All Day Long Hold X5 Edge Essence Review

(Pocket-lint) - If you're trying to figure out which is the all-time smartphone to buy right now, yous've arrived at your destination.

Below, we've ranked and rated the summit performers from our extensive phone reviews into i definitive listing. Whether you typically prefer Apple'south iPhone, want to check out the latest Samsung flagship or fancy something different from the Android realm, we accept the reply to which phone should exist at the top of your wishlist.

If you already know which telephone operating system you'll exist going with, you may observe it easier to zoom in on our best Android phone or best iPhone guides. And if the prices of the picks below are a lilliputian steep, you may want to consider checking out a mid-range smartphone or entry-level device.

For those just getting to grips with what'due south out at that place, though, we should note that information technology's a great time to invest in a new phone. At the dorsum end of terminal yr, we saw the launch of the iPhone 13 and the Google Pixel 6 ranges, with 2022 getting off to a strong start with the Samsung Galaxy S22 devices and the latest OnePlus flagship. There are also enough more smartphones releases in 2022 to look forward to.

No affair which y'all eventually opt for, yous'll likely need a reminder of the most important things to consider when buying a new smartphone, as well. That's why we've included a section below our picks with some FAQs.

Equally with every heir-apparent'southward guide, the picks below are the result of countless hours of testing by the Pocket-lint team. Yet, a phone's performance isn't the only matter that we consider when putting together these rankings; we identify a potent emphasis on the price tag and overall value of a device, also.

Our picks modify regularly, given that new phones launch all the fourth dimension, but below you lot can find the latest rankings.

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Best Smartphones in 2022

1. Google Pixel 6 Pro
2. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
3. Samsung Milky way S22 Ultra
4. Oppo Find X5 Pro
5. Apple tree iPhone 13
6. OnePlus 10 Pro
7. Xiaomi 12 Pro

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Our Pinnacle Selection: All-time Smartphone

Pocket-lint

Google Pixel six Pro

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For

• Acme-tier camera performance
• Bold design

Confronting

• Slightly chunky
• Non especially fast charging

We've seen plenty of Pixel phones enter the market over the years, but none take quite managed to alive up to typical expectations of a flagship device. That's completely inverse with the Pixel 6 Pro.

As always, Google has provided a camera and computational photography arrangement that is, in our view, best in course. However, the stakes take been raised here primarily due to the asking price, which is low enough, we expect, to make a lot of competitors second approximate themselves.

With the half-dozen Pro, there's a real sense of conviction and completeness. The pattern is bold, the display is crisp, the speakers are fantabulous and Google's Tensor chip has Android 12 running very smoothly.

It is very much on the chunky side, which won't exist for everyone, and the charging speeds let it down slightly, but this is an outstanding option for those who want an Android device.

• Google Pixel 6 Pro review: A proper flagship phone

Smartphones we also recommend

For now, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is our pick for the top smartphone available to buy. However, we understand that it may not be one that every user likes the await of - or, indeed, the price tag that comes with it. Here are the other options nosotros currently recommend checking out.

Pocket-lint

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

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For

• Finally offers a 120Hz display
• Improved battery life
• Camera is only brilliant

Against

• No big leaps from iPhone 12 Pro
• Heavy users may still challenge the bombardment

If the 'standard' iPhone thirteen is the right device for nigh people seeking an iOS device, the iPhone xiii Pro is the model for those who intendance just that scrap more than about their phone's performance. If y'all desire a true flagship experience from Apple, this is information technology.

That's non to say it does a neat unlike to last year's equivalent - it doesn't - just information technology does still refine enough aspects to make it a compelling upgrade for those with a model that's at least a couple of years old.

Battery life is improved, giving you around 90 minutes more than iPhone 12 Pro, and Apple tree's ProMotion adaptive refresh rates provide much smoother scrolling. The notch is still there, of form, but its reduction does also makes the overall experience feel just that bit better than last year.

We'd propose power users will still be able to drain down this battery fairly rapidly (like pretty much every other device, iPhone thirteen Pro does struggle under pressure), but, by and large, this is the most refined iOS experience you lot can purchase. Naturally, all of this also applies to the Pro Max variant, also, since they are substantially the same feel in a unlike shell.

