The year finally comes to an end and we look back and reflect on what we have been served up in these eventful 12 months. In the world of smartphones, we have seen over 500 new models, many of them fantastic in one way or another.
As my colleagues share their top five picks for 2022, we can usually identify a few trends: some love foldables, others have opted for camera phones. I like premium devices in general.
I have been writing about mobile technology for over ten years, the last six of which have been with GSMArena. I have seen many innovations and evolutions, but I sincerely believe that 2022 has been the best year to have a flagship. And that’s why my Top 5 list consists of the real flagships of 5 major producers. They are in no particular order, mind you, I like them all equally.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
This smartphone has been around since February. It was launched as a replacement for the now discontinued Galaxy Note series and I was skeptical that users were ready for the change. It felt strange to have a Samsung Galaxy S phone with an S Pen, and the Note’s distinct design with sharp edges didn’t suit me.
My worries quickly died down when I got to use the phone for a while. The camera has been improved slightly over the already very capable Galaxy S21 Ultra, and the user interface has been a joy to work with. The S Pen is a great addition that offers all the great features initially reserved for the Galaxy Note series.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a tough guy. It is incredibly tall and wide, and its sharp edges make it difficult to handle. Luckily, humans are adaptable creatures and size wasn’t an issue after the first few days. The trade-off for such a large device is that the screen is large, the battery is large and long-lasting, and it can pack everything you need to be a powerhouse.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
I love taking pictures and of course people would think I have a smartphone with a powerful telephoto lens. I love taking pictures of animals from far away without disturbing them, and for that you need a long zoom.
The Pixel 7 Pro features a 5x optical zoom, although the sensor is smaller than its predecessor. It also has OIS, but more importantly, it comes with Google’s unrivaled algorithm to deliver clear photos.
Unlike Samsung, I love Google’s concept of bringing bright colors without oversaturating the image, where the contrast goes through the roof. I also love the algorithm in night photos – in my opinion, Google provides the best and most accurate details. They don’t look overly elaborate, and the camera seems to know what it sees instead of trying to figure it out through computational science.
Huawei Mate 50 Pro
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I still believe Huawei can get back on track. I’ve met many high-level executives from the company, based in all corners of the world, and one thing unites them all: their determination to keep Huawei one thing despite geopolitical challenges.
The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is the ultimate testament. Yes, the phone lacks the obvious amenities many of us use on a daily basis, but it fits in very well with the company’s suite of apps. Petal Search works great, Petal Maps has all the essential features we need from other navigation apps, and the way AppGallery looks beyond its app store is an interesting approach to bypass current restrictions.
Of course, this is a list of phones, so here’s why I think the Huawei Mate 50 Pro is worth it: it looks good and performs well, and the screen and battery life are nothing short of stunning; I like pretty much everything. It’s slightly more expensive than I’d like, and it lacks 5G for the same reasons it doesn’t have GMS, but those aren’t problems in my world. I want a phone that commands attention, performs well, and takes great photos from a distance, and the Mate 50 Pro does all of that and more.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
While we’re on the subject of phones with serious flaws, I’m extremely disappointed with Xiaomi and how it handled the launch of the 12S Ultra. Yes we have the phone with us but our team did the review with the elephant in the room looking over our shoulder the entire time. The phone is limited to China which certainly puts a damper on Xiaomi’s claim to be a top-notch manufacturer.
That said, having had the chance to spend time with the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, I loved the device the moment it hit my hands. The camera design is delightful: instead of having a mess of sensors and a screen, like the Mi 11 Ultra, we have a large circle and a leather back – everything is cleaner and more minimalistic, which is a win in my world.
As stated in this article, I want the phone to work fine. And this Xiaomi flagship does exactly that. It comes with the latest chipset, a large QHD+ screen and a powerful battery with fast wireless charging. Naturally, the 1″ camera with PDAF and OIS is the main talking point.
Xiaomi has tuned the camera processing with Leica, which means we have a mode called “Leica Authentic”. It reproduces realistic colors, something that many other smartphones lack with their oversaturation for the sake of the images that appear. I want to remember moments as they are, with all their dark undertones, shadows and imperfections, and luckily Leica delivers this in the 12S Ultra.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
I’ve never hidden my admiration for Apple hardware. I have a big problem with Tim Cook’s team, and that’s the tax Apple imposes on all of its products. However, I believe that the iPhone 14 Pro Max is one of the best smartphones launched in 2022, if ever.
As some may have noticed, I’m a fan of big phones – I just want to enjoy my content on big, bright screens. I also like taking photos, and the update Apple has made to the iPhone 14 Pro Max is noteworthy. The new 48 MP camera with quad-Bayer pixel binning and the new 12 MP ultra wide-angle sensor with dual pixel phase detection autofocus are extraordinary.
Image processing remains unique to Apple. Yes, the HDR goes a bit over the top, which I don’t really like, but the photos are still great. One thing Apple does better than any other company is photos of people: it preserves all the details and small imperfections that make our faces unique and beautiful. There is not as much applied computational science as in other scenarios.
As I stated at the beginning of this article, this Top 5 in no way seeks to rank one device above another. All five are extremely capable smartphones that deserve a place in the pantheon of 2022 smartphones, even if some are a little more expensive than I would have liked.
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