Decision aid: 10 best smartphones of the moment (December 2020)

+ Most powerful hardware

+ S-Pen for the enthusiast

- No audio port

- Camera in the dark

Samsung's Note series has always been known for its versatility. The most large and complete device, including stylus for a very high price. The Note10+ is not the most versatile smartphone. But those who like to use a large screen and stylus have no choice. Then you should really choose the Note10+.

Read the review of the Galaxy Note 10+ here

Tips for your smartphone

Is your current smartphone sufficient?

You tend to immediately look up the price comparisons and provider offers when it is time for a new smartphone. But before you do that, it's important to ask yourself a few questions. First of all: is your current smartphone still sufficient? You may be used to renewing your subscription every two years with a new device. But you still pay the full price for the smartphone, spread over the duration of your subscription. If you buy the device separately, you can often find a better deal and take a cheaper sim-only subscription. That way you can also wait to buy a new smartphone until you come across the best deal... As long as your current device is still sufficient of course!

It is of course possible that you are inclined to buy a new smartphone because the battery life of your current device is no longer so good, or the device no longer responds so quickly. A new battery or a reset (your smartphone as a clean slate) can ensure that your smartphone works like new again.

What do you use your smartphone for?

Before you plunge into the jungle of smartphones, it is also important to consider what you use your smartphone for the most. Do you want to whatsapp, browse, listen to music and share photos? Then you do not need an iPhone of 1200 euros. Then you can get a remarkably luxurious smartphone for 250 euros. If you want the most beautiful photos, best (game) performance and the most beautiful screens, you will end up in the more expensive price ranges. Also think about how long you want to do with a smartphone. iPhones are the most future-proof, with decent update support. But pack your smartphone well, because Apple has a notorious reputation for making repairs impossible.

Budget smartphones

A smartphone does not have to be an extremely high expense. In fact: in 2019 it is difficult to justify a price tag of more than 500 euros for a smartphone. Good smartphones (which you can use for at least two years) are already available from 200 euros. You don't really have to compromise on anything: the cameras shoot excellent pictures, all apps run as you are used to and the devices look incredibly luxurious. You can't get an iPhone in this price range, but the range of Android smartphones is very good. Especially Motorola and Nokia offer impressively good smartphones in this price range. The latter has often installed Android One on its smartphones: a special Android version that is guaranteed to be updated thanks to the support of Google.

Chinese smartphones

Those who shop a bit smart, buy a Chinese smartphone. When you think of a Chinese smartphone, you probably think of Huawei and you may be familiar with brands such as Oppo and OnePlus, which already offer their smartphones in the Netherlands. But there are also lesser-known brands such as Xiaomi, Vivo and Meizu, which offer very good smartphones for a fraction of the price you would expect. However, it does require some research, because the smartphones are not on the shelves of Dutch stores. So you are dependent on gray imports. Pay close attention to which webshop you order from and check the warranty and the risk of an import tax.

Camera smartphones

Smartphones have long overtaken the compact camera when it comes to taking great photos. Many smartphones come with multiple cameras on the back, which, thanks to a combination of a telephoto lens and a wide-angle lens, makes it possible to zoom in without loss of quality. Thanks to smart algorithms, depth-of-field effects can also be applied in, for example, portrait photos. But a dual camera does not always mean better photos: two bad lenses make less good photos than one good one.

Which smartphone takes the best photos? That is a simple question that is not so easy to assess. Apple's latest iPhone 11 Pro shoots without a doubt the most beautiful photos. But functionally, it is again miles behind the Huawei P30 Pro. This smartphone has a periscope lens, which makes it possible to zoom in up to 10x and even to digitally zoom up to 50x - thanks to the image stabilization, your photos are also unmoved. But especially the night mode of the P30 Pro puts the competition at a great distance. Night photography, and even shooting the starry sky? No problem!

iPhone

Many people swear by the iPhone and are looking for a new iPhone when looking for a new smartphone. That's not surprising, the operating system (iOS) is incredibly user-friendly, the latest iPhone 11 (Pro) works great and Apple really does everything to keep you as an iPhone user (and by extension AirPod, Mac -, Apple Watch and iPad user). Everything from Apple works together seamlessly. Which is very nice, but you run into a cost item that is disproportionate and therefore difficult to talk about with arguments such as 'I use it a lot' or 'I use it for a long time'. The prices of the latest iPhones have risen considerably, usually well above a thousand euros. If you opt for a new iPhone, the older models such as the iPhone 8 are a better option. The difference in quality is hardly noticeable and Apple ensures that your smartphone gets updates for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are smartphones safe?

