If you want to get the best phone on the market right now, the best option is the S22+. The best part is that you get all of the latest camera innovations from the company.
The S22+ has all of the high-end features that you want in a flagship phone, and it will stay relevant for a long time because of the four OS updates.
If you are looking for a budget phone with differentiated software or a more unique design, there are many other options to consider.
There are many phones to choose from, but we think the best one is the S22+. The phone has a great mix of hardware that is backed by global 5G, a sleek design that allows it to stand out, and robust cameras that take great photos in challenging lighting conditions.
The long-term software commitment is what makes the S22 series stand out. Four platform updates and five years of security patches will be delivered by the company, and the phone will be updated to the latest version of the operating system.
If you have a few more dollars to spend and want something even more impressive, the obvious choice is the S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra is the successor to the Note 20 Ultra and features a similar design and the best hardware that the company has to offer at the moment. You get an integrated S Pen that allows you to write a lot of things.
The standard S22 is a great choice if you want a small phone. The S22 is an easy-to-use phone that has high-end internals.
The S22+ gives you everything you want in a high-end phone. The 6.6-inch screen is the ideal size for browsing, streaming videos, or playing games, and you can use it on your favorite streaming services as well as powerful stereo sound.
The 120Hz refresh rate ensures that day-to-day interactions are great. This is one of the best screens you can find on a phone.
The S22+ features the latest version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This is a huge chip that will deliver great performance for a long time. The phone has dust and water resistance as well as 15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging as standard.
The S22+ now offers 45W wired charging as standard, which is a meaningful upgrade on the charging front.
The S22+ has a 50MP primary lens with OIS that takes outstanding shots in any lighting condition, and you also get a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 10MP zoom lens that go up to 3x zoom without any loss in detail.
The S22+ was able to outmatch its predecessors because of the fine-tuned software and camera tuning that was delivered by the company.
The software side of things is where the leader is, thanks to the promise of four updates for the OS. The S22+ runs OneUI 4 based on Android 12 out of the box, and you get the latest additions to the suite of features.
With the phone slated to pick up the update down the line, you won't be left wanting for long-term updates.
There are a few drawbacks, including not being able to find a 3.5mm jack, microSD slot, or a bundled wall charger. The best all-around flagship in the S22+ is created by the Koreans. It is time to switch if you are thinking of an upgrade.
The barrier to entry for the best camera on the internet is lowered by the introduction of the Pixel 6. The 50MP primary camera has the best hardware in this class and is backed by a gorgeous 90Hz AMOLED panel, making it a great choice.
The phone has the same 5nm custom Google Tensor Chipset and an identical 50MP camera at the back as the Pixel 6 Pro, but it costs significantly less, making it a highly attractive value.
There is no reason to look at any other phones in this category if you back that up with the same three platform updates, five years of security updates, and an out of the box version of the operating system. You get stunning cameras and a bold design with the Pixel 6.
The hardware and cameras of the Pixel are amazing, and it is easy to recommend it.
The earlier Pixel phones had great cameras, but they were lacking in several areas. The hardware was not up to par with what other companies were offering, and they had a lot of quality control issues.
All of that is being changed by the Pixel 6 Pro. The phone has the same caliber of hardware as the latest flagships from other companies, but that doesn't mean that they can't improve the camera. You can find a 50MP primary camera that takes outstanding photos, as well as an ultra-wide lens that holds up just as well, and a 48MP zoom lens with 4x optical zoom.
The rest of the hardware is also refined, meaning that the Pixel 6 Pro has the best cameras you can find on any phone today. You can find a gorgeous design at the back with a wide camera bar, the screen is a 6.71-inch AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate, and you also get a large 5,000mAh battery with 30W wired and 23W wireless charging.
The internal hardware is a true differentiating factor. The first phone to feature a custom Tensor platform is the Pixel 6 Pro, and it is on par with high-end designs. It has two Cortex X1 cores along with A 76 and A55 cores, which means that it can handle anything you throw at it.
The memory and storage of the Pixel 6 Pro are not as messed up as they were in the past. You can pick up the phone with 128 or 512 gigabytes of storage.
The software side of the Pixel 6 Pro is covered by the fact that it comes with the latest version of the operating system, and will get three platform updates and five years of security updates. It isn't quite the same as what you get with the latest phones from other manufacturers, but it will be fixed soon.
You have a winner if you account for the fact that the Pixel 6 Pro costs less than the S22 Ultra.
The best compact phone you can find today is theGalaxy S22. Over the last three years, phones have gotten taller and narrower, and we haven't seen many manufacturers cater to users looking for a small phone.
The S22 Ultra is larger than the S22, but it is smaller at just 146mm. It's light and fun to hold and use.
