2022 has already seen the release of some of the most exciting smartphones that will certainly make it to the year-end lists. And this is when Apple hasn’t come out with its flagship iPhone 14 yet. With so many excellent products already released this year, we thought it would be a good idea to recap some of the best phones that have stood out across categories. So without further ado, we present the best smartphones seen so far in 2022.
Read Also: Best smartphones with Android 12
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Specifications
Display: 6.8-inch OLED
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage: 128 GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Camera: Rear – 108MP + 10MP + 10MP + 12MP Front – 40MP
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is hands down the best premium Android smartphone you can buy right now. Released in February 2022, this smartphone has dominated the premium smartphone category since. While it still remains to be seen how it will fare against the upcoming iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra reigns the Android market. With 5 cameras and a 6.8-inch OLED screen with up to 120Hz refresh rate, the Samsung Galaxy S22 ‘Ultra’ really lives up to its name. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor along with 8GB RAM ensures excellent performance, comfortably leaving behind its peers.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra also comes with an embedded S Pen, reminiscent of the Note series. But quite unlike the stylus in the Note series, the S Pen is seamlessly integrated into the working of the S22 Ultra. It offers a range of functions as well, from editing pictures to taking a quick note or even acting as a remote control for your S22 Ultra.
The rear 108MP camera thrives in low lighting, producing outstanding pictures even without turning on the Night Mode. There is not much to separate the S22 Ultra from the iPhone 13 when it comes to camera quality.
Overall, Samsung S22 Ultra is the best smartphone we’ve seen so far in 2022. But with the launch of iPhone 14 Max on the horizon, the title could easily move the other way.
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Specification
Display: 4.7-inch LCD
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64 GB, 128GB, 256GB
Camera: Rear – 12MP Front – 7MP
Launched in March 2022, the iPhone SE was the first iPhone to launch this year, with Apple planning the release of its flagship iPhones for the latter part of the year. At Rs 45,099, the iPhone SE is the most affordable iPhone on the market. For the price and category, the iPhone SE is a largely overperforming smartphone. Powered by the same A15 Bionic processor found in iPhone 13, the iPhone SE delivers a performance unmatched in its category. Perhaps, the only downside is the lack of Night Mode, but if you can look past that, the iPhone SE is a powerful device with a huge bang for your buck. With the flagship iPhones yet to be released, the iPhone SE is already one of the best smartphones of 2022.
OnePlus 10 Pro
Specifications
Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Camera: Rear – 48MP + 50MP + 8MP Front – 32MP
For a phone with a price of Rs 66,999, the OnePlus 10 Pro does surprisingly well to hang with the likes of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung S22 Ultra. One aspect where OnePlus clearly dominates is the battery performance. The near 12-hour battery life outperforms the iPhone 13 and the S22 Ultra. The OnePlus 10 Pro is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor as the S22 Ultra and works just as seamlessly as the latter. The camera unit has a smart design and coupled with the back panel, it stands out among its competitors, making it one of the best smartphone releases of 2022.
When it comes to the camera, the OnePlus 10 Pro can do slightly better. Both the iPhone 13 and S22 Ultra come packed with exceptional cameras, and the OnePlus 10 Pro is visibly a step behind them. But if you’re looking for a powerful gaming phone with a unique design and an attractive price point, the OnePlus 10 Pro is just the device for you.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro
Specifications
Display: 6.8-inch AMOLED
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
RAM: 18GB
Storage: 512GB
Camera: Rear – 50MP + 13MP + 5MP Front – 12MP
The ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro is possibly the best gaming smartphone you can buy right now. With a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor coupled with 18GB RAM, the ROG Phone 6 Pro delivers one of the best performances by an Android smartphone. The smartphone has been designed in the mould of a proper gaming device, with aesthetics that will surely catch the eye of gamers. The back panel is studded with sharp graphics, and also comes with a mini display screen that can be customised to put any animation you want.
The 6000mAh battery on the ROG Phone 6 is impressive, to say the least. Offering a battery life of 15 hours, there aren’t many gaming devices that can rival the ROG Phone 6 Pro. The camera leaves a lot more to be desired, but given the purpose the phone is designed for, there’s not a lot we can complain about.
Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G
Specifications
Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Camera: Rear – 50MP + 50MP + 50MP Front – 32MP
Xiaomi continues to deliver with its range of premium smartphones, and the Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G is another substantial addition to that. Launched in April 2022 worldwide, the 12 Pro is Xiaomi’s most premium flagship offering yet. The three 50MP rear cameras deliver consistent image quality, with possibly the best camera performance we’ve seen from a Xiaomi device yet. The 12 Pro can also record 4k Ultra HD videos at 30fps. One handy feature is the ability to record videos with the screen off in order to save power. Powered by the high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, along with 12 GB RAM, the Xiaomi 12 Pro leaves no stone unturned in its performance. Priced at Rs 62,999, the Xiaomi 12 Pro 5GB holds its own among the other premium smartphones on this list.
