IR blasters used to be a common component in smartphones, with flagship products from Samsung, OnePlus, and TCL giving users access to the cool feature. Phones equipped with IR blasters can be used as a universal remote for your other electronics, making it easy to control your gear without the need for their default controller, which might be clunky and unintuitive to use — or just easy to lose.
Fast forward to today, and attempting to find a smartphone with an IR blaster is shockingly difficult. What was once common technology is now relegated to just a handful of smartphones. You won't find any iPhones or Galaxy phones with IR blasters, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for a poorly reviewed smartphone if you're interested in the tech. You will, however, probably need to consider devices from OnePlus or Xiaomi, as they're the two key players still churning out powerful smartphones equipped with IR blasters.
In case you're unfamiliar with these brands, we've pulled together the five best phones with IR blasters to help you narrow down your options. Most of these options are unlocked and should work with the majority of carriers, though we'd recommend contacting your provider if you're not sure they'll be supported. We'd also recommend looking into mobile apps for your TV or other electronics, as these apps might let you turn any smartphone into a remote control without the need for an IR blaster.
Decided you don't need an IR blaster and would rather have a flagship from Apple or Samsung? Check out our list of the best smartphones of 2024 for more great options.
Best overall phone with IR blasters
OnePlus 13
- Great design, colors, and balance
- Excellent cameras
- Long battery life
- Slick, feature-packed software
- Durable
- Alert Slider
- Unreliable notifications
- No proprietary charger in the box
- Screen is highly sensitive
| Specification: | |
| Display | 6.82 inches |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB |
| Operating system | Android 15 with OxygenOS 15 |
The OnePlus 13 isn't just our best overall phone with an IR blaster, it's also one of the most interesting smartphones this year so far.
Clocking in at under $1,000, there's a lot to love about the OnePlus 13 beyond its price tag. Its design is simply stunning, particularly in the Midnight Ocean color, with a supersoft vegan microfiber back boasting a grippy textured finish. It's more than just good looking, though, with an impressive IP68/IP69 rating ensuring it can withstand jets of hot water and Crystal Shield Ultra Ceramic Glass to protect the display against drops and scratches.
Speaking of the display, it's a 6.82-inch panel with variable 120Hz refresh rate, 4,500 nits peak brightness, 3,168 x 1,440 resolution, and a unique OnePlus feature that allows you to use the screen with wet hands. The OnePlus 13 is powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, for snappy, buttery smooth performance, and won't overheat even when playing the most graphically intense games.
You also get two-day battery life thanks to the 6,000mAh battery, with support for 100W fast charging using OnePlus' charger, which you'll unfortunately need to buy separately. A partnership with Hasselblad ensures the cameras are outstanding, too, with a 50MP primary, 50MP wide-angle, and 50MP telephoto with 3 x optical zoom to the rear, plus a 32MP selfie camera.
One thing we'd note is that our reviewer experienced some early issues with the OnePlus 13's screen. It's overly sensitive and struggles to distinguish between intentional and accidental touches. Notifications can be unreliable, too.
Those minor issues aside, this is the phone we'd buy if we were looking for a new device with an IR blaster.
Best premium phone with IR blasters
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
- It can take incredible photos
- So many camera modes to try
- Smooth and reliable software
- Fast battery charging
- Battery life falls short of the competition
- Ungainly shape
| Specification: | |
| Display | 6.73 inches |
| Storage | 1TB |
| Operating system | Xiaomi Hyper OS (Android 14) |
Though you'll want to pay close attention as to whether it'll work with your preferred carrier, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is one of the newest smartphones to feature IR blasters. It's also one of the most expensive, with a price tag that soars above $1,000.
If those caveats don't put you off, you'll find a smartphone that's packed to the brim with features. The star of the show is undoubtedly its camera, which was designed with Leica components and captures brilliant images regardless of whether you're using its main camera or many auxiliary cameras. These images can then be modified with an AI imaging system to finetune their details and snap the perfect shot.
