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Market forces made us endure screens interrupted with various sorts of notches and cutouts for a considerable time, but that’s all about to end soon. In the last few years, we have seen the Android community evolve from hating notches to being indifferent towards them. But living with the new wave of bezel-less, full-view display phones has convinced us that the world is better off without notches and it’s imperative that natural order be restored to our phone screens. (हिंदी में पढ़िए)

For now, most of the true full-view and notch-less display phones use Pop-up cameras or sliders, but a few tech giants including Samsung, Oppo, and Xiaomi have already demonstrated prototypes or released phones that place the front camera behind the screen.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G is the world’s first commercially available phone with an under-display camera (UDC). The main screen of this foldable phone is a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 22.5:18 aspect ratio, QXGA+ (2208 x 1768) resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 374ppi. Thanks to that UDC, you get a 88.57 % screen to body ratio.

Rest, the device runs on a Snapdragon 888 chipset, 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage, 4400mAh with 25W fast charging, and a penta-camera setup.

Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 4 is yet another under-screen camera phone. It calls its implementation CUP (Camera Under Panel), but the mechanism is pretty much the same as the other under-display selfie cameras out there. Above its 20MP selfie camera lies 400ppi pixels of the screen. This display stretches 6.67-inches and sports 120Hz refresh rate.

It ships with Snapdragon 888+ processor, 8GB/12GB RAM, 128GB/512GB storage, 4,500mAh battery and has 120W wired charging, 108MP camera, and Harman/Kardon speakers.

Asus Zenfone 8 Flip has a 6.67-inch (2400 × 1080 pixels) Full HD+ E4 AMOLED HDR10+ display with 90Hz refresh rate, 200Hz touch sampling rate, 110% DCI-P3 color coverage, up to 1000 nits brightness, and Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection. This full screen fascia is possible thanks to a flip camera module.

Legion Duel 2 is a gaming smartphone from Lenovo that’s envisioned to be used in landscape orientation primarily. The screen is a 6.92-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel with 144Hz refresh rate, 1300 nits peak brightness, 111.1% DCI-P3 color gamut support, and 20.5:9 aspect ratio.

The front camera is present within a pop-up camera that raises from the right-hand edge of the phone. The logic is to allow players to stream their gameplay while playing in the horizontal orientation.

OnePlus was one of the first few Android OEMs to usher in a notch, and it’s also one of the first in the premium segment to get rid with OnePlus 7 Pro (review). It further continued the trend with OnePlus 7T Pro which comes with a gorgeous true full-view display with extremely narrow bezels.

The 90Hz refresh rate makes it super smooth, the resolution goes all the way up to 2K, and, there are those slick curves at the edges. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 855 octa-core chipset paired with high-quality UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR4X RAM. On the downside, the 7 Pro is big and bulky, is missing the audio jack, and has a mediocre set of cameras.

The elevating module opens like a fin and also makes room for the earpiece and LED flash. Anyway, the result is an immersive full-view AMOLED display that extends edge to edge. The Reno 10X Zoom has flagship-grade specs, including the Snapdragon 855, but all the tech housed within makes it a tad thick and heavy.

The Galaxy A80 is the only phone from Samsung with an AMOLED screen that extends edge to edge. Yes, even the high-end S-series and Note-series flagships rely on cutouts or punch holes to accommodate the front camera.

The Galaxy A80 implements the bezel-less, full-view screen using an elevating and swivel camera system. Thus the triple rear cameras also double as front selfie shooters. Perhaps this unnecessarily complicated design can be held responsible for disproportionately inflating the price. So, if you really consider an immersive full-view AMOLED screen from Samsung a top priority, you may consider the Snapdragon 730-powered Galaxy A80.

The 6Z (globally known as the Zenfone 6) is one of the most impressive phones we have seen from Asus in India. The 6Z (review) has a gorgeous and well-calibrated IPS LCD display that covers the entire facia. The selfie camera is housed in a flip module and this glass body phone houses a massive 5000mAh battery while being reasonably manageable.

The 6.4-inch screen has Full HD resolution which is quite sharp considering this is an IPS LCD and not AMOLED screen. This competitively priced Snapdragon 855-powered phone also has stereo speakers, 48MP primary camera, and runs an extremely close-to-stock version of Zen UI.

Xiaomi’s Redmi K20 Pro (review) brandishes an impressive set of specs that you’d otherwise find on phones priced significantly higher. With the K20 Pro, Xiaomi pays due attention to design and the phone gets a full-view AMOLED display (6.4-inch, full HD+) with an in-display fingerprint sensor lying underneath.

As is the case with most other Xiaomi phones, the K20 Pro is a great value proposition. Key features include triple rear cameras, 4000mAh battery with fast charging support, and MIUI 10 interface with fewer ads.

