A phone with an IR blaster can double as a universal remote, allowing you to control various electronic devices in your home such as a TV. Unfortunately, phones with IR blasters aren't as common as they used to be. Companies like Samsung and HTC have more or less ditched it altogether, but you can still find it on a few handsets from Chinese brands.
If you're in the market for a phone with an IR blaster, keep reading. You'll find a few best ones below, announced either this year or in 2017.
Huawei P20 Pro
Huawei's P20 Pro is one of the most powerful Android phones you can get right now. Announced in March, it packs the Kirin 970 chipset along with 6GB of RAM under the hood. It's the first phone to sport a triple-camera setup on the back, with a 40MP RGB sensor, a 20MP secondary monochrome sensor, and an 8MP telephoto lens.
The device also comes with a 6.1-inch Full HD+ display, a massive 4,000mAh battery, and, of course, an IR blaster. It looks and feels stunning due to its metal and glass construction and thin bezels. It also has a notch, which not everyone loves. It also doesn't support expandable storage or have a headphone jack.
Huawei's flagship runs Android 8.1 Oreo with the EMUI skin on top. It supports facial recognition, although the front-mounted fingerprint scanner is a much safer option. It's also IP67 rated for protection against water and dust, and comes with 128GB of storage. The smartphone is already available in a number of markets, with the U.S. not being one of them. You can get it for around 900 euros in Europe (~$1090).
Specs
- 6.1-inch OLED display with 2,240 x 1,080 resolution, 408ppi
- Kirin 970 chipset
- 6GB of RAM
- 128GB of on-board storage, not expandable
- 40, 20, and 8MP rear cameras, 24MP front camera
- Non-removable 4,000mAh battery
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- 155.0 x 73.9 x 7.8mm, 180g
Read more
- Huawei P20 Pro review: The Galaxy S9 killer
- Huawei P20 vs P20 Pro: Do you need the triple camera?
- What is the Huawei P20's Hybrid Zoom?
- Paris through the eyes of the Huawei P20 Pro
Honor View 10
The View 10 is a high-end smartphone that offers a fantastic price-performance ratio. It comes with a 5.99-inch Full HD+ display, the Kirin 970 chipset (like the P20 Pro), 4 or 6GB of RAM, and a price tag of just $500.
In addition to an IR blaster, the smartphone also features a 3,750mAh battery, a headphone jack, and a dual-camera setup. Thanks to the chipset's NPU, the camera also has a number of AI capabilities on board. It can recognize objects and scenes in a photo like sunny days, greenery, and even animals, and then adjust its settings to make the image look better.
The smartphone sports a metal body with thin bezels for a modern look and runs Android 8.0 Oreo with Huawei's EMUI skin on top. You can get if from Honor's website in blue or black.
Specs
- 5.99-inch IPS LCD display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 403 ppi
- Kirin 970 chipset
- 4/6GB of RAM
- 64/128GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
- Dual 20 and 12MP rear cameras, 13MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,750mAh battery
- Android 8.0 Oreo
- 157 x 74.98 x 6.97mm, 172g
Read more
- Honor View 10 review: a OnePlus 5T challenger emerges
- Honor View10 vs Huawei Mate 10 Pro
- Honor View 10 vs OnePlus 5T: Flagship Killer Dethroned?
Xiaomi Mi 6
The IR blaster-equipped Mi 6 offers great bang for the buck, just like the rest of Xiaomi's lineup. It was revealed in April last year and comes with a 5.15-inch Full HD display, the Snapdragon 835 chipset, and 4 or 6GB of RAM.
It has a very modern and stylish design, even though it features relatively large bezels. The smartphone sports a metal frame and a glass back that's curved on all four sides to make it sit better in the hand. A ceramic edition is also available, which is supposed to stand up better to wear and tear, thanks to the material's hardness level of eight on the Mohs scale.
The Xiaomi Mi 6 offers dual stereo speakers, two rear cameras, and a 3,350mAh battery. It's not fully waterproof, but it is splash resistant. It wasn't released in the U.S., so you'll have to buy it from one of the many Chinese retailers that ship worldwide. GearBest is one of them, which is selling the smartphone for $420 (6GB version).