• Apple iPhone thirteen Pro updated review: A lesson in refinement

Pocket-lint

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

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For

• Superb build and display
• Camera performance is elite

Confronting

• Battery life slightly lets it down
• Charging speeds could be quicker

Though nosotros enjoyed our time testing all of the Galaxy S22 models, the Ultra is comfortably the nigh consummate, flagship offering from Samsung. It's too quite a different model from its siblings, taking a large dose of inspiration from the at present-retired Note series.

For those who like using a stylus with their smartphone, that'll be a corking positive, just the Due south Pen'due south functions are also easy to skip over if that's not your loving cup of tea. Thankfully, the S22 Ultra has plenty more to offer than this, and information technology'south an outstanding selection for those who desire a actually big brandish and the neat design appeal of the curved edge.

It's not the same level of reinvention we saw with the S21 Ultra, merely it is a considered refinement with a very accomplished photographic camera array. Information technology doesn't offer elite-level battery life or the fastest charging speeds, merely its premium design and performance make it 1 of the very best phones to consider.

• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review: Ultimate reinvention?

Pocket-lint

Oppo Find X5 Pro

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For

• Durable, beautiful blueprint
• Incredible display
• Excellent charging speeds

Against

• The dial-hole photographic camera is quite stark
• The camera software isn't that intuitive

It might not take the big-name pull that some of the other devices do on this list, but Oppo's Find X5 Pro is a serious histrion; one that should exist loftier upwardly on the wishlist of those in the market place for a tiptop flagship.

The design, with its durable, ceramic dorsum and tip-top display, is an accented triumph, only the incredibly speedy performance and bombardment life are the reasons we fell in love with this phone during testing.

In that location's the odd niggle, like the camera apps' quirks and a tendency to over-process photos, simply these are very much simply minor complaints about what is a really well-rounded experience. Fifty-fifty Oppo's take on Google's Android 12 software is welcome, adding some nice features without complicating things.

• Oppo Detect X5 Pro review: The ultimate underdog

Pocket-lint

Apple iPhone 13

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For

• Great brandish and photographic camera
• Battery life is improved over iPhone 12

Against

• Misses out on some flagship features

The iPhone 13 lineup is in one case once more fabricated upward of four phones - and, thankfully, each model is still very defined for different types of users.

The 'standard' model brings everything you would await from the latest iPhone release - and, in brusk, that ways new integrations without wholesale changes that arrive a must-upgrade.

The notch is nevertheless present, although it's now been shrunk downward, and Apple has fabricated the usual incremental (simply still meaningful) improvements to battery life, display and camera functioning.

You exercise miss out on typical 'flagship' features, such as Apple tree's adaptive refresh rate, ProMotion, and the presence of a telephoto zoom lens, which is a shame, but it obviously has a reduced cost to reflect this.

Since the iPhone 13 is identical to the iPhone 13 mini in pretty much every way besides size, nosotros'll also lump this in as role of this option, too. While the iPhone 13 is the iPhone for almost every type of user looking for an Apple handset, though, only those who really crave a smaller device should expect into the iPhone 13 mini.

• Apple tree iPhone 13 review: The iPhone for everyone

Pocket-lint

OnePlus 10 Pro

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For

• Fantastic display
• Speedy performance
• Customisable and bloat-free software

Confronting

• Bombardment life could exist stronger
• Not very different to Find X5 Pro
• USB-A charging cable is puzzling

OnePlus - for the by few years - has offered an ultra-premium flagship that doesn't toll quite as much as the others. The same is truthful of the OnePlus 10 Pro.

Information technology has a truly superb brandish, information technology'southward fast and responsive, and fifty-fifty has a strong trio of cameras this twelvemonth. Like the Find X5 Pro, it also has fast wired and wireless charging.

Its strongest point, we retrieve, is the approach to software. It's make clean and bloat-free, but it'due south also customisable, with plenty of tweaks. Plus, you become three years of major software updates and an additional ii security patches.

The downsides are that it lacks a flake of identity, with the lines betwixt Oppo (and the Find X5) blurring slightly, and there's the odd camera and battery life quirk, but, mostly, you lot tin't go incorrect with this phone.