Other highlights include a massive AMOLED display, fast battery charging, and an intuitive OS that's smooth and responsive thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. You'll have to keep in mind that the current version on the market is the Chinese edition — but since it supports Google Mobile Service, Google Play Store, and receives over-the-air updates, it's a solid choice for someone who doesn't mind looking beyond the typical brands you'll find with your local carrier.
Best foldable phone with IR blasters
OnePlus Open
- Great compact and lightweight size
- Powerful cameras
- Beautiful screens
- Anti-glare inner display
- Opens flat easily
- 67W fast charging
- Intuitive multitasking
- Hinge isn't firm enough
- Large camera bump
- Macro and 120x Super Res are not great
| Specification: | |
| Display | 7.82 inches |
| Storage | 512GB |
| Operating system | Android 13 |
While the Galaxy Z Fold series doesn't offer an IR blaster, you don't have to give up your dreams of owning one of the best folding phones. The OnePlus Open may not be as popular as the latest Z Fold, but it's a great alternative – especially if an IR blaster is a dealbreaker.
The exterior display on the Open clocks in at a sizable 6.31 inches, but it's the massive interior screen that's this foldable's big draw. When opened, you'll get a gigantic 7.82 inches of real estate, which is great for watching shows or diving into a few games. It's not rocking the latest Snapdragon processor, but it's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is still a good companion for most tasks. It also features 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage.
Multitasking is easier than ever with such a large display, and OnePlus made sure to take full advantage of the added space. Its Open Canvas feature lets you instantly switch apps or drag and drop content from one tab to another, streamlining your chats or letting you quickly share your latest memes.
As for the camera block, this foldable features a Hasselblad setup similar to that of the OnePlus 12. Toss in a thin design, support for Dolby Vision HDR, and carbon fiber construction for added durability, and you've got a well-rounded foldable that can hang with the best.
Best midrange phone with IR blasters
OnePlus 13R
- Polished and practical hardware
- Fantastic, non-curved display quality
- Two (or more) days of battery life
- Surprisingly good cameras
- OxygenOS 15 is excellent
- Seriously incredible value
- Slower charge speeds compared to 12R
- $100 price increase
| Specification: | |
| Display | 6.78 inches |
| Storage | 256GB |
| Operating system | Android 15 with OxygenOS 15 |
The OnePlus 13R is the budget brethren of the OnePlus 13. It offers many of the same benefits as the premium flagship, but cuts a few corners to offer a more affordable device to shoppers that don’t need the latest and greatest tech. It doesn't, however, cut out the IR blaster, making it a nice compromise for budget-minded users.
Despite the low price, the OnePlus 13R doesn't fail to impress on several fronts. Its big, bright 6.78-inch AMOLED screen packs 2,780 x 1,264 resolution and is protected by Gorilla Glass 7, with an IP65 rating keeping your phone safe from splashes.
It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and while that isn't the latest Qualcomm chip, it's the same one used in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and many other 2024 flagship devices. It's powerful enough to handle anything you can throw at it, including the latest games, with 256GB of onboard storage and 12GB of RAM.
With a 6,000 mAH battery, the same as the OnePlus 13, you can easily stretch battery life to two, possibly even three days, though charging speeds are disappointing at 55W, a downgrade from the OnePlus 12R — and there's no wireless charging to speak of.
Cameras are surprisingly good, with a 50MP primary, 50MP telephoto, 8MP ultrawide, and 16MP selfie cam. There's no Hasselblad integration here but the phone takes pretty great photos, as long as you don't need extreme zoom capabilities.
In our OnePlus 13R review, we said using the phone "felt like using a flagship" — which is just about the best praise you can give a budget device.
