It's great to look back and revisit all the smartphones that came out this year. Flagships may have stayed at the top but some midrangers and budget smartphones also took the spotlight.
So here we are to recognize some of them. So without further ado (drumroll please), here are the smartphones that shone the brightest in their own way and grabbed our attention.
OnePlus 10T
Starting this list, the OnePlus 10T is one of the most bang-for-the-buck smartphones that came out this year. Everything we could want in a high-end phone from one of the fastest performing hardware, 150W fast charging, an amazing Sony IMX flagship camera and a beautiful design, this phone has it covered.
Xiaomi 12T Pro
A phone that has flagship level specs that won’t cost an arm and a leg is pretty hard to come by, but Xiaomi was able to make this come to life this year with the Xiaomi 12T Pro. Packed with one of the fastest chipsets - the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1, big AMOLED display and 120W fast charging, this will make any smartphone enthusiast go crazy about it. Plus who doesn’t want a 200MP camera in their pocket?
ASUS ROG Phone 6
This list won’t be complete without the king of gaming phones. Packed with everything a gaming enthusiast could ask for to get a seamless gaming experience. Monstrous specs, huge battery and the improved gesture control with the AirTrigger 6, this phone is the closest you could get to a console-like gaming experience on a smartphone.
OPPO Reno8 Pro
The OPPO Reno8 is undeniably a phone we really like that was released this year. Being a well- rounded device in the midrange yet a phone that many can afford. We’re going for the Pro variant on this list because of the improvements it brings to the table. Boasting faster performance, a bigger 6.7-inch display, stereo speakers plus it still has the high-end cameras we loved from the original. The Reno8 Pro is simply one of the surprising smartphones that turned out to be one of our favorites.
Redmi Note 11
Some love in the budget phone category, the Redmi Note 11 is a phone that punches above its weight class. It has great performance, fast AMOLED display, fast charging and dual speakers. A lot of things we don’t usually see on lower priced phones.
realme 9 Pro+
realme changed the game this year by providing the midrange category with the best cameras to come in this segment. A highly recommended phone for people who don't want to shell out too much but still want to carry around great cameras. The realme 9 Pro+ can snap images that can compete with the high-end phones and is considerably one of the best midrangers right now.
Infinix Hot 20s
Another entry from the budget category that we can’t afford to miss is the Infinix Hot 20s. As Infinix is known for offering great smartphones below PhP 10,000, they did it again by bringing to the table this charmer that has a 120Hz display combined with powerful hardware that makes it a great choice for budget gaming. Enjoying these features and more without spending a lot definitely feels like a big win.
Samsung Galaxy S22+
This phone deserves why it's in the mainstream spotlight. It has what you want and need, even probably more, in a smartphone. To mention a few, since there’s so much to say, this has an incredible Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel display, it’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 which makes everything you do feel like a breeze and cameras that take fantastic images even when you zoom it 10x or even when you use it at night. You really couldn’t ask for more.
Huawei Mate 50 Pro
There’s no doubt about it, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro arguably has one of the best cameras in the game. The 50MP main shooter and 13MP ultrawide takes amazing snaps without a doubt. But the ability to zoom in with its 64MP periscope telephoto camera with its 90mm field of view is just incredible. Plus, the way Huawei has been advertising its Kunlun glass by dropping the phone multiple times is heart stopping and deserves its recognition.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
This phone needs no introduction. The Galaxy Z Fold4 is Samsung’s cutting edge folding phone-tablet hybrid and is definitely the best you can get. It lets you multitask unlike any other smartphone with its 7.6-inch flexible OLED screen, has a powerful processor, and PC-like features that lets you get things done quickly. It also has a good combination of a strong 50MP main, a wide-angle and a 3x optical zoom camera. It may not be the first foldable phone but it is the finest and most tailored version.
vivo X80
The vivo X80 is unrivaled when it comes to its camera capabilities. With its continuous collaboration with Zeiss optics plus its 50MP Sony IMX866 sensor with OIS, images you can get are really exceptional. And when you add to the equation its powerful performance due to its Dimensity 9000 chipset, 80W FlashCharge and aesthetic design, getting this smartphone is definitely worth it.
