Another month is coming to an end and we are ready to present a new edition of our list of "10 Best Smartphones for Media Consumption". Nowadays, media consumption is mainly one of the reasons moving forward in the smartphone market. Especially in these days of the pandemic, when people are forced to stay at home.
We have spent countless hours watching movies through online streaming services, scrolling through social media feeds, or playing games on our phones to kill boredom. If you want a good smartphone for multimedia consumption, then you will need to look at the display, battery capacity and some aspects of the hardware. With this list, we can help you get a good smartphone that will meet your needs in this particular department. Today we have compiled a list of the 10 best smartphones for media consumption that you can get in March 2021.
In our opinion, the devices on the list are the best devices for watching Netflix and other streaming platforms like YouTube, Twitch and more. In addition, they also provide great performance and are perfect for popular apps like TikTok, Instagram and even Clubhouse. So if you're looking for a device that will satisfy all of your "multimedia needs", check out our list of good recommendations.
LITTLE X3 Pro
The POCO X3 / NFC marked its presence on our February list, but while the device still deserves a spot as one of the best phones for media consumption, it's been replaced by a new, better contender. As the name suggests, the POCO X3 Pro improves on the base smartphone in several ways, including performance. Considering the technical specifications, the smartphone provides excellent performance for the offered price. This is definitely one of the best value for money smartphones you can get on this list.
POCO X3 Pro is the first smartphone to come with Snapdragon 860 SoC. As the name suggests, this chipset sits between the Snapdragon 855 and the Snapdragon 865. Ultimately, you get flagship performance in all tasks. You can play any game on the Play Store with this phone without any hassle, watch movies for hours and navigate through social media apps seamlessly.
The POCO X3 Pro retains the 6,67-inch 120Hz LCD screen of its predecessor. It also supports HDR10+ and this time it offers advanced Gorilla Glass 6 technology. The phone is available in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants with 128GB and 256GB internal storage. It gets its power from a huge 5160 mAh battery that comes with excellent 33W fast charging. The phone also has stereo speakers to provide immersive and loud sound.
The big difference is that the phone has a 48-megapixel primary camera compared to the 64-megapixel camera in the original smartphone. However, you can still take decent photos that are great for social apps like Instagram. It will also allow you to capture your TikToks with great quality. One thing to note is that the POCO X3 NFC does not have 5G connectivity like its younger sibling.
Notes redmi 10 Pro
The second device on this list also comes from Xiaomi, the recently launched Redmi Note 10 Pro. The new smartphone is the leader of the Redmi Note 10 series with great features and a great display.
Again, the device sports Xiaomi's favorite 6,67-inch display. It's an FHD+ display and the big plus here is that it's an AMOLED display. To make matters even better, it has a 120Hz refresh rate. Other features include HDR10 support, 450 nits brightness and 1200 nits peak brightness.
If you want to experience the deep dark colors of an AMOLED display, with all the saturation and increased contrast, the Redmi Note 10 Pro is a great choice.
Under the hood, the phone packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G chipset paired with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM depending on your choice. It also has 64GB or 128GB of storage depending on the variant.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro has a massive 108-megapixel camera that can take photos with stunning detail. This camera is enhanced by the many software features available in the Mi Camera app, there's even an 8MP ultra-wide camera for group shots. Xiaomi also claims that the 5-megapixel macro camera is one of the best equipped on a Redmi Note smartphone. This camera is equipped with an automatic focus function, which is not characteristic of Redmi Macro devices.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro is powered by a 5020mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. The device also has stereo speakers, which makes the sound experience more immersive than on single-speaker smartphones.
iPhone 12 Pro Max
If you're looking to buy an Apple smartphone and want a great multimedia experience, the high-end iPhone 12 Pro Max is definitely the best upgrade right now. Apple's new flagship comes with a 6,7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. The resolution is 2778 x 1284 pixels, and the phone is equipped with HDR10 support and an extraordinary brightness of 800 nits. It can reach 1200 nits at peak brightness. The display is also equipped with Dolby Vision for an enhanced experience. If you want an Apple smartphone for watching movies, this is the best phone you can get right now.
Speaking of performance, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has Apple's A14 Bionic chipset. It is a 5nm Hexa-Core Soc with 2×3,1 GHz Firestorm + 4 x 1,8 GHz Icestorm cores. It also has a quad-core Apple GPU. This is enough to handle everything available in the Apple Store without any hassle.
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 12-megapixel camera with Dual Pixel PDAF and sensor shift stabilization. The phone also features a 12-megapixel telephoto with OIS, 2,5x optical zoom and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The phone also features a ToF 3D LiDAR scanner that also works for depth sensing. It also has a 12MP selfie camera for capturing your selfies for Instagram. It is worth noting that due to the optimization of the applications, the results of photos taken with the iPhone are generally better than those of Android smartphones when using Instagram.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max also has stereo speakers and is available in variants with 6 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal storage. Unfortunately, the battery capacity is below Android standards - only 3687 mAh. Fortunately, the phone supports 20W fast charging, which promises 50% in just 30 minutes. The phone also comes with 15W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging.
