Best 5G phones in Australia

The best 5G phones ranked

1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
2. Motorola Moto G 5G Plus
3. Apple iPhone 12
4. Vivo X60 Pro 5G
5. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
6. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
7. Oppo Find X3 Neo

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

A superb-all round premium phone with great 5G performance

Finder Score:

★★★★★

Read Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G Review

Pros

• Superb 120Hz display
• Great camera array
• S-Pen Compatibility

Cons

• S-Pen/Charger/Headphones aren't included
• Galaxy S22 isn't that far away
• Exynos version slower than US Snapdragon model

Why we chose it

It should be no surprise that our pick for the best flagship right now is also the pick for the best 5G phone.

That's because 5G is just one part of the overall phone story, and if you want plenty of processing speed and sharp and easy to use cameras to go with your next-generation mobile network access, then the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is an easy, if not inexpensive recommendation.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G review

Motorola Moto G 5G Plus

5G access without the hefty hardware price tag

Finder Score:

★★★★★

Read Motorola Moto G 5G Plus Review

Pros

• Snapdragon 765G and 5G at a lower price point
• Multi camera array
• Large 90Hz capable display

Cons

• Side fingerprint sensor doesn't always work
• Macro camera struggles to focus
• Battery life could be better

Why we chose it

The days when you had to spend well north of $1,000 for a 5G handset are well and truly over. There's a wide array of decent 5G capable handsets to pick from in the mid-range, typically leveraging one of Qualcomm's lower-end 5G-ready chipsets. The Motorola Moto G 5G stands out thanks to its appealing price point and the inclusion of a 90hz display for smoother scrolling – so you can grab your social media feeds faster on 5G and whip through them in a visually pleasing way.

Read Finder's full Motorola Moto G 5G Plus review

Apple iPhone 12

Apple's first 5G phone is fast and very powerful

Finder Score:

★★★★★

Read Apple iPhone 12 Review

Pros

• Camera gives better low-light shots
• Apple A14 Bionic runs ludicrously fast
• Improved Ceramic Shield glass

Cons

• Dual cameras on a flagship is a little odd
• No charger or headphones included
• Battery life is still low for a premium priced phone

Why we chose it

Yes, Apple does finally make a 5G capable handset. While you've got the full range of size choices to pick from, we'd suggest that the iPhone 12 is the best of the bunch. That's because it's still moderately priced – by Apple standards – with the same processor and essential power of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but without quite the camera finesse or battery life. That could be a concern if 5G is one of your core decision points, because little saps a phone's battery faster than heavy 5G network usage.

Read Finder's comprehensive Apple iPhone 12 review

Vivo X60 Pro 5G

A flagship 5G phone that forgets to charge you a premium price

Finder Score:

★★★★★

Read Vivo X60 Pro 5G Review

Pros

• Great performance
• Good cameras
• 3 years of Android updates
• Good price point

Cons

• No storage expansion
• No wireless charging
• No water resistance
• Annoying camera watermark

Why we chose it

Vivo's a brand with a relatively small profile in the Australian marketplace. Most of its phones tend towards the budget and mid-range, but the X60 Pro 5G is something different. It packs in a 120Hz capable AMOLED display, gimbal stabilised camera and of course 5G compatibility into a phone that's markedly cheaper than most competing flagships.

There are some compromises along the way. You don't get wireless charging or any level of rated and tested water resistance, for example. Still, if you're after premium Android performance in a 5G handset without the sticker shock, the Vivo X60 Pro 5G is a wise choice.

Want to know more? Finder's full Vivo X60 Pro 5G review has everything you need to know.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

Samsung's best features in a 5G handset, sans price tag

Finder Score:

★★★★★

Read Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G Review

Pros

• Great cameras for the price
• 5G version has a nice fast processor
• Wide range of colour choices

Cons

• 4G model isn't as nippy
• Average battery life
• Plastic body

Why we chose it

The Galaxy S20 FE was our favourite Samsung phone of 2020 – or to be precise, the 5G model was. You do have to be careful here, because there's two distinct models of the S20 FE, and only one of them is 5G capable. That model has the same excellent cameras and enjoyable Android experience as the 4G only variant, but a better process and (naturally) 5G access built in. While it's an older handset now, that typically just means it can be yours at an even finer price point, which further sweetens the picture.

