Best Smartphone Of 2022

For the best of Apple’s smartphone technology, opt for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

There’s a whopping 1TB of ROM – ample storage for the professional-quality images and videos you can take on this device. A large 6.7″ display allows you to look back at your photos in astonishing definition thanks to the 1284 x 2778 resolution. As for videos, you can view them in sharp 4K clarity.

Apple has kept the three 12MP main rear lenses that have so far been synonymous with the iPhone 12. However, the ultrawide lens is now even wider, capturing what would have been left out of view when shot on its predecessor. Shoot in low lighting and in the dark and you’ll discover the minute details this lens can pick up.

The ground-breaking LiDAR scanner has also been a keeper. Debuted in the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, it measures the distance and depth of objects to take more accurate photos and can be used in augmented reality (AR) apps.

At the phone’s core is the new Apple A15 Bionic processor, which offers the fastest performance speeds of all iPhone processors. Teamed with the super large 4352 mAh battery, it should keep you effortlessly bouncing from app to app for over 24 hours between charges.

All this comes in at £1,549.

• Screen size: 6.7″
• Screen resolution: 1284 x 2778
• Screen PPI: 458
• CPU speed: Avalanche: 2 x 3.22GHz/
• Blizzard: 4 x X.XGHz
• Battery Capacity: 4352mAh
• Max camera resolution (Megapixels): 12MP
• Camera F-stop range: f1.5 (wide)/ f2.8 (telephoto)/ f1.8 (ultrawide)
• Max zoom: 3x

As the highest spec variant of Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is the manufacturer’s best handset.

Costing the same as its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, did at its launch, it’s not the cheapest smartphone out there but its spec put it far and above anything else the manufacturer offers and improves on the S21 Ultra 5G in a number of ways.

While the Galaxy S21 supported the Samsung S Pen stylus, the Galaxy S22 now integrates the accessory with a slot for stowing and charging it – much like Samsung’s Note range of smartphones.

The camera looks very similar to that of the S21 Ultra, but the lenses no longer protrude from the back of the device, which means it can be set down flat more easily than its predecessor could. The main camera again features a huge 108 Megapixel sensor, and Samsung has done some work on the software side of things to make night time photography sharper. Night mode can now also be applied to videos as well as stills.

Curiously, the 6.8″ AMOLED 2 display has a lower resolution than its predecessor, which in turn means it has fewer pixels per inch. It does, however, support HDR 10+ where the S21 Ultra only supported HDR 10.

The most expensive version of the phone has a maximum RAM of 12GB, which is less than its last-generation equivalent, which went up to 16GB.

In terms of storage, however, the new phone goes up to 1 Terabyte, which is almost double the S21’s maximum.

• Max RAM:12GB
• Max storage capacity:1TB
• Screen resolution:1440 x 3088
• Screen PPI:500
• Display refresh rate:120Hz
• CPU speed:2.9GHz
• Battery capacity:5,000mAh
• Camera F-stop range:f1.8 – 4.9
• Max camera zoom:100x

The iPhone 13 is the standard model in the iPhone’s flagship series, and so comes in at £400 cheaper than the Pro version and £500 cheaper than the Pro Max. For £1079, Apple doesn’t offer its full range of upgraded iPhone features in this model, yet it still is game-changing in most areas.

Photography lovers can take advantage of 12MP wide and ultrawide rear lenses and a 12MP front-facing lens. New effects make capturing detail in the dark and adding a professional touch to images and video a breeze. And 4K video-recording ablity creates stunning film.

Unlike the Pro and Pro Max, this model doesn’t have a telephoto lens or LiDAR lens, but what it does have offers more than enough opportunity for creativity. You can store your masterpieces using the 512GB of ROM and look back at what you’ve created on the large 6.1″ HDR OLED display.

From video-recording, to streaming and gaming, this phone’s A15 Bionic processor and 5G connectivity can handle it all with speed.