Oppo Reno, which is a trimmed-down version of the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom, has the same design with shark-fin pop-up and is also slimmer and significantly lighter. The handset has a 6.4-inch AMOLED display (Full HD) with around 87% screen-to-body ratio that targets DCI-P3 color gamut and is shielded by Gorilla Glass variant.

Motorola One Fusion Plus rocks a 6.5-inch full HD+ notch-less TFT-LCD screen. It’s pop-up camera houses a 16MP sensor. Pivot and by the back you get a 64MP quartet.

The phone is powered by Snapdragon 730G with 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a 5000mAh battery. There is support for 15W fast charging. There is Vanilla Stock Android software too in the mix.

The Realme X (review) is a very competent phone that includes trendy features like a full-view AMOLED screen with minimal bezels on three sides, in-display fingerprint sensor, and pop-up camera – all for a sub Rs. 20,000 price.

Redmi K20 passes on most of what’s good with the Redmi K20 Pro at a lower price point. The handset has the same design as the Pro variant and the same immersive full-view AMOLED display.

The Redmi K20 is however driven by Snapdragon 730 and replaces the Sony 48MP sensor with a Samsung sensor of the same resolution. Other features include in-display fingerprint reader, Pop-up camera, and 4000mAh battery with fast charging.

The Vivo 15 Pro has been around for a while, but it’s still a relevant option, especially at the new price. Both the V15 Pro and V15 employ a pop-up front camera and have a full-view display. The Pro variant, however, benefits from a better AMOLED screen and is powered by Snapdragon 675.

The Oppo K3 has a near bezel-less and uninterrupted AMOLED screen that measures 6.5-inch diagonally. The handset houses a 3765mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 fast charging support and runs Android Pie based Color OS.

Huawei Y9 Prime is the first Huawei phone in India to deliver a full-view screen. The IPS LCD display on the phone measures 6.59-inch and is full HD sharp.

The handset is powered by Kirin 710 octa-core chipset paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. Other features include triple rear cameras, 4000mAh battery, and Android Pie based EMUI 10 software.

Samsung has developed one of the best full-view display devices globally. One such example of the same is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The smartphone has a 6.9-inch dynamic AMOLED display complemented with a 120HZ refresh rate. The device has 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 1TB via a microSD card. It is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 9 series processor.

On the camera front, the smartphone has a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 108MP primary shooter and two 12MP shooters. On the front, it gets a 10MP sensor for the sake of selfies and video calls. The device packs a 4500mAh battery along with fast charging as well as wireless charging support.

iQOO took the whole market by storm with the launch of the iQOO 9 Pro 5G. The smartphone stands as a strong competitor of devices like the OnePlus 9 Pro in the market. It comes with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display that also has a 120Hz refresh rate to offer a smoother experience. The smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage in the high-end variant of the device.

For photography, the iQOO 9 Pro sports a triple rear camera setup including a 50MP primary shooter, 50MP ultra wide-angle shooter, and a 16MP tertiary shooter. The 16MP front sensor of the device makes sure that you get the best results while clicking selfies. The handset has a 4700mAh battery that also supports 120W fast charging. The charging tech of the device claims to fully fuel it up in less than 20 minutes.

The Xiaomi 12 Pro could be hailed as one of the best devices launched by the company so far. The smartphone has a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate The smartphone works on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor for high-speed performance, It also has 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage to store all your data.

When it comes to the camera, the handset rocks a triple rear camera setup including a 50MP primary shooter, 50MP secondary shooter, and a 50MP tertiary shooter. No doubt the camera performance of the smartphone is better than most of its competitors. The smartphone draws power from a 4600mAh battery and also supports Hyper Charging 4.0.

The flagship devices by Vivo have always amazed the users in terms of camera prowess, performance, and display capabilities. Vivo X70 Pro follows the same trend with its 6.56-inch AMOLED display coupled with a 120Hz refresh rate. Though we will say that the smartphone lags behind in terms of the processor as it has a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor. Apart from that, it has 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage that cannot be expanded.

The smartphone rocks a quad rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, two 12MP sensors, and an 8MP sensor for delivering the best shots in both daylight and low light. On the front, the device has a 32MP front camera for clicking selfies and attending video calls. The handset is powered by a 4450mAh battery that comes with flash charging support.

The OnePlus 10 series failed to make an impact like the OnePlus 9 series due to the changes and experiments. Still, the OnePlus 10 Pro was something which the audience loved because of the specs. The device works on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The smartphone comes equipped with a Fluid AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh rate.