The size of the company was shrunk, but it did not skimp on features. The S22 has the same screen size as the S22+ and Ultra, and it is powered by the same processor.
The S22+ has the same stellar cameras as the S22+, and the extras like wireless charging and the IP68 rating are all intact. The S22 has a glass back and a layer of Gorilla Glass at the front and back.
The S22 will get the same four guaranteed OS updates as its siblings. The phone has a battery that lasts a day, but only when you need to charge it, and 25W wired charging.
If you are in the market for a small phone in 2022, the S22 is a great choice.
If you want the best phone that you can get right now, you need to look at the S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra is an interesting phone if you are a Note fan; it is the successor to the Note 20 Ultra.
The boxier aesthetic of the Note 20 series is offered by the S22 Ultra. If you use a Note device at the moment, you will feel right at home on the S22 Ultra. There is a new design at the back for the camera housing, but other than that, this phone looks and feels like a Note flagship.
The integrated S Pen stylus is the biggest addition. It is just as great as previous versions, and comes with some improvements that better mimic the feel of writing.
The phone comes with the latest processor and a huge screen that is great to use. The battery lasts over a day with ease, and there are 45W charging options along with 15W wireless and 5W reverse wireless charging.
The S22 Ultra has a 108MP primary lens that is outstanding in any situation, as well as a lot of camera tech. While the sensor itself hasn't changed from last year, the result is that you get much better photos.
The S22 Ultra will get four Android OS updates and five years of security patches, making it a great option for long-term use.
The S22 Ultra is the obvious choice if you want the ultimate, even though the phone has less RAM than the S21 Ultra.
We featured the OPPO Find X5 Pro as the winner of this category, but now it's up to the OnePlus 10 Pro. The community has a tight relationship with the company and it often offers unique features and community-driven feature development in its own Oxygen OS.
The last 12 months have been extremely rocky for the company as it attempted to combine Oxygen OS with OPPO's Color OS, and the first step back in the right direction is the OnePlus 10 Pro. Oxygen OS is getting back on track with the next release of the platform, as evidenced by the launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro with what is unmistakably a Color OS-inspiredUI.
That doesn't mean the phone is missing features. Actually, far from it. It is a little buggy at times due to some internal development team hurdles that had to be gotten over.
The hardware team is still at the top of its game despite the software team struggling to find its place. One of the most unique looking phones on the market is the OnePlus 10 Pro, which features a new camera housing, curved frame, and textured glass back.
The alert slider is still good and helps the company differentiate itself from other manufacturers. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor inside is fast and doesn't run hot to the touch while gaming.
You can top-off the battery in minutes with 65W or 80W charging, depending on the country you buy it in.
The biggest downside is that the auxiliary cameras seem to have missed the mark. They feel like a step back from last year. The main 48MP camera takes excellent photos in any light and stands up to the competition in most areas.
The best phone value today is the Pixel 5a. Most of what makes the Pixel 5 series good is in the phone. You get a device that has better battery life than the previous ones. The phone lasts all day and well into the next.
The camera setup of the 5a is the same as that of the 4a and the 5g. The primary camera shoots exceptional photos in all lighting conditions, with Night Sight showing its strength in poor lighting, and it boasts an ultra-wide shooter to help get everything in the frame.
On the front and back of the phone, you're getting a flagship-level camera with a fraction of the price. The 5a has 5G, the largest battery on a mid-range phone, and water resistance.
What do you lose by spending a third of the price on a more traditional flagship? The Pixel 5a is made of plastic and doesn't have wireless charging or 5G, features you can take for granted at a higher price point. It comes in one size, a 6.34-inch variant, and one color, Mostly Black.
There are no options for storage size, which is good for most people, but a lack of microSD expansion may be a problem for the content collector out there.
All of the limitations should not affect your desire to buy the Pixel 5a, which is one of the best in this category. The size, performance, battery life, and camera quality of the mid-range phone is a winner.
We have been waiting for a device like the Z flip 3 since foldable phones burst on the scene a few years ago. This phone has some subtle changes over the previous versions that make it a much improved device.
The Z Flip 3 was made more durable with an improved hinge, tougher glass and display covers, and IPX8 water resistance. There are seven gorgeous color options, and some really fun and unique cases. Even though this is a folding phone, you don't have to miss out on some great cameras. The cameras on this phone are very similar to those on the S21 line of flagships.
We love this phone, but there are a few things we need to be aware of. The shape and size of the device made for no telephoto lens. The battery life could be better, and the cover display is limited in what it can do. This phone will make a lot of people happy.
You need the value.