• OnePlus 10 Pro review: Business organization as usual?

Pocket-lint

Xiaomi 12 Pro

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For

• The screen is unrivalled
• Very skilful camera trio
• Slick software experience

Confronting

• Bombardment life is mixed
• Notification issues
• Can run warm

This represents a bit of a risky pick, in our view, only the highs are so high with Xiaomi's latest flagship that it'south also hard to get out information technology out of the very top flagship phones.

On the positive side, Xiaomi has delivered a masterclass in brandish and camera functioning with the 12 Pro, with a clean design that nosotros'd put up against any device on the market place. Its MIUI software, likewise, despite the odd setback with notifications and Android Automobile, runs very smoothly - a big comeback over the predecessor.

And so, though, in that location's the ugly side of life with the latest Xiaomi flagship. We really struggled with the battery life of the device, and the super-fast charging tin can't remedy this entirely. It also has a tendency to run a little hot, and those software niggles nosotros mentioned do begin to grate subsequently continuous use.

• Xiaomi 12 Pro review: Pure course or 1 to pass?

Other products we considered

We know full well that the phones above may not be enough to cover each person's taste and budget, just we're too determined to continue this list every bit concise as possible so yous can receive a snapshot of what we believe to be the very best phones available right at present.

In the process of ranking the best smartphones, we spent hours testing and researching. We always consider a number of factors when it comes to recommending phones, and attempt to apply the aforementioned criteria when a new device is being considered for inclusion. It'southward not all judged on our testing, either - we also effort to factor in consumer reviews, brand quality and value.

In society to provide some context to our decision making and testing, also equally to requite yous more suggestions of smartphones in the aforementioned ballpark, below are the devices that haven't quite fabricated information technology into our top picks.

• Oppo Find X3 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
• iPhone 12 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Atomic number 26
• Xiaomi Mi 11
• Apple iPhone 12
• Sony Xperia five III
• Apple iPhone SE (2022)

How to cull a phone

When looking for a new flagship phone, there's a lot to consider. Below, then, we'll have some advice on what y'all should be looking for in each of the key hardware areas, as well as whether an iPhone or Android phone is right for you.

What is the latest iPhone?

The 2021 family unit of Apple's smartphone is the iPhone 13. Like in previous generations, the iPhone has a number of models to choose from - mini, standard, Pro or Pro Max - simply the experience is fairly similar across all the devices. That'southward true of older iPhone models, too, with potent back up on the software forepart and consistent use of pattern for several generations of devices.

That ways that if you buy the iPhone 13, for case, you know it's going to be supported for many years. You lot likewise know that the hardware features on information technology aren't going to change drastically the next year, as Apple looks for consistency across its devices.

That also means that buying an older iPhone model remains a good pick, and why we considered both the iPhone 12 and iPhone SE for this guide. Both volition save y'all money and you lot won't miss out on many features compared to a newer equivalent.

Is Android better than iPhone and iOS?

Android's large advantage over Apple is the wide variety of options. In that location's a greater range of manufacturers, pregnant many different cost points and designs, but all with the familiarity of the underlying Android software, so there's no real learning curve when it comes to using it.

Android manufacturers are often more aggressive with new technologies, pushing new camera features in accelerate of Apple, simply often only go along a blueprint for one twelvemonth, earlier releasing a new model that'south different. Android too isn't as consequent with software support.

Although most devices will get two or three versions of Android, the timescales are never as tight equally they are for Apple - only prices do fall faster, and then good deals on newer models are oft bachelor.

Displays and sizes

The display will define the size of the device you become. Larger displays are great for consuming content, platonic for watching Tv or movies and frequently preferred by gamers.

But larger displays mean a bulkier telephone - and you might find information technology's simply not equally practical to utilize. Many manufacturers, however, make the biggest phone their all-time phone.

Not all flagship devices offer superlative resolutions of Quad HD or 4K, with some sticking to a resolution that's aplenty, similar 1080p. That's fine, though, equally yous have to await really closely to see the difference in the particular. What'due south more important is display quality.

With most flagship phones offering an OLED display, there aren't huge differences, but some offer curved edges which can make a larger phone easier to utilise.

