5. GOOGLE PIXEL 6
The Pixel 6 is a lot of phone for $599. As Google’s first true flagship phone since 2019, the Pixel 6 gets many things right and is right up there with the iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra in camera quality, overall performance, and battery life. You’ll also get some uniquely Google features thanks to a new, proprietary processor. And when you consider the fact the Pixel 6 is a good $200 less than its rivals, it’s simply the most value-packed flagship phone for Android fans in recent history. Sorry, OnePlus.
You can tell the Pixel 6 from the Pixel 6 Pro by its slightly smaller 6.4-inch, 1080p OLED flat display and bolder color choices like two-tone red or green (black is also an option). For a relatively big phone, the Pixel 6 is not too thick yet feels substantial. That said, its glossy body is super slippery, so you’ll need to budget for a third-party case (forget the Google ones, they aren’t worth the money).
At the heart of the Pixel 6 is Tensor, Google’s first proprietary mobile processor that is on par with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip inside other Android flagships. Tensor allows the new Pixel to lean into Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to learn some new tricks. You can use the Magic Eraser to remove photo-bombers from your photos, take photos that better reflect real skin tones, as well as use Google Assistant to handle automated calls for you. The Pixel 6 has 8GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, and runs the latest Android 12 software with Google’s new Material You theming.
Inside its sizable rear camera bar are dual cameras, 50-megapixel wide and 12-megapixel ultrawide cameras, along with a laser detection autofocus sensor for low-light and depth. Unlike the Pixel 6 Pro, the 6 doesn’t have a telephoto camera. Still, its images are very good in both normal and low light and very competitive with the best from Apple.
The Pixel 6 has a 4,614mAh battery (should last two days for light users), supports Qi wireless charging, and has some protection from rain storms (IP68). Its main weakness is a slow under-screen fingerprint scanner, and the phone lacks a face unlock option. While not perfect, the Pixel 6 is an all-around good phone for $599.
6. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP 3
Sick of smartphones that only get bigger and heavier when all you want is for some new ways to use your phone? Samsung’s third go at a flip phone seems to strike the right balance of whimsy, technical prowess and price that make the Galaxy Z Flip 3 appealing to mainstream users.
For $999, this 4.2-inch pocketable device can transform into a 6.7-inch 1080p OLED display that is bright and has a fast 120Hz refresh rate. The screen can also be used as a split screen for multitasking. When closed, you can use the 1.9-inch outer second screen, which displays handy widgets like app notifications and audio player controls without making you open the phone.
The Galaxy Flip 3 has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and 8GB of RAM as any other flagship phone released in 2021. Battery life is also just fine, providing between four and five hours of screen time between charges.
It’s too bad its dual cameras did not get an upgrade from the previous iteration. Both the 12-megapixel standard wide and ultrawide rear cameras, as well as the 10-megapixel front-facing selfie camera, take good but not great photos. Due to the Z Flip 3’s form factor, it can double as a mobile tripod for the cameras, which makes for some fun new ways to take photos.
Unlike the $1,400 Motorola Razr (2020), the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 hits at just the right price and style point for it to mainstream the idea of a flip phone. It’s hard to say how durable this foldable screen will be, but at least you can be among the first to find out.
