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Which phone is best for Snapchat?

Which phone is best for Snapchat?

Snapchat is one of the most popular social media apps, with over 265 million daily active users. With Snapchat’s fun filters and social features, having a phone optimized for the app can make a big difference in your experience. But with so many smartphones on the market, which one is the best for Snapchat?

What makes a good Snapchat phone?

There are a few key factors that determine how well a phone will run Snapchat:

  • Camera quality – Snapchat is all about photos and videos, so a high-resolution rear camera with features like image stabilization produces better Snaps.
  • Selfie camera – Snapchat filters and lenses rely on a high-quality front-facing camera.
  • Display size and quality – With all the creative tools and visual content, a crisp, large screen shows off your Snaps.
  • Processor speed – Quick loading times for filters, lenses, Stories, and Discover content requires solid processing power.
  • Battery life – Heavy Snapchat use can drain your battery, so look for long battery life.

With those key things in mind, here are our picks for the top phones to use with Snapchat in 2021:

Best Snapchat Phones

iPhone 12 Pro Max

With its triple rear cameras, 12MP selfie camera, huge 6.7-inch OLED display, and Apple’s latest A14 Bionic chip, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the best Snapchat phone you can buy today. The rear camera system offers excellent image quality in any lighting, and shoots up to 4K video at 60fps. Night mode and Apple’s new sensor-shift optical image stabilization provide even better low light shots. Portrait mode creates beautiful background blur in photos and video.

The 12MP front TrueDepth camera enables Portrait mode selfies and Snapchat’s best AR lenses. Face ID is quick for unlocking your phone right into the Snapchat app. The bright, vivid 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display shows off Snaps in their full glory. Extensive color management gives photos and videos a true-to-life look. Performance is incredibly fast thanks to 6GB of RAM and the lightning-fast A14 Bionic processor.

Battery life is solid, providing up to 20 hours of video playback time. And iOS is highly optimized for Snapchat. Overall, the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s stellar camera array, best-in-class performance, Face ID, and excellent display makes it the top Snapchat phone.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Samsung packs some seriously powerful photography capabilities into their new Galaxy S21 Ultra. The rear camera system boasts a massive 108MP main camera, two telephoto lenses, and an ultrawide lens, enabling amazing flexibility for your Snapchat photos and videos. Especially noteworthy is the dual optical zoom lens that provides 3x and 10x optical zoom. Portrait mode photos come out looking professionally done.

The 40MP front-facing camera also captures super detailed selfies, and has improved auto-focus. Samsung’s new 108MP sensor, dual pixel autofocus, and Optical Image Stabilization provide significantly better image quality in any lighting conditions. 8K video recording is possible at 24fps. The S21 Ultra’s giant 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display has a sharp 1440p resolution and runs at a super smooth 120Hz. Performance is blazing fast thanks to the new Snapdragon 888 chip and 12GB of RAM.

The 5000mAh battery can easily provide over a day of use on a charge. OneUI’s Android skin is also highly optimized for Snapchat. If you want cutting-edge photography capabilities for Snapchat paired with excellent display quality and performance, the S21 Ultra is a top choice.

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro

While the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the ideal Snapchat phone, the regular iPhone 12 and 12 Pro also offer compelling upgrades for Snapchat users looking for great cameras and performance. Both pack in a similar 12MP triple camera system with Night mode and Apple’s new Smart HDR 3 software. You get excellent image quality across the board. The 12MP front TrueDepth camera includes Night mode for better low light selfies.

The Super Retina XDR displays on both models have a bright 6.1-inch size, HDR support, and industry-leading color accuracy. Chip performance is blazing fast with Apple’s A14 Bionic. And you get Face ID, all-day battery life, and the same tight integration with Snapchat as the 12 Pro Max. Unless you need the absolute largest screen and best camera zoom, the iPhone 12 or 12 Pro provide fantastic Snapchat capabilities for hundreds less.

