Best business smartphones 2021: the top handsets for work and productivity

[ad_1]

If you’re buying a personal smartphone there might be several things you look for, but a business user will probably might need a completely different set of features. It will need to last a long time between charges, give you versatility in the apps you use, in all security, and have a big enough screen to see lots of work. Oh and don’t forget the all important after sales and support.

Not all smartphones tick all these boxes, which is why this list isn’t just a copy of our guide to the best smartphones. No, the best business smartphones need a little bit more, and they need to keep providing it for a long time too, not just when you take it out the box for the first time.

It can’t always be easy to tell how useful a handset and its features will be for you though, which is why we’ve drawn up this list of the best business and work phones you can buy right now.

If you landed here looking for best business phones (the good old fashioned landline models that sit on a desk in an office), then try our best VOIP phone guide.

All of these should be more than capable of running the latest business apps for Android as well as iOS apps for iPad/iPhone as applicable, everything from PDF apps to privacy services, as well as connecting with your business phone service. We’ve also got a list of the best business tablets if that’s more useful to you.

With phone makers offering ideal for employees of all levels, we’ve updated this guide to give you the very latest buying advice to help you choose the best smartphones for business use. We’ll keep updating it too when new phones come out, as long as they’re great for business, so perhaps see the Samsung Galaxy S21 or iPhone 12 on this list too.

Although some of these selections may overlap with our best phones for casual use, we’ve identified how these picks will help your business too, as not everyone needs the flashiest smartphone trick.

(Image credit: Future)Best business smartphone at a glanceSamsung Galaxy Note 20 UltraiPhone 12Samsung Galaxy S20Google Pixel 5iPhone SE (2020)OnePlus 8Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)1. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

A big productivity powerhouse

Specifications

Release date: August 2020

Weight: 208g

Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm

OS: Android 10

Screen size: 6.9-inch

Resolution: 1440 x 3088

CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990

RAM: 12GB

Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB

Battery: 4,500mAh

Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 12MP

Front camera: 10MP

Reasons to buy

+Incredible camera zoom+New useful S Pen features

Reasons to avoid

-‘Ultra’ expensive-Slow to charge

Samsung’s Note line has always been designed for business users, with top specs and the S Pen stylus bringing plenty of features and tricks, and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra represents its top device from 2020.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a top chipset, a 108MP main camera, a super high-res screen and more, enough so that it can be useful for you no matter what your job or profession.

The downside is that this phone is super expensive, enough to put some people off, but if your budget stretches to the Note 20 Ultra, we’d recommend it as your first port of call.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

(Image credit: TechRadar)2. iPhone 12

Apple best smartphone to date

Specifications

Release date: October 2020

Weight: 164g

Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm

OS: iOS 14

Screen size: 6.1-inch

Resolution: 1170 x 2532

CPU: Apple A14 Bionic

RAM: 4GB

Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB

Battery: 2,815mAh

Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP

Front camera: 12MP

Reasons to buy

+Colorful OLED display+5G-compatible

Reasons to avoid

-Battery life only okay-Price hike over iPhone 11

The newest main-series device from Apple is a great business phone, with some improvements on the iPhone 11 that are great for productivity, like 5G compatibility and a better-looking OLED display.

The iPhone 12 has great rear cameras and some snazzy color schemes, and its magnetic MagSafe system could be great for handily charging your phone on the go.

The iPhone 12 has a smaller sibling, the iPhone 12 mini, as well as two more powerful ones, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, but for the general business users the titular model is the best.

Read the full review: Apple iPhone 12 review

(Image credit: Future)3. Samsung Galaxy S20

A great phone with 5G

Specifications

Release date: March 2020

Weight: 163g

Dimensions: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm

OS: Android 10

Screen size: 6.2-inch

Resolution: 1440×3200

CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990

RAM: 8GB

Storage: 128GB

Battery: 4,000mAh

Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP

Front camera: 10MP

Reasons to buy

+Lots of power+5G-ready

Reasons to avoid

-Erratic fingerprint sensor-Price is high

If you’re looking for a 5G phone that’s great but also won’t break the bank then the Samsung Galaxy S20 could be for you. The most affordable of Samsung’s 2020 flagship range, it has a top-end processor, fantastic display, great cameras and 5G connectivity all for a price below that of other 5G phones. 

