Most of us have got decent WiFi in our homes, but step out the front door and things can quickly fall apart. Mobile data can be patchy, and even when you’ve got a good signal, your phone might struggle to keep up. If your downloads take days, and your streams stutter, a phone with 5G could fix the problem. Our best 5G phone guide will help you find the right one.
Unlike much to do with gadgets, 5G is pretty simple to understand: it’s the fifth generation of technology used to send data to and from a mobile phone. There are three other things you need to know:
So exactly how much faster is 5G? Older 3G networks offer a typical download speed of around 8Mbps - enough to download a song in a few seconds. 4G is faster, with its average speed of around 36Mbps being just fast enough to support 4K video streaming. New 5G networks are managing 100-200Mbps, and the technology has the potential to get into the Gbps range. Even at today’s speeds, that means you could download an HD movie in less than five minutes.
Data speeds are typically measured in megabits per second (Mbps), with home and mobile connections ranging from about 2Mbps (very slow) to a few hundred Mbps (fast). Very fast connections might hit gigabits per second (Gbps). It’s important not to confuse these speeds with megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB) per second - when it comes to bandwidth, bytes are eight times faster than bits.
How fast are typical connections in practice? Take a 100MB app download. On a 2Mbps connection you’d be waiting nearly seven minutes. On the average 4G connection (36Mbps) you’d be done in less than 25 seconds. A good home fibre connection (72Mbps) is twice as quick. At 200Mbps, your 100MB download would be over in just four seconds.
While 5G isn’t essential for most users, it will accelerate your downloads and streaming if you live in a built up area with good coverage. Buy a 5G phone and you’ll also be future-proofing yourself, and ensuring you can sell it for a good price later. So, what are the best 5G phones available today?
Why buy? The best phone you can buy, full stop.
Forget 5G for a moment: the iPhone 18 Pro is simply the best smartphone money can buy, and of course it has blazing 5G built in. Its 6.3-inch ProMotion OLED runs at up to 120Hz, the A20 Pro chip is the fastest thing in any phone, and the camera system is Apple’s most capable yet.
On top of that you get class-leading battery life, up to 36 hours of video playback, a tough, water-resistant build, and years of iOS updates so it holds its value brilliantly.
It is expensive, but on 5G it absolutely flies and nothing else does this much this well. If you want an even bigger screen, the iPhone 18 Pro Max goes further still.
Why buy? Peak Android.
Want a top-tier 5G phone running Android rather than iOS? The Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung’s finest. It opens with a vast 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED, one of the best screens on any phone, with a 120Hz refresh rate and huge brightness.
Behind it sits the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, a 200MP-led camera that shoots anything, a long-lasting battery and the built-in S Pen that is still unique at this size.
Add fast 5G, IP68 water resistance and seven years of updates, and it is one of the best 5G Android phones you can buy.
Why buy? Incredible screen and camera.
Google’s biggest Pixel is the one to beat for screen and camera. Its 6.8-inch LTPO OLED is bright, sharp and runs at up to 120Hz, and the Tensor G6 chip powers Google’s genuinely clever AI photography and editing tricks.
The camera is up with the very best, the 5,115mAh battery is the largest in the Pixel range with fast 45W charging, and 5G keeps downloads and streams quick.
Clean software, seven years of updates and that superb camera make it a brilliant 5G flagship.
Why buy? A superb 5G phone for less than the Pro.
Don’t need the Pro? The standard iPhone 17 keeps most of what makes Apple’s phones great, including fast 5G, for a good deal less. It has a lovely 6.3-inch ProMotion display, the quick A19 chip and a strong dual-camera setup.
Battery life is excellent, the build is tough and water resistant, and you still get years of iOS updates to come.
For most people it is all the iPhone they need, and on 5G there is nothing slow about it. Want the cheapest way into a current iPhone? The iPhone 16e has 5G too.
Why buy? A cheaper 5G phone that still feels great.
You don’t have to spend flagship money for a great 5G phone. The Galaxy A57 5G pairs a lovely 6.7-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED with 5G, a capable 50MP camera with optical stabilisation and a big 5,000mAh battery with fast charging, from around £350.
It is IP68 water resistant, which is rare at this price, and Samsung backs it with up to seven years of updates, so it will stay current for years.
It won’t keep pace with a flagship in heavy games, but for everyday 5G it is superb value. Want to spend even less? The Galaxy A37 5G drops the price again.
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