For everything that went wrong this year, 2020 has had a whole lot of new and exciting smartphones released in the year. We just need to have a look at what companies like Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus have been doing. But sometimes, it could feel like you’re missing out on some of them because you’re in the U.S. and you’re tied to a carrier, and thus, you don’t have a wide choice like people who buy unlocked phones do. Verizon, though, does have a really wide choice with some of the best U.S. smartphones released throughout the year. So if you’re a Verizon customer in the market for a new phone, we’ve rounded up some of the best Verizon phones released in 2020.
Whether you need a smartphone on a budget or you want some of the most bleeding-edge hardware available out there, you can take advantage of Verizon’s offers and discounts by choosing from their current catalog of budget and flagship smartphones. This list will include both iOS and Android devices in all kinds of price ranges, and will also include, for the most part, full support for Verizon’s network, including their 5G network. Read on to know more!
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Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G is, quite likely, the best smartphone to come from Samsung so far (not counting foldables), and one of the best, if not the best, Android phones of the year. Samsung constantly reinvents itself with the launch of the Note smartphones every year, and this year is no different. While Note devices used to come with a boatload of features aimed at enthusiasts, nowadays they’ve been pivoting more and more towards the general consumer. Don’t get me wrong here, though: they’re still the best in terms of features.
For the money, you get a Snapdragon 865+ 7nm processor, a standard for flagship smartphones, with 12 GB of RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 3.0 storage. It also has a world-class 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz ultra-smooth refresh rate, as well as a 108MP triple rear camera setup with 8K video recording capability. It is very clearly one of the best Verizon phones right now, and you can check it out at the link below.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G is Samsung's new mainstream premium smartphone, with an S-Pen, amazing 108MP cameras and 120Hz display, plenty of processing power, and support for several features such as Wireless DeX. You're paying a lot of money for a lot of phone.
Runner-Up: iPhone 12 Pro
The iPhone 12 Pro is Apple’s latest premium smartphone, and it comes with a lot of generational improvements over last year’s iPhone 11 lineup. The 5nm Apple A14 processor is a marked improvement over last year’s smartphone with a lot of processing power. And the iPhone 12 Pro also comes with improvements such as a renewed design with flat edges reminiscent of the iPhone 5, ever-so-slightly smaller bezels, and better camera prowess with markedly better low-light performance and a LiDAR scanner for 3D mapping and scanning for AR applications.
It’s the best of the best Apple currently has to offer. Other features include MagSafe support, up to 512GB of NVMe storage, Face ID support, and much more. It’s also the first iPhone with 5G support, and you can enjoy Verizon’s 5G network with it. You can check it out at the link below.
The iPhone 12 Pro is Apple's latest premium iPhone, coming in with a wide variety of generational improvements, the new Apple A14 5nm SoC, a quad rear camera setup with LiDAR, and support for 5G connectivity on Verizon's network.
Best Camera: Google Pixel 5
The Google Pixel 5 is Google’s best smartphone so far. It does a lot of things differently to previous Pixel devices in their lineup, like, for example, being the first main flagship entry in the Pixel series to not feature a flagship processor. It has a Snapdragon 765G, which still gives you plenty of performance, and features 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. It also has the Pixel series’ big staple: camera performance that, to this day, remains almost unmatched. Most of the phone’s camera prowess can be attributed to software, so they don’t need any extra fancy sensors as other phones do. It features normal and ultra-wide pictures.
The Pixel 5 can be yours for $699 on Verizon and supports the carrier’s 5G network with the same stock software you love from Google and the same feature set. If you’re a Verizon customer looking for a phone with an amazing camera that doesn’t come that costly, this is definitely one of the best Verizon phones worth a look. Check it out!
The Google Pixel 5 is Google's newest flagship, coming with a Snapdragon 765G, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, 5G connectivity, and everything you love about a Pixel phone, including the amazing cameras and software.
Best Value: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G UW
Samsung recently pulled a rabbit out of their hat unexpectedly with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. It brought back the “Fan Edition” branding that we last saw with the launch of the Galaxy Note FE (a rebranded Galaxy Note 7 with a battery that was actually safe), but this was actually a completely different device with a completely different strategy. It’s meant to be one step below the regular Galaxy S20, but it retains the same Snapdragon 865 processor, 120Hz display, and most internal specs, while cutting on aspects such as build quality, a flat display (which I actually prefer), and other things.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G UW from Verizon supports Verizon’s mmWave network for ultra-fast 5G connection. Check it out at the link below.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G UW is Samsung's new value flagship, coming with the internals of the higher-end S20 series smartphones in a way cheaper and comfortable package, including the Snapdragon 865 and the 120Hz display.
Best Compact: iPhone SE
The second-generation iPhone SE from Apple was actually launched earlier this year, and it’s a completely different beast from the first device that launched as the iPhone SE. While that one launched in 2015 as pretty much a smaller iPhone 6s (in terms of internals) in the small 4-inch build of the iPhone 5, the new iPhone SE brings the iPhone 11’s internals, such as the Apple A13 Bionic SoC, in a smaller 4.7-inch form factor reminiscent of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8.
While it’s not the best compact iPhone anymore (that award goes to the iPhone 12 Mini, which is actually smaller than the iPhone SE now), it is still the cheapest one around, starting at a digestible $399 for the 64GB model. It’s not the best phone you can get at Verizon right now, and it doesn’t support 5G, but it is still pretty good, especially if you’re looking for an iOS device on a budget.