Furthermore, it flaunts a triple rear camera setup including a 48MP primary snapper, 50MP ultra wide-angle snapper, and an 8MP tertiary snapper. The smartphone has a 32MP camera at the front and it offers decent selfie shots along with allowing the user to attend video calls in HD. The device has a highly durable 5000mAh battery along with 80W superfast charging that completely charges the smartphone in less than 30 minutes.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE packs a compact 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display along with a 120Hz refresh rate. The device runs on the Samsung Exynos 2100 processor accompanied by 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage that is non-expandable in nature. The smartphone operates on the Android 12 operating system offering the user a snappy interface without lots of bloatware.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE features a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 12MP primary shooter, a 12MP secondary shooter, and an 8MP tertiary shooter. On the front, it has a 32MP camera for the sake for selfies and video calls. A 4500mAh battery powered the handset and it also comes with fast charging support.

Google"s Pixel A-series phones have been our favorites for a few years now, and that hasn"t changed with the Pixel 6A (8/10, WIRED Recommends), though its lead is narrowing. It"s powered by Google"s Tensor chip, which means you"re getting some of the best performance for the money, and it supports all the same great (and helpful) software smarts as the flagship Pixel 6 series. My favorites include Assistant Voice Typing to type up accurate messages with just my voice and Hold for Me, so I never have to listen to hold music. I also love its size; at 6.1 inches, the screen is comfortable to manage with one hand. Speaking of, the OLED panel gets plenty bright, making it easy to see on sunny days. (Sadly, it"s stuck at a 60-Hz screen refresh rate.)

Unlike its predecessors, the Pixel 6A doesn"t have the same dual-camera system as its flagship counterpart, instead relying on the sensors we"ve seen since the Pixel 3. It still snaps excellent photos that beat out nearly every other phone at this price, but you"ll notice that low-light images can be grainy and lacking in detail. It would"ve been nice if Google had kept the Pixel tradition of having a flagship camera in a midrange phone. This phone will get five years of security updates, which is great, but only three OS upgrades, which is less than what Samsung offers for its phones—odd considering Google maintains Android. It has an IP67 rating for water resistance and a reliable fingerprint sensor, but you might be miffed that there"s no wireless charging, no headphone jack, and no charging brick in the box. It has dipped as low as $299, which makes it a steal.

What constitutes a great phone display? Is it the high resolution and pixel density? Well, that, and great screen quality test numbers, that"s why the Sony Xperia 1 IV specs with the 1644p 4K panel top our list. What about the high brightness and contrast that offer good outdoor visibility in the sun outdoors? That"s certainly important, but most of today"s flagships have HDR-certified panels that breach the 1000-nit barrier upwards to fit the standard, and their OLED tech ensures practically infinite contrast ratio, so it"s hard to pick on that merit alone.

Ditto for credible color gamut presentation, as per-unit display calibration is no longer a prerogative of Apple"s iPhones, while said HDR display flagships now cover both the standard RGB, and the wide P3 color gamut. Is it the actual white balance and DeltaE numbers then? It"s getting warmer, but throw in dynamically-adjusted refresh rate based on the content displayed, and you"ve narrowed it down to only a few choices when it comes to the best phone displays that we round up below.

Not only does Sony make the only phones with 4K display resolution, but it also calibrates them to a near perfect level. The flagship Sony Xperia 1 IV carries a 6.5" 4K display with the whopping 643 PPI pixel density, and our display benchmarks returned class-beating brightness, white balance and wide gamut color representation credibility levels, some of the best we"ve measured. Add the high dynamic refresh rate, and the Sony Xperia 1 IV has probably the best panel on a phone so far.

The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set (area) of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace (the highlighted triangle) serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display"s color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The "x: CIE31" and "y: CIE31" values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. "Y" shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while "Target Y" is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, "ΔE 2000" is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.

Pay attention to that "brightest" part and the 1Hz-120Hz specs at the full 1440p resolution. Yes, that means that the S22 Ultra is equipped with the newest LTPO OLED display technology that allowed for both the record 1750nits of peak brightness, 15% less battery consumption than what"s on the S21/S21+, and the dynamically-allocated refresh rate that can go down to 1Hz when you are looking at static images, or rev up all the way to 120Hz when you scroll.

This brightness is what makes the S22 Ultra display, in particular, stand out, as the granularly adaptive refresh rate has been on Oppo and OnePlus phones before it.

As usual with Oppo, ever since its partnership with Pixelworks, there is a per-unit factory Delta E calibration, color-blindness presets, and camera-to-display wide color management system. The LTPO panel is factory-calibrated and delivers one of the best color credibility Delta measurements we"ve ever taken, with only Google"s Pixels being better here.

Moreover, the Find X5 Pro has the best white balance score, nearest to the 6500K reference point that means the screens colors are spot on in terms of warmth, neither too yellowish, nor cold and blueish. Adding the high typical or peak brightness levels, the company has managed to beat its own best phone displays record.

The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set (area) of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace (the highlighted triangle) serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display"s color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The "x: CIE31" and "y: CIE31" values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. "Y" shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while "Target Y" is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, "ΔE 2000" is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.

