It’s almost gone six years ago that Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone. Yes, you can get excellent wireless earphones today, but maybe you prefer to connect or you just do not want to think about charging your headphones. The joy of the 3.5mm headphone jack is that it is one of the few truly universal standards left.
You can use just about any pair of wired headphones – no need to worry about whether they are Lightning or USB-C, or whether the connection will slide in and out. No batteries to charge, no dongles to put on, no earphones to lose. There are times when Bluetooth is preferable, but it’s also nice to at least have the option. After testing dozens of phones, these are the best options with the venerable port. Read our guides to the best Android phones and the best cheap phones for more recommendations.
Updated June 2022: We have reviewed this guide to replace old choices with new ones like Samsung Galaxy A13 5G, Sony Xperia 1 IV and Moto G Stylus 5G 2022.
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