The 6 best Android phones in 2022

Features: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor | Built-in S Pen | 108MP wide-angle camera

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the best overall smartphones today and the best that Samsung has to offer for camera performance. With the S Pen now being incorporated into the phone, the Note lives on in the S22 Ultra, turning the Ultra into the ultimate stylus-enabled smartphone.

If your job requires you to zoom into subjects from far away, no other phone beats the S22 Ultra in terms of telephoto capability and, more importantly, quality. Zooming up to 30x provides good quality images, but even beyond this zoom level, there are practical reasons to see details of the subjects you are shooting.

See the full review: Galaxy S22 Ultra review

While the camera hardware is mostly the same as last year’s S21 Ultra, Samsung worked to improve low-light shooting. That’s on top of the immersive 6.8-inch OLED panel that proves once again that Samsung is the king of displays.

Features: 7.6-inch Main Screen | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Flagship triple camera system

Foldables are inching closer and closer to mainstream acceptance but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to hop on the innovation wagon. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the company’s most refined 2-in-1 smartphone yet, and it’s also the best one on the market. 

See the full review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review

With the latest model, you’ll get up to 12GB of RAM, a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor powering the system, a flexible display that can transform from 6.2 inches to 7.6 inches, and all the software perks of Android 12L. Samsung has also made some improvements to the industrial design to create a more uniform, durable, and lightweight form factor. 

Features: 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display | Google Tensor with Titan M2 security | Android 13

Google’s Pixel 6 Pro is the best smartphone currently available from Google. The Pixel 6 has many of the same specifications, but the one less camera on the back and 90Hz panel (compared to the Pro’s 120Hz) make the Pixel 6 Pro the Google phone to buy.

The Pixel 6 Pro starts at $899 and comes in a wave of pastel, Googley colors like Stormy Black, Cloudy White, or Sorta Sunny. Naturally, the software experience on the Pixel 6 Pro is clean, minimal, and takes a user-first approach. It’s also a prime candidate for all the latest Android software and security updates, which is great for users who value longevity. 

The cameras are clearly the focus of the Pixel 6 Pro, with Google’s amazing backend processing and new 50MP main lens doing most of the heavy lifting. For some of the best point-and-shoots you can get, look to the Pixel.

See the full review: Google Pixel 6 Pro review

Features: 6.7-inch LTPO display | Bloatware free | 65W SuperVOOC charging

OnePlus used to be the “flagship killer” brand but has since evolved into higher-priced flagships directly challenging the likes of Samsung and Apple. Compared to Samsung, OnePlus offers an experience that is free from ads and bloatware while also now providing some interesting features such as reverse wireless charging and adaptive 120Hz displays.

The OnePlus 10 Pro is priced in a much more competitive range than last year. At $799, the device is in-line with Google’s flagship Pixel 6 Pro, and undercuts Samsung’s S22 Plus and Ultra handsets. Still, OnePlus has managed to cram in specs that go tit for tat with the more expensive rivals.

See the full review: OnePlus 10 Pro review

One area that OnePlus leads the pack in is the charging capability of its phones. SuperVOOC 65 support and Warp Charge Wireless 50 support are provided in the OnePlus 10 Pro. This means you can charge up your phone from 1% to 100% in just 29 minutes. 

Pros

• Lovely, high-quality design
• Ultra-fast wireless and wired charging capability
• Bloatware-free software
• One of the best ultra-wide cameras on the market

Cons

• Storage and RAM configuration is limited to 8GB/128GB in the US
• Hasselblad influence is still limited to software
• Software experience is ever-changing

Features: Competitive $449 price tag | Google-exclusive software features | Exceptional battery life 

Google’s Pixel 6a checks all the boxes of a competitive, mid-range smartphone. instead of focusing on premium-grade materials and flashy features, the Pixel 6a is just a simple, user-friendly device that makes you question if you’ve been paying too much for smartphones. 

At $449, the Pixel 6a offers a useful dual 12MP camera system, with Google’s Tensor chipset powering all that’s within. That also means you’ll be getting the same software tricks as flagship Pixels, like Magic Eraser and Live Translate. If you can live with a 6.1-inch display and are tight on budget, then the Pixel 6a is the budget Android to buy.

See the full review: Google Pixel 6a review

Features: Pop-up side triggers | 144Hz AMOLED display | 120W fast charging

If there’s one area that Android completely dominates iOS in, it’s gaming. Whether you game on existing mobile apps or take to the cloud for streaming, Android manufacturers have spent the past years forging a new category of gaming-tailored smartphones. If you want the best, check out the Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro. It’s not the most expensive gaming phone on the market, and it certainly doesn’t need a big price tag to do the talking.

See the full review: Black Shark 5 Pro review

To start, the phone can be configured with up to 16GB of RAM for high-graphics gaming and enhanced app management. Then, there’s the external hardware like the 144Hz refresh rate display that makes gameplay look buttery smooth, the two side trigger buttons that can retract into the phone when not in use, and RGB designs etched throughout the body of the phone — because Xiaomi wants you to game in style.