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S20 review

(Image credit: TechRadar)4. Google Pixel 5

Google’s newest flagship is its most accessible

Specifications

Release date: September 2020

Weight: 151g

Dimensions: 144.7 x 70.4 x 8mm

OS: Android 11

Screen size: 6-inch

Resolution: 1080×2340

CPU: Snapdragon 765G

RAM: 8GB

Storage: 128GB

Battery: 4,080mAh

Rear camera: 12MP + 16MP

Front camera: 8MP

Reasons to buy

+Metal case is refreshing change+Clean Android interface

Reasons to avoid

-Middling night photography-Specs downgrade from Pixel 4

The Google Pixel 5 was a shift from the company from top-end premium phones to mid-rangers, and the phone will be great for people who want a clean and easy-to-use Android experience without the high price.

Featuring a top-class camera and metal body, the Pixel 5 is great to use and to look at, though its processing power doesn’t match most the other phones on this list.

The phone is also 5G-compatible, so it’ll give you access to the next generation of data connectivity. Nowadays, that’s almost mandatory on a great business smartphone.

Read the full review: Google Pixel 5 review

(Image credit: Apple)5. iPhone SE (2020)

An iPhone that won’t break the bank

Specifications

Release date: April 2020

Weight: 148g

Dimensions: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm

OS: iOS 13

Screen size: 4.7-inch

Resolution: 7500 x 1334

CPU: A13 Bionic

RAM: 3GB

Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB

Battery: 1,821mAh

Rear camera: 12MP

Front camera: 7MP

Reasons to buy

+Pretty affordable+Decent processing power

Reasons to avoid

-Small screen-Weak cameras

If you or your employees need an iPhone for iOS apps or functionality, but don’t need a top-end smartphone like the iPhone 11, a decent alternative is the iPhone SE (2020), which is similar to the iPhone 8 in many ways but comes with a modern chipset and software to keep it relevant nowadays. It’s not exactly a powerhouse in all departments, but if a mid-range phone is all that’s required, this could be it.

Read what you need to know:  Apple iPhone SE (2020)

OnePlus 8 (Image credit: Future)6. OnePlus 8

A solid and reliable Android smartphone

Specifications

Release date: April 2020

Weight: 180g

Dimensions: 160.2 x 72.9 x 8mm

OS: Android 10

Screen size: 6.55-inch

Resolution: 1080×2400

CPU: Snapdragon 865

RAM: 8/12GB

Storage: 128/256GB

Battery: 4,300mAh

Rear camera: 48MP + 16MP + 2MP

Front camera: 16MP

Reasons to buy

+Big battery+Affordable 5G connectivity

Reasons to avoid

-No wireless charging-Camera specs aren’t incredible

If you’re looking for a reliable Android smartphone to use for your business, you can’t go wrong with a OnePlus phone, and the OnePlus 8 blends a mid-range price with some great features you might find useful.

There’s a smooth UI as well as a 90Hz refresh rate on the screen for your viewing pleasure, and the 4,300mAh battery and great processing power are also useful for a range of tasks. It’s also a 5G phone, for an even lower price than Samsung’s Galaxy S20 units, so if you really need that quick and reliable internet connection it’d really be useful.

Read the full review: OnePlus 8 review

(Image credit: Future)7. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

One of the best Huawei phones to date – and it still has Google apps

Specifications

Release date: March 2020

Weight: 222g

Dimensions: 166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm

OS: Android 10

Screen size: 6.9-inch

Resolution: 1440 x 3200

CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990

RAM: 12/16GB

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Battery: 5,000mAh

Rear camera: 108MP + 48MP + 12MP + TOF

Front camera: 40MP

Reasons to buy

+Great camera performance+Samsung’s best display

Reasons to avoid

-Incredibly high price-Very big

If the best business phone for you has a huge screen, large battery capacity, several top-end cameras including a 108MP main, fast processing power and 5G functionality – if there are any jobs that need all those in one – then the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is for you. The most top-end of Samsung’s 2020 flagship series, it’s packed to the brim with top-end specs.

Sure, it’s not an affordable phone by any definition of the word, which is why we’ve placed it last in this list. But it certainly is a top phone for people who need it all, and if you need this for yourself or your employees, this is the phone to get.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Round up of today’s best deals

Unlimited mins

Unlimitedtexts

15GBdata

Calls:

Calls to MX & CA included

Texts:

Messaging to MX & CA included

Data:

(slowed to 128kbps speeds)

Unlimited mins

Unlimitedtexts

15GBdata

Calls:

Calls to MX & CA included

Texts:

Messaging to MX & CA included

Data:

(slowed to 128kbps speeds)

Unlimited mins

Unlimitedtexts

3GBdata

[ad_2]

Source link

About the author: gadgetnews

Related Posts