A smartphone is packed with highly personal data, from whatsapp conversations to photos and often work email. Security of your smartphone is slightly different from security of your PC: an antivirus app is not going to help you. At the very least, secure your device with a lock, which can be a fingerprint, password, PIN or even face unlock. It prevents others from accessing your data in the event of theft or loss, but it also prevents the thief from resetting your device to resell. Every smartphone also has built-in protection in the event of theft or loss. Via 'Find my iPhone' or 'Find my device' (for Android smartphones) you can locate your device, make a sound, or in an extreme case even delete the data on the device. Another security aspect that you should take into account is phishing: therefore do not just enter your data everywhere. There are still a lot of misunderstandings about Android and security. You can read about that in the article 'How safe is Android?'.

How do I transfer my data to my new smartphone?

Many smartphones have a built-in app that helps you transfer the data step by step. In fact, when you switch from Android to Android or from iPhone to iPhone, all you need to do is sign in with your Google or Apple account. So easy. It is sometimes difficult to transfer some application data from Android to iPhone and vice versa. It's easiest to get your contacts online at accounts.google.com, so you can sync them with both your iPhone and Android. A handy service to back up your photos is the Google Photos app, which is also available for both Androids and iPhones. WhatsApp also has a built-in backup function. Unfortunately, it can't be used if you're switching from an Android to iPhone - or vice versa.

Which charger do I need?

The vast majority of smartphones today have a USB type-c connection to charge the device. This port can also be used for external storage and other USB devices. Conveniently, many smartphones with a USB type-c charger also have a fast charger in the box. With this you can charge up to about forty percent within half an hour. Some budget smartphones still use the outdated micro USB connection. Apple is also an exception, they still use their own (also outdated) Lightning connection. More and more smartphones are now also able to charge wirelessly. You place the phone on a (connected) plate or stand and the device charges, without having to plug it in.

How much storage space do I need?

How much storage you need on your smartphone naturally depends on how you use it. Do you take a lot of photos? Do you store a lot of music and playlists? Do you install a lot of apps and games? Assume you need at least 32GB of storage. However, many Android smartphones also offer the option of inserting a memory card into the device, allowing you to expand your storage memory and easily transfer files from, for example, your camera or PC. When you have your eye on a smartphone without the support of a memory card (such as an iPhone), it is always better to safely choose the option with more storage capacity when in doubt.

Is face unlock safe?

Many smartphones nowadays offer the option to unlock the device. That is so easy, others cannot just enter your device and you do not have to make an effort to unlock your smartphone. But it is not very safe, after all, you are dependent on the technology of the smartphone manufacturer. In some cases it is even possible to unlock a smartphone with a printed photo. Apple's facial unlock, which the marketing department calls Face ID, is a bit more secure, because it uses an infrared scanner to measure depth in addition to the front camera for facial recognition. Still, Face ID isn't the most secure lock either. A fingerprint scanner is less prone to error, but you are still dependent on technology. Plus: you should feel comfortable leaving biometric data. The safest locks are therefore still a hard-to-guess PIN or password.

What's the point of dual sim?

More and more smartphones with a dual SIM option are appearing. This way you can place two SIM cards in your smartphone. This is useful, for example, for those who use their smartphone for both business and private purposes and therefore do not want to walk around with two devices in their pocket. It can also be of added value for travelers. When you travel outside the EU, the roaming costs quickly add up. A local data SIM card is very practical. Some smartphones such as those from OnePlus and Huawei even offer the option of installing apps twice, for example, you can use WhatsApp on both phone numbers on one smartphone. In time, the SIM card will be replaced by an e-sim, a kind of built-in SIM card.

Can I safely buy a Huawei?

Huawei and subsidiary brand Honor have a big problem. Due to a trade embargo, the Chinese brand cannot use Android as you are used to, because it is not allowed to cooperate with Google.There are also many fears of Chinese espionage. What this entails? Huawei relies on an open source version of Android, without Google services. Updates are no longer a matter of course. But can Huawei be trusted? That is a difficult issue. The company has not been charged with anything. The fact remains that Huawei's EMUI Android shell is less secure than the Android shell of Android manufacturers. Unfortunately, EMUI can also be found on Honor smartphones.

You can read more about this in our article on Huawei's spying allegations and the trade ban.

Should I buy a 5G smartphone?

That answer is simple. New. The roll-out of 5G in the Netherlands encounters all kinds of stumbling blocks. Although providers are starting to test and advertise their 5G networks, these networks are still limited because they cannot use all the necessary bandwidths. It may take years before we have full-fledged 5G in the Netherlands.