The Moto G9 Plus delivers a reasonable specification -- including good battery life, a large 6.8-inch screen and some nice customisation features and controls -- at a budget price.
This a competent budget 5G phone, but there are plenty of similarly-priced alternatives, and the OnePlus Nord, with its AMOLED screen, faster processor and 8GB of RAM, doesn't cost a lot more.
The Mate 40 Pro is well designed and built, has a great OLED screen and excellent cameras, delivers good battery life, and there are some nice features in EMUI 11. But it's hard to recommend without Google apps and services.
The 6.1-inch Xperia 5 II packs an updated specification into a more easily handled chassis than the 6.5-inch Xperia 1 II. The 21:9 OLED screen may not be 4K, but you do get a 120Hz refresh rate and a lower price tag.
This well-made 6.4-inch Snapdragon 720G-based phone offers excellent value for money, if you don't need 5G.
The OnePlus 8T is a solid mid-range 5G smartphone with two standout features: a sharp and vibrant 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with a fast 120Hz refresh rate; and 65W fast charging.
A screen with a super-fast 144Hz refresh rate, the top-end Snapdragon 865 chipset and a high-resolution 108MP main camera catch the eye. But check the lengthy list of what's not on offer with this large 6.67-inch smartphone.
Value for money is the draw with this Snapdragon 732G-based phone, which has a 6.67-inch 120Hz IPS screen, a large battery and internal storage up to 128GB.
Samsung's Galaxy A51 performs capably, has a large screen, strong battery life and looks good. It's worth shopping around though, as there's plenty of competition.
With great battery life, a large screen, some nice personalisation features and the future-proofing of 5G support, the Moto G 5G Plus is probably the best budget handset around right now.