Google Pixel 5

Google’s Pixel phones have always done more with less in terms of hardware, thanks to their advanced software processing. The new Pixel 5 continues this trend as a surprisingly good value Snapchat phone. It packs in the versatile 12MP rear camera from the Pixel 4 with Night Sight and ultimate Portrait mode. The 8MP front camera captures detailed selfies aided by Google’s HDR+ algorithm.

The Pixel 5’s OLED display measures 6-inches and has a smooth 90Hz refresh rate. Performance is fast thanks to the Snapdragon 765G chipset and 8GB of RAM. Battery life is very solid, lasting over 24 hours even with Snapchat’s heavy use. Android is also optimized to run Snapchat smoothly. At just $699 unlocked, the Pixel 5 provides outstanding Snapchat photo and video quality in a phone that costs hundreds less than other flagships.

OnePlus 8 Pro

OnePlus phones have always provided excellent performance and display quality for the money. With the OnePlus 8 Pro, they’ve significantly upgraded the camera quality with fantastic results for your Snapchats. The rear camera system includes a 48MP main camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a 48MP ultrawide camera, 8MP telephoto camera with OIS, and 5MP color filter camera.

It’s a highly versatile setup that performs similarly to more expensive flagships. The 16MP front camera takes sharp selfies. OnePlus optimized its OxygenOS software for better HDR processing and reduced shutter lag. The stunning 6.78-inch Fluid AMOLED display runs at an extra smooth 120Hz. Performance is true flagship-quality thanks to the Snapdragon 865 and up to 12GB of RAM. 30W wired charging gives incredibly fast top up times.

Considering its lower $899 starting price, the OnePlus 8 Pro stands out as an excellent value Snapchat phone if you want great display quality and cameras.

What about a budget phone for Snapchat?

You don’t need the most expensive flagship phone to have a good Snapchat experience. Here are some of our top budget picks:

iPhone SE (2020)

Apple’s 2020 iPhone SE packs the flagship A13 Bionic processor into a compact 4.7-inch iPhone 8 body. So you get blazing fast performance that can run Snapchat’s augmented reality filters with ease. The 12MP rear camera takes decent shots aided by Smart HDR. Selfies benefit from the 7MP front camera and Portrait mode.

Display quality is solid thanks to the Retina HD panel. At just $399, the iPhone SE 2020 is the most affordable way to get flagship-level power, great software integration, and a very pocketable size for Snapchat.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G

OnePlus cut some corners with the Nord N10’s display and build quality to reach an incredibly affordable $299 price. But performance is still very quick thanks to the Snapdragon 690 chipset and 6GB of RAM. The rear camera setup performs well for the price, with a 64MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide, and dedicated macro and depth sensors. OxygenOS also provides smooth Android software. If your budget is limited, the OnePlus Nord N10 provides the best balance of camera, display, and power for Snapchat.

Google Pixel 4a

Google’s Pixel 4a replicates the flagship Pixel camera and software experience in a $349 budget phone. You get the same 12MP rear camera with advanced HDR+ processing and Night Sight low light shots. Portrait mode adds artistic background blur. The 8MP selfie camera takes great photos with Portrait mode available. The OLED display is compact at 5.81-inches but looks good.

Performance is also solid thanks to the Snapdragon 730G chipset and Titan M security. Battery life is above average as well. If getting the best Snapchat photo quality on a budget is your priority, the Pixel 4a is a fantastic choice.

Conclusion

Snapchat is one of the most demanding social media apps due to its real-time AR effects, filters, and video chat features. Having a phone optimized for these experiences makes a big difference. The iPhone 12 Pro Max currently provides the best overall package of camera quality, display, performance, and tight software integration.

But Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra also shines with its next-level photography tools and gorgeous display. More affordable flagships like the regular iPhone 12/12 Pro, Google Pixel 5, and OnePlus 8 Pro offer excellent Snapchat-ready features for less. And budget picks like the iPhone SE 2020, OnePlus Nord N10 5G, and Google Pixel 4a prove you can get solid Snapchat performance without breaking the bank.