What is the headphone jack?
The headphone jack (also known as a port) is used to connect wired headphones, earphones, aux cables, and more to your phone. You’ll usually find it at the bottom of your handset.
Though it used to be a fairly standard feature across all models, Apple removed the headphone jack from their iPhones since the 7 (replacing it with their own Lightning technology). Their decision started a wave across the telecommunications market, with other brands dropping the port too.
Some people liked the idea, while others mourned the loss of plugging in their wired accessories without having to buy extra adaptors. If you’re in the latter group, don’t worry, because we’ve got eight fantastic phone recommendations below - all of which still sport that much-loved headphone jack.
Samsung Galaxy A52
Samsung are one of the leading smartphone manufacturers, so it’s no surprise we have two of their models on our list today.
Though some of their newer designs have removed the headphone jack, the loyal A series continues to use the port. For affordable Samsung Galaxy phones under £400, check out our recommendations.
Price: £397.99
✔6.5 inch display provides a large, immersive visual experience, ideal for watching videos
✔Penta rear camera: 32MP, 64MP, 12MP, 5MP, 5MP will offer an avid photographer colourful, vivid, and detailed photos
✔Impressive 32MP front camera ensures selfies are clear and focused
✔Comes with 128GB internal storage, with a memory card slot for a microSD card to expand
✔Long-lasting 4,500mAh battery capacity
✔Water resistant rating to protect against accidental drops
Samsung Galaxy A32
Price: £248.99
✔Large 6.5 inch display makes activities like video chatting clear and easy
✔Triple rear camera: 13MP, 48MP, 8MP with a strong 48MP main lens means you can capture both landscape and portrait shots in clear beauty
✔13MP front camera is comparable to most iPhones
✔Comes with 64GB internal storage, with the option of expanding with a microSD card slot if it’s not enough for you
✔Large 5,000mAh battery life could last you for several days, depending on usage
✔Water resistant design
✔5G compatible
Google Pixel 5a
The Pixel 5a from 2021 is one of the more recent handsets to be released by Google. Some of their other ranges also benefit from the addition of a headphone jack, so if the 5a isn’t right for you, why not take a look at Google’s other phones?
Price: £450 - £500
✔Big and clear 6.34 inch display
✔Capable dual rear camera: 12.2MP and 16MP
✔8MP front camera with wide angle to capture everything around you
✔Comes with 128GB of internal storage
✔Long-lasting 4,680mAh battery life with fast charging 18W capability to get you back up and running again in no time
✔IP67 water resistant rating to withstand water submersion up to one metre for up to 30 minutes
✔5G compatible
Nokia XR20
Nokia have moved away from their classic clamshell designs to a more modern, sophisticated style of smartphone - without losing the much-needed headphone jack. Take a look at the specs on the XR20 to see if this Nokia model could be for you. If not, there’s plenty more to choose from.
Price: £395.99
✔Huge 6.67 inch screen is perfect for gamers and film fanatics
✔Dual rear camera with powerful 48MP main and 13MP secondary lens
✔Capable 8MP front camera
✔Comes with 64GB of internal storage for all of your apps, photos, and videos - and a memory card slot if you wish to expand
✔4,630mAh battery capacity
✔Water resistant rating
✔5G compatible
ASUS ROG Phone 5
A more specialised phone, the Asus ROG Phone 5 is a phone designed with gamers in mind. So if you’re in need of a huge screen, a speedy processor, and a long-lasting battery, this could be the perfect phone for you to plug your headset into.
Price: £799.99
✔Huge 6.78 inch display screen is perfect for watching videos, playing games, video chatting, live-streaming, and more
✔Triple rear camera: 64MP, 13MP, and 5MP for both wide shots and detailed, macro images
✔Impressive 24MP front camera provides vivid selfies and a clear picture for video calling
✔256GB of internal storage
✔Massive 6,000mAh battery capacity can last for several days without needing to be recharged, ideal for intense, battery-draining activities
✔5G compatible
Motorola G100
The creators of the first mobile phone, Motorola don’t usually fall behind on new trends, but, thankfully, they didn’t opt to remove their headphone port! Check out Moto G100’s specs below.
Price: £445.99
✔Big 6.7 inch screen with high resolution pixels for a detailed and colourful visual experience
✔Triple rear camera: 64MP, 16MP, 2MP
✔Dual front camera (16MP and 8MP) for impressive photos and videography
✔128GB of internal storage with a memory card slot for a microSD card to expand
✔Long-lasting and powerful 5,000mAh battery capacity for people who can’t always get to a plug socket
✔Water resistant design
✔5G compatible
Sony Xperia 1 III
Sony models can be a bit pricey, but they still have a lot to offer for those with a higher budget. With huge offerings of storage for all of your music, podcasts, audiobooks, and radio apps, the Sony Xperia 1 III could be the right choice for you.
Price: £1,100
✔6.5 inch display
✔Quad rear camera: 12MP, 12MP, 12MP, 0.3MP
✔8MP front camera
✔Choose between 256GB or a whopping 512GB of internal storage, with a microSD card slot for even more expansion
✔4,500mAh battery capacity with fast charging support
✔IP65/IP68 dust and water resistant rating
✔5G
TCL 20 5G
Perhaps a slightly lesser-known electronics company, TCL phones have a lot to offer and shouldn’t be ignored. Most of these phones still offer big displays, triple or more rear cameras, big storage capacities, impressive batteries, the all-important headphone jack, and 4G or 5G data for the speediest connectivity – all for a fraction of the price of other brands!
Price: £266.99
✔Huge 6.67 inch display for a clear, easy, and colourful view
✔Triple rear camera: 48MP, 8MP, 2MP for impressive landscape and portrait shots
✔Simple 8MP front camera for selfies
✔Big 256GB internal storage with a memory card slot for a microSD card to expand
✔4,500mAh battery capacity
✔5G compatible
Keep reading
There’s plenty of other handsets out there to satisfy your audio needs. Discover the best phones for playing music.
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