The Best Smartphones That Come With a Standard Audio Jack
Once ubiquitous on all smartphones, the audio jack appears headed toward oblivion. Currently, the feature is only available on a handful of new smartphones, with high-end offerings being particularly rare. That’s why I set out on a fun, music-filled journey to discover today’s best phones that offer the old-school functionality.
Why Opt for an Audio Jack?
As convenient and awesome wireless headphones and earbuds have become, in terms of sheer audio fidelity, they can’t match wired products just yet. Today’s best-sounding, most expensive headphones from the likes of Audeze, Focal, and Sony are still toting cables.
After extensively comparing wireless and wired audio playback on smartphones, audio experts from SoundGuys concluded that “Bluetooth audio isn’t the best way to consume high-quality content.” However, they also noted that the sound quality of wireless headphones “is better than it ever has been,” and “good enough for most people.”
To sum things up, avid audiophiles need the audio jack, because playback of compression-free, lossless audio files — or streaming such content from Amazon Music HD, Qobuz, and Tidal — will be best enjoyed over a wired connection. Everyone else will be perfectly happy with wireless products.
What Else We Like About Audio Jacks
Not having to worry about battery levels and recharging is another cool bit that wired headsets bring. Because they lack a built-in battery, such products are also considerably more durable than their wireless relatives — I have wired headphones and earbuds in my collection that have been performing flawlessly since 2011.
And then there’s the matter of pricing of wired headphones and earbuds. They are considerably more affordable than wireless products with similar acoustic capabilities — you can find a ton of great options for $100 or less. When it comes to comparing them with similarly priced Bluetooth headsets, the wired products are all but guaranteed to sound better with the right hardware and audio content.
Now that you know why the audio jack is important, here are the best smartphones that have one. Because the audio jack is missing on all new iPhones from iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus onward, you will have to pick an Android device.
Our Top Pick
Google’s own Pixel 4a is our favorite option for most buyers, not only because it has a standard audio jack, but also because it is an all-around superb smartphone. It has an elegant design, solid hardware specs with performance to match, reliable battery life, a stellar camera, and the best Android user experience in the business, all at a fantastic price point.
With 128 GB of onboard memory, the Pixel 4a has plenty of space for digital audio files or offline playlists from your favorite streaming service. Stereo speakers are also on board in case you want to take a break from your wired headphones or earbuds.
Overall, the Pixel 4a is guaranteed to deliver a solid wired audio experience for just about everyone.
The 5G Pick
The LG Velvet is the best 5G smartphone with a standard audio jack for most consumers. Sleek and durable in equal measure, it delivers a top-tier experience with wired headphones and earbuds — hardly a surprise considering LG’s track record of making good phones with an audio jack for years. The Velvet is also available for Verizon Wireless users, as well as T-Mobile.
LG has equipped the Velvet with abundant storage that’s expandable via a microSD card slot — great news if you have a vast audio collection or like to download Spotify playlists for offline use. The smartphone also comes with an optional Dual Screen accessory, which will allow you to simultaneously use another app alongside your audio player.
The High-End Pick
The Xperia 1 II by Sony is the most feature-packed phone with a standard audio jack. Developed in collaboration with sound experts from Sony Music, it’s packed with hi-fi tech that includes an audio jack with excellent audio separation and imperceptible signal noise.
The Xperia 1 II also supports Hi-Res Audio playback (including wirelessly!), as well as Sony’s fancy 360 Reality Audio standard. Available on a multitude of wired and wireless Sony headphones, the latter will give you an even more immersive sonic experience after analyzing the shape of your ears. It’s available on Tidal and you can get 3 months’ worth of free streaming if you buy the phone.
Even more impressively, the Xperia 1 II has a sophisticated upscaling engine, which, when necessary, will drastically improve the quality of the content you are listening to. The handy feature is also found on Sony’s fantastic MP3 players.
In line with the expectations set by its price tag, the Xperia 1 II is also, sleek durable, and packed with top-tier hardware. Its triple camera and 4K OLED display are as memorable as the audio experience the phone brings.
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