The year 2022 feels like a turning point since foldables are starting to take off, camera phones have accomplished a significant milestone, and businesses are establishing their distinctive identities. Here are five of the most impressive smartphones that were released in 2022 and will serve as benchmarks for what to expect in 2023.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
We don’t know what is more surprising, that Google is still making phones or that it actually made a good one this time. The Pixel 6 series was close, but some hardware issues left it in the “maybe not” pile. Most issues have been fixed in the 2022 generation and here we are.
The smaller Pixel 7 would be here instead of the Pro had Google been kind enough to supply it with a telephoto camera and a 120Hz LTPO panel.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is built with a vision, which can’t be said of many brands. The Pixel series has its own distinct hardware look and timely Feature Drops routinely enable cool new features that keep the phones feeling fresh.
We are not bothered by the fact that the Tensor G2 is slower than other 2022 flagships’ chipsets. Performance stopped mattering a while ago. Power efficiency has not, however, and Google and Samsung still have some work to do on that front.
AI is progressing at a stunning pace and Google is not sparing any efforts in implementing new features and constantly trying to improve the software.
Oppo Find N2
Out of all 2022 releases, we think that it is the Oppo Find N2 that deserves this spot. The original Find N was quite interesting too, but at 275g and 15.9mm thick (folded) it was pretty chunky. Oppo engineers did impressive work and shaved off 42g of weight – the N2 weighs 233g, lighter than any horizontal foldable. They shaved off some of the thickness too.
The bulk was the primary complaint about the N, the Find N2 nails just everything else – an LTPO internal panel, wide + ultrawide + tele camera setup, large battery (for its size) and so on. Again, the fact that it comes with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset instead of the Gen 2 is not concerning.
Now for the best part – the cover display still has a pretty sane aspect ratio (17.7:9) and with a 5.54” diagonal and slim bezels that makes for a phone only 72.6mm wide and 132.2mm tall, perfectly usable single-handed. Even more so now that it weighs less than an iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Asus Zenfone 9
The Asus Zenfone 9 is one of very few properly small Androids and the only one from a major brand. There are a few offerings from up-and-coming brands, though these mostly seem to launch through Kickstarter or similar services.
The phone lacks a telephoto camera but that is perfectly fine for a small-sized phone. The one major issue with the Zenfone is that Asus won’t commit to more than 2 OS updates, paying $800 for a phone is only justified if that phone will last several years. The Zenfone 9 is built well and the hardware will last, the software will be left behind by the end of next year, though.
Realme GT2 Pro
The OnePlus GT2 Pro in particular stood out. It launched globally at $750 in February, but has since come down in price significantly. It is frequently featured when we write about smartphone deals and with good reason – it offers a lot of bang for your buck.
There is a premium-looking Paper-like option if you want it. The 10-bit QHD LTPO display is flagship-grade or even better, considering that the likes of the Galaxy S22+ and Xiaomi 13 have FHD+ displays while costing more than the GT2 Pro.
The cameras aren’t quite on OnePlus level, but they are close enough considering the price difference.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the best example of how much phone cameras have advanced. Sony’s variable focal length camera is one to watch out for as well, though the Xiaomi package is overall more impressive.
The age of 1” sensors in smartphones is officially upon us and with help from Leica, Xiaomi managed to extract excellent results from 12S Ultra’s IMX989. And while dedicated digital cameras – some of them at least – have larger sensors, the computational photography, on-device editing and sharing options that smartphones offer are unmatched.
Realistically, it should be the Xiaomi 13 Pro here, which is basically the same phone except for the newer chipset and more boring look.
I should also mention the concept device with a Leica M mount for lenses. This breaks down the final wall between smartphones and mirrorless cameras and while such a device will probably never make it to market, it shows that Xiaomi can shake up the camera world if it really wanted to.
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