20 Most Popular Smartphones of 2021 According to You, Our Readers

Here are the top 20 smartphones of 2021 in terms of Gadgets 360 reader interest.

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By Jasmin Jose | Updated: 23 December 2021 15:11 IST
Highlights
  • Oppo, Xiaomi dominate the list of the popular smartphones
  • Smartphones from Motorola and Samsung also feature in the top 20
  • OnePlus Nord CE 5G topped the list this year

OnePlus Nord CE 5G proved to be a popular, budget-friendly choice among its competitors

The curtain is falling on 2021 and here is a look at the most popular phones of the year according to you, our readers. Our team at Gadgets 360 went through some data and have come up with a list of the top 20 smartphones that you loved the most in 2021. Similar to last year, Chinese brands such as Oppo, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Realme occupy the majority of the list. Smartphones by Motorola and Samsung also feature in the top 20 handsets. Indian buyers have shown an evident interest in budget-friendly offerings from these companies.

We have already published our editorial picks of the best smartphones of 2021. The iPhone 13 series topped the list while smartphones from brands such as Xiaomi, Samsung, Vivo, OnePlus, and Realme also featured on the list.

We have also compiled a list of some of the most promising smartphones which didn't launch in India in 2021, contrary to popular expectation. The list included premium flagship phones from brands such as Google, Microsoft, Xiaomi, and Asus, among others.

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OnePlus Nord CE 5G topped the list of the most popular phones in 2021. The phone hit the Indian markets June and proved to be a popular, budget-friendly choice among its competitors. Without further ado, here's the list of 20 most popular smartphones of 2020, in reverse order (from least popular to most popular):

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20) Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Excellent telephoto cameras
  • Superb display
  • Solid battery life
  • Very good performance
  • Bad
  • Ads in some first-party apps
  • Expensive
  • Heats up under stress
  • Heavy and bulky
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.80-inch
Processor Samsung Exynos 2100
Front Camera 40-megapixel
Rear Camera 108-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 10-megapixel + 10-megapixel
RAM 12GB, 16GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Battery Capacity 5000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1440x3220 pixels
NEWS

19) Realme 8 (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Slim and light
  • Excellent battery life
  • Vivid AMOLED display
  • Smooth performance
  • Bad
  • Bloatware still present
  • Strictly average camera performance
  • Plastic back scratches easily; fingerprint magnet
  • Questionable value for money
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.40-inch
Processor MediaTek Helio G95
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 4GB, 6GB, 8GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 5000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

18) Redmi 10 Prime (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • 90Hz refresh rate display
  • Good battery life
  • Decent performance
  • Bad
  • Average cameras
  • Preinstalled apps
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.50-inch
Processor MediaTek Helio G88
Front Camera 8-megapixel
Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 4GB, 6GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 6000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

17)Realme Narzo 30 5G (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Looks attractive
  • Bright and responsive display
  • Good battery life
  • Bad
  • Relatively slow charging
  • No ultra-wide camera
  • Lots of preinstalled apps
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.50-inch
Processor MediaTek Dimensity 700
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 4GB, 6GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 5000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

16) Motorola Moto G60 (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • 120Hz display refresh rate
  • Clean software
  • Decent performance
  • Bad
  • Average camera quality
  • Bulky and unwieldy
  • Relatively slow charging
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.80-inch
Front Camera 32-megapixel
Rear Camera 108-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 6GB
Storage 128GB
Battery Capacity 6000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2460 pixels
NEWS

15)Oppo A54 (2021)

14) Realme Narzo 30A (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Excellent battery life
  • Good selfie camera
  • Decent overall performance
  • Bad
  • Average rear camera performance
  • Bulky and heavy
  • Weak sunlight legibility
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.50-inch
Processor MediaTek Helio G85
Front Camera 8-megapixel
Rear Camera 13-megapixel
RAM 3GB, 4GB
Storage 32GB, 64GB
Battery Capacity 6000mAh
OS Android 10
Resolution 720x1600 pixels
NEWS

