There is no one smartphone which has it all – the phone which ticks all the boxes for you will depend on budget, features and more importantly the operating system you’re already invested in. We went through a bunch of newly released phones and three highly anticipated ones on tap for later in 2022, you go through the features below to see which works for your needs…
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
(Android)
Samsung loyalists have been waiting patiently for the Galaxy S22 Ultra which delivers a built-in S Pen (a first!), brighter display and lots of camera upgrades in a slim design. Previously, the Galaxy S21 Ultra was arguably one of the bestselling phones of 2021 and remains one of the best models to invest in even today. Talking about S22 Ultra, the phone is an amped-up Galaxy Note with a faster S Pen, tremendous camera improvements, flashier display, faster charging and comes in four hip colours – Burgundy, Green, Phantom White and Phantom Black. For the price-point, this is a stellar phone overall, the cost is high and the battery life could be better.
Price: HK$9,698 to HK$12,398
Redmi Note 11 Pro Series
(Android)
If you’re on a budget and in the lookout for a smartphone, pay close attention. Xiaomi has flooded the mainstream smartphone market with several options, so no matter what your budget is, there is a Redmi phone for you. The brand expertly balances between premium technology and basic components to create handsets with top specs at affordable prices, making it a solid mid-range buy. Four new phones with similar names have been released – in price-ascending order: the Redmi Note 11, Note 11S, Note 11 Pro and Note 11 5G.
The series boasts a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution and a fast 90-120Hz refresh rate, depending upon the model. The display looks nice, colours are sharp and deep; swipe function is responsive, smooth and efficient.
The main attraction here is the flagship-level 108MP quad rear camera; a single front camera setup for selfies, featuring a 16MP sensor with an f/2.4 aperture; it delivers stunning pictures in vivid colours; low-light photography is at par with other top smartphones in the high-end range. RAM starts at 4GB. All four phones in the series share the same flat-sided design, 5,000 mAh batteries, power button-mounted fingerprint scanner and come with a headphone socket, as well. Audio and speakers are well-balanced and clear; in spite of the large battery, the phone is quite sleek and on the lighter side – in terms of overall value, it’s a strong budget all-rounder.
Price: Starting from HK$1,499
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Xiaomi 12 Series (Pro)
(Android)
Xiaomi has quickly become a household name and a rising force not just Asia, but globally. It sits in third place behind Apple and Samsung; the most important reason for this unprecedented scale of progress is the constant innovation in technology and pocket-friendly pricing. Infact, price-per-point, it’s hard to get a better camera and battery life deal than the 12 Pro.
The flagship model comes in two RAM variants, 12GB and 256GB; a 6.73-inch AMOLED display, an excellent mix of colour and brightness, and curved edges on the screen which are standard in new phones today. Armed with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 4nm chipset that delivers more powerful performance, including for camera rendering, the handset does not have an added memory card slot, though you do get a dual SIM in the tray, which is a convenient feature.
Price: Several models have been launched in the 12 series – 12, 12 Pro, 12X – starts from HK$7,299.
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Upcoming : iPhone 14 Range
(iOS)
iPhone 14 rumours are picking up and obviously it will be the most highly anticipated smartphone release of 2022. Honestly, when it comes to Apple, no one knows what to expect but leaks so far point to radical upgrades – think sleeker design, more efficient A16 bionic chip, better camera and possibly the return of Touch ID, a USB-C connectivity and the biggest shakeup could possibly kill the mini altogether in favour of a new 6.7 inch iPhone 14 Max. The release date is expected to be in September, keep a tab for all the details here.
One Plus 10 Pro
(Android)
The flagship phone will officially be launched on March 31 – at the time of writing it’s not officially available yet, so it goes in our upcoming phone section. The model boasts a 6.7 inch 1440 x 3216 AMOLED screen, curved on both ends it supports a 120Hz refresh rate, a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, 5,000mAh battery, triple-lens camera which includes a 48MP main one, a 50MP ultra-wide, and an 8MP telephoto (with 3.3x optical zoom).
(Android)
Well, another flagship phone which won’t launch till Fall 2022, but rumour mills about its specifications are on overdrive. Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are already proving to be bestsellers for the company by a margin, so we’re curious to see how Google tops that in its next offering. The leaks point to an improved camera, a better Tensor chipset and hopefully, a longer battery life.
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