Find out why we liked the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE so much in our full review.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

A powerful Apple 5G handset

Finder Score:

★★★★★

Read Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max Review

Pros

• Best cameras in any iPhone to date
• A14 processor is very powerful
• Good battery life
• IP 68 water resistance and ceramic shield glass

Cons

• Very expensive
• Heavy and large
• iOS doesn't make the most of a large screen
• Aussies don't get the best 5G options Apple can make

Why we chose it

The current Apple flagship is a superb phone in its own right. Its camera array makes it effortless to get some really stunning photos with ease, and the power of Apple's A-series processors is without peer. Its larger size even allows it good battery life, although as always with 5G handsets you've got to take that extra battery drain into account.

So why is it so low in the list right now? Partly it's due to the fact that Apple is one of the few firms making a dual sub-6/mmWave phone, but that model of the iPhone 12 Pro Max explicitly isn't sold in Australia at all. It's also down to its high asking price – which is why we place the similarly 5G-capable iPhone 12 above it – and finally to the fact that we're only a matter of months away from the reveal of the iPhone 13 Pro Max. If you can hold your ground until then, that should be an even better option.

Read Finder's full iPhone 12 Pro Max review.

Oppo Find X3 Neo 5G

5G, Quad Cameras and a fine price make for a great handset

Finder Score:

★★★★★

Read Oppo Find X3 Neo 5G Review

Pros

• Good camera quality
• 90Hz display
• Good app performance

Cons

• Battery life could be better
• Lacks water resistance
• ColorOS is intrusive with lots of permissions

Why we chose it

Oppo's genuine flagship phone is the Oppo Find X3 Pro, but we prefer the more affordable and appealing Oppo Find X3 Neo. That's not just a matter of price point either, as the quad camera array on the Neo is more generally useful than the Find X3 Pro's clever-but-often-useless microscope camera anyway. The one big catch here in 5G terms is that the Find X3 Neo's battery life isn't great even in 4G situations, so if you need heavy 5G data usage, be ready to top its charge up. Thankfully it's compatible with Oppo's ridiculously swift VOOC charging standard, so this doesn't take long.

Check out Finder's full Oppo Find X3 Neo review

Methodology

150+
Phones reviewed

10,000+
Hours spent testing

7
Best 5G phones ranked

• We've spent thousands of hours testing mobile phones.
• Our editorial team has a combined 60+ years of experience writing about tech and reviewing the latest devices.
• The phones on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not based on commercial relationships.

• Why you can trust our picks

  5G as a network technology is one that we've covered and written about for many years, but the reality is that it's still a technology in its infancy in terms of network rollouts and device availability.
  
  The reality for 5G right now is that the big three networks – Telstra, Optus and TPG/Vodafone – are still building out their 5G networks largely using sub-6Ghz frequencies. We're starting to see limited rollouts of faster mmWave networks as the telcos gain access to spectrum, but there's still very few mmWave capable devices available to everyday Australian consumers.
  
  The vast majority of 5G phones you can buy right now are typically not capable of the faster 5G we should see out of mmWave 5G. Still, there's some logic in picking up a 5G phone now because it'll keep you up to date with networks over the next 5-10 years at the very least.
  
  It's also really important to note that 5G isn't and shouldn't be the defining factor that decides the "value" of a phone, especially right now as 5G networks are still coming on line. So far, we've seen 5G handsets built on a handful of chip designs, mostly from Qualcomm with just a few MediaTek and Huawei designs to provide a point of difference.
  
  As such, actual 5G network performance on these phones is generally far more dependent on prevailing network conditions than the handsets themselves.
  
  We've chosen our list based not only on the inclusion of 5G in a phone but also on what other features it brings to market to justify its existence. When the first 5G phones launched, they were premium-priced models only, but we're now seeing an expanding number of mid-range 5G capable options.
  
  Both Qualcomm and MediaTek have 5G chipsets and modems available to cover both the premium and mid-range markets, although we're yet to see a real "budget" 5G handset. That will come with time, or possibly just as the older models get cleared out of retailer inventories at serious discount prices.
  
  While we wait for the influx of mmWave capable devices, it's quite likely that we'll see the differentiating point between the premium and mid-range 5G phones split on that mmWave/sub 6Ghz question. The cheaper phones will likely stick to simpler and lower cost sub-6Ghz only modems, while the premium models will offer best in breed – and best at speed – mixed sub-6Ghz/mmWave modems instead.

  
  We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. However, Finder may receive compensation when you click some links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners and why you can trust our guides.