The iPhone SE is currently the cheapest iPhone in Apple's lineup, but packing an A13 Bionic SoC, it is definitely no slouch. If you're a fan of the iPhone 8's form factor and small design, then this might be the phone for you.
Best Bleeding-Edge: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
Want something that will make you stand out of the pack immediately and don’t mind paying an astronomical cost for that? Well then, the Galaxy Z Fold2 might be the phone for you. The astronomical cost, though, is well worth it in this case: it comes with the same internal specs as the Note20 Ultra, including the same Snapdragon 865+ processor, 12 GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, and a slightly stepped down 12MP triple camera setup, but the device packs a foldable 7.6″ panel that folds inward as well as an external 6.2″ display with a 25:9 aspect ratio. The foldable panel comes with a 120Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth usage in full resolution.
There are many advantages to having a foldable display, and if you’re one of them who wants to try out the experience, then go ahead and check it out on Verizon. It does come at a considerable premium compared to any of the other options in our list, but given how much Samsung has improved their foldable smartphones year-on-year, we think it’s well worth it for one of the best Verizon phones on the premium segment.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G is Samsung's highest-end offering at the moment, featuring a foldable 120Hz display with a Snapdragon 865+. But it's also the most expensive device in this list, by far, costing a whopping $1,999.
Best Mid-Range: Google Pixel 4a
The Google Pixel 4a continues the successful formula that Google started with the Pixel 3a lineup. This is a really cheap smartphone with very average mid-range specifications, but also packs everything that makes a Pixel smartphone so good and iconic. It packs Google’s fast updates and clean, stock Android software, and also comes with Google’s world-class camera processing, although the dual lenses that come with the higher-end smartphones are dialed back to a single rear camera sensor.
It comes with its downsides, though, the main one of them being that this smartphone doesn’t support 5G connectivity. But still, it’s a pretty solid offering from Google. You can grab it from Verizon’s website now!
At $349, you're getting a very capable mid-range Pixel with the same world-class camera on the higher-end models, a Snapdragon 730G processor, 6 GB of RAM, and Google's amazing software. It's one of the best, if not the best, budget phones of the year.
Best Battery Life: Motorola Moto G Power
If you just want a cheap device that can provide you with amazing battery life, then the Motorola Moto G Power is the phone for you. The specs? Nothing amazing. There’s a Snapdragon 665 SoC, up to 4 GB of RAM, a rear 16MP camera, and 64GB of storage. The selling point of the phone, though, is the battery. The phone packs a 5,000 mAh battery cell which can provide the phone with up to 2 days of juice on a single charge. The Snapdragon 665 is built in an 11nm process and sips battery, which definitely helps the Moto G Power’s case here.
Don’t expect 5G or any other fancy features, but if what you want is simply a smartphone that can endure a lot of abuse without being connected to a wall every 6 hours, then the Moto G Power is the phone for you. It’s one of the best Verizon phones in terms of battery life.
The Moto G Power is a very capable budget device from Motorola that really shines in the battery department, with a 5,000 mAh cell that can provide an amazing battery life of up to 2 days.
Best Budget Phone: Motorola Moto G Stylus
The Motorola Moto G Stylus isn’t going to blow you out of your seat either if you’re expecting the same amount of features that are featured on some of the other smartphones on this list. But, if you want a smartphone that focuses on the essentials and comes with a few extra perks, then you won’t want to miss this one. Just like the Moto G Power, the Moto G Stylus comes with a Snapdragon 665 and up to 4 GB of RAM. However, internal storage gets a bump to 128GB, and you also get an arguably better 48MP camera.
It also has a stylus, as you may guess by the name. This isn’t really an overly amazing feature, as we’re not talking about the same kind of stylus (S Pen) the Galaxy Note smartphones pack but rather a barebones stylus, but it’s still pretty cool to have and does provide similar functionality, such as jotting down stuff while the screen is off. You can check it out on Verizon now.
The Moto G Stylus is a very competent budget smartphone, featuring a Snapdragon 665 processor, 4 GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 48MP camera, equipped with a stylus for Note-like functionality.
Best Unique: LG Wing
The LG Wing is definitely a unique proposition that will make you stand out in a way no other smartphone in this list will—not even the Galaxy Z Fold2. The LG Wing looks like a normal smartphone from the front and back, but if you slide the display aside, the screen will slide sideways to reveal a secondary square panel under it. This has a lot of unique potential use-cases: you can use the square panel as a more comfortable keyboard while your app is displayed in a horizontal orientation, for example. Or you can open a second app in that secondary display.
This unique device is one of the best Verizon phones right now and is fully 5G-compatible, featuring a Snapdragon 765G processor which will also give you plenty of processing power. Check it out at the link below.
The LG Wing features an unique form factor that is sure to make heads turn whenever you go. The internals are pretty amazing as well, with a Snapdragon 765G processor and 256GB of internal storage.
This is it for our list of best Verizon devices in 2020. There’s a lot of options here, whether you’re looking for a premium flagship in the Note20 Ultra, an iOS device in the iPhone 12 Pro, or a more affordable option in the shape of the Galaxy S20 FE or going all the way down to Motorola’s Moto G lineup. What do you think about our picks? Let us know down in the comment section.
The post These are the best Verizon phones in 2020: Samsung, Apple, Google, Motorola & more! appeared first on xda-developers.
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