What's emerged equally a more bonny option more recently is the refresh charge per unit. Pinnacle phones are now pushing 120Hz in an attempt to brand all content look smoother. Information technology'south not merely near gaming, it'south about supporting scrolling in apps and domicile screens, too.

Core hardware and storage

Flagship phones will typically have the latest hardware in them. While Apple offers its own hardware, Android chooses from a range of suppliers - simply many offering Qualcomm. Samsung volition use Exynos and Qualcomm, and some might range into MediaTek - although this is usually reserved for mid-range or entry-level devices.

Storage is important, as well, obviously. Depression storage will bring the price down, just fewer and fewer manufacturers are offering microSD card expansion these days. That means you lot need to buy a device with enough storage - considering that the option of 4K and now 8K video is using upward more storage than e'er.

Of class, cloud storage is a lot more than integrated these days, only remember that nothing is costless - if you want to store a lot of photos, you'll have to pay for it.

Cameras

Cameras are where phones tin differ the nigh, and, frequently, the camera is the most discussed aspect of any phone. Flagship devices accept the best cameras. From Apple to ZTE, summit phones take more or better cameras.

The well-nigh important thing to consider, however, is a adept main camera. If the main photographic camera takes good photos, that ways almost of your pictures volition exist expert. If you can't get a practiced normal photo from it, it'south no apply having lots more cameras that also give you weak photos.

Ultra-wide angle is easy to use and creates great effects, telephoto lenses go you a lot closer - only the quality of telephoto cameras varies significantly.

Periscope lenses are becoming more common, meaning 5x and 10x zoom is now a great option on some models, as well.

Merely too recall that megapixels don't automatically make a improve camera. Many mid-range phones use a high-resolution main camera and result in poor photos. More important is how the images are processed, with AI and computational photography now able to brand a huge difference over the cadre hardware.

There's e'er a lot of gimmicks, too - pro modes you'll never use, capture options y'all'll never bother with. The near important thing remains the signal-and-shoot performance, as that's what yous'll apply near of the fourth dimension.

Bombardment life

Flagship phones often aren't the best performers when it comes to battery life. Designed for functioning, the aim is to deliver the best experience, not to keep your phone alive for a calendar week.

At that place will always be phones in the mid-range that perform better - lower power, smaller display, lower resolution or lower brightness - along with a physically larger battery, to outlast flagship phones.

Only faster charging means that, with the right charger (which you might accept to buy separately), y'all can get your telephone back to total charge in no fourth dimension at all.

Is it like shooting fish in a barrel to switch from iPhone to Android?

Switching between Android brands is easy - equally long as you're backing upwards to Google - and switching between Apple and Android isn't too hard, either. Sure, in that location are some Apple tree services yous tin can't become on an Android phone, similar iMessage, only on the whole, most apps are the same.

If yous're already embedded within the Apple ecosystem, you'll likely be convinced to stay there, but, it's worth looking at where you save your data and what services you utilize, as third-party options make switching platforms a lot easier.

You tin can as well bank check out or guide to Samsung Smart Switch, which lets yous easily spring from iPhone, equally well as our wider Android v iPhone comparison.

More about this story

Every smartphone in this listing has been tested extensively in real-world scenarios, merely as you would employ one in everyday life.

As part of our defended phone reviews - and also for these buyer'south guides - we counterbalance up exactly how the current crop of devices stack up against each other, and have done so for more than a decade.

Every bit we've hinted at already, there are myriad considerations when ranking different smartphones. Design, features, operating systems, privacy, camera performance and value are all incredibly important, and things we rate in each individual device.

Ultimately, it's incommunicable to deliver a list that works for every type of user, but we use these 'measurements' and the opinions of the experts on the Pocket-lint team in social club to determine a select crop of phones to recommend.

What nosotros ever tend to avoid when compiling these picks are in-depth spec comparisons and marketing jargon; nosotros but want to provide an piece of cake to understand summary that gives you an idea of what each telephone is like to use. Our verdicts are concise, simply this is purely in the interest of brevity. Rest assured all the things on this list have been fully tested.

Writing past Chris Hall.

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Source: https://www.pocket-lint.com/phones/buyers-guides/120309-best-smartphones-and-flagship-mobile-phones-to-buy

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