The best thin 5G smartphones in 2021 [Webrung]
The smartphone market is now so diverse that there is something for everyone. There are several factors that influence our purchasing decisions – one such factor is how thin the phone is.
Slim phones are more appealing to consumers than bulky ones. They are becoming more popular with users because they are easier to carry. If the screen size of our phones is getting larger, it should at least be getting thinner.
Thin smartphones are very popular because they are lighter and often fit better in your pocket. When manufacturers install ever larger displays, smartphones should at least become thinner.
If you’re looking for the best slim smartphones, you’ve come to the right place. We have put together a list for you of the best models that not only offer great designs but also great hardware.
Contents
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite (6.8mm)
The Mi 11 Lite 5G has a great display, solid mid-range performance and surprisingly good cameras – and of course an incredibly slim design! It has a 6.55 ″ Full HD + AMOLED display, an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC and a 4250 mAh battery.
Our biggest complaint about the Mi11 Lite is the MIUI offers bags of features and customization potential. Here in Germany they have released a version of Android that is less modified, but it is one of the biggest compromises of this handset and long with the sub-par low light camera performance.
The only thing that we don’t like so much about the Mi 11 Lite is that MIUI is less adapted in Germany – you also have to make some compromises in terms of low-light performance.
positive
- Decent performance
- Design made of glass, similar to the flagship model Mi 11
- Excellent OLED display with 10-bit, 90 Hz and HDR10 +
- Quick charge function
- Loud stereo speakers
- Good camera, but it shows its weaknesses in low light
- 5G
negative
- MIUI is not very intuitive
- Other models offer better value for money
- Not water resistant
- The camera does not deliver convincing results in low light
Motorola Edge 20 – Best all-rounder (6.99 mm)
The Motorola Edge 20 is a great smartphone that is full of well thought-out features and costs just € 480. In contrast to most other OLED displays, the screen has a refresh rate of 144 Hz. There is also a versatile rear camera and a tidy Android version that offers a practical “Ready For Desktop” user experience.
The Edge 20 has a powerful 778G 5G chip, a triple camera with a zoom range of 0.5x to 3x as well as all-day battery life and fast charging. The display really convinced us and can certainly compete with flagship models. Games also run without problems, including games with a high refresh rate. The camera is extremely reliable, even when changing
Lighting conditions.
One of the best features is the stock Android-oriented OS with its “Ready for Desktop” user experience – it runs smoothly and can be a powerful tool, especially for multitaskers.
positive
- Attractive, splash-proof design
- Excellent OLED display with 144 Hz.
- Tidy version of Android 11, “Ready for Desktop” is not a gimmick
- Reliable performance and high FPS gaming
- Good camera performance day and night
- The camera makes great videos during the day
- 5G
negative
- No stereo speakers
- Videos tend to look below average in low light
Vivo V21 (7.29mm) – For vloggers
The Vivo V21 has a 6.44 ″ full HD + display and an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 800U SoC as well as a 4000 mAh battery. The Vivo V21 5G is a solid mid-range smartphone and offers the typical Vivo advantages and disadvantages.
It’s thin, light and stylish – only the front with its notch doesn’t look quite as modern as the back.
Vivo smartphones often have unique camera features that no other manufacturer offers – this is also the case with the V21 5G. The 44 MP selfie camera is probably the best of its kind in the mid-range.
The camera has optical image stabilization (OIS) and a dual flash and is therefore well suited for aspiring vloggers.
positive
- Excellent selfie camera
- Good OLED display with 90 Hz
- Thin, stylish design
- Great videos can be made with both the front and rear cameras
- 5G
negative
- Comparatively low hardware performance
- The notch makes the smartphone look a little less modern
OPPO Reno 6 Pro – For fast charging fans (7.99 mm)
The Oppo Reno 6 Pro has a 6.5 ″ Full HD + AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. HDR10 + and 180 Hz touch sampling rate. This makes the display the device’s greatest strength.
The MediaTek Dimensity 1200 ensures that even games run smoothly – something that is not the case with all mid-range smartphones. The UI is sometimes jerky, but that doesn’t necessarily affect the gameplay. Unfortunately, there is no IP certification and the biggest compromise is ColorOS – it is anything but similar to Stock Android and the learning curve is correspondingly steep. In addition, unfortunately not all changes that OPPO has made to the OS ensure a better user experience.
The OPPO Reno series has always offered good-looking smartphones with great cameras. The Reno 6 Pro is no exception in this regard. If you are looking for a flagship model with a powerful processor and a good camera, but do not want to spend so much money, this is the right place for you. Further advantages are the lightning-fast quick charge function, the great design and the 90 Hz AMOLED display.
positive
- 90 Hz OLED display
- Fast biometric sensors
- Good camera
- Solid low-light performance
- 65 W SuperVOOC 2.0 – fully charged in just 29 minutes
- Hole punch display with rounded edges and
- 5G
negative
- Selfie camera leaves a lot to be desired
- Cameras do not have image stabilization
- The smartphone can often get hot under load
- ColorOS is unfortunately full of bloat and hardly resembles stock Android
- No wireless charging
- Occasional stuttering and inconsistent performance
- No stereo speakers
- Too expensive
iPhone 13 – For those on a larger budget (7.65mm)
The iPhone 13 is the most expensive smartphone on our list, but it also offers the most powerful processor.
The iPhone 13, while not the most exciting Apple device, is the best value for money. Compared to previous models, it offers better battery life, a more powerful processor and an improved camera. If you are looking for a fast and powerful smartphone and don’t need the features of the Pro models, you’ve come to the right place.
The highlight is the battery life – it was not always convincing with other iPhones and the reason why I tended to advise against buying it in the past. The new A15 Bionic Chip of the iPhone 13 offers incredible performance, 4 GB of RAM and can also run multiple apps and tasks efficiently.
The dual camera takes sharp photos and has optical image stabilization (OIS), which was previously reserved for the Pro Max models.
For € 899 you get a powerful processor, a versatile camera and all-day battery life – the biggest compromise is the price.
positive
- Excellent cameras
- Greatly improved battery life
- All the advantages of the previous year’s models
- More memory
- Powerful hardware
- 5G
negative
- Selfie camera has not been redesigned
- Standard refresh rate only
- Unfortunately, iPhone 12 cases don’t fit, although the design hasn’t changed much
- No ceramic shield on the back
This post was sponsored by Motorola, however, all thoughts and opinions are
our own.
