1: iPhone 11 Pro Max – No surprise here, the new flagship is a significant upgrade over its predecessor which was already widely recognized and highly regarded for its performance. It is more powerful than ever, it’s bigger, better all around better, faster and more capable of handling everything from apps to games with speed and accuracy. The camera also performs at an exceptional level. At least one thing is clear; this phone will take you places. More importantly I believe that Apple has nailed down their long time promise with regards to producing products that will help us see the world through a different perspective on how we live our lives in a better way. But if you want it bad enough you need it, and there are few companies out there who supply you the raw materials and components to make these things happen. Apple did a good job raising the bar in making many years ahead of its rivals by doing something no other brand could do before they got the chance to really put it together and put it into use. What was interesting about some of what Apple has done is that by working with the design teams behind most of its hardware and software products Apple has created something incredibly close to perfection, but nowhere near as close to reality and accessibility as they would like to allow you to experience. This is their biggest investment yet and it means they’ve been able to hit the mark when it comes to technology not only with its new devices, but also on a whole new level with each update. It shows you that Apple does know how to get more out of your money while still being affordable and accessible, and if they can keep up with a pace of change as rapid as this then they have a great shot at retaining their customers and their market share in the mobile space. They can hold onto this because they don’t fall prey to any of the common problems with new companies entering the industry and keeping up with them. A company that has fallen victim to those types of issues isn’t going to survive long to be able to compete with what Apple can offer. In my opinion Apple is now firmly established as the dominant player in mobile, and the landscape is changing quite rapidly, so let’s have a look at the key competitors and how they stack up against the latest flagship.
2: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra - If I had to pick just one specific phone, I believe the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra would be the best smartphone that Samsung has produced thus far. It comes off the back of a very impressive 2019, where it showed the capabilities of its new Exynos 2100 chipset, made to rival anything else on the market and a truly amazing display powered by HDR10+. While the Note 20 series had recently seen huge success thanks to the superb battery life of its predecessors, I think Samsung is finding itself increasingly at risk as consumers become used to phones delivering less than stellar results. As such, Samsung needs to find ways to create value from its own manufacturing plant and take advantage of the fact that many of that manufacturing resources are currently owned by others who are struggling to recover from pandemics or economic challenges. With that said, one smartphone has managed to deliver a better experience than most. That smartphone is Samsung’s newest phone Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Like the previous generations, the Note 10 delivers phenomenal performance which brings a more premium feel to your day-to-day life. However, unlike its predecessors, this Galaxy Watch Active version delivers even more functionality with improved features and a greater amount of features available via its S Pen stylus. It’s also compatible with AirPods so it’ll be a real bonus for commuters and anyone who wants to carry and use a smartwatch all day long with a better audio experience. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra makes me particularly happy because I enjoy using various services, allowing me to quickly adjust my music library without having to worry about missing out and giving myself plenty of time to work on my next project. My girlfriend uses it as well and she loves her battery life in particular, saying that she always looks down after charging her smartwatch.
3: Google Pixel 5a 5G – You might think Google has finally figured out its hands free future and has launched to it’s most sought after device yet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be so far away anymore due to several reasons. One of which is the lack of competition, and the other is the shift towards wireless communication. Having Google produce this new Google product from scratch is difficult for the consumer, as Android has been dominating the OS for nearly two decades now. Now that Google has taken this opportunity to step back and produce this new flagship, I am looking at the Pixel 5a 5G as just another piece to the puzzle. There are a lot of factors that help to explain why it makes sense for Google to create a device that’s similar in size, to many of the devices in this list and that is a large number to begin with. These include the cost and ease of obtaining this kind of device, the increasing demand for premium high definition video content to ensure users continue to come to Google, and lastly, the ability to leverage this Google Assistant platform as much as possible on such a tiny device. However, there is one problem that keeps turning me away when I see a Pixel 5a 5G. And that’s the price tag, the $1,199 MSRP. Google has previously offered devices over $1,000, and now they’re paying higher. I cannot understand why so many people do not want to spend that money. I do not have a choice but to agree and think “That’s fine”.
4: OnePlus 7T – When we saw the first announcement of the OnePlus 8, we were confused as to whether this was a successor or an evolution. On top of it, it also meant that for the people who wanted something to start building on their existing hardware lines or who simply wanted less-than-average specs, this was probably the perfect choice. Although I personally didn’t like it that much and thought it looked dated, it definitely brought home in a big enough way that the community immediately went wild for its inclusion in this list. Yes, the OnePlus 7T is nothing to write home about. But let’s look at how this is performing in comparison to other smartphones. First the OnePlus 7T offers a 6.5-inch OLED display (with Full HD+ resolution) and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The Snapdragon 865, combined with 32 GB RAM and 256 / 512, is good for basic gaming but is lacking in certain areas. Furthermore, running at 2560 x 1080, the images on the 7T can be crisp but often times aren't vibrant enough, which isn't always ideal. Overall, in terms of performance, the 7T is just average. However, in terms of entertainment, the 7T will almost never disappoint. From watching movies and TV shows that both contain HDR content, to playing the latest Fortnite game it is brilliant, despite not being the fastest device. Everything about this phone is perfect, from its size to its cameras, everything is right in front of you. All it is missing is a headphone jack, the screen’s refresh rate, the 120Hz refresh rate, or the 90Hz refresh rate and the extra storage space, unless you’ve gone out of the box. Luckily most people are in that group and the 7T will meet most of your needs.
5: Fire Phone 5 – Not everyone likes the idea of spending hundreds of pounds on a cheap handset. Personally speaking, I do. Especially when I know that I am trying to save money by getting a cheaper handset. So I don’t love the idea of constantly upgrading my Android Phone or buying a new Android Device in order to accommodate a newer version of Android. However, the Fire Phone 5 is very worthy of mention because although it may be the cheapest option out of the three options above, it is still more than decent. Compared to the rest of the devices on this list, the Fire Phone 5 has many of the same problems as the others, but the addition of the microSD card slot is a welcome addition. However, despite boasting the same battery life as the other three options, the Fire Phone 5’s battery life falls short of expectations in terms of capacity. Nevertheless the batteries are among the best on the market and the overall design is pretty great too. Regardless of its shortcomings though, I liked the Fire Phone 5 so much that I ended up purchasing it through Amazon in late 2016, for $120, which is roughly the same Price as the other devices. The Fire Phone 5 does have a couple of drawbacks though and one major issue is how long the buttons are. After repeatedly pressing a button it takes longer than an hour to actually click and enter a password. Despite that complaint, I still found myself wanting this phone. Even though I am not using it everyday, the UI and UX are pretty solid and fast and responsive. Because of that feature though, it’s hard not to appreciate it. Lastly, the Fire Phone 5 is an excellent choice if you want the ultimate low-cost option, the best quality camera system, or simply want something a little closer to the original form factor that made the original Fire Phone.
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