|
Pros
+Still good specs for the price
+Large screen
+Big battery
|
Cons
-Middling camera specs
-No Android 11 yet?
|
We ranked OnePlus 9 Pro #6 in May 2021 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best phone for Android fans
|
Pros
Beautiful 120Hz display
Crazy fast wired and wireless charging
Fantastic cameras
|
Cons
Morning Mist model is very slippery
Nightscape photos are inconsistent
|
T3
The best premium phone
|
Pros
Excellent 120Hz, QHD+, HDR10+ screen
Rapid internal hardware
Hasselblad designed camera system
Stylish design with great ergonomics
|
Cons
Flagship price
|
Creative Bloq
The best sub-£1,000 camera phone
|
Pros
Impressive camera
Sharp, smooth screen
|
Cons
Good, not great battery life
Mediocre zoom on camera
|
Laptop Mag
Best flagship smartphone value
|
Pros
Top-of-the-line performance
Vivid 120Hz adaptive display
Unmatched wired and wireless charging
|
Cons
Lacks a periscope zoom lens
Weaker on software updates
|
TechRadar
|
Pros
The best OnePlus camera phone
Great power
|
Cons
High price
No microSD support
|
We ranked iPhone 12 Pro #7 in May 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked iPhone 12 Pro as #1.
Tom's Guide
Another top Apple phone
|
Pros
Best-in-class cameras
A14 Bionic blows away Android phones
Tougher Ceramic Shield display
MagSafe charging is easy to use
|
Cons
No charger in box
|
T3
The best premium phone for Apple fans
|
Pros
Powerful processor
Superb OLED screen
Excellent camera
|
Cons
Very expensive
Battery life could be better
|
Digital Trends
Best overall phone
|
Pros
It’s a complete package, with excellent hardware, great cameras, and consistent software.
|
TechRadar
Our second favorite iPhone pair
|
Pros
+Varied color choices
+Clear and vibrant screen
|
Cons
-No charging block in box
-5G still an expensive luxury
|
We ranked OnePlus 9 #8 in May 2021 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
T3
A well-rounded Android smartphone
|
Pros
Super fast charging
Fluid, smooth 120Hz display
Fast performance
|
Cons
No MicroSD card slot
Could have a better battery life
|
Creative Bloq
The best value flagship
|
Pros
Beautiful, smooth screen
Fast wired charging
|
Cons
No expandable storage
No zoom camera
|
Laptop Mag
Best smartphone under $750
|
Pros
Fantastic performance
Long battery life
Insane charging speeds
Vivid and bright 120Hz display
Decent photo and video quality
|
Cons
Plastic frame
No OIS (blurry night shots)
Lacks expandable storage
5G not supported on all carriers
|
TechRadar
A great-value option with no major drawbacks
|
Pros
Great specs for the cost
Good camera
|
Cons
No telephoto camera
Lack of flagship-material polish
|
We ranked Google Pixel 4a #9 in May 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best cheap phone you can buy
|
Pros
Best-in-class camera
Bright OLED display
128GB storage
Low price
|
Cons
Battery life could be better
|
Digital Trends
Best small smartphone
|
Pros
Google’s approach to smartphones fits perfectly with a small, simple, and price-friendly phone.
|
Laptop Mag
Best budget Android smartphone
|
Pros
Astounding value
Unmatched camera at this price
Solid OLED display
|
Cons
Weak battery life
Low-end CPU
|
TechRadar
Google's latest mid-range stunner
|
Pros
+Great price for features
+Good camera software
+3.5mm jack
|
Cons
-Battery barely lasts a day
-Polycarbonate plastic back
|
We ranked iPhone SE #10 in May 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The cheapest iPhone you can buy
|
Pros
Affordable price
Fast A13 Bionic performance
Very good cameras
|
Cons
Big bezels
No Night mode
|
T3
The best budget phone
|
Pros
Appealing design
Rapid hardware
Very affordable
|
Cons
iPhone 12 range more powerful
|
Laptop Mag
Best budget iOS smartphone
|
Pros
Flagship A13 Bionic CPU
Excellent value
Supports wireless charging
Stellar software support
|
Cons
Dated design
Weaker camera performance
|
TechRadar
The cheapest new iPhone for 2020
|
Pros
+Low price for an iPhone
+One-hand-friendly and light
+Has the Touch ID home button
|
Cons
-Battery life could be better
-Old screen technology
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 #11 in May 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Digital Trends
Best foldable smartphone
|
Pros
Foldables are the future of smartphones, and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G is the best of the bunch.
