It gets tricky when you try to buy a used smartphone. Factors such as budget, camera, screen size, and performance always rush through your mind and confuse you while sealing a deal. In a situation like this, equipping yourself with knowledge about various products beforehand can give you an edge when making a judgment call. For this reason, we have compiled our list of the top 6 smartphones you should buy in 2021.
iPhone XS
iPhone XS launched on September 21, 2018. This smartphone device was released with improved performance and a slightly better camera as compared to its predecessor iPhone X which hit the market roughly 10 months before. The bathtub notch and the bigger screen were the highlighting features of the iPhone X lineup of devices. If you rank the device based on specifications, iPhone XS stands on the middle ground with iPhone XS Max and iPhone X coming on top and bottom, respectively.
This is why many prefer buying iPhone XS when it comes down to selecting the best-used smartphone from the iPhone X family. This smartphone has aged well, and has a promising shelf life if you buy it in used condition. This two-year-old smartphone, released at $999 MSRP, is easily available to buy in used but in immaculate condition for just $399.
Specs-wise iPhone XS comes in a 5.8-inch form factor with front and back Gorilla Glass panels. This IP68 dust and the water-resistant smartphone weighs only 177grams. iPhone XS comes with a single front-facing camera, two back cameras, and a single firing flash. The 12MP primary lens has an f/1.8 aperture and is 26mm (wide). The 12 MP secondary camera is a telephoto lens that has 2X optical zoom. Since iPhone X rocks a sizeable 2716 mAh battery, the only downside of the iPhone XS is its 2658 mAh battery capacity, which is not much but still, numbers matter.
Samsung Galaxy S9
Outside the realm of Apple devices and iOS platforms, Samsung Galaxy S9 is by far the leading choice in used smartphones to buy in the 2021 category. This Super AMOLED curve-edged smartphone packs a 5.8-inch screen size with 570 ppi density. Samsung Galaxy S9 released March 16, 2018 at $720 MSRP. If you are out searching for this smartphone in used condition, you can easily find one around $200-$250.
The sharpest screen technology, vivid, striking colors, and curve display make Samsung Galaxy S9 as the leading choice in the used smartphone of 2021 category. Of course, the android platform is just a cherry on top for tech-geeks who prefer open-firmware support of the platform. Be it gaming, shooting 4K videos, and capturing HDR images, Samsung Galaxy S9 has got you covered.
If we talk about specifications, this three-year-old smartphone can still live up to your expectations. Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with IP68 dust and water-resistant, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 with 83.6% screen-to-body ratio. The device came with Android 8.0 (Oreo), but you can upgrade it to Android 10, One. Exynos 9810 chipset and Adreno 630 GPU are the perfect duo for CPU or GPU intensive apps or for playing games in butter-smooth quality. Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with a single 12 MP back camera lens and LED flash. The front side has dual selfie cameras with a primary 8MP lens for capturing stunning images and a secondary dedicated 2MP iris scanner for face recognition. Samsung Galaxy S9 can record 1080p videos in 30, 60, and 240 fps and 4K videos in 30 and 60 fps. Its 3000 mAh battery is just about enough to last a complete day, and if it doesn't, you can always plug in the phone for quick juice as the smartphone supports the Quick Charge 2.0 feature.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is another favorite choice of consumers to buy a used smartphone in 2021. Since many consumers prefer the single-handed smartphone over the two-handed, for this reason alone, this device comes at third place in our list. By design choice, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 falls under Phablet category. This device rocks a massive 6.4-inch screen with an 83.4% screen-to-body ratio. The device shines in design department as it comprises of front and back Corning Gorilla Glass 5 surrounded by aluminum frame.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 comes with dual front and back cameras. The primary front camera lens comes in 8MP and 2MP iris scanner only. At the back of the device, you can find two 12 MP lenses. The main camera lens has an f/1.5-2.4 aperture and is 26mm wide with dual pixel PDAF technology. The secondary telephoto lens has an f/2.4 aperture and is 52mm wide.
The biggest selling point for Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was its sizable battery. The device released in August 24, 2018, was the first one to introduce a 4000 mAh non-removable battery. For this reason alone, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is still preferred two years after its release. If you search online or look at your nearest retail store, you can buy this used smartphone in 2021 for around $280-$330.
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 8 Plus is another iOS device worth buying in used condition in 2021. This nearly four years old device released on September 22, 2017. It was a faster, bigger, and better version of the iPhone 8. Its longest battery size was the striking feature why this device outsold its little brother. The phone came with dual cameras, a bigger screen size, and a battery. Consumers who want to jump into the iOS platform and enjoy the Apple experience should always look for a used iPhone 8 plus in 2021. You can find one in pristine condition for $280.
Specification-wise, iPhone 8 Plus weighs 202grams, 7.5mm thickness, and a 5.5inch LCD screen. This 2691 mAh battery-sized Apple device has front and back Corning Gorilla Glass and an aluminum frame surrounding the body. The downside of buying this device in 2021 would be its bigger upper and lower bezels. Despite packing a 5.5-inch screen, the device has a 67.4% screen-to-body ratio only.
The phone has a 12 MP main back camera and a 12MP telephoto lens to capture the perfect portrait photos. iPhone 8 Plus, till today, performs great while playing games or running heavy video or photo editing apps. It does get a little hot, though.
Google Pixel 3XL
Google, since its first Pixel smartphone, struggled to compete with the big players like Apple and Samsung in the smartphone market. Google perfected their stock-android experience with Pixel 2 series and Google Pixel 3XL was its first flagship phone which stood head-to-head with the competitors. This smartphone is much refined and a better version of Pixel 2XlL in terms of system software and hardware. Google Pixel 3 XL released first in October 2018. It is a perfect smartphone if you are looking for a great camera experience. You can easily buy this smartphone in 2021 for around $160-$190.
Google Pixel 3XL weighs 184g, and has a 6.3-inch P-OLED, HDR-enabled display. The device supports upgrades up to Android 11. At the front, you can see a bath-tub notch and dual camera setup. The primary front-facing camera is a 8MP sensor and the secondary one is 8MP ultra-wide lens. Google Pixel 3XL comes with a single main camera and dual LED Flash. The main camera packs feature such as dual-pixel PDAF, OIS Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, and panorama. The device does not shy in the battery department. Under the hood, Google Pixel 3XL has a 3430 mAh battery, and the smartphone also supports 18W fast charging.
LG G8 ThinQ
For quite some time, smartphones from LG does not receive as much attention as they should. But this changed when the company released LG G8 ThinQ. This flagship smartphone by LG released in February 2019 at $850. The exciting feature of LG G8 ThinQ was its slimmer, one-hand use design, 167g weight, and triple camera setup. If you never bought an LG device before, you should prioritize buying this one first. LG G8 ThinQ in used condition is available only for around $150.
The smartphone sports a tall 6.1-inch screen and comes with 16MP 4K main camera, 6GB RAM, and a 3500 mAh battery.
Sell Your Used Phone at Gizmogo
Now that you know more about the top 6 used smartphones to buy in 2021, are you ready to upgrade? Why not get cash for your old phone by selling it to Gizmogo today? We offer max cash and pay within 24 hours. Plus selling your phone to use means e-Waste in our landfills. Lowering the number of electronics entering the waste stream and improving end of life handling is essential for building a more circular economy, where waste can be reduced, resources are conserved, and fed back into the supply chain for new products.