Best phones to buy with a headphone jack in 2021

I consider myself a bit of an audiophile, and as such, I own numerous pairs of headphones. Unfortunately, in looking through all of my headphones, a few of my favorite pairs are only offered in a wired connection.

That’s why nothing makes me sadder than the almost universal removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack in smartphones. This is especially apparent across flagship devices, as they’re pretty all-in with Bluetooth-only options. Never fear, there are still some quality smartphones out there with the headphone jack.

We’ve rounded up some of the best of them and are happy to share them below.

Pixel 5a

First up, is the Pixel 5a with 5G, one of the most affordable, and arguably one of the best phones available in 2021.

Google has really found its stride with its A-series lineup by offering good performance, guaranteed updates, long battery life, a clean user experience, and a fantastic camera at a reasonable price.

Plus, we can’t forget it also includes the headphone jack making this one of the best all-round phones to buy for general users.

Key specs:

Display: 6.34-inch 2400 x 1080 OLED
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB
Cameras: 12.2MP f/1.7 main, 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide
Battery: 4,680 mAh
OS: Android 11

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Asus ROG Phone 5

While nearly every flagship smartphone has dropped the headphone jack, gaming phones are some of the last holdouts when it comes to getting the best specs and retaining this elusive port.

The Asus ROG Phone 5 is currently one of the best gaming phones you can buy, and that also makes it one of the best phones with a headphone jack.

Besides offering a 3.5mm port, the ROG Phone 5 sports blazing fast specs, a high refresh rate display, a massive battery, two USB-C ports, customizable gaming buttons, and more.

Basically, this is one of the fastest phones on the market that still features a headphone jack, but it won’t come cheap.

Key specs:

Display: 6.78-inch 144Hz 2448 x 1080 AMOLED panel
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM: 8GB, 12GB, 16GB variants
Storage: 128GB and 256GB variants
Cameras: 64MP f/1.8 main, 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide, 5MP f/2.0 macro
Battery: 6,000 mAh
OS: Android 11

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RedMagic 6

The Nubia RedMagic 6 is another gaming phone with stellar specs and a headphone jack. Along with its large 6.8-inch 165Hz display, it packs the Snapdragon 888 and up to 12GB of RAM.

In our review, I found it to be an extremely snappy phone with great performance but a little weak in the software and camera department. Regardless, if you need a headphone jack and top-of-the-line specs, the RedMagic 6 gives them to you at a bargain price.

Key specs:

Display: 6.8-inch 165Hz 2400 x 1080 AMOLED panel
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM: 8GB and 12GB variants
Storage: 128GB and 256GB variants
Cameras: 64MP f/1.8 main, 8MP f/2 ultra-wide, 2MP macro
Battery: 5,050 mAh
OS: Android 11

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Asus Zenfone 8

If you’re looking for a smartphone with top-end specs and a headphone jack without the gaming flare, then the Asus Zenfone 8 has you covered.

It comes with a compact design, for these days at least, featuring a 5.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, the Snapdragon 888 SoC, and up to 16GB of RAM.

The only real drawback to this fun-sized flagship is the lack of a telephoto camera on the back. At least it still gives you a wide and ultra-wide option though.

Key specs:

Display: 5.9-inch 120Hz 2400 x 1080 Super AMOLED panel
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM: 6GB, 8GB, 12GB, and 16GB variants
Storage: 128GB and 256GB variants
Cameras: 64MP f/1.8 main and 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide
Battery: 4,000 mAh
OS: Android 11

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Samsung Galaxy A52

Samsung may have nixed the headphone jack in its big flagship devices, but at least the mid-range lineup is still holding strong.

The Samsung Galaxy A52 is one of the best mid-range phones out there offering some real bang for your buck with a large high refresh rate display, a quad camera layout on the back, a Snapdragon 720G, and up to 8GB of RAM.

Key specs:

Display: 6.5-inch 90Hz 2400 x 1080 Super AMOLED panel
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
RAM: 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB
Storage: 128GB and 256GB variants
Cameras: 64MP f/1.8 main, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 5MP macro, 5 MP depth-of-field
Battery: 4,500 mAh
OS: Android 11

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Xiaomi Poco M3

Last but not least, is the Poco M3 which aims to give you more for less. Poco is a spin-off from the Xiaomi brand for budget smartphones with great specs for the price.

The Poco M3 has a price starting under $200, making it the most affordable phone on our list featuring a headphone jack. For that price, you get a smartphone with three rear cameras, a large 6.53-inch display, a massive 6,000mAh battery, and a Snapdragon 662 SoC with up to 6GB of RAM.