Year Ender 2021: These were the best smartphones of the year

This year saw some really cool smartphones, which is why we here at editorji are going to share our top picks for the coolest smartphones of 2021. We’re talking folding phones, rollable phones, phones that save the environment and much, much more.

Best smartphones of 2021

Our list includes devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 foldables, that dominated sales charts across the world when it came to folding phones, while debuting some really cool technology. Then there's the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, that comes with a massive main sensor, up to 120x zoom and a cool secondary display on the back of the phone. We also have the Vivo X70 Pro+ here, that packed in arguably the best camera hardware we've seen in 2021 thanks to Zeiss-engineered optics and gimbal stabilisation.

Speaking of hardware, there's the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, that took everything cool about gaming smartphones and turned it up to 11. Not only does it get air triggers and a 144Hz refresh rate screen, but it also gets a mini-display at the back and a whopping 18GB RAM!
If you're not one for overkill though, then you'll appreciate the Fairphone 4, that's arguably the most sustainable smartphone of 2021. Its components can be replaced by the end user itself and it gets a 5 year warranty.
But we can't talk cool smartphones and not talk about the Oppo Find X3 Pro. On the face of it, it looks like a regular flagship, but its secret weapon is something no other phone has--a microscope camera!

Also watch: How much money should you spend on mobile gaming?

Speaking of cameras, a device that got upgraded optics this year was the Microsoft Surface Duo 2. It also got stereo speakers, NFC, better displays and a folding screen form factor unlike any other.
Last but definitely not the least, we had the Oppo X 2021, which technically never made it to production, but with a rollable display, it was arguably one of the coolest smartphones of 2021.

Also watch: Oppo X 2021: Hands-on with the world's first rollable phone!