Top 6 Phones of 2021

Cell phones are popular with modern consumers for a variety of reasons. Some people choose a phone based on its camera. Others prefer larger screen sizes and higher refresh rates.




There are even some consumers who still choose a cell phone based on its call and text features. What are the most popular phones from 2020 and for 2021? What are the best prices and features for each of the top popular phones? Some of the top phones of 2021 might be surprising. Others were highly popular in 2020 and have not lost their favor among consumers in 2021. Read on for an overview of technical specifications and costs for the top 6 phones of 2021.




Overview of the Top 6 Phones for 2021

Many top phones were highly popular in 2020 and have not lost their favor among consumers in 2021. Features and specifications are unique to each phone but all bring the best of the current market to this list. The top 6 phones for 2021 are:

  • Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max.
  • One Plus 8 Pro.
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
  • Motorola Edge Plus.
  • Google Pixel 4a 5G.
  • Blackberry Key 2.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Sitting atop nearly every best-phone list is an iPhone of some version. The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is no exception to positive reviews and consumer popularity. Pre-trade-in MSRP is $1,099. Buyers with qualified credit are offered $45.79 per month financing. Storage capacity reaches up to 512GB. Four different color options are also available. The Pro Max battery is capable of intense usage all day long without needing a recharge. It almost goes without saying at this point how the camera in the iPhone 12 Pro Max is one of the best on the market. Additional specifications include a 5G-capable Qualcomm modem and a system running an expanded-feature iOS14.

OnePlus 8 Pro 

One of the best phones of 2021 is the $799 MSRP OnePlus 8 Pro. The $799 price point includes 256GB of storage space and 12GB of high-quality RAM. This phone is a phone-lover’s joy due to its 120Hz refresh rate, 280+ software optimization options and a 6.78-inch QHD+ display. Images on this phone are extremely clear due to its 1300 nits 10-bit color display and 4096 adaptive brightness levels. The Warp Charge 30 feature reaches a 50% battery charge in less than twenty-three minutes. Currently, OnePlus is also offering free backpacks with each OnePlus 8 Pro purchased directly through OnePlus online.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G  

Frequently sitting next to Apple iPhones and vying for top position on best-of lists are various Samsung Galaxy phone models. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is no exception and provides solid competition as one of the best phones of 2021. Post-trade-in the S21 is available for $499 MSRP and higher. Pre-trade-in MSRPs start at $1,099. This phone boasts having all-day battery life even when in 5G mode. The S21 is S Pen capable and includes a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Top features include the Octa-core 2.84GHz processor, a 6.8-inch display and a rear quad camera w/a wide-angle lens. Additional lens-based features include the 10MP dual telephoto lens, a dual zoom lens, ultra wide lenses, and telephoto 1 & 2 options. The Samsung Zoom Lock also allows stabilization of all shots during zooming. Additional specifications include storage options ranging up to 512GB and a 120hz refresh rate.

Motorola Edge Plus  

The Motorola Edge Plus adds its own spins to the best features of an Android phone. The most unique feature to this $999 MSRP smartphone is its wraparound 6.7-inch OLED display. Text, images and videos all extend around the edge of the phone by ninety degrees. The screen ratio is 19.5:9 with a refresh rate of 90Hz. The wide screen ratio makes all videos shot at wide angles a pleasure to view on this phone. The Edge Plus has an effective fingerprint reader and high quality speakers capable of making all styles of music sound good. Additional specifications include 5G capability, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, numerous rear cameras and solid battery life. The camera is of good quality although not as good as the iPhone 12 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S21. Still, the camera on the Edge Plus is the best of all Motorola phones and the phone feels as good in your hands as the wraparound screen looks while streaming movies.

Google Pixel 4a 5G     

The $499 MSRP Google Pixel 4a 5G is one of the top phones of 2021 for numerous reasons. It is less expensive than its replacement Google Pixel 5 model, while having almost all the same features and capabilities. The phone’s CPU runs Snapdragon 730G. The screen is a respectable 6.2 inches. The quality of the Pixel 4a’s picture competes strongly with that of the iPhone 11 Pro Max. This is again a bargain considering the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s selling price still averages $999 pre-trade-in. The battery in this phone lasts approximately eight hours without needing a charge. The most impressive specification in this phone is its dual-SIM capability, which allows you to operate two phone lines at once from the same cell phone.

Blackberry Key 2      

Blackberry reintroduced itself to the cell phone market after taking many years off from manufacturing new phones. The Blackberry Key 2 is the result of its latest effort and has remained popular with Blackberry loyalists and new Blackberry users alike throughout 2020 and into 2021. The Key 2 is an Android phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. Included RAM is 6GB and the 4.5-inch display has a moderate 3:2 screen ratio. These specifications are not designed for heavy gaming or streaming but they do allow for battery life of up to twenty-four hours. The main perk of the Key 2 is its proprietary Blackberry keyboard combined with all the modern touchscreen features including expanded keyboard characters. The Blackberry Key 2 is expandable up to 256GB of storage space via a micro SD card. Selling prices range from the high $500’s to over $1,000 depending on the retailer and the phone is available now on Amazon from $749 new.