The Galaxy S21 FE didn't change much. The internal hardware has gotten a refresh and is faster than what we have seen on the S20 FE, even more so if you are getting the Exynos version. You get a 120Hz AMOLED screen, all-day battery life with 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, along with reverse wireless charging, and dust and water resistance.
The S21 FE is the first phone to offer OneUI 4 out of the box. That gives it a distinct advantage over some of the other devices in this category, as well as the fact that the phone will switch to the newer version of the operating system once that rolls out three years down the line.
There is good news on the camera. The S21 FE can deliver better photos in just about any scenario, thanks to new tuning algorithms. The phone is good for video recording.
The S21 FE shares the same design as the regular S21 series, so you get a minimalist aesthetic. The camera housing blends easily into the frame of the device, and the finish at the back is a delight to hold and use. The phone is lighter and narrower than the S20 FE, and that is a definite win.
The S21 FE misses out on a few things, including a 3.5mm jack and a wall charging port. The S21 FE is a great overall choice.
The basic features of the G20 include a large screen, battery that lasts two days, and a decent camera.
The phone isn't particularly fast, but you shouldn't see a lot of lag. The G20 gets the job done for routine browsing, social media, and texting.
The 720p screen is a limiting factor as it isn't as vibrant as the1080p panels you get on most budget and mid-range phones, but it is passable.
The battery lasts two days, but it takes over two hours to fully charge. The G20 comes with a clean interface without any extras, and it covers the essentials, so you don't have to put up with bloated software.
As time goes on, smartphones evolve and change. We have seen screens get bigger, cameras get a lot more capable, and processors that are comparable to those found in computers. The folding form factor is the next big thing for phones, and so far, the best one is theSamsung Z Fold 3.
The best way to think about the device is as a phone and a device in one. When the Z Fold 3 is closed, you can use the display for anything you want, from checking email to watching videos.
All you need to do is open the Z Fold 3 up. There is a larger 7.6-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is a lot like having an iPad Mini that you can take with you wherever you want, and if you ask us, that is pretty amazing.
The Z Fold series is the best yet, with improved hinge and screen durability, IPX8 water resistance, and S Pen support. It means that you can use the interior screen to draw or take notes on the go. There is no way to put the S Pen in the body of the phone like with the Note series, so you have to keep track of it or put it in a bulky case.
This isn't a phone that we recommend everyone go out and buy right now, but as far as folding phones go, theGalaxy Z Fold 3 is the best we've seen to date. The Z Fold 3 has a lot to offer if you are willing to spend the money and put up with those quirks.
The company's best-selling series is the Galaxy A series. You don't have to pay more for a new phone if you get the things you need in a new one. The inclusion of sub 6 5G means you will be getting blazing wireless speeds anywhere you go, and a larger battery than last year ensures those speeds won't drag your battery life down.
The Exynos 1280 was the new processor that was used this year. Even if it isn't a powerhouse for gaming, this one runs faster. The 120Hz display will make the phone feel fast at all times, with smooth scrolling that will make your old phone feel like it was from another century.
Even if the A52's on-paper specifications look the same, the results will look better than ever because of the upgraded camera sensors. The camera software on the last generation of the A series is the best yet, and it's identically impressive.
The 3.5mm jack was lost, which was offset by an extra 500mAh battery. Extra battery life is never something to complain about, even though this one is always a bummer to see. The less expensive phone model has the microSD slot, which makes it more palatable.
You want a gaming phone that stands out. The Redmagic 7 will not be an issue, the phone's aggressive styling immediately grabs attention.
You will get one of the strongest packages of any phone today. The Redmagic 7 has an insane 165Hz AMOLED screen, and you can get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on the base model.
You can change the in-game actions with the Ultrasonic gaming Trigger on the side. There is a physical fan within the phone to make sure it doesn't get overheated.
Nubia polished its software, and the Redmagic 7 is not plagued with bugs. The bundled 65W GaN charger takes just over 30 minutes to fully charge the phone, and the 4,500mAh battery is good for a day of use.
The cameras are not as good as traditional phones in this category, but you are paying a premium for that hardware and gaming focused additions. The Redmagic 7 is a gaming phone that looks the part.
Right now, the phones are better than ever. Regardless of how much you can spend, you can buy a phone that you will be happy with. We have to give our top recommendation for the best phone on the market, and it has to be the S22+.
The latest flagship from SAMSUNG has all the essentials you want, including a brilliant 120Hz AMOLED screen, powerful cameras that take great photos in any lighting, fast charging, reliable internal hardware that holds up just fine for intense gaming sessions, and clean software with four guaranteed Android OS updates.
1. What size screen should I have?
The display is the most important thing when buying a new phone. You must get one that you will enjoy using because this is the component you interact with more than anything else. The size of a screen is more important than the resolution or refresh rate.
