Editor's note: We will be updating this list of the best phablets regularly as new devices launch.
When the word "phablet" was coined several years ago, it was meant to showcase a few smartphones with extremely large displays — at least at the time. Indeed, some tech reviewers didn't care for this so-called mix of phone and tablet, complaining that consumers wouldn't be able to hold them correctly and they wouldn't fit into a normal pants pocket.
Those days are long gone. Consumers spoke with their wallets, and now the phablet is the preferred type of smartphone for many, perhaps most, mobile phone buyers.
Over the years, the definition of which phones would be in the phablet category has also changed. When it began, phones with a display as small as 4.8 inches were named among phablets. Today, that has changed, and mobile phones are now generally considered to be phablets if they have displays that are 6.3 inches or larger. And even now that term is starting to fall out of fashion as these sizes simply become the norm.
If you're in the market for a phablet, this is the post for you — check out the best ones available below.
Huawei P30 Pro
The P30 Pro is the best Huawei phone at the moment. It sports a large 6.47-inch QHD+ screen with curved edges, similar to the ones found on the Galaxy S10. It's powered by the latest Kirin 980 chipset, has an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a massive 4,200mAh battery that supports wireless charging.
The P30 Pro takes great pictures in low-light conditions.
What makes it special is its cameras. At the back, the phone features a super high-resolution 40MP standard lens, a 20MP wide-angle lens, and an impressively engineered 5x optical telephoto lens with 8MP. There's also a ToF 3D camera on board. The camera setup takes great pictures, especially in low-light conditions. You can check out dedicated P30 Pro camera review at the link to see some samples.
Like the rest of Huawei phones, the P30 was not released in the U.S. It's available on the old continent, where the entry-level model goes for 1,000 euros (~$1,115).
Specs
- 6.47-inch OLED display with 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 398ppi
- Kirin 980 chipset
- 8GB of RAM
- 128/256/512GB of storage, expandable up to 256GB via NM (Nano Memory)
- 40, 20, 8MP rear cameras + ToF (time-of-flight) sensor, 32MP front camera
- Non-removable 4,200mAh battery
- Android 9.0 Pie
- 158 x 73.4 x 8.4mm, 192g
Read more
- Huawei P30 Pro review: A phone with superpowers
- The best Huawei P30 and P30 Pro accessories
- Huawei P30 cameras: All the new tech explained
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
The display on the Galaxy S10 Plus measures 6.4-inches, is curved on the sides, and has a resolution of QHD+. It has a cutout in the upper-right corner, which houses the front-facing dual-camera setup. It's better than a notch in my opinion, although it's still not the best solution available.
The Galaxy S10 Plus is not only one of the best phablets out there, but it's also one of the best phones you can get. It packs top-of-the-line specs including the Snapdragon 855/Exynos 9820 chipset, up to 12GB of RAM, and a large 4,100mAh battery. The phone is also IP68 rated, has a headphone jack on board, and supports wireless charging as well as reverse wireless charging.
Of course, all these specs and features translate to a high price tag. The Galaxy S10 Plus starts at $1,000, with the high-end version featuring 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage setting you back $1,600.
Specs
- 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 3,040 x 1,440 resolution, 522ppi
- Snapdragon 855 or Exynos 9820 chipset — depending on the region
- 8/12GB of RAM
- 128GB/512GB/1TB of storage, microSD expansion up to 512GB
- 16, 12, and 12MP rear cameras, 10 and 8MP front cameras
- Non-removable 4,100mAh battery
- Android 9.0 Pie
- 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm, 175g (198g for ceramic model)
Read more
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review: Almost apex
- Galaxy S10 Plus vs Pixel 3 XL: The battle for Android's soul rages on
- The best Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus cases
Xiaomi Mi 9
What makes the Xiaomi Mi 9 one of the best phablets out there is a combination of high-end specs, a great design, and an affordable price tag. The phone's Full HD+ screen comes in at 6.39-inches and has a small waterdrop notch on top.
You can fully charge the Mi 9's battery in around 65 minutes.
The Xiaomi Mi 9 is powered by the latest and greatest Snapdragon 855 chipset and sports three rear cameras. It also comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner, wireless charging, and a 3,300mAh battery that can go from zero to 100 percent in around 65 minutes.
The global version of the phablet comes with 6GB of RAM and 64 or 128GB of storage, while users in China also get variants with 8 or 12GB of RAM and as much as 256GB of storage. Pricing starts at 450 euros, which translates to around $500.
Specs
- 6.39-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 403ppi
- Snapdragon 855 chipset
- 6/8/12GB of RAM
- 64/128/256GB of storage, non-expandable
- 48, 16, and 12MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,300mAh battery
- Android 9.0 Pie
- 157.5 x 74.7 x 7.6mm, 173g
Read more
- Xiaomi Mi 9 review: The latest flagship tech at a reasonable price
- Xiaomi Mi 9 vs Pocophone F1 quick look
- Xiaomi Mi 9 vs Xiaomi Mi 8: Fast track to improvements
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
The Note 9 sports a 6.4-inch curved display with QHD+ resolution and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The phablet is powered by the Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 chipset — depending on the region — and sports 6 or 8GB of RAM.