• Screen size: 6.1″
• Screen resolution: 1170 x 2532
• Screen PPI: 460
• CPU speed: Avalanche: 2 x 3.22GHz/ Blizzard: 4 x X.XGHz
• Battery Capacity: 3240mAh
• Max camera resolution (Megapixels): 12MP
• Camera F-stop range: f1.6 (wide)/ f2.4 (ultrawide)
• Max zoom: –

The new iteration of the middle child in Samsung’s flagship family, the Galaxy S22+ has received some upgrades on its predecessor, the Galaxy S21+.

Where the latter was backed with plastic, the new device has a Gorilla Glass Victus+ rear, which makes the device feel more premium without sacrificing too much in durability.

For some reason, Samsug saw fit to have off 0.1″ off the handset for the latest iteration, making it ever so slightly smaller, which can be a plus if you have smaller hands. The bezels have been shunk slightly though, giving over more space for the new AMOLED 2X screen, which Samsung markets as the best display it’s ever made. That said, it has less pixels per inch than the base Galaxy S22 because its resolution is same, despite being a larger display panel.

In terms of photography, it’s not quite up there with the S22 Ultra’s four-lens, 108MP main camera set up, but its 50MP main lens is still much higher resolution that what’s found in its Apple equivalent. The selfie camera on the front is also of a lower resolution than its bigger sibling, at 10MP rather than 40MP.

The handset comes with a more-than-sufficient 8GB of RAM and a choice of either 128GB or 256GB of storage.

• Max RAM:8GB
• Max storage capacity:256GB
• Screen resolution:1080 x 2340
• Screen PPI:393
• Display refresh rate:120Hz
• CPU speed:2.9GHz
• Battery capacity:4,500mAh
• Camera F-stop range:f1.8-2.4
• Max camera zoom:30x

OnePlus has built itself a reputation for delivering high-end smartphones that are cheaper than the competition’s, and the OnePlus 9 Pro continues that tradition.
Despite being £170 cheaper than the next nearest, comparable phone in this list, it still gives you a 6.7″ AMOLED display outputting at 3216 x 1440 pixels (525 pixels per inch) and refreshing at 120Hz – so far, so flagship. It’s processor speed and battery capacity are also up there with the best of its peers at 2.82GHz and 4,500mAh.

For photography, the handset has 48MP main camera, 50MP wide-angle lens and an 8MP telephoto lens. There’s also, unusally, a 2MP monochrome lens. The front camera shoots selfies at 16MP. All lenses are Sony-made.
The handset uses a modified version of Android 11 called OxygenOS that allows for more customisation than the average, stock Android phone.

The OnePlus 9 Pro doesn’t have the biggest battery on the market but the manufacturer’s Warp Charging technology returns, which means you can charge the battery from flat to full in just 28 minutes using the included power plug and cable.
The phone is slightly thicker and slightly heavier than its closest competition, but its camera lenses – developed in partnership with Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad – don’t protrude as much from the back of the handset.
All told, the trade-offs you have to make to get its smaller price tag are minimal.

• Max RAM:12GB
• Max storage capacity:256GB
• Screen resolution: 3216 X 1440
• Screen PPI:525
• CPU speed:2.82GHz
• Battery capacity:4,500mAh
• Camera F-stop range:f1.8 – 2.4
• Max camera zoom:30x

Experience the smooth and fast performance of a flagship iPhone but pay under £1,000 by opting for the mini. With a 5.4″ 1080 x 2340 display, this model is what it says on the tin. However, its A15 Bionic processor and 5G connectivity make it just as powerful as the rest of the iPhone 13 series, so you can stream, download and game with ease.

Like the standard iPhone 13, you get 12MP wide and ultrawide rear lenses on this device and a 12MP front-facing lens. Film in super sharp 4K resolution and take detailed images in low lighting.

Whatever you use your phone for, the 2438mAh battery should keep it powered well over 12 hours before needing a charge.

