JOIN USTop 10 smartphones launched in India in 2021
Like the previous year, Covid-19 continued to wreak havoc, more so in India. The second wave of the pandemic took away lots of lives and also caused distress to millions of people due to the implementation of lockdown.
Tough measures had to be taken to control the spread and with the nationwide vaccination, fortunately, Covid-19 cases drastically reduced in the second half of the year. It has been close to two years since the pandemic started and now Work/Study from home has become the new normal. Amidst the shortage for mobile processor chipsets, there was a huge demand for smartphones. This year, we saw premium phones such as the versatile Samsung Galaxy Note series was dropped and also OnePlus had to skip the OnePlus T series in the second half of the year.
However, the companies still managed to fill the void and introduce new feature-rich phones in India.
DH lists top mobile phones which excelled in categories such as performance, camera, utility, value-for-money, and more.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3, Flip3 (Best multi-utility phone)
Samsung Galaxy Note21 series was supposed to launch along with the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3, but as said before the former could not make it to the market. Nevertheless, the premium Galaxy Z3 Fold and Z3 Flip set the new benchmark in the industry.
While other brands are showing just the concept models, Samsung's new Z Fold3 and Flip3 series have made foldable phones mainstream in the market. They come with a durable design capable of surviving the daily rigours of life just like any other premium phone and also come with a powerful processor and decent camera hardware.
Also, with the support for S Pen, Galaxy Z3 Fold is unarguably the best multi-utility phone in the industry. Even Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (review) too, supports stylus too and can be called the second best Android phone of the year.
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max (Best all-rounder)
Apple has done a wonderful job with the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It excels in all departments, be it performance, premium build quality, excellent photography hardware and the battery life is just top class and you really have to go extreme to fully drain it. Under normal usage, it can easily last two full days.
Must read | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review: Fully loaded!
The iPhone 13 Pro Max begins at Rs 1,29,900. It is available in graphite, gold, silver, and sierra blue colours. Also, consumers get four storage options--128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and all-new 1TB.
Vivo X70 Pro series (Best innovative design language)
It excels in terms of photography, and premium build quality. The most impressive aspect of the device is the well-crafted surface, which comes with a visually appealing and effective fluorite AG coating on the back. It does a commendable job of repelling fingerprint smudges.
Must read | Vivo X70 Pro review
It should be noted that X70 Pro comes in two variants-- X70 Pro and X70 Pro+-- with prices starting at Rs 46,999 and Rs 79,990,
iQOO 7 (Best value-for-money premium phone)
It has a gorgeous dual-tone design language and houses a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 octa-core chipset. The camera is also really good for the asking price. Also, iQOO 7 offers great battery life and the 66W super-fast charger is a big bonus.
Must read | iQOO 7 review: Affordable flagship phone
The iQOO 7 is being offered in three configurations-- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage, 8GB RAM + 256GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage-- for Rs 31,990 and Rs 33,990 and Rs 35,990, respectively. It comes in two colour options- Storm Black and Solid Ice Blue.
Oppo Reno6 5Gseries (Good build quality)
Oppo Reno6 flaunts Reno Glow design language and I have to say, the device looks solid with a flat edge form factor. I have come to understand that the company has applied 20 patented crafting technologies to create this phone.
The Aurora model looks lovely in the sunlight and it reflects visually pleasing colours when looked at from different angles. The most impressive aspect is its ability to repel fingerprint smudges. It's the best-looking phone I have seen in 2021 so far.
This unique-looking phone shell is created using the new Diamond Spectrum processor, which involves multiple films featuring different textures and colours, says the company.
Also, the flat edge is ergonomically designed for good grip, so the fingers can hang on to the phone with less worry of dropping it.
Must read | Oppo Reno6 5G review
Oppo Reno6 5G comes in two colours--Aurora and Stellar Black-- for Rs 29,990,
Realme GT Neo 2 (Good mid-range camera phone)
The device checks all the boxes in terms of smooth performance, impressive camera, and full-day battery life. Also, the display and build quality are note-worthy too. Overall, it is a well-rounded upper mid-range phone in the market.
Must read | Realme GT Neo 2 review
Realme GT Neo 2 5G comes in two configuration-- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage -- Rs 31,999 and Rs 35,999, respectively.
Poco F3 GT (Best value-for-money mid-range gaming phone)
It sports a slipstream design language that is not only visually pleasing to the eyes but also offers a premium hand-feel experience. The ergonomically placed two extra buttons, one each placed in opposite ends of the right side makes gaming an even over delightful experience.
Furthermore, the camera hardware of the Poco F3 GT is noteworthy. Overall, the smooth operational capability with thanks to vapour chamber cooling tech makes Poco F3 GT a compelling phone for gamers.
Must read | Poco F3 GT review: Impressive gaming phone
Poco F3 GT comes in three RAM options--6GB, 8GB and 12GB- for Rs 26,999, Rs 28,999 and Rs 30,999.
Samsung Galaxy F62 (Best battery life and is good for online classes for long hours)
It comes with a massive 6.7-inch full HD+ super AMOLED plus screen and is powered by Exynos Exynos 9825 CPU with a huge 7,000mAh cell. Consumers can play games, stream videos, attend the virtual class for several hours without having to worry about straining eyes.
It boasts an adaptive display feature that automatically warms the screen at low-light conditions and there is an always-on eye comfort shield option, to lessen the strain on the eyes.
Must read | Samsung Galaxy F62 review
Samsung Galaxy F62 is available in two configurations--6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage-- for Rs 23,999 and Rs 25,999, respectively.
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G (Best stylish phone)
The company has done an impressive job with the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G design and dual-tone colourway. Also, the build material used for the device exudes a premium-quality experience in terms of hand-feel. And, it excels in photography, more so in natural sunlight and under challenging conditions of the overcast sky.
Must read | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G review
Xiaomi 11 Lite NE 5G is available in four colours-- Tuscany Coral, Diamond Dazzle, Jazz Blue and Vinyl Black.
It comes in two variants-- 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage-- for Rs 26,999 and Rs 28,999, respectively.
Redmi 10 Prime (Best budget phone)
It is the best value-for-money budget phone in 2021. It is the true successor of the Redmi 9 Prime. It has premium looks, solid build quality, good big display, excellent photography hardware, dependable processor configuration and most importantly, lasts more than a day even under extreme usage.
Must read | Redmi 10 Prime review: Top-notch budget phone
The Redmi 10 Prime comes in three colours--Phantom Black, Astral White, and Bifrost Blue. It is available in two variants-- 4GB RAM + 64GB storage & 6GB RAM + 128GB storage--for Rs 12,499 and Rs 14,499.
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