That means that as we march through 2022, there is already a great selection of 5G-capable phones worth considering, and very little reason not to buy a 5G phone.

For a while 5G was really limited to high-end and flagship devices. That’s no longer the case, with more and more mid-range and even budget handsets now supporting faster networking.

In this article we’re focusing on mid-range and flagship phones, but be sure to check out our guide to cheap 5G phones if your budget is a bit lower but you still want to future-proof your next phone.

Best 5G phones 2022

Honourable mentions

The biggest phone we haven’t mentioned above (almost literally) is the Galaxy S21 Plus. It’s essentially the same as the regular S21 apart from its expanded screen size – and a bigger battery to come with it. Buy it if the S21 appeals, but you don’t want to settle for a smaller form factor.

				Best camera around					   					Phenomenal display					   					Stylus support					 

				Bulky					   					Expensive

The camera is arguably the best in any phone, with a 108Mp main shooter backed up by an ultrawide and two telephoto lenses at different zoom levels – though the Pixel 6 Pro gives it some stiff competition.

The expansive 6.8in display delivers both high WQHD+ resolution and adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, and with new S-pen stylus support it comfortably fills the productivity niche of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra too.

				Pixel camera					   					Google's best software					   					Beautiful display					 

				Divisive design					   					Big and heavy					   					Slow charging

On the flip side, it’s big and heavy, and the head-turning design is nothing if not divisive – it has its fans, but plenty of detractors too. You’ll also have to put up with slow charging by Android standards, with no charger in the box.

For many those compromises will be worth it for a hugely upgraded Pixel camera. For the first time you get a main lens, ultrawide, and periscopic telephoto all in one Pixel phone, and with AI features driven by Google’s new Tensor chip this is capable of taking shots that no other phone can.

				Stunning design					   					Compact					   					Waterproof					   					Affordable (for a foldable)					 

				Average camera					   					Low battery life					   					Slow charging

Thanks in part to an aggressive price cut that makes this a real rival to other flagships, the Z Flip 3 feels like a phone with few compromises.

Top specs are paired with flagship features like waterproofing and wireless charging, and the new design is second-to-none.

The camera is average – not bad, but certainly nothing special – and battery life is a letdown, but these are the only reasons not to opt for this over a traditional slab phone.

				120Hz display					   					Great camera					   					Long-term software support					   					Excellent battery					 

				Slow charging					   					Notch					   					Worse value than most Androids

It’s the first iPhone to support a 120Hz display – lone overdue – in the 6.1in form factor that suits most people best, though the larger 13 Pro Max is available too if you prefer a bigger phone.

The triple camera has had an overhaul from last year, and while it still lags behind some Android rivals – especially when it comes to HDR – this is certainly among the best cameras in any phone today, especially when it comes to video.

Battery life has also had an upgrade, and it finally doesn’t feel like a drawback – this is as long-lasting as any flagship out there, though the charging is still slow.

				Best screen around					   					Versatile camera					   					Unique design					 

				No periscope zoom					   					Expensive

You’ll have to live without a periscopic zoom lens – the telephoto here is a measly 2x zoom – but Oppo instead includes a novel microlens camera capable of microscopic super-closeups. That’s not the only oddity, as the design itself is utterly unique thanks to a seamlessly sloped camera module built right into the glass of the phone’s body.

For pure performance the Find X3 Pro is also hard to beat, with all of the above plus a Snapdragon 888 chip, 512GB storage and 12GB RAM. You just have to be willing to pay the price, as it doesn’t come cheap.

				Strong camera					   					Beautiful design					   					Compact size					 

				Plastic body					   					Worse value than rivals					   					Slow charging

As a result, you get strong performance, a fresh new design, better battery life, the latest Android 11 (dressed in Samsung’s own One UI 3.1, at launch) and integrated 5G.

Best of all, all this comes in a more affordable package than its predecessor – though if you’re happy to spend a little more, there’s always the larger S21 Plus.

				Phenomenal value					   					Glass body					   					Fast charging					 

				Only 90Hz display					   					No wireless charging

The Nord 2 also totes a 90Hz AMOLED display, a great primary 50Mp main camera, and nippy 65W fast charging.

Software-wise, the company’s OxygenOS user experience is also a major highlight – bringing responsive interactivity and a clean interface to the table that lends itself to the phone’s powerful, premium feel.

OnePlus has also recently launched the Nord CE 5G, which takes most of these great specs but wraps them in a plastic body – with a few other key downgrades elsewhere. Overall we prefer the Nord 2, but the CE 5G is well worth a look if you’re on a tighter budget.