The display is the most important factor in determining the shape and size of a phone. Because of that, you need to know how big or small you are willing to go for a phone with a 6.8-inch screen.
Take the S22 Ultra. It has the largest display on this list, and because it is so large, it is a great place to watch movies, play games, and browse the internet.
The bigger the display, the easier it is to see your media. The S22 Ultra can be a bit unwieldy. Managing a phone like that can be difficult for someone with smaller hands.
There are smaller-sized phones, such as the standard S22 from the South Korean company. You have less room for your movies and games on the flip side because these are substantially easier to manage and can be used with one hand. It also means you can fit less content on the screen at one time, and if you are someone who likes to increase their font size, things are easier to read, which could result in you having to do a lot of scrolling.
There are plenty of phones that fall in the middle of the two extremes. If you really want to know if a phone will be too big or small, you should visit your local carrier store or Best Buy.
2. Is software updates important?
It is easy to compare displays, processors, and cameras, but software updates are just as important. Only certain phones will have a few years of software support because of the constantly evolving and getting better Android.
When it comes to supporting its phones with long-term updates, it's currently the best in the business. Most of the phones mentioned in this list will get four guaranteed OS updates and five years of security patches.
For their flagship phones, OPPO,Xiaomi, and Vivo are guaranteeing three years of security updates for their flagship phones, which is more than any other company.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, you have companies like Motorola and Nokia. The G20 will only get a single update. The security patches are worse than before.
How important is it that your phone is updated? It depends on how much you care about new features. Every year, you can find a new version of the software on the internet, and while it doesn't tend to be that drastic, it does give your phone important features and security settings that help keep it running in tip-top shape for a long time.
It's important that your phone stays compatible with all the apps and games on the Play Store because app developers eventually drop support if they don't stay up to date.
It is a bit disappointing to buy a product that is backed by such a small amount of money, but a phone like the G20 will be usable two years down the road. This divide in updates has been a problem for years, and while manufacturers are getting better in this area, we still have plenty of room to grow.
3. How many cameras do I need?
Over the last couple of years, certain phone companies have been throwing as many cameras onto their devices as possible. It has become more common for phones to come with two, three, or even four cameras, which is something of an expectation.
This isn't true.
Let's take a look at the A53. It has a 64MP primary camera, 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro, and a 5MP portrait camera. One would assume that the A53 takes better photos than the smaller 12.2MP cameras on the Pixel 5a, but that is not always the case.
The extra camera sensors can be fun, but only if they are high-quality. Companies often throw in a lot of extra cameras on their phones, only to have them not be very good. The primary camera sensor is the most important, so you want to pay attention to it the most.
It's important to remember that higher megapixels don't always mean you have a better camera. The 64MP camera on the A53 sometimes takes photos that are not as good as those taken from the 12.2MP primary camera found on the Pixel 5a.
If you're shopping for a phone camera, be aware of the other factors that come into play, such as the number of frames per second. You will have a better understanding of what kind of camera you are dealing with if you read reviews and look at camera samples.
4. What size battery should I have?
One of the most essential components of a phone is its battery life. If your phone is dying constantly throughout the day, what is the point?
It can be difficult to know what a good size is and what isn't for all of the phones on this list. This is a general rule of thumb. The ideal phone capacity is 4,000mAh or larger. As phones move toward larger displays with faster refresh rates, more battery is needed to keep them powered throughout the day.
Depending on the type of phone you are buying, this can vary a bit. Smaller screen sizes and lower display refresh rates make it possible for phones with more impressive specs to get through a full day of use without a hitch.
When shopping for a phone, you will need to consider these factors, but generally, more mAh means more battery life.
5. What features should I look out for?
There are a few smaller features and specifications that can be easy to overlook when shopping. The chip in most phones that allows you to pay with your phone at grocery stores, restaurants, and other places is called Near Field Communication. It is worth double-checking that the phone you want to buy has Near Field Communication if you care about it.
The rating is called an IP68 This is a seal of protection that many phones have, and it ensures they are protected from a certain amount of dust and water. If you get caught in the rain or take your phone to the beach, you should be able to use your phone.
Some phones have a coating that protects them from the elements, but they don't have this rating. Those devices are fine to get splashed with water, but you don't have the same protection. If you happen to be around the water a lot, it is worth getting something with that protection.
The death of the headphone jack is a trend that should be addressed. Most of the new phones coming out these days don't have the port, but few holdouts still offer it. If you have moved on to the wireless bandwagon, it is not something you need to be concerned with.
We hope this guide makes you feel better equipped to make the right decision once you understand the kind of phone and budget you have to work with. We wouldn't recommend a phone on this list if we didn't think it was good. Enjoy your new phone!
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