Buying a high-end smartphone isn’t just about luxury. If we find very good devices on the market for less than 200 euros, we must recognize that the most expensive mobiles offer incomparable versatility.
These smartphones stand out for their more sophisticated design, their ultra-bright edge-to-edge screen, their competition cameras, as well as their much more powerful processor.
They also have some exclusive functions such as wireless charging, ultra-fast charging or, more recently, support for 5G networks.
In short, buying a high-end smartphone is making sure you have a device designed to last. It is also likely that these smartphones receive updates more often and lose less value when resold. In short, a high-end smartphone is also an investment in the long term.
Read also :
– Comparison: smartphones less than 200 euros
– Comparison: smartphones between 200 and 500 euros
– Comparison: high-end smartphones
– Top 10 most enduring smartphones
In this ranking, 01net.com invites you to discover the ten best high-end smartphones according to the results of its laboratory. All tested by our journalists, these devices really convinced us.
01net.com updated its smartphone rating scale in early 2021 for fairer test results.
10. Apple iPhone 13 mini
The iPhone 13 mini is the only small smartphone in this ranking. With its 5.4-inch screen, it is intended for lovers of compact devices, those who have very small pockets and hate the XXL formats of other smartphones. Despite its small size, it is an excellent smartphone with a high-end A15 chip, a quality dual camera module and many high-level components. In terms of autonomy, we also note a progression compared to its predecessor.
General note : 9.06 / 10 | Manufacturer price: from 809 euros | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full iPhone 13 mini review
9. Google Pixel 6 / Pixel 6 Pro
With its Android operating system, Google reigns supreme over the smartphone universe. The brand has always relied on software to distinguish itself from the competition … with rather mixed success. Sales of Pixel smartphones have always struggled to take off, often due to disappointing hardware.
With its Pixel 6 (9.07 / 10) and Pixel 6 Pro (9.00 / 10), Google is finally getting up to speed. These smartphones are ultra complete, extremely talented in photography and do not disappoint. They are among our favorites for 2021, we highly recommend them!
General note : 9.07 / 10 | Manufacturer price: 649 euros (Pixel 6) and 899 euros (Pixel 6 Pro) | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro reviews
8.Apple iPhone 13
Apple’s benchmark smartphone, the iPhone 13 is an extremely satisfying device. Very enduring, gifted in photography and extremely powerful, it is one of the most complete cameras in this ranking. Available in several colors (pink, blue, black, white and red), it is available in 128, 256 and 512 GB versions. Under iOS, it should offer you several years of software updates.
General note : 9.12 / 10 | Manufacturer price: from 909 euros | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full iPhone 13 review
7. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
With its Galaxy S20 FE, Samsung responded to the iPhone 11. Available in six different colors, this smartphone belongs to the high-end category despite its relatively affordable price.
Indeed, Samsung has reduced its production costs by abandoning the curved screen and opting for a plastic back… but retains the 120 Hz screen, wireless charging and the triple camera module of its classic S20.
We recommend that you opt for the 5G version of this smartphone, it has a better processor (Snapdragon 865 instead of Exynos 990) and enjoys better autonomy.
General note : 9.13/ 10 | Manufacturer price: from 659 euros | 5G compatibility: optional (+100 euros) | Read the full review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
6.OnePlus 8T
With the 8T, OnePlus returns to its trademark. This high-end smartphone relies on value for money to stand out while innovating in a few aspects such as ultra-fast charging (it only takes 41 minutes to fully charge it thanks to its 65 W charger).
If its design lacks originality, in our opinion, it is one of the most interesting devices in this ranking.
General note : 9.17 / 10 | Manufacturer price: from 599 euros | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full review of the OnePlus 8T
5. Oppo Find X2 Pro
Revelation of 2020, the Oppo Find X2 Pro achieves the feat of convincing us on almost every front. Its ceramic or vegan leather design is sublime, its curved OLED screen offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz, its Snapdragon 865 processor is overpowered and 5G compatible, its triple camera module is one of the best on the market (it even pays for itself). the luxury of boarding a periscope zoom x5)… Hard to find better.
