Best Flagship Smartphones Bigger Than 6.5-inches
Flagship phones are getting flashier every year. With the fantastic combination of high-quality screens, three or more first-rate rear cameras, the best processors available in the market, and now 5G connectivity, these high-end devices are easy to recommend if you have the bucks to spend.
Just a few years ago, most phone displays were less than 5 inches and anything larger was termed a “phablet” (a portmanteau combining phone and tablet). Now, it’s much more difficult to find new phones that are smaller than 6 inches.
Why should I buy a big phone?
Big phones have a lot to offer – larger screens make gaming, watching videos, typing, and even simple Internet browsing much more enjoyable. Some people who don’t have laptops or tablets with them need as much screen real estate as possible.
Remember that a smartphone is within everyone’s reach. Nobody is without their smartphone these days. They could be caught without their tablet or laptop but never without their smartphone so it pays to get one that is easy to use particularly one with a big screen.
And more importantly: big phones always come with large batteries. While portable and wireless chargers are quickly becoming ubiquitous, a phone battery that will last through more than one day of use is still something most of us look for.
What are the best big flagship phones for 2021?
Most phone manufacturers offer flagship devices in multiple sizes to appeal to customers with different preferences. Many of these devices go up to 6.7- or even 6.9-inch displays, which is the current upper limit when it comes to phone size.
Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro Max (6.7-inch OLED, Super Retina XDR) is one of their biggest iOS phones to date.
Android, of course, offers a very wide range of big phones for all kinds of users. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and S20 Ultra both have 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz displays. The OnePlus 8 Pro (6.78-inch Fluid AMOLED, 120 Hz) carries OnePlus’s clean, near-stock Android software.
Asia-based manufacturers Oppo, Huawei, and Xiaomi offer flagships at more affordable prices but with all the similar flagship features.
Read on for an in-depth look at 10 of the best big flagships available right now.
Top 10 Best Flagship Smartphones with Bigger than 6.5-inch Display
All these flagship phones have wireless charging capability and 5G connectivity. We will only be noting the differences in processors, cameras, and battery sizes.
- iPhone 12 Pro Max 6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 120 Hz
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120 Hz
- OnePlus 8 Pro 6.78-inch Fluid AMOLED 120 Hz
- Sony Xperia 1 II 6.5-inch 4K OLED
- Asus Zenfone 7 Pro 6.67-inch Super AMOLED 90 Hz
- Nokia 8.3 5G 6.81-inch LCD
- Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G 6.67-inch LCD 144 Hz
- Oppo Find X2 Pro 6.7-inch AMOLED 120 Hz
- Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ 6.76-inch OLED 90 Hz
1. iPhone 12 Pro Max 6.7-inch OLED, Super Retina XDR (2778 x 1284 pixels)
- A14 Bionic chip
- 6 GB RAM, 128-512 GB storage
- 12 MP wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto rear cameras, 4K video
- 12 MP True Depth front camera, 4K video
- 3687 mAh battery
Apple’s latest and greatest iPhone also carries its biggest display ever. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch OLED display is immersive and offers the most color-accurate display in the market. It’s no trouble to read the screen even in direct sunlight.
Apple has always had the best phone cameras and the iPhone 12 Pro Max is no different. You can expect beautiful and crisp shots in broad daylight and even at night both stills and videos (with Dolby Vision). The A14 Bionic chip is Apple’s fastest, most efficient processor, providing almost 11 hours of battery life through a comparatively small 3687 mAh battery.
Also for the first time, the phone now comes with toucher ceramic shield, LiDAR sensor from the iPad Pro, 12MP TrueDepth front camera with Night Mode and 4K Dolby Vision recording as well as MagSafe. The later allows for faster wireless charging with compatible wireless charger and accessories that attaches to the body of the phone magnetically like card holders, protective case and holders.
2. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 120 Hz (1440 x 3088 pixels)
- Snapdragon 865+
- 12 GB RAM, 128-512 GB storage
- 108 MP wide, 12 MP ultra-wide, 12 MP telephoto rear cameras, 8K video
- 10 MP front camera, 4K video
- 4500 mAh battery
Samsung specializes in displays and their biggest non-foldable phone so far combines a Dynamic AMOLED Quad-HD screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. This makes for bright, true-to-life colors along with the smoothest scrolling experience you can find on a phone.
The Note 20 Ultra’s triple rear camera system delivers top-tier quality photos in any condition, with a manual mode that’s great for next-level photography. The 50x hybrid zoom on the telephoto lens is particularly impressive. The Snapdragon 865+ chip is the best in 2020, providing the best speeds even when multitasking and gaming.
3. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz (1440 x 3200 pixels)
- Snapdragon 865
- 12 GB RAM, 128 GB storage
- 108 MP wide, 48 MP telephoto, 12 MP ultra-wide rear cameras, 8K video
- 40 MP front camera, 4K video
- 5000 mAh battery
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra shares an almost identical display configuration with its Note 20 Ultra cousin. The only difference is that the Note 20 Ultra has a dynamic refresh rate that adjusts to what apps you’re using. With the S20 Ultra, you will have to switch between 60 Hz and 120 Hz manually. But the quality of their displays is the same: gorgeous colors and an immersive ultra-wide experience.
Samsung has some of the best cameras on the Android side of the aisle. You get top-tier photos using the S20 Ultra’s triple rear camera setup. The 100x Space Zoom in the periscope telephoto lens is a brand new feature as well. And the monster 5000 mAh battery will have no trouble handling up to two consecutive days of heavy use.