				Fast wired & wireless charging					   					Strong specs					   					Great value					 

				No zoom camera					   					Big

Throw in a WQHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display (quad-curved, no less), 108Mp rear camera, and 55W fast-charging paired with 50W wireless charging, and you can see that the Mi 11 won’t be beaten for specs at its price.

There are minor downsides: you won’t get an IP rating, there’s no telephoto camera, and Xiaomi’s MIUI software still has room for improvement. But if pure performance is what you’re looking for, then look no further.

There’s also the more expensive Mi 11 Ultra, which upgrades to faster charging and a more powerful camera, but is much bigger – or the Mi 11 Lite 5G, which is about half the price and at the time of writing is the thinnest 5G phone you can buy.

				Flagship specs					   					Mid-range price					   					Yellow leather design					 

				No wireless charging					   					Basic camera

Top specs – a Snapdragon 888 5G, 65W charging, and 120Hz AMOLED display – are encased in a phenomenal yellow vegan leather racing striped design (skip the two boring glass models) that ensures the Realme GT looks as fast as it is.

You won’t get wireless charging or a waterproof rating, and the camera is a little basic, but for performance per pound there’s none better right now.

				Incredible specs					   					144Hz display					   					Loads of accessories					 

				Big & heavy					   					Limited camera					   					Gamer aesthetic

There are plenty of accessories available, from the Switch-like Kunai 5 controllers to the AeroActive Cooler 5 to keep your phone cool during extended gameplay sessions. The software is top-notch too, offering granular per-game performance tweaks alongside system-wide performance modes.

However, while the large display means it’s great for gaming, some may find it too tall to use effectively one-handed, plus, at 238g, it’s much heavier than most flagships in 2021 – and it’s noticeable when you pick it up too.

There’s also always the Note 20 Ultra – a great phone for productivity that’s simply been supplanted by the more recent S21 Ultra. You should still consider the Note version if you find a good price though, or if the included S-Pen appeals enough, as while it’s compatible with the S21 Ultra it’s sold separately and also doesn’t slot directly into the phone.

We also haven’t included either the OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro, and have instead included the cheaper OnePlus Nord. We were disappointed with both the design and the performance of the 2021 OnePlus flagships, especially the much-hyped Hasselblad camera, and so we don’t recommend you buy them – you’re better off with rival phones from other brands, or OnePlus’s own 8T or 8 Pro from 2020.

Then there’s the iPhone variants. Every iPhone 13 model offers 5G support, but we’ve only mentioned the 13 Pro in our chart. Check out the iPhone 13 if you want a cheaper option, the 13 Mini if you like the 13 but want a smaller display, or the 13 Pro Max if you want a bigger version of the Pro.

Plus, remember that every phone in the iPhone 12 series supports 5G too – and are now available for a little less.

5G phone buying advice

Getting a 5G phone is only one piece of the puzzle. To actually take advantage of this latest generation of cellular connectivity you need to:

Have a 5G-capable phoneSubscribe to a network that offers 5G connectivityPay for a plan that includes 5G connectivityBe in an area with good 5G coverage

Before you splash out on a 5G phone, it’s worth checking to see what the quality of 5G coverage in your area is like, noting that it varies by network. You may have to change network if you want to reap the benefits of 5G in your area, and every network offers a different set of 5G phones – though you can of course buy any of them SIM-free.

Check out RootMetrics’ coverage map for an independent evaluation of mobile coverage (including 5G coverage) from the UK’s major carriers, across the nation.

Sub-6 vs mmWave

You may have heard about two types of 5G signal: Sub-6GHz and mmWave. The good news is that for the most part you don’t need to consider this too much.

Every 5G phone ships with Sub-6 support, and conveniently this is the most common standard worldwide, including the UK and Europe.

mmWave is a shorter wavelength standard that is capable of higher speeds, but with worse range. For the moment it’s only widespread in the US, and as a result it tends to only be US phones that include mmWave chips – Apple supports mmWave in its US iPhone models, for example, but not elsewhere.

If you’re in North America then it is worth checking if a phone supports mmWave or not, but even there you shouldn’t consider it a dealbreaker. Outside the US, there’s really no point considering it at all.

Why upgrade to 5G?

5G is around 20 times faster than 4G, with the potential for even better speeds in future. With 5G, you’ll be able to stream video in 4K resolution without buffering and make high-resolution video calls if you so wish. There are also benefits for mobile gaming, because of 5G’s lower latency. For more details on the technology, check out our ‘ What is 5G?‘ guide.

If you decide to wait, we’ve also tested some great 4G smartphones at various price points. Check out the best flagship, mid-range and budget phones available now, as well as some great phones coming soon.

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Tech Advisor’s Deputy Editor, Dom covers everything that runs on electricity, from phones and laptops to wearables, audio, gaming, smart home, and streaming - plus he’s a regular fixture on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.