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The best phones with a headphone jack
Trends are made for bucking, and no trend needs to disappear faster than removing the headphone jack. We see so many headlines about phones losing their 3.5mm jacks these days. There is no need to fret; many great Android phones with headphone jacks still exist. Here are the best ones.
The best phones with a headphone jack:
Editor’s note: As new devices launch, we will regularly update this list of the best Android phones with a headphone jack.
Sony Xperia 1 V
Finding a phone with a headphone jack is already hard enough. Coming across a good high-end one is even more complicated. This is what makes the Sony Xperia 1 V such a special phone.
The Xperia 1 V comes with all the great benefits of a modern high-end device. The construction and design are both solid and elegant. You’ll also get premium performance, as it launched with some of the latest and greatest internals. It also has a great camera system, even if it doesn’t beat some of the flagships from Apple, Samsung, or Google. We still love its advanced manual controls, super-fast autofocus, and other video features.
Battery life is also great. We were able to make a full charge last over a day with heavy use, and up to two days when using it lightly. Overall, this is definitely one of the best phones with a headphone jack, as well as one of the top contenders overall.
We had a few complaints in our Xperia 1 V review, though. Mainly, we wish there was an update promise, and the charging is pretty mediocre at 30W. This wouldn’t be so bad if the phone wasn’t so expensive, starting at $1,400.
We know that price is a bit hard to swallow. Thankfully, Sony has another great device with a 3.5mm headset jack. The Xperia 5 V ($799.94 at Amazon) has a $1,000 price. It is still expensive, but it is a competent device.
Xperia 1 V specs:
- Display: 6.5-inch, 4K
- Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 256/512GB
- Cameras: 48, 12, and 12MP
- Front camera: 12MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Software: Android 13
ASUS ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro
If you’re looking for one of the best gaming phones, it’s hard to beat the ASUS ROG Phone 8 series. This includes the ASUS ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro.
All things considered, both devices are very similar. They both feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, a nice 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, an identical triple-camera system, and a 5,500mAh battery with 65W charging. They also offer plenty of RAM; the ROG Phone 7 offers your pick between 12GB and 16GB, while the ROG Phone 8 Pro is available with 16GB or a whopping 24GB of RAM. Of course, all these great specs make these some of the best phones with a headphone jack.
There are some slight differences to keep in mind, though. The Pro version has a Mini-LED matrix light set in the back for added flare. The base version has an illuminated ASUS logo instead. Both also offer pressure-sensitive zones that act as shoulder triggers.
ROG Phone 8 specs:
- Display: 6.78-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- RAM: 12/16GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Cameras: 50, 13, and 32MP
- Front camera: 32MP
- Battery: 5,500mAh
- Software: Android 14
ROG Phone 8 Pro specs:
- Display: 6.78-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- RAM: 16/24GB
- Storage: 512/1,024GB
- Cameras: 50, 13, and 32MP
- Front camera: 32MP
- Battery: 5,500mAh
- Software: Android 14
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
If you want a good, affordable handset that’s also one of the best phones with a headphone jack, the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is definitely up there. It’s Samsung’s entry-level handset with a price point just a hair under $200.
Aside from the handy headphone jack, you will get a nice 6.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Dimensity 6100+ chipset, up to 8GB of RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery. Charging is not impressive at 25W, it has no wireless charging, and features no IP rating. With that price point, though, you can’t really complain about these things.
Galaxy A15 5G specs:
- Display: 6.5-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Dimensity 6100+
- RAM: 4/6/8GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Cameras: 50, 5, and 2MP
- Front camera: 13MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Software: Android 14
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G
If the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G isn’t enough for you, there’s also the Samsung Galaxy A25. It is a slightly better budget phone, and it also happens to have a 3.5mm headset jack. Of course, you’ll also have to pay a slightly higher price of $300.
The extra Benjamin will get you a better Exynos 1280 processor, 6-8GB of RAM, a similar-sized screen with better 120Hz refresh rates, and an improved ultrawide 8MP camera. Otherwise, it’s almost the same phone as the Galaxy A15 5G.
Galaxy A25 specs:
- Display: 6.5-inch, FHD+
- SoC: Exynos 1280
- RAM: 6/8GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Cameras: 50, 8, and 2MP
- Front camera: 13MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Software: Android 14
ASUS Zenfone 10
Here’s another excellent value proposition coming from ASUS. The ASUS ZenFone 10 has a starting price of $700, but it competes with some phones that cost well over $1,000. It’s a different kind of high-end phone, though.
For starters, this is a smaller device, featuring a 5.92-inch display. While small, the display is pretty impressive, though, featuring a 144Hz refresh rate and gorgeous Super AMOLED panel. Not to mention, some prefer smaller devices.
The device is also a great performer, thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and 8-16GB of RAM. And we were also able to get a full day out of its battery, which is great for a phone this size.
Our only complaints in our ZenFone 10 review were that the phone gets hot, and it has no telephoto camera. We also wish the update commitment was improved, as ASUS only promises two major Android updates and four years of security updates. Otherwise, it is definitely one of the best phones with a headphone jack.
Zenfone 10 specs:
- Display: 5.92-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- RAM: 8/16GB
- Storage: 128/256/512GB
- Cameras: 50 and 13MP
- Front camera: 32MP
- Battery: 4,300mAh
- Software: Android 13
REDMAGIC 9 Pro and 9 Pro Plus
If you’re into gaming phones, here’s another proposition. The REDMAGIC 9 Pro and REDMAGIC 9 Pro Plus are very high-end devices for gaming and intensive tasks. They are definitely among the best phones with a headphone jack.
Performance will not be an issue. These devices come with powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processors. The REDMAGIC 9 Pro tops off at 16GB of RAM, while the Plus edition can take things up a notch, all the way to 24GB. The AMOLED displays measure 6.8 inches, and feature 120Hz refresh rates. And because these are gaming phones, you will also get built-in cooling and pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons.
The main difference is in the battery department. The REDMAGIC 9 Pro has a 6,500mAh battery, but it can “only” charge at 80W. The Pro Plus version has a 5,500mAh battery, but it can charge at a whopping 165W.
REDMAGIC 9 Pro specs:
- Display: 6.8-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- RAM: 8/12/16GB
- Storage: 256/512GB
- Cameras: 50, 50, and 2MP
- Front camera: 16MP
- Battery: 6,500mAh
- Software: Android 14
REDMAGIC 9 Pro Plus specs:
- Display: 6.8-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- RAM: 16/24GB
- Storage: 256/512/1,024GB
- Cameras: 50, 50, and 2MP
- Front camera: 16MP
- Battery: 5,500mAh
- Software: Android 14
FAQs
Headphone jacks are very convenient for wired headset users. Wired headphones are often much more affordable, and the more expensive ones tend to offer improved quality. At the very least, it’s always nice to have the option to use one. All that said, wired headphones are becoming much less common in the modern age. Many of us no longer bother getting wired headphones, as Bluetooth connectivity is reliable and convenient. Not to mention wireless headphones have become quite accessible.
Like everything regarding technology, the industry needs to evolve to newer alternatives. The headphone jack is becoming a less needed feature, and adding a 3.5mm headset jack costs manufacturers a bit more. They also take space, which is crucial in smartphones. These are already very small and packed with hardware. We can only assume headphone jacks will continue to become rarer.
Technically, yes, you can. There are USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack converters, and you can use them to add a headphone jack to a phone with USB-C. The problem is that these dongles often come with compatibility issues and don’t work with every single device out there. Some phones come with one in the box, ensuring compatibility. Try to make sure your phone is compatible with a dongle if you’re getting it from a third-party company, though.