Like most iPhones, the 12 Pro Max lacks a 3,5mm headphone jack. For individual audio listening, you will need Bluetooth headphones or a USB-C up to 3,5 mm dongle. The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max may be more expensive, but if you're on the iOS side of the coin, it's the best option you can get, and that's why it deserves a spot on the TOP 10 smartphones for media consumption list.
Moto G100 / Motorola Edge S
The Motorola Edge S was launched today in global markets as the Moto G100. It's a budget flagship that also has a lot to offer when you're looking for a device that delivers in the media consumption department. The Moto G100 features a 6,7-inch LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate. This display has 560 nits of brightness and HDR10 certification. The resolution is 2520 x 1080 and the phone has an aspect ratio of 21:9. The phone has two holes for a dual camera setup. We have a 16-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel camera that allows you to take selfies with your group of friends.
One of the main selling points of the Moto G100 is in the performance department. The phone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC. For those who don't know, it's a budget flagship that sits between the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 888 series. It delivers great performance and can run anything on the Play Store without any issues. The phone is paired with 6 GB and 8 GB of RAM. Storage users can choose from two options – 128GB and 256GB, and this can be expanded using a microSD card.
The Moto G100 has a 64-megapixel camera with PDAF and laser autofocus. It also has a 16-megapixel ultra-wide camera with PDAF and a 2-megapixel depth camera. The Moto G100 has a huge 5000mAh battery with 20W fast charging. It doesn't have stereo speakers, but at least there's a 3,5mm headphone jack.
Article 7
The IQOO 7 was the first smartphone released by iQOO this year. It's worth noting that this is a flagship, more expensive smartphone, but as you might expect, it's one of the best media consumption phones on this list. IQOO 7 is equipped with a 6,62-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, a resolution of 2400 x 1080 (FHD +) and support for HDR10 +. The phone has a center-aligned hole, which is not too obtrusive.
Under the hood, the iQOO 7 shines in this list thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. This is the high-end chipset offered by the American chipmaker this year. It offers state-of-the-art technologies such as 5nm process, Cortex-X1 and Cortex-A78 cores. It can handle anything you throw at this smartphone without straining. The Adreno 660 GPU can run all games at high settings.
IQOO 7 is available in variants with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory, or 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal memory. Vivo's Android 11-based OriginOS also offers a virtual memory feature that simulates 3GB of additional RAM via ROM. So you could end up with 11GB of base and 15GB of high-end variants. Of course, this feature has its limitations and will not work like "real" RAM.
The phone has a 48-megapixel camera with PDAF and optical image stabilization. The phone also has a 13-megapixel portrait camera with PDAF and 2x optical zoom. Last but not least is the 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera. For selfie purposes, the phone has a 16-megapixel selfie camera.
The IQOO 7 is powered by a 4000 mAh battery. This capacity may not correspond to many devices on this list. However, the phone comes with an advanced 120W charging speed. You can top up this battery in a couple of minutes, so charging it after long hours of use won't be a problem at all.
iQOO Z3
The second iQOO smartphone on this list is the iQOO Z3. The phone is a premium mid-range smartphone that offers a lot for those looking for a good smartphone to deliver in the "media consumption department". Unfortunately, the iQOO Z3 is a fresh smartphone that is currently only available in China. But we expect it to reach more markets in the coming months.
The IQOO Z3 offers a 6,58-inch LCD display with HDR10 support and a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone also has a resolution of 2408 x 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The LCD display is here to keep costs down, but at least it has a high refresh rate.
Under the hood of the iQOO Z3 is a Qualcomm chipset that has been forgotten about until now. The Snapdragon 768G was released last year, but has yet to appear in a smartphone. As the name suggests, it's a customized Snapdragon 765G that offers the extra performance and 5G connectivity of its little brother. It is based on the same 7nm architecture of the Snapdragon 860 series. It can handle most of the apps on the Google Play Store without any problem.
In the camera department, the iQOO Z3 won't let you down with a 64-megapixel primary camera with PDAF. It also has an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera with 1.12 µm and a 2-megapixel macro camera with an aperture of f / 2.4. It also comes with a 16-megapixel selfie shooter that supports HDR.
The IQOO Z3 comes with OriginOS with the same virtual RAM feature, which will give you 3GB of extra RAM regardless of the variant you choose. The phone is powered by a 4400mAh battery with 55W super fast charging. The phone has enough goodies to be considered a titan in the list of top 10 smartphones for media consumption.
iQOO Neo 5
The latest iQOO addition to our list is the recently launched iQOO Neo 5. For starters, this phone offers a cost-effective flagship experience for those who can't afford the iQOO 7. There are a few aspects where Vivo has cut some corners to make it more affordable. It's almost excusable, though, and the phone will still offer stellar performance in the media department.
