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Prices for flagship phones are higher than ever, and it’s unlikely that they’ll ever come back down. The absolutely premium phones, like the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, now cost well over $1,000, or about the price of a good laptop. But, as the ceiling gets higher, devices in the more reasonable $600 to $800 range have gotten even more capable. In fact, our pick for the best overall phone is the $829 Apple iPhone 13, and Google’s Pixel 6 included here is priced more like a midrange device than all-out flagship
THE BEST PHONES 2022
1. APPLE IPHONE 13
BEST IPHONE TO BUY IN 2022
Out of the four iPhone 13 variants that Apple launched in 2021, the $829 iPhone 13 (unlocked) hits the sweet spot between price, pocketability, and features.
It has a new processor, a bigger battery, 128GB of internal storage, and uses the same large camera sensor as the acclaimed iPhone 12 Pro Max, but you wouldn’t know it from its compact size.
In fact, the 13 looks almost identical to the 12 but is just a bit thicker and heavier, with substantially bigger camera bumps and lenses that swapped places. (No, you won’t be able to reuse your iPhone 12 case for the 13.) Otherwise, it has the same overall design, a brighter 6.1-inch OLED display, the same 12-megapixel selfie camera, the same Mag Safe wireless charging, the same water and dust resistance (IP68), and the same support for both sub-6GHz and mm Wave 5G networks. On top of all that, it comes in six colors (including pink), one more than you can choose from in the Pro models.
What’s different with the iPhone 13’s new A15 Bionic chip is that it should still feel fast in years to come, but it’s difficult to measure significant speed improvements with iPhones. The new chip helps the iPhone 13 run more efficiently, which lasts well into the evening without needing a top up.
Using the same camera sensor that made the iPhone 12 Pro Max the best smartphone camera for photos and videos in 2020, the iPhone 13’s main wide-angle camera has
2. SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 PLUS
THE BEST ANDROID PHONE TO BUY IN 2022
Those of us in the US have plenty of phones to choose from in the budget end of the market, but high-end Android phones are looking scarce lately. Thankfully, the options we do have are very good, making this recommendation a close call with the Google Pixel 6. Still, we think that the Galaxy S22 Plus is the best device for most people.
The S22 Plus features a big, bright 6.6-inch screen with 120Hz refresh rate, 2022’s Android flagship chipset of choice, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and three high-quality rear cameras. You don’t get the 10x telephoto or the built-in S Pen of the Ultra, but you do get a more spacious screen compared to the 6.1-inch standard S22. It’s a comfortable middle ground that’s the right configuration of features and size for most people.
3. APPLE IPHONE 13 PRO AND IPHONE 13 PRO MAX
BEST PHONE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO IN 2022
Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max share the same top-of-the-line camera system this year, and they are our pick as the iPhone for photos and videos. This time around, you don’t have to buy the biggest and most expensive model to get the best camera system — you get the same experience with either of the Pro models.
The three rear cameras — standard wide, ultrawide, and telephoto — combine with Apple’s image processing to produce stunning images, particularly in low light. If photo and video quality is your most important factor when buying a phone, the 13 Pro is where you should be spending your money.
The 13 Pro has a physically larger camera sensor compared to prior models that allows its main 12-megapixel camera to gather more light and produce better-quality images, especially in dark or challenging lighting conditions. Its ultrawide camera is able to take stunning macro photos, thanks to its new close focus capability. In addition, the 3x optical
4. APPLE IPHONE 13 MINI
BEST SMALL SMARTPHONE IN 2022
There’s really only one reason to buy an iPhone 13 Mini, but it’s an important one: if you want a phone that’s easier to use in one hand or put into a small pocket. The iPhone 13 Mini is one of very few small phones on the market with top-tier features and specs; you don’t have to compromise in performance, build quality, or cameras with this one.
