Since Apple “courageously” removed the headphone jack with the iPhone 7, other (for reasons that are still up for debate), most other flagship smartphones have followed suit. After all, many of us use wireless headphones these days, and those who don’t can get by with a dongle. But those that prefer the old school experience don’t have to go without the 3.5 mm port; there are still powerful smartphones for sale that allow you to plug in your headphones directly, no dongle required. Here are some of the best options.
Sony Xperia 1 III offers a big price tag and big features
The Xperia 1 III from Sony is a smartphone that offers few compromises. It features a 6.5-inch, 120 Hz 4K HDR OLED display; Snapdragon 888 SoC; three cameras with four focal lengths and a dedicated shutter button; 5G connectivity; expandable storage; 4,500 mAh battery; and, of course, a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
It also comes with a big price tag, $US1,299.99 ($1,797). That price tag might be large, but so is the list of features you get with this phone. If you don’t want to water down your smartphone experience and get a headphone jack, it’s tough the beat the Xperia 1 III. That said…
ROG Phone 5 is a good way to save without giving up features
The ROG Phone 5 does not have a $US1,300 ($1,797) price tag. In fact, the phone costs less than $US680 ($940) on Amazon right now, putting it at about half the cost of the Xperia 1 III. As we said above, the Xperia 1 III doesn’t cost that much for nothing, but the feature list for the ROG Phone 5 is still quite competitive.
ROG stands for Republic of Gamers, and that’s who this phone is marketed toward. As such, you have an excellent 144 Hz 1080 x 2448 HDR OLED display with a Snapdragon 888; 5G connectivity; a triple-camera system with a 64 megapixel main camera and 8K video recording; a giant 6,000 mAh battery; and a headphone jack.
Of course, you don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy this phone — that high-refresh display is going to feel just as smooth scrolling through Twitter as it does when playing an intense racing game. But it helps when a smartphone’s manufacturer is thinking first and foremost about enthusiast features.
Pixel 5a is the newest kid on the block
This one’s just good timing. Two days before this article was published, Google announced the budget-friendly Pixel 5a with 5G. Not only does it have 5G, as its full name so helpfully informs us, but it also sports a headphone jack. Google is funny that way, since they removed the headphone jack from their flagship phones. Go figure.
Still, the 5a is a force to be reckoned with for the price. For $US449 ($621), you get a 1080p OLED display, Google’s excellent camera system, and a relatively large 4,680 mAh battery, in addition to the aforementioned 5G and headphone jack. While it’s not yet available to the public, the 5a is up for preorder.
Note: Australian pricing and availability for this product are still to be confirmed.
LG V60 is for those who want the best sound quality
LG has taken a step back as a major smartphone manufacturer. But when the company was in the game, it was in the game. Its phones were made with audiophiles in mind; when you plug your headphones into the headphone jack, it takes advantage of LG’s lauded DAC. Simply put, it helps to make your music sound much better than your average smartphone audio system.
The V60 offers that spectacular audio quality in tandem with other great features, like a 1080 x 2460 OLED display, expandable storage, 64 megapixel main shooter with 8K video support, and 5G. However, the big drawback is that the phone is stuck on Android 10. If you can live with a lack of updates, you can pick up this audiophile’s dream for just $US385 ($532) on Amazon.
Note: Australian pricing and availability for this product are still to be confirmed.
Samsung Galaxy S10 is the last flagship Galaxy with the jack
Yes, it’s true; the Galaxy S10 line is the last Samsung flagship to sport the headphone jack. Since its 2019 release, Samsung has moved on to the new industry “standard” of removing the port — but the good news is, you can pick up this still powerful 2-year-old device for cheap.
Amazon is selling the S10 refurbished for just $US225.50 ($312). That’s for a smartphone that still gets the latest Android/One UI updates and sports features like 1440p HDR10+ OLED display, expandable storage, triple camera system, and reverse wireless charging. If you want 5G, you can get that too, provided you spend a little more.
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G is midrange with a headphone jack
Like Google, Samsung still makes new phones with the headphone jack, just not their flagship devices. Still, the A71 5g holds its own in many categories. It has a large, edge-to-edge 6.7-inch 1080p OLED display, a quad camera system, and 4,500 mAh battery.
That said, there are drawbacks to going for a midrange device. For starters, the processor isn’t as powerful as the flagship phones, so while you get the latest Android/One UI updates, it won’t be keeping up with that software quite as well. It also isn’t IP68 water resistant, so you’ll need to be careful around the pool. But you can save compared to Samsung’s flagships and listen to your wired headphones to boot.
iPhone 6s is the best option if you must use iOS
Let’s say you need to be on iOS, but you still want a headphone jack. Well, seeing as every iPhone since late 2016 has omitted the headphone jack, your only real option is to turn to the iPhone that came out before that.
Luckily, the 6s is still receiving software updates (for now), so you’ll keep up with many of the newest features even running a phone from 2015. That said, it’s a phone from 2015 — it’s not going to sport the best of the best, and you’re only going to find a used or refurbished model. The same can be said for the 2016 SE, which sports the same A9 chip as the 6s.
Still, it’s an iPhone with a headphone jack. If that’s what you need, it does the trick — and you’ll be giving an old device a good home.
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