IQOO Neo 3 features a 6,62-inch AMOLED display with HDR10 and a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone features an AMOLED panel, which is an improvement over the iQOO Neo 3's LCD display. However, the refresh rate has dropped from 144Hz, but 120Hz is still really nice. It has FHD+ resolution and 20:9 aspect ratio.
Vivo has decided to stick with the Snapdragon 870 chipset here. The phone comes in 8GB RAM variants and a whopping 12GB RAM option. In terms of storage, we have 128GB and 256GB to choose from. The phone comes with FuntouchOS 11 based on Android 11, but it still has the virtual memory feature.
In the camera department, we have a 48-megapixel camera with PDAF, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera with a pixel size of 1,12 µm, and a 2-megapixel camera with an aperture of f / 2,4. The phone also has a 16-megapixel selfie camera.
In the battery department, we have a 4400 mAh unit with a charging speed of 66 W. It promises a 100% charge in 30 minutes. The device impresses with most of the requirements for good multimedia consumption by a smartphone. For this reason, it deserves a place on the list of the 10 best smartphones for media consumption.
Realm GT 5G
The Realme GT 5G was launched earlier this month by Realme. The phone is the company's first flagship for 2021 and looks to be a "performance flagship" in the company's "dual flagship" strategy. It's the company's first smartphone to use the Snapdragon 888 chipset. And surprisingly, it's quite cheap with a starting price of $465 in China. Unfortunately, this phone is still limited to the Chinese market. But it's only a matter of time to see how it reaches other countries.
The Realme GT 5G flagship chipset is paired with 8GB of RAM in the base variant and 12GB of RAM in the high-end variant. These variants come with 128GB and 256GB of internal storage respectively. The phone certainly doesn't impress in the camera department, but this camera setup will surely be enough for your social media apps, especially with all the fancy features provided by the Realme UI 2.0 camera app. The phone has a 64MP primary camera with PDAF and f/1.8 aperture. It also features an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 2-megapixel macro shooter.
The phone flaunts a 6,43-inch Super AMOLE display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a resolution of 2400 x 1080. The phone has an aligned top-left notch that serves as a home for a 16-megapixel selfie camera with HDR support.
This phone is powered by a 4500mAh battery with 65W fast charging. Realme's proprietary fast charging technology will make charging fast.
Redmi K40 / LITTLE F3
The Redmi K40 was launched last month and this year it hit global markets as the POCO F3. The new device is the third generation of the best-selling Pocophone F1 and comes in an attempt to appeal to a user base that has lost a cost-effective flagship that impresses like the original Pocophone F1. While we assume that the POCO X3 Pro serves as more of a spiritual successor, the reasonably priced POCO F3 will definitely be the best choice for some enthusiasts in the media consumption department.
POCO F3 will provide a 6,67-inch Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It also supports HDR10 + and provides a maximum brightness of 1300 nits. The phone comes with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 and Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Under the hood of the POCO F3 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM, 8GB and 12GB of RAM. The phone is available in variants with 128 GB and 256 GB of internal memory.
In the camera department, we have a 48-megapixel camera with PDAF, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The phone is equipped with a 20-megapixel selfie camera with an unsurpassed f / 2,5 aperture.
POCO F3 comes with stereo speakers to make the sound more immersive. It gets power from a 4,520mAh battery with 33W fast charging. It is enough to charge the battery to 100% in 52 minutes. POCO F3 is a cost-effective flagship that can easily handle apps like TikTok, Instagram, graphics demands. So, for this reason, it deserves a place in this top 10 smartphones for media consumption list.
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
The last device on our list is a mid-range smartphone with 5G connectivity. We are talking about the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G smartphone. It comes with a Samsung AMOLED display with a high refresh rate and a host of specifications that will make this phone a worthy choice for media lovers.
The recently released mid-ranger features a 6,5-inch display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080. It's a Super AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 800 nits of brightness. The phone is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which provides excellent protection against scratches. This phone has a centered hole, which is not so unpleasant for those who like symmetry.
The Galaxy A52 5G boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G that offers great performance and 5G connectivity. The device is available in variants with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of memory and 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal memory. You can store your favorite movies on microSD card thanks to the support offered by this phone.
The camera department certainly doesn't disappoint with a 64MP primary camera with f/1.8 aperture, PDAF and OIS. The device also has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide, 5-megapixel macro and a 5-megapixel lens. A selfie is taken with a 32-megapixel camera.
The Galaxy A52 5G comes with Android 3.1-based UI 11 out of the box, offering a bunch of useful multitasking and camera features. The phone is powered by a 4500mAh battery with an adequate 25W charging speed. The Galaxy A52 5G is here to top last year's most popular smartphone, the Galaxy A51. We expect the greatest heat to be among the youth, who are the largest consumers of media in the smartphone market.
Visnovok
And that's our March list of the 10 best smartphones for media consumption. Do you have a specific device in mind to add to this list? Feel free to leave it in the comments section.
Next month, we bring you the next batch of the best devices for consuming media, exploring social media apps, and gaming! Feel free to check our February list, if you want more features, we'll be back next month!
