When you think of the “best smartphones” of the year, it’s easy to picture expensive flagship phones. However, like every year, we’ve also had some truly standout mid-range offerings in 2022 that might not come with the proper flagships, but offer enough performance and features at much more affordable prices. Foldable phones continued to improve in 2022 thanks to Samsung pioneering the segment in India, while charging speeds soared to new heights. However, all of the phones on our list focus primarily on cameras. We’ve seen smartphones with incredible zoom performance, high-resolution sensors, and next-level video stabilization for content creators. Depending on your budget and needs, there’s something for everyone on our list.

All of these smartphones have been reviewed by us and we’ve picked only the best of the best, based on the ratings they received and what we believe are unique enough offerings that still stand out even today. Here is Gadgets 360’s list of the best smartphones in India for 2022, in no particular order.

Google Pixel 7

After a few years of neglecting the Indian market, Google has finally decided to launch its 2022 flagships in India, and we’re really happy about that. Between the Google Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, we think the Pixel 7 is the flagship most people should have their eyes on as it offers the best of Google’s vision but at a fairly affordable price. Aside from the telephoto lens and a higher resolution display on the 7 Pro, the Pixel 7 does just about everything its more expensive sibling can. It has a sleek design with good build quality, a bright screen, useful software features, quality cameras and very good battery life. As a Pixel, you can expect day one updates from Google that should keep the phone fresh and relevant for at least a few years.

iPhone 14 Pro

The iPhone 14 Pro again raises the price bar in India, making it the most expensive Pro model to date. Apple’s big upgrades this time around are a more powerful SoC, a new-age display notch it calls the Dynamic Island, and a higher-resolution main camera. The latter is perhaps the most exciting feature and the improvements are noticeable in both stills and recorded video. While not as good as the Google Pixel 7 Pro for still photography in our experience, the 14 Pro is in a class of its own when it comes to video recording. The rest is as usual. The iPhone 14 Pro offers excellent build quality, very good performance, long battery life and comes with the promise of long term software updates. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is also available with a bigger screen and battery, but it’s considerably more expensive.

iPhone 14 Plus

While some of us are sad to see the iPhone mini being discontinued, we’re glad Apple replaced it with something that has more mainstream appeal. The iPhone 14 Plus resurrects the plus-size model that ended with the iPhone 8 Plus, and is the perfect choice for those who want a Pro Max-sized iPhone but without the high premium. The iPhone 14 Plus is basically an iPhone 14 with a bigger 6.7-inch screen and bigger battery and for a lot of people that should be reason enough to get one. Despite its large footprint, it’s actually lighter than even the iPhone 14 Pro, which is a huge bonus.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Samsung’s foldable phones from last year really raised the bar by introducing an IPX8 rating for water resistance and this year we’ve seen further refinement in design and functionality. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 this year wasn’t a huge upgrade over its predecessor, which is why it misses a spot on our list, but the Galaxy Z Flip 4 received significant updates, which which makes it the best entry point for foldables. The new model has a more refined design, a better exterior display, and battery life has improved significantly. It also has the most power-efficient version of Qualcomm’s flagship SoC, which allows it to achieve top-tier performance without significant heating issues. The cameras are good, the display is great, and the fact that it can fold to half its size isn’t just a novelty anymore.

Nothing Telephone 1

Behind all the hype, flashing LED lights on the Nothing Phone 1 is a very underrated mid-range offering that, until today, offers a complete package at an unbeatable price. Considering this is the startup’s first smartphone, it really nailed the premium fit and finish. For a smartphone that costs around Rs. 30,000, you get a powerful 5G SoC, an IP53 rating and wireless charging. Phone 1 also has a vivid 120Hz display, clean software and a very good main camera. Even if you never use the Glyph lights (which we still think is more of a gimmick), the Phone 1 still delivers a premium Android experience that few can boast of, especially at these prices.