Specs
- 5.15-inch IPS LCD display with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 428ppi
- Snapdragon 835 chipset
- 4/6GB of RAM
- 64/128GB of on-board storage, not expandable
- 12 and 12MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,350mAh battery
- Android 7.1.1 Nougat
- 145.2 x 70.5 x 7.5mm, 168g and 182g (Ceramic)
Read more
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
The Mate 10 Pro is a flagship targeted at demanding users. It features a large 6-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, the powerful Kirin 970 chipset, and an IR blaster on top. It also comes with a sexy design, a massive 4,000 mAh battery, and 4 or 6GB of RAM.
The Mate 10 Pro was named the best smartphone of 2017 by Android Authority. It offers a dual-camera setup featuring two Summilux-H lenses with f/1.6 aperture: one RGB sensor at 12MP and a monochrome sensor at 20MP resolution. They are co-engineered with Leica. The device is also IP67 rated and runs Android 8.0 Oreo with the EMUI skin on top, which is not to everyone's liking.
However, it also has a few drawbacks. It doesn't have a headphone jack, which might be a deal breaker for some. There's also no microSD card slot on board. The smartphone is currently listed on Amazon's website for around $790.
Specs
- 6.0-inch OLED display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 402ppi
- Kirin 970 chipset
- 4/6GB of RAM
- 64/128GB of on-board storage, not expandable
- 20 and 12MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
- Non-removable 4,000mAh battery
- Android 8.0 Oreo
- 154.2 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm, 178g
Read more
- Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro review: All about promises
- Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro vs the competition
- Huawei Mate 10 series specs: Better, faster, stronger
Honor 10
Honor's latest smartphone is a beast. It was announced about a week ago and brings top-of-the-line specs in an affordable package. It features a 5.84-inch Full HD+ display, the AI-focused Kirin 970 chipset, and 6GB of RAM. An IR blaster is obviously also on board.
On the design front, the phone looks like the love child of the Honor 9 and Huawei P20. It features thin bezels up front, a notch, and a minimalist (and reflective) glass back with a horizontally positioned dual-camera setup.
Honor's latest flagship also sports a headphone jack, packs a 3,400mAh battery, and offers a 24MP selfie camera. It's already available in China, where the 64GB model goes for 2,600 (~$410) and the 128GB model goes for 3,000 yuan (~$475). The global launch is expected to be confirmed at an event in London on May 15.
Specs
- 5.84-inch OLED display with 2,280 x 1,080 resolution, 432ppi
- Kirin 970 chipset
- 6GB of RAM
- 64/128GB of on-board storage, not expandable
- 24 and 16MP rear cameras, 16MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,400mAh battery
- Android 8.1 Oreo
Read more
Xiaomi Mi A1
The Mi A1 is the only Android One smartphone on this list. That means it runs a stock version of Android, without Xiaomi's MIUI skin on top. It's a budget-friendly device that — in addition to an IR blaster — sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display, the Snapdragon 625 chipset, and 4GB of RAM.
Sure, it's not the most high-end smartphone on the market, but it packs plenty of power for the average user. It also features a dual-camera setup on the back, so you'll be able to capture those bokeh images that are all the rage these days.
The Mi A1 sports a 5MP selfie snapper, a metal body for a premium look and feel, and a 3,080mAh battery that supports fast charging thanks to an update. It also comes with 64GB of expandable storage, a fingerprint scanner, and Android Nougat that can be upgraded to Oreo. The smartphone wasn't officially released in the U.S., but you can still get it on Amazon for $200.
Specs
- 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 403ppi
- Snapdragon 625 chipset
- 4GB of RAM
- 64GB of on-board storage, expandable up to 128GB
- Dual 12MP rear cameras, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,080mAh battery
- Android 7.1.2 Nougat
- 155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm, 165g
Read more
- Xiaomi Mi A1 review: the perfect budget phone?
- The most exciting new Android phone is… an Android One?
There you have it, folks. These are our picks for the best phones with IR blasters. Many other phones with IR blasters debuted last year, most from Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi, Huawei, and Honor. If you're looking for a Samsung- or HTC-branded handset, you'll have to go with something a bit older like the Galaxy S6 and One M9.
Any thoughts on our list? What phones would you add or remove? Let us know in the comments!
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