The year 2021 seemed to be a 2020 2.0, with extra component crises, power outages, Covid waves and huge ships stranded in transit. We are in the midst of inflation, money is being wasted, Metaverse is being discussed, and land is already being bought there. At the level of the smartphone market, I have had the most delays and cancellations of products since I follow the field. On the other hand, other companies have doubled the number of flagships.
If Samsung dropped the Note and delayed the S21 FE, OnePlus didn't give us a thoroughbred 9T, and Apple skipped a new SE. Samsung has not launched a Tab S8, and Huawei has not yet launched the P50 flagship globally. The reverse of the medal? ASUS first launched two gaming flagships, ROG Phone 5 and 5s, we also had two NUBIA flagships, and Redmi launched two generations for the first time in the same year: Redmi Note 10 and Redmi Note 11.
Apple has followed the same recipe since 2020, with 4 new phones, but this time better balanced with each other and with a strong emphasis on autonomy and refresh rates on Pros. The brave of the year? XIaomi with the rear screen on Mi 11 Ultra and OPPO with the design of Find X3 Pro's camera and the microscope there. I analyzed, dissected, weighed and below you have my top:
10. Nubia Red Magic 6 Pro
One of the most appreciated gaming phones in 2021 is this Nubia Red Magic 6 Pro. It has one of the most satisfying autonomy of a phone with Snapdragon 888 CPU and is still number 1 at refresh rate: 165 Hz. It also has those gaming side buttons and the 20,000 RPM fan, which keeps it cool no matter how much I've played. I also liked the culinary photos taken with him at the Maison de Crepes pancake house, but the room itself isn't quite memorable.
The stereo speakers are very powerful, and the multitude of gaming options is better organized than the "Console" area on the Nubia Red Magic 6S Pro (which had some erroneous translations). It also had a great price on the debut. However, I would say that the brightness pulls it down a bit and the fact that it doesn't have as many accessories as the ROG Phones.
9. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
Flip flops are a kind of guilty pleasure for me. I know I'm feminine, cute, and it would never completely satisfy my need for a gaming phone or a really generous stand-alone terminal, but I'm fascinated by the design. Galaxy Z Flip 3 has only welcome changes, from the IP certification, to the high refresh rate and to the external screen, now bigger and with about 7-8 new functions compared to the small one of the predecessors. It's even more discreetly integrated into the back design of this smartphone. The processing power is there, the stabilization was excellent when filming and it also takes competent pictures. I had felt the first Z Flip I tested somewhat unsatisfactory in selfie, but that has disappeared here. And I think it's the only Snapdragon 888 phone that fits in your pocket when it's closed. We also add Flex Mode as a bonus, for those who want to share the experience on two panels, somehow remembering the Nokia Communicator of another time. It also made a sensation through the offers from Black Friday, when it dropped to 3999 lei.
8. OPPO Find X3 Pro
I have said it before and I say it again: OPPO Find X3 Pro is the most neglected flagship of 2021, the one that received the least attention. It's a shame because it shares a lot of features with the OnePlus 9 Pro. It also has that "crater" camera design, initially accused of copying the iPhone 12 Pro, in order to later establish its own identity, especially after seeing it live. The way he climbs the "slope" of the camera on that shiny back is especially graceful. It has ringtones composed by Hans Zimmer and is the only microscope phone on the market and one that delivers what it promises, as you saw in our review.
It's true, it's a niche, but I find it useful for pupils and students for the chemistry, physics, biology laboratory. It loads very quickly, and its drawbacks are its autonomy and lack of a solid zoom camera. It also has one of the best ultrawide cameras of 2021 and I wouldn't be surprised if it is the legendary one already on the OnePlus 9 Pro. The screen and speakers are great, whether you're a gamer or a Netflix mobile watcher.
