SMARTPHONES TOP TENS
TOP TEN OF EVERYTHING
TIPS & TRICKS
Slide your thumb in from the edge and back for one-handed mode, which adjusts the screen layout.
Screen recording is great for capturing Instagram live sessions. You’ll find it in system settings.
Single-take mode uses all the lenses to snap various stills and video clips to cherrypick from.
HOT BUY
1
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
£899 / stuff.tv/S205G
The bigger and flashier S20+ and S20 Ultra models are the headline-grabbers, but the ‘basic’ Galaxy S20 feels like the Goldilocks of flagship phones right now – and it’s a fair bit cheaper than some. It delivers excellent battery life, a phenomenal display, blistering performance and superb photo quality. The new S21 models look wondrous (see p6), but for now this is the Android handset to beat.
Stuff says ★★★★★
All the features you’d want in a flagship smartphone, plus a few more
● NOW ADD THIS
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive 128GB
This USB-C drive will double your S20’s 128GB storage to 256GB for a lot less than you might expect. £23 / shop.westerndigital.com
2
Apple iPhone 12
from £799
/
stuff.tv/iPhone12
We loved the iPhone 11, and its successor carries a whole host of improvements. If you can live without the telephoto camera of the flagship 12 Pro (and most can), you should save yourself some cash and get the 12 instead. In many ways it’s the same phone.
Stuff says ★★★★★ A top display and all the power you’ll ever need in an iPhone
3
OnePlus Nord
from £379 / stuff.tv/Nord
OnePlus wanted to get back to its bargain roots with the Nord, and it’s mostly pulled it off. You may not get a top-end CPU, but the rest is here: reliable performance, a solid camera, a strong OLED screen and plenty of storage… and it’s still classier than a Moto.
Stuff says ★★★★★ This is one of the best-value 5G smartphones you can buy
4
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
★★★★★ from £999 stuff.tv/12Pro
An iPhone for the few and not the many, the 12 Pro is suited to serious photo fiddlers and AR explorers.
5
Realme X50 Pro 5G
★★★★★ £489 stuff.tv/X50Pro
Realme’s high-spec, mid-price marvel makes for a compelling alternative to a OnePlus.
NEW
6
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
★★★★★ from £1099 stuff.tv/12ProMax
The only choice if you want to fully Max your iPhone experience… but not a big upgrade over the 12 Pro.
7
OnePlus 8
★★★★★ from £549 stuff.tv/OnePlus8
The mid-range Android king glides stylishly over the 5G hump. See also the plainer but zippier 8T model.
NEW
Apple iPhone 12 Mini
★★★★★ from £699 stuff.tv/12Mini
A 5.4in-screened cutie packing Apple’s lauded A14 Bionic chip and the same cameras as the iPhone 12.
9 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2
★★★★★ £1799 stuff.tv/ZFold2
Still prohibitively expensive, but the first folding phone that doesn’t feel like an awkward prototype.
10
Sony Xperia 5 II
★★★★★ £799 stuff.tv/Xperia5ii
Everything we loved about the Xperia 1 II, made a lot more affordable with minimal compromise.
● Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated
HOT BUY
1 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
£250 / stuff.tv/QCE
They’re bulkier than the average in-ears and come with a ridiculously large case, but otherwise the QC Earbuds are difficult to knock. The noise-cancelling doesn’t do a disservice to the esteemed QC name, it’s hugely customisable, and the buds themselves sound great: bassier than you might expect, but in a nicely rounded way that retains lots of detail. They’re at the upper end where price is concerned – but if silence is what you seek, you currently won’t find better.
Stuff says ★★★★★
A fun listen with excellent noise-cancelling skills, these are the best buds to stick in your ears
2 Sony WF-1000XM3
£169 / stuff.tv/WFXM3
The way Sony’s XM3 buds serve up such spectacular sound quality while being truly wireless, while effectively cancelling background noise and while remaining comfo rtable in the ears, is quite something.
Stuff says ★★★★★
Great design and stunning performance
3 Technics EAH-AZ70W
£170 / stuff.tv/AZ70W
Technics has shrunk down its hi-fi skills to deliver affordable personal audio. While the charg ing case lacks a little juice, the AZ70s score highly for noise-cancelling and even higher when it comes to sound quality.
Stuff says
★★★★★
Techn ics’ true wireless debut is a sonic triumph
4 Campfire Audio Ara
★★★★★ £1299 stuff.tv/Ara
These exquisite in-ear monitors offer a neutral tone with astonishing clarity.
5 Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
★★★★★ £279 stuff.tv/MTW2
A pleasure to listen to, no matter what sort of music you want to hear. /
HOT BUY
1Sony WH-1000XM4
£349 / stuff.tv/XM4
With their perfect balance of wearability, active noise-cancelling prowess and audio performance, there just hasn’t been a better package than the Sony XM3s… until now. The XM4s look and sound almost identical, but a range of new features – including Speak-to-Chat, which stops the music when you start talking – aims to lure you away from your current ’phones. If those are the XM3s, it’s tough to justify the upgrade; but it’s going to take something extraordinary to knock Sony off its perch now.
Stuff says ★★★★★
Not surprisingly given their heritage, these are the best all-round noise-cancelling headphones you can buy
2 Sony WH-1000XM3
£219 / stuff.tv/XM3
Only just outshone by the new XM4s, Sony’s previous flagship over-ears still offer reliable Bluetooth, great active noise-cancellation and fantastic sound quality – and they’re now available at a bargain price.
Stuff says
★★★★★
Sony’s last-gen ANC cans remain a class act
3 Bowers & Wilkins PX7
£350 second stuff.tv/PX7
B&W’s ANC headphones place greater emphasis on comfort and are all the better for it, while the noise-killing is as effective as you’ll find anywhere. Oh, and they sound flipping good too.
Stuff says
★★★★★
B&W takes on the best with top-class cans
4 Bose NCH 700
★★★★★ £350 stuff.tv/BoseNCH700
Great ANC, and you won’t find a better voice pickup system than Bose’s.
5 Philips Fidelio X3
★★★★★ £299 stuff.tv/FidelioX3
These bonkers-big cans are one of the best ways we can think of to enjoy some ‘me time’.
HOT BUY
1 Samsung Galaxy Watch3
from £349 / stuff.tv/GW3
Sneaking into the top berth courtesy of a slightly underwhelming Apple Watch update, Samsung’s gorgeous Watch3 is an easy wearable to love. It’s superbly made and very attractive, and the spinning bezel makes it a joy to use. Samsung’s Tizen OS is slick too, with lots of customisation and shortcut options to keep things feeling fresh – made all the better by a class-leading screen. It also has all the fitness skills you’re ever likely to need, with handy auto-tracking features.
Stuff says ★★★★★
A beautiful and powerful piece of kit that you’ll be proud to have on your wrist