|
Creative Bloq
Most polished foldable available
|
Pros
Powerful
Beautiful design
|
Cons
Very expensive
Cameras could be better
|
We ranked Google Pixel 5 #12 in May 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
T3
The best phone for a pure Android experience
|
Pros
Camera is still great
Clean, pure Android
90hz refresh rate screen
|
Cons
Battery life is average
|
Creative Bloq
Solid camera with great software and editing smarts
|
Pros
Fantastic camera software
Handsome, minimal design
|
Cons
No telephoto camera
Night shots could be better
|
TechRadar
Still top cameras,and a few odd new features
|
Pros
+Camera software is better than ever
+Metal case is refreshing change from glass
|
Cons
-No telephoto
-Middling night photography
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy S21 #13 in May 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
A Samsung flagship for less than $800
|
Pros
Excellent dynamic 120Hz display
Powerful performance
Refined design
|
Cons
No charger or microSD card slot
Plastic back
|
Digital Trends
Best value
|
Pros
The core flagship Samsung phone experience is available at a great price.
|
TechRadar
Not the best of the S series,but nevertheless great
|
Pros
+Fantastic, versatile camera
+Cheaper than the Galaxy S20
|
Cons
-No microSD support
-Screen isn’t the best
|
We ranked Apple iPhone 11 #14 in May 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
An even better value at a lower price
|
Pros
Great photos, especially with Night Mode
Fast A13 Bionic CPU
Long battery life
|
Cons
Fast charger not included
Just 64GB of storage to start
|
TechRadar
A still-great iPhone
|
Pros
+Improved camera
+A new range of colors
|
Cons
-Design not altered
-Battery life not best-in-class
|
We ranked Motorola Moto G Power #15 in May 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The phone with the best battery life
|
Pros
All-day battery life
Low price including a sub-$200 model
|
Cons
Only one Android software update
|
Digital Trends
Best cheap smartphone
|
Pros
Motorola gives you all of the basics in a good size with a few nice-to-have features.
|
Laptop Mag
Best budget battery life smartphone
|
Pros
Unmatched battery life
Awesome sub $250 price
Better than average camera
Large and bright display
|
Cons
Dull display
|
We ranked Google Pixel 4A 5G #16 in May 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
T3
The best budget Pixel phone
|
Pros
Great camera
Pure software
Excellent price
|
Cons
Not as premium as Pixel 5
|
Laptop Mag
Best Android phone for most people
|
Pros
Flagship tier camera
Solid display
Support for 5G
Great value
|
Cons
Middling performance
|
We ranked Oppo Find X3 Pro #17 in May 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
T3
A stunning flagship for 2021 from Oppo
|
Pros
Top-tier specs
Fantastic 6.7-inch screen
Microscopic camera
|
Cons
Large camera block
Software could be better
|
Creative Bloq
Best for fans of smooth design
|
Pros
Unique, sleek design
Stunning display
|
Cons
Expensive
Poor zoom on camera
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Note 20 #18 in May 2021 because:
- 1 independent expert mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
We ranked Samsung Galaxy S20 #19 in May 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
Creative Bloq
Excellent across the board
|
Pros
Amazing screen
Brilliant camera
|
Cons
Busy interface
Dull design
|
TechRadar
Flagship specs at a more affordable price
|
Pros
+A top screen
+Excellent cameras
|
Cons
-Still quite high price
-Iterative improvements
|
We ranked Xiaomi Mi 11 #20 in May 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
T3
A strong new entry to the best phone top table
|
Pros
Quality large display
Strong camera experience
Rapid wireless charging
Android 11 out of the box
|
Cons
Average battery life
Slow in-screen fingerprint scanner
|
We ranked Sony Xperia 1 II #21 in May 2021 because:
- 1 independent expert mentioned it in their “best Smartphones” rankings.
T3
The best phone for watching movies,and very good at taking pictures too
|
Pros
Powerful internals
Impressive screen
Excellent camera
|
Cons
Tall phone not pocket friendly
|