2022 has been an excellent year for smartphones with OEMs honing their craft, making quality of life improvements to provide users the perfect smartphone. Here are our picks for the best smartphones 2022 in India. But, rather than a list of the top phones of the year, this list will focus on key aspects of a smartphone and award the best smartphone in that category. Here are our Smartphone Awards 2022.
2/13
Best Camera Smartphone | iPhone 14 Pro Series | 48 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP + TOF 3D (Rear Cameras) | 12 MP (Front Camera) | When it comes to smartphone photography, it does not get any better than the iPhone 14 Pro. While there are several phones that may challenge the iPhone 14 Pro/ 14 Pro Max in different areas of photography, we are yet to find one that can challenge the iPhone 14 Pro series across the board – we are talking photos, videos, and selfies. So if you want the best camera on a smartphone, don’t hesitate to go with the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.
3/13
Best Smartphone for Photography | Google Pixel 7 Pro | 50 MP + 12 MP + 48 MP (Rear Cameras) | 10.8 MP (Front Camera) | Google made huge improvements across the board with the Pixel 7 Pro making it one of the best Android smartphones of 2022. And, while the iPhone 14 Pro, Galaxy S22 Ultra and Vivo X80 Pro may have it beat in certain areas, you simply will not find a better phone to take pictures in 2022. Google’s formula with the Pixel 7 Pro’s camera seems to be ‘point, shoot, and forget about it’.
4/13
Best Smartphone Display | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | Despite being one of the first flagship smartphones of 2022, the Galaxy S22 Ultra still maintains the best screen of any phone this year. In terms of peak brightness, there are a couple of phones that surpass the S22 Ultra, although Samsung surpasses the rest in terms of picture quality with excellent levels of contrast and vibrant colours. Additionally, this was also one of the best screens for outdoor use in daylight, while the screen’s S Pen support only serves to sweeten the deal. We’ve tested the iPhone 14 Pro, Vivo X80 Pro, and Google Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung still stands out.
Best Smartphone Battery Life | iPhone 14 Plus | While Android phones have been putting massive batteries in smartphones, Apple goes the other route, making software tweaks to maximize the potential of the cell. And no other iPhone maximizes the potential of its battery like the iPhone 14 Plus. iOS maximizes the potential of the sizeable battery on the iPhone 14 Plus, making it the battery king of smartphones for 2022. It is worth noting that the iPhone 14 Pro Max is also touted to deliver nearly the same battery life as its ‘Plus’ counterpart.
6/13
Smartphone with the Fastest Charging Support | Infinix Zero Ultra 5G | While we have already seen the advent of the 200W charging smartphone, the Zero Ultra 5G from Infinix takes the top spot for the smartphone with the fastest charging support. The Zero Ultra’s 4,500 mAh battery charges at a whopping 180W. The Infinix Zero Ultra is also more mainstream compared to phones with 200W charging, which are primarily limited to China. Additionally, the Infinix Zero Ultra’s battery is touted to be cable of going from 0 to 100 percent in around 12 minutes.
7/13
Best Smartphone for Gaming | Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro | When it comes to mobile gaming, Asus and its line of ROG smartphones still hold the crown. Not only does the ROG Phone 6 Pro feature the aesthetics of a gaming smartphone, but it also packs powerful hardware and possesses certain gaming traits to enhance the overall experience. Additionally, the Armory Crate software on the device is the most utility gaming software we have experienced on a smartphone.
8/13
Best Foldable Smartphone | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 | The competition in the foldable smartphone segment ramped up in 2022. Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, and Xiaomi all introduced foldable in 2022, giving Samsung tough competition. However, most foldable smartphones are limited to Chinese markets, while none of Samsung’s competitors have mastered the art of combining hardware and software on a foldable device in the same manner as the South Korean tech giant. This makes the Galaxy Z Fold 4 our go-to foldable smartphone for 2022.
Best Compact Smartphone | Asus Zenfone 9 | The Asus Zenfone 8 or Asus 8z was easily one of the best portable smartphones of 2021. And the Zenfone 9 improves on its predecessor in every department, while maintaining the reasonable pricing. Moreover, the Zenfone 9 also comes with incredible stabilization and a headphone jack with Hi-Res Audio support. Asus has also managed to pack a 4,300 mAh battery in a phone that measures less than six inches tall. However, if you cannot find the Zenfone 9 in your location, here are some excellent alternatives – Pixel 6a, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S22.
10/13
Best Smartphone for Software | Google Pixel 7 Series | The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro feature the best software integration of any smartphone, including the iPhone 14 series. Not only does Google aim to deliver the best UI experience through its features, but the features are also designed to make interacting with your smartphone more convenient than ever before. Add to that, the Pixel 7 series will also receive the Android 16 update and a further two years of security updates after it. Moreover, the various AI tweaks also serve to enhance the camera experience, attempting to correct blurred images and remove unwanted objects from a photo.
11/13
Most Unique Smartphone | Nothing Phone (1)| When it comes to smartphone design, no handset makes a big an impact as the Nothing Phone (1). Nothing went over-the-top designing its first smartphone, setting it apart from every other phone in the market. From the transparent glass back to the LED lighting, it’ll be easy standing out of the crowd with this one. However, despite its outlandish design, the Nothing Phone (1) still offers excellent hardware for its price.
12/13
Most Improved Smartphone | Moto Razr 2022 | The Moto Razr Flip smartphone has taken a severe beating from Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip line. However, with the latest edition of the Moto Razr, the Lenovo-owned brand finally looks to be closing the gap against Samsung’s flip smartphones. The Moto Razr 2022 finally received the flagship chipset treatment, an improved camera system packed with new hardware, better battery life, more functionality, and an updated display. For the first time since its relaunch in 2019, the Moto Razr 2022 feels like it can compete with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 (Review).
13/13
Most Consistent Smartphone | OnePlus 10 Pro | The OnePlus 10 Pro showed the least improvements in 2022. It followed the same blueprint as the OnePlus 8 Pro from back in 2020 and made marginal generational upgrades over the OnePlus 9 Pro. However, in a market where over-the-top brings with it hefty prices and unnecessary hardware upgrades, consistency may not be such a bad thing. One of the reasons the OnePlus 10 Pro does win this award is because still retains all the best qualities of a flagship and maintains a similar price as last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro.
