BEST 5G PHONE
The best 5G phones field is a lot larger than it was back when the first 5G smartphone hit the market two years ago. That means it can feel hard to know what to pick as it all depends on how you want to use your 5G phone.
5G is the next generation of mobile data connectivity, bringing super-fast speeds along with improved reliability and connection stability over 4G, making it great for tasks like online gaming, streaming movies and downloading large files quickly.
Given how many more 5G-capable phones are still yet to come in 2021, we've compiled this list of the best 5G phones to lay out your top options. This round-up isn't just a replica of our standard best smartphones guide. Instead, we've considered the key uses of 5G, and brought you a list that focuses on these key points. The following roundup is broken down into categories to fit the reasons you might be looking to buy a 5G phone.
Each of these entries has a 'best' model and a 'runner up' to give you a choice even within the categories, which is especially important given that not all of our best phone picks are available in the US or other regions.
This guide has recently seen the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra make its mark with new additions potentially arriving soon such as the Oppo Find X3, OnePlus 9 and others expected in the next few months. If you can wait for a little while longer, your choices might be very different.
At TechRadar, we test every new 5G phone that comes out, so we've got a good idea of how they all run, work, and compare. We've used that knowledge to create this buying guide to help you work out which 5G phone is best for you.
1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
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2. OnePlus 9 Pro
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The latest best OnePlus phone out there, the OnePlus 9 Pro is a top-tier device that improves upon past issues such as a weak camera.
Besides offering that all-important 5G connectivity, it's the best OnePlus camera phone out there thanks to its 'freeform' ultra-wide lens that's designed to reduce the distortion at the edge of images, plus a partnership with Hasselblad.
Elsewhere are high-end specs in the form of the Snapdragon 888 chipset, up to 12GB of RAM, and a 6.7-inch 1440 x 3216 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ support means visuals look fantastic too.
65W fast charging and 50W wireless charging sweetens the deal meaning this is a pricey if highly commendable release from OnePlus.
Best cheap 5G phones
1. Motorola One 5G
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2. Oppo Find X2 Lite
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