Though it’s much smaller in size than the other iPhones released this year, the Mini’s 5.4-inch screen is still big enough for text messaging, email, web browsing, apps, video, and games, and if you’re coming from an iPhone 6 / 7 / 8, it will feel quite spacious. But it’s also small enough that most adults, even those with small hands, will be able to comfortably reach all of the screen with their thumb. You won’t need a Pop Socket on this one.
5. SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 ULTRA
THE PHONE THAT DOES EVERYTHING
The “Ultra” moniker in Samsung’s Galaxy lineup no longer means you’re just getting the biggest phone; now, it means you’re getting the biggest phone and everything but the kitchen sink. The S22 Ultra offers no less than five cameras, a huge, bright 6.8-inch OLED with up to 120Hz refresh rate, and, oh yeah, a built-in stylus too. It’s more or less the successor to the stylus-centric Note series, but more than that, it feels like the endgame of slab-style smartphone development. Related: it costs a steep $1200.
At the heart of the S22 Ultra is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset paired with 8 or 12GB of RAM. Performance is, not surprisingly, excellent; you’ll rarely see the phone stutter or hesitate, even while running graphics-intensive games. Samsung is also promising up to four generations of OS version upgrades, so the Ultra should remain a very good phone for years to come.
The included S Pen stylus pops out of a dedicated silo on the bottom of the phone, and Samsung says it’s been improved with lower latency than previous years’ S Pens. It’s hard to judge a few milliseconds of improvement, but it’s certainly responsive and easy to use. You can go deep into the stylus features with handwriting-to-text recognition options and slightly gimmicky “Air Actions” that turn the stylus into a magic wand / remote control combo. Or, you can just scribble notes to your heart’s content. The choice is yours.
6. GOOGLE PIXEL 6
THE BEST GOOGLE EXPERIENCE
The Pixel 6 is a lot of phone for $599. As Google’s first true flagship phone since 2019, the Pixel 6 gets many things right and is right up there with the iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra in camera quality, overall performance, and battery life. You’ll also get some uniquely Google features thanks to a new, proprietary processor. And when you consider the fact the Pixel 6 is a good $200 less than its rivals, it’s simply the most value-packed flagship phone for Android fans in recent history. Sorry, OnePlus.
You can tell the Pixel 6 from the Pixel 6 Pro by its slightly smaller 6.4-inch, 1080p OLED flat display and bolder color choices like two-tone red or green (black is also an option). For a relatively big phone, the Pixel 6 is not too thick yet feels substantial. That said, its glossy body is super slippery, so you’ll need to budget for a third-party case (forget the Google ones, they aren’t worth the money).
At the heart of the Pixel 6 is Tensor, Google’s first proprietary mobile processor that is on par with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip inside other Android flagships. Tensor allows the new Pixel to lean into Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to learn some new tricks. You can use the Magic Eraser to remove photo-bombers from your photos, take
7. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP 3
BEST FLIP PHONE OF 2022
Sick of smartphones that only get bigger and heavier when all you want is for some new ways to use your phone? Samsung’s third go at a flip phone seems to strike the right balance of whimsy, technical prowess and price that make the Galaxy Z Flip 3 appealing to mainstream users.
For $999, this 4.2-inch pocketable device can transform into a 6.7-inch 1080p OLED display that is bright and has a fast 120Hz refresh rate. The screen can also be used as a split screen for multitasking. When closed, you can use the 1.9-inch outer second screen, which displays handy widgets like app notifications and audio player controls without making you open the phone.
8. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 3
BEST FOLDING PHONE OF 2022
If you’ve been waiting patiently for the foldable phone to mature before dropping some serious coin for one, this might be the year to get the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. (Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface Duo 2 is a distant second to the Fold 3, in this early two-device race.)
The Fold 3 is Samsung’s third-generation folding phone. Its main premise is this: it is sized like a skinny smartphone that fits in your pocket, but it unfolds to reveal a tablet-sized 7.6-inch display on the inside. That inside screen makes everything from reading books to
Content use only for education purpose & Credit: The Verge(Vox Media)
