these are the 10 best smartphones of 2020

In recent months, various manufacturers have released many devices. Not surprising if you can no longer see the forest between the trees. Due to the many devices that we have tested and together with our knowledge, we can hand out the (virtual) DroidApp Awards. These are the best smartphones of 2020.

Best Smartphone of 2020

It is a year that we may not necessarily want to look back on. Yet we do that at DroidApp. With the 2020 edition of the ‘DroidApp Awards’ we want to virtually hand out prizes to the ten best smartphones of the past year. One requirement is that the smartphone in question is still available.

The DroidApp editors have carefully compiled the list. Since these ten devices come under different price levels, we’ve put them in random order for you. We will go into this a bit more deeply, at the bottom of this article.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

We were full of praise for the Galaxy S20 FE in our Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review. As far as we are concerned, this is the very best Samsung. Perhaps most of this is due to the Snapdragon 865+ chipset in the 5G version of the S20 FE. The camera delivers beautiful pictures, the update policy is good with three years of updates and excellent specifications. There are also points for improvement; the phone does not charge as fast as its competitors, the price is a bit high and the device is very smooth. On the other hand, it is therefore a really great device.

Note: the Galaxy S20 FE 4G (without 5G support) has an Exynos processor and not the Snapdragon chipset.

Buy Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G: Samsung, Coolblue, T-Mobile, Mobile, Belsimpel, MediaMarkt and Bol.com.

OnePlus 8T

We already praised 8 Pro in the OnePlus 8 Pro review, but the 8T was released at the end of this year. We updated you about this in the OnePlus 8T review. This stylish device has everything you need. First of all, think of Android 11 straight out of the box; with the great interface; OxygenOS. In addition, there is a battery that can be charged quickly with 65W. The 8T has powerful hardware, a good price-quality ratio, 120Hz screen and good battery life. There are also points for improvement; you do get three years of updates, these are not rolled out monthly and the OnePlus 8T is also smooth. A cover is therefore highly recommended.

Buy OnePlus 8T: Coolblue, T-Mobile, Amazon, OnePlus itself, Belsimpel and Mobiel.

Nokia 5.3

You might not have expected the Nokia 5.3 in this overview. Nevertheless, in our opinion it should certainly not be missing in the article with the best smartphone of 2020. The device has an excellent price-quality ratio, as we wrote in the review of the Nokia 5.3. Thanks to Android One, you are assured of updates for a long time and the device has a nice screen, a nice camera, good battery life and support for dual SIM with a memory card. The points for improvement in the Nokia 5.3 were a few minor bugs at the time of writing the review. They may have already been resolved. In addition, the quality of the wide-angle lens leaves something to be desired. You also have a complete and very nice device for around 180 euros.

Buy Nokia 5.3: Amazon, Coolblue, Bol.com, Belsimpel, MediaMarkt and Mobile.

Oppo Find X2

Earlier this year, Oppo presented its Find X2 series. The leather Find X2 Pro may have received the most attention. Our award goes to the Find X2 itself. Undervalued and just such a nice device with a good, fine-working camera, a nice screen, good sound quality and super-fast performance. In addition, Oppo has equipped the Find X2 with 65W charging with which the 4200 mAh is charged in 38 minutes. The Oppo had no real disadvantages, although the price is still on the high side with 899 euros today. You can find all our findings in the Oppo Find X2 review.

Buy Oppo Find X2: Coolblue, Mobile, Belsimpel and MediaMarkt.

Sony Xperia 5 II

The title of the Sony Xperia 5 II review was ‘Sony’s best smartphone yet?’. We could answer that question with ‘yes’ in the test and the Xperia 5 II certainly deserves a place in this article with ‘Best smartphones until 2020’. In terms of design, Sony may not be at the forefront, the device has a very extensive camera, a beautiful screen, a handy LED notification and a physical camera key. The battery life of the Sony Xperia 5 II is also fine. It is a pity that Sony remains vague about the update policy and that the camera is not the fastest. With the Sony Xperia 5 II you own a very nice device, a well-deserved award.

Sony Xperia 5 II buy: Coolblue, Bol.com, Mobile, MediaMarkt, T-Mobile and Belsimpel.

OnePlus Nord

OnePlus initially focused on the higher segment for an interesting price. Earlier this year, the OnePlus Nord, with 5G, was a favorable price in the upper middle segment. That was well received, as we wrote in the OnePlus Nord review. The smartphone is fully equipped; a good camera, nice screen, excellent price-quality ratio and of course the goodness of OxygenOS. You are also assured of updates for three years, although security updates will not appear monthly.

Buy OnePlus Nord: Coolblue, T-Mobile, Belsimpel and OnePlus itself.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

We were also enthusiastic about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro. In our Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro review we talked about the great battery life and the good camera. For a device in this price range, the camera also took very good photos in the dark. It is simply just an extensive device, although the own MIUI skin sometimes has some annoyances. Nothing is known about the update policy, which was a shame. Xiaomi has recently started updating to MIUI 12.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro: Coolblue, Bol.com, Mobile, Belsimpel, MediaMarkt and Amazon.

Moto G Pro

A brand that again released a lot of smartphones this year is Motorola. The device that has remained in our minds is the Moto G Pro, which we discussed in the review of the Moto G Pro. The eye-catcher is the stylus with which you can, for example, quickly take notes, but there is more. The camera does a good job, the device is fast and there is a set of stereo speakers. Another big advantage of the Moto G Pro is Android One. This means you are assured of Android updates for two years and security updates for three years. The device now costs just over 200 euros, and is (partly) therefore highly recommended.

Buy Moto G Pro: Bol.com, Coolblue, Mobile, MediaMarkt and Belsimpel.

Poco X3 NFC

Xiaomi and Poco are inextricably linked. In our Poco X3 NFC review, we have already discussed the device extensively. A well-deserved place in the DroidApp Awards with best smartphone of 2020. For around 200 euros you have a smartphone with excellent value for money. The camera does its job above average and we have also described the battery life as phenomenal. The update policy is still a point of attention. However, for this amount you will have a lot of fun with the device; especially after the interface has been improved a lot further with MIUI 12.

Buy Poco X3 NFC: Coolblue, Amazon, Bol.com, Belsimpel, MediaMarkt and Mobile.

Huawei Mate 40 Pro

In our Huawei Mate 40 Pro review we already wrote; this smartphone is equipped with great hardware. We would definitely be doing the smartphone short if this model did not appear in the list of ‘best smartphone of 2020’. It has a beautiful design, an insanely good camera, good sound, a nice screen and a very good battery. However, there is a major disadvantage, and therefore the Huawei Mate 40 Pro falls under the heading of ‘consolation prize’ in this article. Due to the sanctions from America, the device is not equipped with Google services. We discussed this extensively in the review. Can you live without Google Maps, Play Store and the like, then you really have a nice device.

Buy Huawei Mate 40 Pro: Huawei and Bol.com.

Which is the best?

All ten smartphones in this overview are all great smartphones. Due to the large price differences, it is difficult to identify one specific winner, because this is really different for everyone. For that reason, we have not opted for an article in which we show one device as the winner. The choices in this article are based on the opinions of the DroidApp authors responsible for devices and reviews. This way we can give you a good and honest picture.

Which is your favorite?