7. Xiaomi 11T Pro
Xiaomi 11T Pro was Xiaomi's last flagship of the year, a kind of appetizer until Xiaomi 12 comes. It was also the first phone in the mainstream, from the Romanian trade with ultra fast charging at 120W, so I felt the need to reward innovation. He is the absolute champion in charging in 2021 and beyond, taking only 25 minutes to get from zero to 100%. It has perhaps the best autonomy of a phone with a Snapdragon 888 processor and I also noticed its "Cinemagic" screen, which jumps 600 LUX, has a refresh rate of 120 Hz and Dolby Vision.
It's a delight to play games and watch movies and series. It integrates stereo speakers with Harman Kardon acoustics, has an infrared transmitter and a 5G and Wi-Fi 6 fast. The 108 MP main camera does a great job, but the Macro telephoto doesn't seem to impress that much, nor does the ultrawide one. The filming is a bit bright and the stabilization doesn't set any records either. It remains the gaming phone and media phone, with the fastest upload in 2021, for people always on the run, like me.
6. ASUS ROG Phone 5s
ASUS has done something special in 2021, launching two generations of gaming phones, the ASUS ROG Phone 5 and the ASUS ROG Phone 5s. I chose the 5s for the top because it seems better cooled and brings that extra performance through Snapdragon 888+, but also touch sampling rate increased from 300 to 360 Hz. Not to mention that ASUS has the most accessories in the dozen gaming phones on the market: attachable controller, dock with ports that allow connection to monitor, keyboard and more, portable dock with second screen, reinforced cases, bag and accessory in Nintendo Switch style called Kunai. I chose the version with RGB backlighting because it seems more discreet, less flashy than the one with the secondary screen.
I played a lot of PUBG New State on the phone, without overheating, but benefiting from the side buttons, the 144 Hz refresh rate and features like Crosshair and streaming on Twitch and YouTube. And the selfie camera has seen a big improvement over previous generations and allows you to stream like a gaming vlogger. It seems to me that the price has started to go down sooner than in other years.
5. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Xiaomi's definitive flagship for 2021 is also the only phone with a secondary screen in the back, please, if you don't take into account the mini screens on ASUS gaming phones. In this case, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra also inaugurated the largest photo sensor on a smartphone, the 50 MP with a size of 1 / 1.12 inch, a GN2 from Samsung, which produced spectacular results. It was in a different league from the 108 MP sensors on flagships in recent years. After 9 years, it dethroned the Nokia 808 Pureview, which had the largest sensor on a smartphone, but the supremacy lasted only a few months, until phones with a 1-inch sensor like the Sony Xperia Pro-I began to appear.
It impressed with some of the best stereo speakers of 2021 and was the only 120X digital zoom model we tested this year. Compared to the Mi 10 Ultra, which was not found on our official channels, this phone was a bit easier to catch in stores. It was also distinguished by the ceramic back, but also by the fast charging at 67W and the fact that the rear screen allowed you to use the main camera for selfie capture. Although he was content with just a 5X optical zoom periscope camera, he managed to deliver the best zoom on a Xiaomi phone and the second best in 2021, after the S21 Ultra. It was huge, though, and the autonomy could be better.
4. OnePlus 9 Pro
It's weird that out of all the dozens of phones tested this year, only one has stuck in my mind when it comes to film clarity. I'm not saying that other flagships don't shoot well, clearly, in detail or good-looking, but OnePlus 9 Pro seems to boost that impeccable image quality. It's the phone I'd like to have with me on a field report, on hands-on, on filming at concerts, christenings, weddings. It can also receive the gold medal for "best ultrawide camera of 2021", with absolutely zero problems and distortions, distortions, on par with many main cameras.
And its screen is landmark, with QHD resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, an adaptable one and very high brightness. I can only blame them that the autonomy is impaired by Snapdragon 888 and I wanted a little more in terms of zoom. Somehow I set high expectations and when I found out that OnePlus was working on it with Hasselblad. However, the Swedes put the first room on the moon with the first man on the moon. Basically, this is the "Videophone of the Year", with impeccable footage.
3. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G
The bronze medal goes to a foldable phone, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G. He has perhaps the best selfie on screen tested by me in 2021, not that there were many: ZTE Axon 20 and Xiaomi Mix 4. Each had its own "bubbles", but I think this one from Samsung produced quite good results. successful, when the light was with me. Otherwise, it is a perfect phone to replace the Galaxy Note, which is what it wants to be, with support for the S-Pen. It is also a formidable gaming device, between the Snapdragon 888 processor inside and the 120 Hz screens: inside and outside. Although the rear triple camera has remained the same as the hardware compared to the Z Fold 2, I seem to feel an improvement in night capture lighting and daytime color shades.
IP certification is a plus if you catch rain or pour a glass of water on the desk on this phone. The hinge has also been reinforced, and the phone frame benefits from a new type of metal, now more robust. I think this is the best foldable phone of 2021 and it has the advantage that it debuted at a lower price than its predecessors.
2. iPhone 13 Pro
If I were to buy a single iPhone this year, it would be the chosen model. iPhone 13 Pro Max is too big for my hand. The transition from iPhone 11 Pro to 13 Pro can be done smoothly though. Its a big plus over its predecessors? The 120 Hz screen, which benefits gamers, but also the battery which is finally at a height. Until now, only models with Max in their name could afford to make claims in this regard. It also has a 5G connection, inherited from the iPhone 12 series, bundled with a flat, glossy edges design. It also receives MagSafe support, bundled with all those magnetically attachable accessories on the back. It's very important for me not to waste time with setup and sync.
On the iPhone 13 Pro, I put it next to the iPhone 11 Pro and immediately switched to a new phone, after only 25 minutes of syncing and transfer. The high refresh rate is smartly implemented here and you only feel it in key moments, scrolling lists or gaming, sometimes even through menus and it seems like you don't want to go back to a 60 Hz iPhone after that. The speakers are excellent and the Wi-Fi and 5G connections reached record levels in my tests.
1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The big winner of 2021 in my view is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. It's a really complete phone, in every way. It has the most advanced optical zoom this year and correct me if I'm wrong, but no one has released a 10X optical zoom phone in 2021. It has a big, bright screen with a panel that can go up to 120 Hz and when needed drop to a few Hz to save battery power when still images are displayed. Exynos 2100 is a completely different fish dish than Exynos 990 and is reliable and foreign to throttling, maybe even less energy consuming than Snapdragon 888. I come back to the camera a little to emphasize that this phone makes the best night capture and stabilizes perfectly.
It also has stylus support, being the only flagship in 2021 that offers this and also brings Studio modes for selfies and a One UI that is so good that it even started to be imitated by Google on Android 12 somehow ... Samsung has solved even all the wishes of the fans, from a better image fixed on the screen to advanced zoom through the Zoom Lock function and to close focus and closeup capture, but also the huge camera module on the now slightly more discreet S20 Ultra. And the fact that One UI 4.0 arrived relatively quickly in the package with Android 12 compared to other flagships is the icing on the cake. Basically you have here 3 in 1: gaming phone that gamers will not complain about, maybe the best cameraphone of 2021 and a productivity terminal with stylus in need, Office, multitasking.
Conclusion:
As you can see, for me, the complete package mattered the most, but also the technological achievements at room level and the gaming. I also looked at this top through the eyes of the content creator, who needs the phone as a tool for vlogging, blogging, camera and video replacement. What I want to note on all the above phones is that none of them can boast of any absolute premiere. I stayed at 5 nanometers at CPUs, at maximum 10X optical zoom, I didn't jump above quad or penta cameras and the refresh rate didn't go beyond 120, 144, 165 Hz.
Large amounts of RAM are there, around 16 GB, 18 GB is a unicorn, but the concept of expandable dynamic RAM has emerged. I can't help but notice that Samsung has offered us stylus phones, both for the Galaxy S series and for the Galaxy Z Fold. OnePlus has managed to count even on the background of an integration in OPPO that has alienated fans, while Xiaomi has broken record charging speeds and taken the best components from Samsung again. OPPO was the most underrated brand this year, launching a single flagship, but also quite memorable.
Don't forget to vote for your favorite flagships in our poll!