Best budget phone with IR blasters
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
- Great price
- Beefy 5,100mAh battery and 67W fast charging
- Plenty of storage
- Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
- Comes with a lot of bloatware
- Some reviews suggest poor video recording quality
- Not the best for lowlight photography
| Specification: | |
| Display | 6.67 inch |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB |
| Operating system | MIUI 14 (Android 14) |
At less than $300, the Xiaomi Redmi is the cheapest product on this list. It makes a few compromises to hit that price point, but if you don't mind missing out on some key features and just need a reliable smartphone with an IR blaster, the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G might be a good option.
Everything looks great on the 6.67-inch AMOLED display, with variable 120Hz refresh rate, up to 1,800 nits of peak brightness, and 2712 x 1220 resolution. That's pretty impressive for a display in this price range. Under the hood, the phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chip, the same chip that powers the Motorola Edge 2024, with a 5,100mAh battery and 67W fast charging.
You also get 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of onboard storage, which is pretty outstanding for a phone at this price point. There's a 200MP main camera, 2MP macro lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera with artificial intelligence scene detection function, plus a 16MP selfie camera. There's also support for 4K video recording at 30fps.
If we had to say anything negative, the device comes with a ton of bloatware installed, and the camera isn't the greatest in lowlight conditions. There are also mixed reviews on the video recording quality. However, if you're looking for an affordable phone with an IR blaster, you won't find much better than this.
How we chose the best phones with IR blasters
Unfortunately, your options are pretty slim when it comes to phones with IR blasters in 2025. And unless you want to go back several generations and snag a really old Samsung Galaxy, your best options nowadays are typically confined to OnePlus and Xiaomi. Luckily, these catalogs are filled with great smartphones that are equipped with IR blasters – and even if they're not as popular as the latest iPhone or Galaxy products, they're not a bad option if you need the IR tech. Here's a closer look at how we picked the best phones with IR blasters.
Equipped with easy-to-use IR blasters
First and foremost, the smartphones needed to have IR blasters. This sounds like common sense, but it's surprisingly difficult to find good smartphones equipped with the technology in 2025. Samsung hasn't produced a phone with an IR blaster in years, and unless you want to mess with clunky third-party accessories, your iPhone won't work either. We made sure that every product on this list is equipped with built-in IR blasters, so you can get to controlling your other electronics as soon as you unpack your new smartphone.
Premium processors and RAM
Most of the phones on this list pack powerful Snapdragon processors. The OnePlus 13, for example, features the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. We also searched for phones with a good amount of RAM, as you'll probably want your device to work well for surfing the web, gaming, streaming movies, and sending text messages. You don't need a whole lot of power to get a phone working as an IR blaster, but if you want it to be a good all-around smartphone, it's nice to have hardware that lets you handle a variety of other tasks.
Vibrant screen
A screen can make or break a smartphone. It serves as not just the primary way you'll interact with the device, but also how you'll see all your apps and games. That means you'll want something that's not just high resolution, but also supports a fast refresh rate. Thankfully, you don’t have to make any sacrifices in this category when searching for a phone with an IR blaster, as there are options that get up to 120Hz and 2K resolutions. This makes them look every bit as premium as their iPhone and Galaxy counterparts.
Storage
Finding a smartphone with lots of storage isn't nearly as big a deal as it was in the past, as most folks will opt to save files to the cloud. Still, having offline access to games, photos, and movies is often a big selling point of smartphones, so we made sure to include options that have plenty of space for all your files.
Cameras
Along with texting and making phone calls, smartphones are increasingly turning into replacements for your camera. Most of the products on this list can capture vibrant images and videos that are perfect for Instagram and TikTok, and many even have multiple cameras so you can capture a variety of different content (such as ultrawide, wide, and selfie cameras).
Supported by multiple carriers
You'll want to check with your local carrier, but most of our recommended phones are unlocked and supported by multiple providers. Carrier bands are so varied that it's difficult to say with certainty that these will work across all 4G and 5G networks for every carrier in every country, and since many are imports to the US, you should definitely check with your current provider before making a purchase. Still, we did our best to find phones that are universally accepted across many of today's most popular carriers.
