Apple’s approach to reducing prices for older models to go alongside its latest iPhone models means the iPhone 12 can now be had for $699. It replaces our previous recommendation, the iPhone 11 which is now more reasonably priced at $499.
You can’t go wrong with either of these if you want the iPhone experience without paying top dollar, but we think the iPhone 12 is a better purchase for most people. It remains a relatively recent release and the value it delivers in the long term. Expectedly, this model’s performance will feel similar to the iPhone 11 in daily use, but it adds 5G and packs several quality-of-life improvements in what’s otherwise an iterative update for the most part.
One of these improvements is the OLED display, which Apple added to the standard iPhone model with the 12 series. Even though it’s stuck at 60Hz, like on the latest $799 iPhone 13 (frustratingly), the viewing experience certainly benefits from deeper blacks and richer colors than the iPhone 11’s lower-res LCD.
The iPhone 12’s dual camera system and selfie shooter is also more capable during nighttime photography, though don’t expect dramatic improvements over the iPhone 11 in daytime shots. Apple’s addition of Dolby Vision HDR for the iPhone 12 also means improved video quality over its predecessor.
There are design and functional improvements as well. The flat edges of the iPhone 12 are a nod to the classic iPhone 4, and there’s a whole new ecosystem of wireless accessories that snap on the back with the addition of MagSafe. This not only helps with charging, but also allows easy attachment of car vent mounts, power banks, and wallets.
Apple’s iOS and industry-leading software support will keep the iPhone 12 usable and sellable for far longer than its Android rivals, an advantage that the cheaper, older iPhone 11 enjoys, too. The latter is a better option for iPhone buyers on a tighter budget, hence its inclusion in our value category.
The Android Alternative:
Samsung Galaxy S21
The Samsung Galaxy series has come a long way and continues to be the definitive Android flagship for users who dislike being locked into Apple’s walled ecosystem. Like its Apple rival, the Galaxy S line has become the usual case of iterative upgrades, though Samsung has managed to close the gap with Apple – somewhat – in terms of software support after its commitment to a 4-year security update policy to go alongside 3 years of OS upgrades.
The first of those upgrades arrived recently for the S21 series with Samsung’s One UI 4, packing Android 12’s privacy enhancements, design tweaks and deeper customization.
The adaptive UI elements will now pop up on that vibrant 6.2-inch AMOLED display, which refreshes dynamically between 120Hz – 48Hz to balance performance and efficiency. Samsung opted for a slightly lower-res 1080p panel (vs. QHD on the Galaxy S20), but the switch to a flat design means more space around the edges for a secure grip and better durability over curved panels.
Although some may not like the Galaxy S21’s plastic back (especially on an $800 phone), it has a smartly designed camera module that gives it a distinctive look. Performance of the triple-camera array is par for the course on a 2021 flagship, and the same can be expected in terms of battery life from its 4,000mAh unit, which will last you about a day. Just make sure to have a reasonably fast charger (ideally 25W) lying around, since Samsung started following Apple’s lead with the S21 and no longer provides one in the box.
There’s also no microSD expansion, but an optional 256GB variant should address most people’s storage concerns. There’s little else to complain about, given the snappy performance from the Snapdragon 888 5G SoC, Samsung’s DeX support, wireless (and reverse) charging, and IP68 dust/water resistance.
The Galaxy S21’s successor is likely just a couple of months away, so it might be worth waiting to see what the S22 has to offer. However, those after a new Android phone during the winters/holidays shopping season or looking to trade in their device should definitely have the S21 on top of their list.
For stock Android enthusiasts:
Google Pixel 6
The highly-anticipated Pixel 6 line has launched to a promising start, bringing the best of Google’s software and hardware in a compelling package. Out of the standard Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, the former is arguably the better buy for most people due to its tempting $599 starting price.
The phone’s two-tone look can divide opinion, but it’s a welcome change over the increasingly samey, bland designs that we usually see on other phones and the understated aesthetic of the Pixel 6’s predecessors.
The rear horizontal black bar houses Google’s best camera system yet, and saves you quite a few bucks over the 6 Pro and its telephoto lens if the 50MP main camera is all you’re after. On top of improving day and night mode photography, Google has also added useful touches like the Magic Eraser tool, Face Unblur, and better skin tone recognition to make the most out of the camera experience.
The Pixel line is also the only place to get the truest version of Android, which some users prefer over highly customized and oftentimes bloated OEM skins. The Pixel 6 packs all the design, performance, features and privacy enhancements that come with Android 12 and makes good use of the custom Tensor chip to power AI features to enable improved voice recognition, real-time translation and automated message transcription.
The phone’s 6.4-inch 90Hz 1080p AMOLED display is perfectly adequate, though there are a few hardware and software quirks that some early buyers have reported. These include sluggish fingerprint scanners, accidental calls and flickering displays. Google has acknowledged and already rolled out fixes for two of these issues, while glitchy screens will be addressed in an upcoming OTA update.
There’s also been some controversy over the Pixel 6’s slow charging speeds, given that Google recommends a 30W USB-C charger, which mislead some users into thinking the phone also charges at 30W. That’s not the case, as Google has since clarified that the Pixel 6 draws a peak of 21W (23W for the 6 Pro) and may also pause charging above 80 percent to improve battery longevity. Adaptive/optimized charging mechanisms have existed for a couple of years now, and what’s important to note here is that if you don’t plug the Pixel 6 overnight, its 4,614mAh battery will feel noticeably slower to charge (50 percent in 30 mins, 80 percent in 1 hour).
The Pixel 6 also launches alongside Google’s Pixel Pass subscription, which starts at $45 and bundles core Google services like ad-free YouTube Premium and Music, 200GB Google One storage, Play Pass, Preferred Care coverage and a new Pixel phone every two years. Unfortunately, availability of Google Pixels has always been limited to a few markets, and the Pixel 6 is no different in this regard. The phone is currently being sold through official channels only in 9 countries, with pre-order bonuses for customers in the US, France, Germany, UK and Ireland.