As a bonus, the Oppo Find X2 Pro has 65W ultra-fast charging technology that allows it to be fully recharged in 36 minutes. All it needs is wireless charging to be perfect.
Its successor, the Find X3 Pro, is second in our ranking.
General note : 9.24 / 10 | Manufacturer price: 949 euros | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full review of the Oppo Find X2 Pro
4. Oppo Find X3 Neo
The Find X3 Neo is a premium smartphone like no other. To make it more affordable than most of its competitors, Oppo had the judicious idea of equipping it with the 2020 processor, the Snapdragon 865. With the exception of this “defect” (it must be put into perspective, it is almost impossible to see a difference with the Snapdragon 888 of 2021), the Oppo Find X3 Neo is a true high-end device. Its cameras are brilliant, its autonomy is formidable, its recharging time is only 31 minutes… Even its 120 Hz OLED screen is among the best on the market. Small bonus, this is an ultra-thin mobile.
General note : 9.34/ 10 | Manufacturer price: 799 euros | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the complete test of the Oppo Find X3 Neo
3.Apple iPhone 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max
Apple’s ultimate smartphone, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the most enduring smartphone on the market according to the measurements of our laboratory. Its little brother, the iPhone 13 Pro, is also doing extremely well.
Both equipped with a triple competition camera module (ultra wide-angle with macro, 12 Mpix main sensor and x3 zoom), very powerful (A15 Bionic processor) and, above all, Apple’s first smartphones with a ProMotion screen ( adaptive refresh rate between 10 and 120 Hz), these smartphones should delight lovers of the Californian brand. They are so similar that we have decided to group them together in this ranking, it’s up to you to choose which one you prefer according to the size (6.7 or 6.1 inches).
General note : 9.36/ 10 | Manufacturer price: from 1,159 euros for the 13 Pro, from 1,259 euros for the 13 Pro Max | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro reviews
2. Oppo Find X3 Pro
Like its predecessor, the Oppo Find X3 Pro is excellent across the board. Able to recharge in 42 minutes and compatible with wireless charging, this device has the latest high-end processor from Qualcomm (the Snapdragon 888), a latest generation LTPO screen and takes advantage of a very high quality camera. high quality (even if it does not have a periscope zoom). Once again, Oppo proves to us that it is now playing in the big leagues. The Find X3 Pro offers the very best on the market.
General note : 9.38/ 10 | Manufacturer price: 1149 euros | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full test of the Oppo Find X3 Pro
1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
With its Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung is back at the top of our ranking of the best high-end smartphones.
Equipped with an incredible 6.8-inch OLED display with adaptive refresh rate (11-120 Hz), formidable performance and satisfactory battery life, the Galaxy S21 Ultra ticks almost all the boxes.
From a hardware point of view, Samsung really succeeds in responding to all the issues in the market.
Finally, in the photo, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the most versatile device at the moment. Ultra wide-angle, main sensor of 108 Mpix, optical zoom x3, periscope zoom x10… It’s hard to do better.
General note : 9.52 / 10 | Manufacturer price: from 1259 euros | 5G compatibility: yes | Read the full review of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Excluded from the top 10 but not necessarily worse
To develop its top 10, the 01net.com laboratory performs numerous measurements. Performance, screen or camera… we note each point individually and have set up a weighting system to establish an average. The autonomy of smartphones is, for example, one of the most rewarded points in the scale implemented. UA good smartphone should be able to be used without having to recharge it before the end of the day. This explains the absence of certain high-end, yet very powerful mobiles.
Some may be surprised, for example, not to find in this classification the iPhone 12 Pro or the Galaxy S20, excluded following the cessation of their marketing by Apple and Samsung (even if other resellers offer them).
As for the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, P40 Pro and Mate 40 Pro, as good as they are materially, they are excluded because of their software shortcomings. Without Google services, they can’t run all the apps, which lowers their overall ratings.
This article is a selection made by the 01net.com team, in complete independence. However, it is possible that this content offers an affiliate link. If you click on this link, the e-merchant can pay us a commission. For you nothing changes !