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Last year, major carriers kicked off their 5G deployment in earnest, and you’ll continue to see 5G phones being released this year and next. In the US, 5G is currently live in select cities for Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other regional carriers. The 5G networks for all four major carriers in the UK are live too.
Apple’s latest iPhone 12 line all have 5G connectivity and Samsung, the most popular maker of 5G phones, has several under its belt. This includes the premium Galaxy Note 20 phones, the foldable Galaxy Z Flip 5G and the more budget-friendly Galaxy A71 5G. Though it won’t replace 4G in its entirety, 5G is the next generation of mobile connectivity. 5G works super-fast and many industries will benefit from the new network, including the Internet of Things, drones and self-driving cars.
Most people will likely experience the benefits of a robust 5G network only through a 5G smartphone. After all, the grand promises carriers and chipmakers are making with 5G coverage don’t mean much if you can’t access 5G service with your own device after the 5G rollout. To help you keep tabs on all the latest phones with 5G capability and when we can expect more, here’s what the major phone-makers are offering.
Read: Cheaper 5G phones are on the horizon, but they probably won’t be very good
Patrick Holland/CNET
In October Apple unveiled four iPhones, all of which have 5G. At the helm of the lineup is the iPhone 12, which starts at $829 (£799, AU$1,349) and features the A14 Bionic processor and dual rear cameras. If you’re looking for something smaller and cheaper, the iPhone 12 Mini is your best pick. And if you want something more premium, the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are decked out with more features.
Angela Lang/CNET
The Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G are 5G phones from Google that have long-lasting batteries, excellent cameras with fantastic low-light capabilities and software support from Google. As the more expensive of the two, the Pixel 5 costs $699 (£599, AU$999) and has a 90Hz display, wireless charging or reverse wireless charging.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Despite its high price tag and being a Verizon exclusive in the US, the Edge Plus is still a premium 5G phone worth looking into. It features a Snapdragon 865 chipset, a giant battery, an OLED screen with a high refresh rate and multiple rear cameras with heavy-duty specs. As CNET’s Patrick Holland declared, it’s “one of the most wonderful Android phones I’ve tried in a long time.”
Angela Lang/CNET
The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro’s premium experience comes at a relatively affordable price compared to its high-end Android competitors. As the more advanced phone, the OnePlus 8 Pro has a 120Hz display and a telephoto camera. But the OnePlus 8 is cheaper and still has 5G, a 90Hz display and the same top-of-the-line processor.
Sarah Tew/CNET
As Samsung’s flagship phones for 2020, all three Galaxy S20 devices have 5G. They also have brilliant 120Hz AMOLED displays (in 6.2-, 6.7- and 6.9-inch sizes), reverse wireless charging and a water-resistant design. The Galaxy S20 has three rear cameras, while the Plus and Ultra have a fourth time-of-flight camera, too. In addition, Samsung released a less expensive version of the Galaxy S20 called the Galaxy S20 FE, which still has 5G.
Angela Lang/CNET
The LG Velvet is a polished, midrange 5G phone is available in the US on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. The device costs $588 to $700, depending on the carrier — Verizon’s more expensive model can access a faster version of 5G. The Velvet has a high-end look, a headphone jack and a sizable 6.8-inch display.
OnePlus Nord and Nord N10 5G
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
As part of its mid-range family of phones, the Nord N10 5G (pictured here) features a 90Hz display, a headphone jack and a generous 6.49-inch screen. It will be available in Europe first then North America at a later date. It follows OnePlus’ first Nord phone, which also has 5G and is only available in the UK.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
Angela Lang/CNET
Right before it unveiled the Note 20, Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, a 5G variant of the Galaxy Z Flip that went on sale earlier this year in February. The foldable clamshell phone costs $1,450 (or about £1,095 and AU$1,920 converted) and is sold through AT&T.
Motorola
The $445 One 5G is one of the best, most affordable 5G phones available. This cheap smartphone option has a total of six, yes six, cameras, a 90Hz high-refresh rate display and fast-charing technology. It’s available now in the US on AT&T and on Verizon for $550.
Angela Lang/CNET
In addition to its headphone jack (a rarity among top-tier phones these days), the LG V60 is unique because it works with a case accessory that effectively doubles the size of its screen. Known as Dual Screen, it allows the V60 to fold open like a book, so you can display two apps on both displays or view content as a single tablet (albeit with a big hinge in the middle).
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
Samsung
The $600 (£519, AU$899) Galaxy A71 5G features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, four rear cameras and a robust 4,500-mAh battery. In the US you can nab it on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Samsung.
Patrick Holland/CNET
At the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020, Motorola announced two flexible Razr phones within months of each other. The 2020 version is the better one of the two. Available for $1,400 (£1,399, which is about AU$2,470) this model has 5G, a 48-megapixel camera, more memory and a faster Snapdragon 765G processor.
Sony
The $950 (£799 or about AU$1,350) Xperia 5 II is a pricey but gorgeous phone for users who like to play games, shoot photos and record video. Its 120Hz display is silky smooth and its quasi mirrorless camera can record 4K 120fps video. And while it can connect to 5G, the US model of the phone cannot.
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