Nothing Phone 1
Specifications
Display: 6.5-inch OLED
CPU: Snapdragon 778G+
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage: 128 GB, 256GB
Camera: Rear – 50MP + 50MP Front – 16MP
Launched in July 2022, the Nothing Phone 1 is the most recently released phone on this list. Ever since its announcement, the Nothing Phone managed to create a buzz around it, with the hype only growing even after its release. And now that it is finally here, you can expect it to be on several year-end lists. Priced attractively at Rs 31,999 for the lowest variant, the Nothing Phone may not be in the segment as the other smartphones on this list, but its groundbreaking design and display will certainly attract a lot of premium smartphone buyers towards it.
What sets the Nothing Phone apart from every smartphone on this list is the LED notification system powered by the company’s Glyph interface. The smooth LED channels running across the transparent back panel light up on receiving a notification. You can also customise the LED channels to respond differently to different notifications.
While there’s still some time to go until we can appropriately judge how the Nothing Phone performs in the market, its unique design elements will certainly make it one of the most talked about phones this year.
Vivo V23 Pro
Specifications
Display: 6.5-inch AMOLED
CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 920
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Camera: Rear – 108MP + 8MP + 2MP Front – 50MP + 8MP
The Vivo V23 Pro offers an attractive design, keeping up with the theme of the V series. The colour-changing rear panel will make it appealing to buyers that hold the aesthetics of a smartphone to a higher standard than the performance. The soft-touch matte finish gives the Vivo V23 a more premium feel. While Vivo has pushed the boundary on looks and design, the V23 comes with a medium-sized notch at the centre of the screen which can’t help but make it look a bit dated.
The camera performance is impressive, especially in low light. The powerful 50MP + 8MP dual front camera produces excellent images, that match those of its competitors. The Vivo V23 lacks a second stereo speaker, which is a bit of a letdown, but if you’re willing to look beyond that, the V23 is an attractive buy at Rs 38,990.
Oppo F21 Pro
Specifications
Display: 6.4-inch AMOLED
CPU: Snapdragon 680
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB
Camera: Rear – 64MP + 2MP + 2MP Front – 32MP
At Rs 22,999, the Oppo F21 Pro is one of the lowest-priced smartphones on this list. It is also one of the best phones you can buy for under Rs 25k. The Oppo F21 Pro outperforms most of the smartphones in its price category, making it feature on this list. The minimal back panel design along with the smartly packed camera unit give it a look that is quite unique from the other smartphones in this category. The Snapdragon 680 processor provides decent performance with a 90Hz refresh rate. The most exciting feature on the F21 Pro that makes it stand out on this list is the microscope feature. Embedded in the camera app, turning on this feature will turn your smartphone into a microscope. Placing the camera a few millimetres away from the subject will give you microscopic visuals that are undetected by the naked eye. This is one feature that Oppo can market around, as it is definitely unique and quite addictive.
iQOO Z6
Specifications
Display: 6.5-inch LCD
CPU: Snapdragon 695 5G
RAM: 4GB, 6GB, 8GB
Storage: 128GB
Camera: 50MP + 2MP +2MP Front – 16MP
iQOO continues to gain a foothold in the Indian market, and its newest offering, the Z6, will certainly add to that. Priced at Rs 15,499, the iQOO Z6 provides one of the best performances in the budget smartphones segment. The Snapdragon 695 processor with a refresh rate of 120Hz, along with a 5000mAh battery pack are unheard of in a phone competing in this segment. Needles to say, the iQOO Z6 beats every phone in its category when it comes to processing power and battery life. The camera could be slightly better, but it’s something we’re hoping iQOO improves upon with later products in this range. That being said, the iQOO Z6 is still one of the best smartphones released in 2022 in the mid-tier category.
Motorola Moto E32S
Specifications
Display: 6.5-inch LCD
CPU: MediaTek Helio G37
RAM: 3GB, 4GB
Storage: 32GB, 64GB
Camera: Rear – 16MP + 2MP + 2MP Front – 8MP
Finally, seeing this list out is a budget smartphone under Rs 10k, the Moto E32S. The E32S looks way more premium for a phone priced at Rs 8,999. Powered by the MediaTek Helio G37 processors with a refresh rate of 90Hz, the Moto E32S is one of the best-performing smartphones under the Rs 10k range. The plastic body of the E32S feels quite sturdy when you hold the device, but the acrylic back panel is prone to collecting some smudges.
The rear 16MP main camera paired with two 2MP cameras deliver a great performance for a smartphone on this budget. There arent not a lot of smartphones under 10k that can offer this design and back it up with the performance as well.
Read Also: The best Alexa and Amazon Echo devices for each room of the house
These were our picks for the best smartphones released in 2022 so far. If you think we missed a smartphone, let us know in the comments!
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App. You can find the latest car and bike news here.
I think under 10k, Moto E32s with a Helio G37 processor still doing so well in India. This smartphone is just amazing.
In the budget segment, Moto E32s smartphone looks really good with the Mediatek chipset and the powerful battery.