OnePlus 10R (150W)

One would usually expect one of the fastest charging smartphones to be a flagship, but surprisingly, this is a mid-range offering. The OnePlus 10R defies the brand’s typical design philosophy for a more generic design, but if you can make peace with that, you’ll find it’s a fine little mid-range smartphone. The 150W or Endurance edition of this phone really steals the show as you can charge the battery at a ridiculously fast rate. The smartphone also has an impressive main camera, good battery life, and lean software. The standard version of this phone can charge at 80W, which is still incredibly fast. Another phone worth mentioning is the Realme GT Neo 3, the 10R’s twin brother. It’s essentially the same phone but with a different design and software.

Vivo X80 Pro

If we had to choose the best phone for creating video content that is not an iPhone, we should go for the Vivo X80 Pro. Although more expensive than its predecessor, Vivo’s 2022 flagship is the best Android phone for shooting video content thanks to its dedicated imaging chip and gimbal stabilization system. It also has an extremely good night mode for low-light stills, which could give Google Night Sight a run for its money. Other than the cameras, the smartphone looks and feels like a high-end flagship. You get a sophisticated design, great display, great performance, and great battery life.

Xiaomi 12 Pro

The Xiaomi 12 Pro represents a more adult and mature flagship than the previous year. Rather than focusing on big numbers and fancy features, the 12 Pro boasts a sophisticated design and premium components that focus on quality over quantity. The Xiaomi 12 Pro comes with excellent build quality, a crisp 120Hz display, 120W wired charging, great sounding speakers and a very capable camera. What really makes it better than last year’s Mi 11 Ultra is that you can actually buy this smartphone in India.

Asus ROG Phone 6

The Asus ROG Phone 6 remains unchallenged in India as no other company has released a dedicated gaming phone this year. The Phone 6 offers better value for money than the ROG Phone 6 Pro and elevates even further the specialized gaming features we’ve seen in previous generations. With support for up to 165Hz refresh rate and a massive 6,000mAh battery, the ROG Phone 6 really is a beast when it comes to killing just about any game you can throw at it. throw him. Some notable new features include an IPX4 rating for splash resistance, improved cameras, and faster charging. Accessories are also something you’ll want to invest in, as some of them like the Aeroactive Cooler 6 actually make a big difference in performance.

OnePlus 10 Pro

The OnePlus 10 Pro is a solid, no-frills flagship that offers the best OnePlus experience (what’s left of it anyway) and great cameras. Its design is unlike any previous OnePlus smartphone and therein lies the charm. It’s sleek and stylish, has a great screen, top-notch performance, and really good battery life. It lacks an official IP rating in India, but it has all the seals and guards in place to make it water and dust resistant. With the company going through an identity crisis, this may be the last time we see OnePlus-branded features like the “alert slider” on a OnePlus flagship phone, which was conspicuously missing on the OnePlus 10T 5G which followed it.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The union of Samsung’s Galaxy Note and S series was completed this year with the arrival of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. If we had to choose just one Android phone that we felt was almost perfect, it’s hard to find better than this one. Samsung has added everything but the kitchen sink this time by including a built-in S Pen, an amazing display and what are arguably the best telephoto lenses on any phone. It’s quite expensive compared to other Android flagships on our list but still cheaper than an iPhone 14 Pro. If you want a phone that excels in almost every way, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is an easy choice.

Motorola Edge 30 Pro

The “flagship-killer” award this year goes to the Motorola Edge 30 Pro, as in addition to having a flagship-grade SoC, it also features the typical frills such as wireless charging and an IP rating. What makes it an easy contender for this title is its pricing, which was quite aggressive when it launched in February this year, and is even better now after recent price cuts. The Edge 30 Pro offers a clean Android experience, very fast charging, a 144Hz refresh rate and a very good selfie camera. If you don’t like to spend a lot but still don’t want to miss out on things like a good telephoto lens or solid gaming performance, it’s hard to find a better all-rounder at this price.