Read next: Samsung explains why Note 9 cooling system is better than ever
The entry-level model comes with 128GB of storage, while the beefed-up variant has 512GB of space. There's also a microSD card slot on board, allowing you to increase the storage for an additional 512GB. The Note 9 has a dual-camera setup on the back with dual aperture, packs a massive 4,000mAh battery, and is IP68 rated for protection against water and dust. It also comes with the S Pen, which now supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) that lets you control the handset's camera with the button on the stylus.
Although it's not the most expensive phone in Samsung's lineup, the Galaxy Note 9 still costs a lot of money. The 128GB variant goes for $1,000, while the 512GB model retails for a whopping $1,250 — get it via the button below.
Specs
- 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,960 x 1,440 resolution, 516ppi
- Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 chipset — depending on the region
- 6/8GB of RAM
- 128/512GB of storage, microSD expansion up to 512GB
- Dual 12MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
- Non-removable 4,000mAh battery
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm, 201g
Read more
- Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review: In praise of incrementalism
- The 5 features that make the Galaxy Note 9 great
- 7 things you can do with the Galaxy Note 9's Bluetooth S Pen
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a big phone, with its QHD+ display measuring 6.39-inches. It's curved on the sides and has a large notch on top, which houses the camera along with a few other sensors that enable 3D facial recognition. However, the biggest highlight of the phone is its triple-camera setup on the back, which takes great photos — even in low light.
The Mate 20 Pro sports a massive 4,200mAh battery.
The Mate 20 Pro offers great battery life thanks to its massive 4,200mAh cell. It supports wireless charging as well as reverse wireless charging, which is a nice feature on paper but painfully slow in real life. The phone also has an in-display fingerprint scanner, is IP68 rated for protection against water and dust, and supports expandable storage via Huawei's proprietary Nano Memory card.
Huawei's phablet is available in a lot of regions including Europe, where it launched for around 1,000 euros (~$1,140) back in October. However, it's price has decreased since. The phone was not released in the U.S., although you can get the international model on Amazon.
Specs
- 6.39-inch AMOLED display with 3,120 x 1,440 resolution, 538ppi
- Kirin 980 chipset
- 6/8GB of RAM
- 128/256GB of storage, expandable up to 256GB via NM (Nano Memory)
- 40, 8, 20MP rear cameras, 24MP front camera
- Non-removable 4,200mAh battery
- Android 9.0 Pie
- 157.8 x 72.3 x 8.6mm, 189g
Read more
- Huawei Mate 20 Pro review: The best phone for power users
- Here are the top 5 Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro features
- Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro vs the competition
OnePlus 6T
The OnePlus 6T features a large 6.41-inch display with a waterdrop notch that's approximately 75 percent smaller than the one of its predecessor. The handset comes with high-end specs including the Snapdragon 845 chipset and 8GB of RAM. There's even a special McLaren Edition available that bumps the RAM up to 10GB.
OnePlus' phablet comes with a dual-camera setup on the back, a 3,700mAh battery that goes from zero to 100 percent in about 80 minutes, and up to 256GB of storage. However, it's missing an official IP rating, wireless charging, and a headphone jack.
The OnePlus 6T offer great value for money, with the entry-level version retailing for $550. Pricing goes up to $700 for the high-end McLaren Edition.
Specs
- 6.41-inch AMOLED display with 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 402ppi
- Snapdragon 845 chipset
- 6/8/10GB of RAM
- 128/256GB of storage, non-expandable
- 16 and 20MP rear cameras, 16MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,700mAh battery
- Android 9.0 Pie
- 157.5 x 74.8 x 8.2mm, 185g
Read more
- OnePlus 6T review: Fundamentally great (Video)
- OnePlus 6T specs: Everything you wish the OnePlus 6 was (but the headphone jack)
- OnePlus 6T vs OnePlus 6: The many differences (and many similarities)
Google Pixel 3 XL
The last phone on our list of the best phablets is the Pixel 3 XL, which sports a 6.3-inch display with a gigantic notch. It's one of the best — if not the best — phones for photography, despite only having a single camera at the back. It takes fantastic photos, even in low light, thanks to Google's Night Sight technology.
What makes the Google Pixel 3 XL one of the best phablets is its fantastic camera and a great software experience.
In addition to the camera, the Pixel 3 XL's other very popular feature is its software experience. It runs a stock version of Android, which means no bloatware and super-fast updates. The phone also offers high-end specs including a Snapdragon 845 SoC, 4GB of RAM, and wireless charging. The Active Edge feature is also on board, which lets you launch Assistant by squeezing the edges of the phone.
The Pixel 3 XL doesn't have a headphone jack, which is almost the new standard for flagships these days. The entry-level version with 64GB of storage goes for $900, while the 128GB variant can be yours for $1,000.
Specs
- 6.3-inch P-OLED display with 2,960 x 1,440 resolution, 523ppi
- Snapdragon 845 chipset
- 4GB of RAM
- 64/128GB of storage, non-expandable
- 12.2MP rear camera, dual 8MP front cameras
- Non-removable 3,430mAh battery
- Android 9.0 Pie
- 158 x 76.7 x 7.9mm, 184g
Read more
- Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL review: The Android iPhone
- Speed Test G: Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs Google Pixel 3 XL
- Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL: Here are all the new camera features
These are the best phablets you can currently buy in our opinion, although there are plenty of other great models to choose from. These include the Honor View 20, Sony Xperia 1, and LG V40 ThinQ. Which ones would you add to the list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!2
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