• Screen size: 5.4″
• Screen resolution: 1080 x 2340
• Screen PPI: 476
• CPU speed: Avalanche: 2 x 3.22GHz/ Blizzard: 4 x X.XGHz
• Battery Capacity: 2438mAh
• Max camera resolution (Megapixels): 12MP
• Camera F-stop range: f1.6 (wide)/ f2.4 (ultrawide)
• Max zoom: –

A hybrid phone and tablet, the Galaxy Note Ultra 5G offers a huge 6.9″ display that wraps around the edges of the device. The Note’s almost 4K resolution (3088 x 1440 pixels) produces Samsung’s second-sharpest image based on its number of pixels per inch.

The phone is Samsung’s largest non-folding handset and is powered by a 4,500aMh battery. Its octa-core processor has top speeds of 2.73GHz.
In terms of photography, there are twin 12MP lenses and a huge 108MP lens on the back of the phone that allows for 50x zoom, plus a 10MP selfie camera on the front. Video recording goes as high as 8K, which is higher than most commercially available televisions can output, but means you can pull super-high resolution stills from the clips you shoot.

Unlike Samsung’s current flagship S21 range, the Note 20 Ultra 5G has expandable storage in the form of a micro SD slot. Being able to add another terrabyte of storage to the handset’s in-built 512GB of ROM could be useful if you’re going to be filming in memory-hogging 8K.

• Max RAM:12GB
• Max storage capacity:512GB
• Screen resolution:3088 x 1440
• Screen PPI:496
• CPU speed:2.73GHz
• Battery capacity:4,500mAh
• Camera F-stop range:f1.8 – 2.2
• Max camera zoom:50x

For £100 less than its Max version, the iPhone 12 Pro is great value for money, providing the same amount of maximum RAM (6GB) and ROM (512GB) for £1,299. Enjoy enhanced colour, contrast and brightness from its first-rate 6.1″ OLED display with 2532 x 1170 resolution.

The A14 Bionic processor used throughout the iPhone 12 range ensures speedy performance and battery efficiency across all four models, but with a 2815mAh battery, the iPhone 12 Pro needs charging more often than its Max counterpart. With 4x maximum zoom capability – double that of the iPhone 12 – you can capture image and footage using its 12MP wide, telephoto and ultrawide lenses and cutting-edge LiDAR scanner.

• Max RAM:6GB
• Max storage capacity:512GB
• Screen resolution:2532 X 1170
• Screen PPI:460
• CPU speed:3.1GHz
• Battery capacity:2815mAh
• Camera F-stop range:f1.6 – f2.4
• Max camera zoom:4x

Huawei has made a lot of headway in establishing itself as a brand in the UK, and its Mate 40 Pro offers features and technology to rival the best that Samsung and Apple has to offer, but there’s a huge drawback to the Chinese manufacturer’s handsets that might be too much for some people to overlook. For £1,099 you’ll get a 6.7″ OLED display that wraps around the handset’s edges a la Samsung Galaxy and outputs a quad-HD resolution of 2772 x 1344 pixels, refreshing at up to 90Hz. Its Kirin 9000 chipset is one of the fastest processors in the smartphone market, clocking 3.14GHz and making it more than capable of handling even the mosst demanding games and apps. Its camera array uses premium Leica lenses.

There’s a 50MP main camera, 20MP wide-angle lens and 12MP telephoto lens for up to 1-x zoom. On the front you have twin lenses, one of which enables bokeh-effect portraits using 3D depth-sensing tech. One drawback of the Mate 40 Pro, especially at this price point, is that it has no access to Google services out of the box. This means you have to use Huawei’s own app store rather than Google’s Play Store. It’s well stocked and growing but if you can’t find an app you want, you’ll have to sideload it by downloading an APK file from the internet and installing it manually – which is easy enough to do but does expose you to risk of being tricked into downloading malicious code.

• Max RAM: 8GB
• Max storage capacity: 256GB
• Screen resolution: 2772 x 1344
• Screen PPI: 456
• CPU speed: 3.14GHz
• Battery capacity: 4,400mAh
• Camera F-stop range: f1.8-3.4
• Max camera zoom: 50x