13) Realme 8 Pro (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Good battery life
  • Fast charging
  • Crisp Super AMOLED display
  • Good selfie camera
  • Bad
  • Average camera performance
  • Preinstalled bloatware
  • Spammy notifications
  • Feature omissions compared to Realme 7 Pro
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.40-inch
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 108-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 6GB, 8GB
Storage 128GB
Battery Capacity 4500mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

12)Realme Narzo 30 (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Good display
  • Attractive design
  • Powerful processor
  • Good battery life and fast charging
  • Smooth software experience
  • Bad
  • Lacks an ultra-wide-angle camera
  • Average camera performance
  • Lots of preinstalled apps
  • Only passable video quality
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.50-inch
Processor MediaTek Helio G95
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 4GB, 6GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 5000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

11)Poco X3 Pro (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Excellent performance in benchmarks
  • IP53 rating
  • Good battery life
  • 120Hz display
  • Bad
  • Average camera quality
  • Bulky and heavy
  • Promotional content in MIUI 12
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.67-inch
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 860
Front Camera 20-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel
RAM 6GB, 8GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB
Battery Capacity 5160mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

10) Xiaomi Mi 10i (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Good value for money
  • Very good battery life
  • Strong overall performance
  • 3.5mm audio socket, notification LED
  • Bad
  • Camera quality needs improvement
  • Bulky and heavy
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.67-inch
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 108-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 6GB, 8GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 4820mAh
OS Android
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

9) Redmi Note 10S (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Crisp display, stereo speakers
  • Slim and light
  • Good battery life
  • Capable processor
  • Bad
  • Spammy notifications
  • Average camera performance
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.43-inch
Processor MediaTek Helio G95
Front Camera 13-megapixel
Rear Camera 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 6GB, 8GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 5000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

8)Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Excellent display
  • Great macro camera
  • Attractive design, IP53 rating
  • Good overall performance
  • Fast charging
  • Bad
  • Average low-light camera performance
  • Spammy software at launch time
  • Redmi Note 10 Pro is nearly identical and priced lower
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.67-inch
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 108-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 6GB, 8GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 5020mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

7) Samsung Galaxy M12 (2021)

KEY SPECS
Display 6.50-inch
Processor octa-core
Front Camera 8-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 3GB, 4GB, 6GB
Storage 32GB, 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity 6000mAh
OS Android
Resolution 720x1600 pixels
 
NEWS

6) OnePlus 9R (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Looks good
  • Vivid 120Hz display
  • 65W fast charging
  • Good overall performance
  • Bad
  • No IP rating
  • Low-light camera performance could be better
  • Gets a bit warm when stressed
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.55-inch
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 8GB, 12GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB
Battery Capacity 4500mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

5) Redmi Note 10 Pro (2021)

4) Realme 8 5G (2021)

3)Redmi Note 10 (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Relatively slim and light
  • Good battery life
  • Good display and speakers
  • Decent daytime camera performance
  • Bad
  • Spammy software at launch time
  • Average overall camera performance
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.43-inch
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 678
Front Camera 13-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 4GB, 6GB, 8GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Battery Capacity 5000mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

2)OnePlus Nord 2 (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • 5G-ready, powerful SoC
  • Good camera performance
  • 65W fast charging
  • Promised software support
  • Bad
  • No IP rating
  • Competition has 120Hz refresh rate displays
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.43-inch
Processor MediaTek Dimensity 1200
Front Camera 32-megapixel
Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 6GB, 8GB, 12GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB
Battery Capacity 4500mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS

1)OnePlus Nord CE 5G (2021)

REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Solid build quality
  • Good battery life, fast charging
  • 5G-ready, powerful SoC
  • Good daylight photo quality
  • 90Hz AMOLED display
  • Promised software updates
  • Bad
  • Low-light camera performance needs improvement
  • No alert slider
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.43-inch
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G
Front Camera 16-megapixel
Rear Camera 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel
RAM 6GB, 8GB, 12GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB
Battery Capacity 4500mAh
OS Android 11
Resolution 1080x2400 pixels
NEWS


What are the best phones of 2021? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
 

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