The best smartphones in 2022: Your buying guide

These are the things you need to consider when choosing a phone: design and build quality, ease-of-use, features, performance, value, and price.

A flagship phone will cost around 700 in 2022, but may go up to 1,000 in certain cases. You can expect to pay between 30- and 50-per month for a contract. However, you have the option of spending more if you need a high-end phone with lots of data and a lot of data.

While the lists feature the most popular smartphones right now, it doesn’t necessarily mean flagships. Some entries are comparable to budget and mid-range phones, but they earned their place based on their capabilities and quality relative to their cost.

Although buying a phone directly will give you the best value, we understand that finances are not always available for such large purchases. You will need a SIM card, plan and phone if you are able to.

Do you need an iPhone or Android?

Although there are many mobile operating systems, only two that are worth mentioning: Android and iOS.

Today’s majority of smartphones run Android, with version 12 the most recent publicly released version. Although the iOS platform may not have as much market share, developers almost always launch their apps on iOS first. This is why it has one the most popular app stores.

It’s easy to transfer contacts and select data between an Android or iPhone phone. You can’t transfer paid apps or certain app data (such as WhatsApp backups), so be aware of this when you consider switching platforms. Also, make sure to research any concerns you might have.

Why an unlocked phone is better?

Unlocked phones are not tied to any mobile operator such as Vodafone and EE. Unlocked means that the phone is purchased without any contract or SIM card attached. It is important to remember that an unlocked phone is almost always cheaper than a contract phone – if you have the funds.

Apple iPhones are the exception to this rule. Because of their popularity, operators often subsist on the cost of purchasing an iPhone to lock you into lucrative long-term deals.

If you are able to afford the initial cost of the handset, unlocked phones will generally be cheaper.

You are not tied to a long-term contract. You can purchase a new phone at any time without being tied to a contract.

Make sure that the phone isn’t locked to one network.

The right SIM

Another thing to consider is how big and what shape the SIM must be for your phone. If your phone needs a nano SIM, make sure you get one.

It is easy to fix if you do it wrong. Every network will send you a different-sized SIM card. SIM cards come in three sizes. You can simply choose the one that you require.

However, this assumes you have a new SIM. If you are looking for an unlocked or SIM-free phone, you most likely already have one. It is even more important to ensure that you have a 5G-enabled SIM and phone if you are interested in 5G.

Check put these two inexpensive but great smartphones.

Vivo X80 Pro

Vivo has done it again with the X80 Pro. This phone’s camera is top-notch and rivals the best Apple, Samsung, or Google.

Four rear lenses are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chip. The main sensor is a 50Mp capable sensor. Each lens is equipped with Vivo’s V1+ imaging chip. The telephoto lens also has gimbal stabilisation to improve zoom shots. This feature set is incredibly extensive, and the low-light photography is exceptional. You have a powerful camera that can be used in a variety of video modes, including one with cinema-wide aspect ratios.

This phone is big so it will be difficult to live with a 6.78in AMOLED. It has a 120Hz LTPO and QHD+ resolution.

The phone’s downsides include the absence of Gorilla Glass to provide scratch and crack protection and frustrating software. Overall, this is a significant step forward for Vivo and something you should seriously consider if your preference is a premium camera at the back.

Xiaomi 12 Pro – Great for multimedia

Although the Xiaomi 12 Pro has a lot to offer, it also has a couple of major flaws.

The design is simple and elegant. It features a stunning display, a quad-speaker system, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chips that deliver impressive performance. The camera system is excellent, although not the best in class, but it’s still good.

The battery life is an issue. This could be fixed by updates but it frustrates. This phone is great if you don’t mind spending your day near a charging station.