4. OnePlus 8 Pro 6.78-inch Fluid AMOLED, 120 Hz (1440 x 3168 pixels)
- Snapdragon 865
- 8-12 GB RAM, 128-256 GB storage
- 48 MP wide, 48 MP ultra-wide, 8 MP telephoto, 5 MP color filter rear cameras, 4K video
- 16 MP front camera, 1080p video
- 4510 mAh battery
OnePlus offers the best value among flagships – the OnePlus 8 Pro retails at $799. This newest flagship levels up their most contentious feature in previous years: camera quality. The 8 Pro’s quad-camera setup now delivers photos that can keep up with Samsung and Pixel phones.
The Snapdragon 865 chipset paired with the top-notch OxygenOS 11, OnePlus’s custom Android to offer a snappy and ultra-smooth performance. The 4510 mAh battery easily handles 18 hours of video playback and the Warp Charge 30T is the quickest phone charger around.
5. Sony Xperia 1 II 6.5-inch OLED (1644 x 3840 pixels)
- Snapdragon 865
- 8/12 GB RAM, 256 GB storage
- 12 MP wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto rear cameras, 4K video
- 8 MP front camera, 1080p video
- 4000 mAh battery
Sony’s flagship Xperia phone retains its flat, square-edged style and has a big and beautiful 6.5-inch OLED display. The Photo Pro camera app is lifted directly from Sony’s line of Alpha digital cameras. It allows for great manual control and delivers excellent photos.
The high-end Snapdragon 865 chipset with 8 GB of RAM and Sony’s stripped-down Android UI delivers excellent performance even while playing intensive games. The 4000 mAh battery easily lasts beyond one full day of heavy use.
6. Asus Zenfone 7 Pro 6.67-inch Super AMOLED, 90 Hz (1080 x 2400pixels)
- Snapdragon 865+
- 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage
- Motorized flip-up camera module: 64 MP wide, 12 MP ultra-wide, 8 MP telephoto
- 5000 mAh battery
Zenfone’s motorized Flip Camera setup first seen in the Zenfone 6 continues with the Zenfone 7 and now includes an 8MP 3x telephoto lens. All three cameras deliver excellent photos and the best part is you can use them to take great selfies and group shots. The uninterrupted Super AMOLED screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate gives an excellent and smooth visual experience. The 5000 mAh battery easily lasts over a day and the 30W charger can go from 0-100% in 1.5 hours.
7. Nokia 8.3 5G 6.81-inch LCD (1080 x 2400)
- Snapdragon 765
- 6-8 GB RAM, 64-128 GB storage
- 64 MP wide, 12 MP ultra-wide, 2 MP macro, 2MP depth rear cameras, 4K video
- 24 MP front camera, 1080p video
- 4500 mAh battery
The Nokia 8.3 stands as Nokia’s flagship offering in 2020, with all the high-end specs expected other than the Snapdragon 765 chip. It has 5G connectivity, which makes it future-proof. The 6.81-inch LCD screen is perfectly flat and displays bright, accurate colors. The quad-camera setup at the back features Zeiss optics and delivers excellent photo quality. The Snapdragon 765 chip is significantly cheaper than its 865 sibling, but its performance is nothing to sneeze at. There are no hiccups, even while playing intensive games. The 4500 mAh battery offers up to two days of battery life thanks to the efficient nature of the chip and clever power management.
8. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G 6.67-inch LCD, 144 Hz (1080 x 2400 pixels)
- Snapdragon 865
- 8 RAM, 128-256 GB storage
- 108 MP wide, 13 MP ultra-wide, 5 MP macro rear cameras, 8K video
- 20 MP front camera, 1080p video
- 5000 mAh battery
Xiaomi’s latest flagship matches its big display with a whopping 144 Hz refresh rate, delivering an unparalleled visual experience. The triple camera setup easily keeps up with the big guns offered by Samsung and Google, and at a much lower price, too. Performance is excellent with the Snapdragon 865 chip and 8 GB RAM. You’ll have no problem with battery life with its high capacity 5000 mAh battery and the 33W charger is lightning fast.
9. Oppo Find X2 Pro 6.7-inch AMOLED, 120 Hz (1440 x 3168)
- Snapdragon 865
- 12 GB RAM, 256-512 GB storage
- 48 MP wide, 13 MP periscope telephoto, 48 MP ultra-wide rear cameras, 4K video
- 32 MP front camera, 1080p video
- 4260 mAh battery
Oppo’s 2020 flagship has one of the best displays on the market today, with its immersive AMOLED display and 120 Hz refresh rate. Its cameras are top-notch and take photos that easily match Samsung in quality. Battery life is excellent and the 65W charger takes you to 100% in under 36 minutes.
10. Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ 6.76-inch OLED, 90 Hz (1344 x 2772)
- Kirin 9000 5G
- 12 GB RAM, 265 GB storage
- Penta-camera setup: 50 MP wide, 12 MP telephoto, 8 MP periscope telephoto, 20 MP ultra-wide, TOF 3D depth, 4K video
- Dual front camera: 13 MP ultra-wide, TOF 3D sensor, 4K video
- 4400 mAh battery
Huawei’s brand new Kirin 9000 5-nm chip delivers top-notch performance and much longer battery life. It’s a significant step above its direct competition, the Snapdragon 865. The curved-edge Horizon Display is striking and there’s software designed to offset any accidental palm touches. The Mate 40 Pro+ follows all its predecessors in delivering astounding quality photos even in almost pitch-black darkness.
Conclusion
Almost all the major phone manufacturers have released at least one big flagship this year, and they come in a wide variety of sizes.
If you’re looking for a big, beautiful phone display with high-end internal specs and features, then you’re spoiled for choice. These devices are all future-proof with 5G compatibility, wireless charging, the best available chipsets, and RAM that is excessive even on a laptop.
What will 2021 bring?