To take full advantage of its excellent display panel"s abilities, the Find X5 Pro employs a "multi-brightness color calibration," meaning that the screen is as color-credible in all lighting conditions, be it on the beach or in the dark.

Google managed to catch up with factory calibration and its Pixel 6 Pro display now delivers not only one of the most feature-rich panels in the Android universe - 1440p resolution, dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, and high brightness, but it is also in the top three in terms of color representation in our display benchmark database.

Birds of a feather, the OnePlus 10 Pro and Oppo Find X5 Pro, as they sport the same 6.7" 1440p LTPO OLED panel with dynamic refresh rate and individual display calibration at the factory level courtesy of the imaging specialists from Pixelworks. Thus, you get a near-perfect color accuracy, wide gamut coverage, and high average brightness, all for less than $900 barring any running OnePlus 10 Pro deals.

The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set (area) of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace (the highlighted triangle) serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display"s color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The "x: CIE31" and "y: CIE31" values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. "Y" shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while "Target Y" is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, "ΔE 2000" is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.

These measurements are made using Portrait Displays" CalMAN calibration software.The high dynamic refresh rate is the best thing that happened to mobile displays since the introduction of the OLED technology, and there is no looking back once you"ve tried it while browsing and scrolling. Here"s the answers on our question how does it all work exactly:

The display is also basically able to do what MEMC TVs do, automatically increasing frames in video to up the rate, and take better advantage of the high refresh rate even with content that is usually shot with 24fps or 30fps. Detailing the panel"s virtues in a blog post, the OnePlus CEO also mentioned that:

Apple"s finest finally found the 120Hz refresh feature (say that 3 times quickly) and if you are already invested in the iOS ecosystem, there is nothing better than the brightest, toughest displays on an iPhone so far, the one on the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro.

Apple advertises it as having a record for a phone peak brightness level of 2000 nits, or more typical brightness of 1600 nits when consuming HDR content and 1000 nits otherwise. This is exactly what we measured and these displays are so advanced that only Samsung can make them at the moment with its 12th-gen OLED technology.

As usual, Apple offers great individual color calibration and the Super Retina XDR panel is HDR certified to show 4K Dolby Vision HDR video recorded by the phone"s own cameras. The only ho-hum part is the just average greyscale representation, so while the iPhone 14 Pro Max may have the brightest phone screen it"s not the most accurate in terms of color credibility.

The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set (area) of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace (the highlighted triangle) serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display"s color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The "x: CIE31" and "y: CIE31" values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. "Y" shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while "Target Y" is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, "ΔE 2000" is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.

Apple has partnered with its usual "made in America" investment suspects from Corning to master an exclusive mixture that it calls Ceramic Shield, hinting at the tough "glass-ceramic" material involved in the blend.

Say what you will about Google entering the fray here but the Pixels have very well calibrated displays and the new Pixel 6a is no exception. First off, its color credibility is better than the more established calibration champs here (just look at those DeltaE numbers below). It is also sufficiently bright, so if you are looking for a compact 5G Android phone with a great camera and display that won"t break the bank, the Pixel 6a would fit your narrative.

The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set (area) of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace (the highlighted triangle) serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display"s color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The "x: CIE31" and "y: CIE31" values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. "Y" shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while "Target Y" is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, "ΔE 2000" is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.

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The Pixel 7 is better than phones that cost several times as much, and it has the best version of Android and one of the best Android smartphone cameras we’ve ever tested.

Who it’s for: People who want a fast, secure Android phone with the best camera and guaranteed software updates, but don’t want to spend a thousand dollars.

Why we like it: The Google Pixel 7 offers the high-quality software and cameras that have made all of Google’s Pixel phones great, and it costs just $600. This phone comes with Google’s clean, responsive version of Android 13, and it’s guaranteed to get updates through fall 2027. The Pixel 7 has a dual-camera setup that takes better photos than almost any other Android phone..

Though it has only two camera lenses, Google"s amazing photo processing is borderline magical. It uses True Tone technology to accurately render darker skin tones, which can be a problem on other phones, and the Pixel camera app offers options to tweak exposure and color temperature live in the viewfinder. The Pixel 7 also has Google’s Magic Eraser feature, which can remove distractions and unwanted background objects in photos.

The Pixel 7 has a 6.34-inch OLED screen that stretches nearly edge to edge with minimal borders. It’s bright enough for outdoor use, and it also has an extra-dim feature that makes the brightness easier on the eyes in dark rooms. In addition, there’s an optical fingerprint scanner under the screen; it’s not as fast or accurate as Samsung’s ultrasonic sensor, but it’s much better than the one in the Pixel 6a or in last year’s Pixel 6.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: We can’t find many flaws in the Google Pixel 7, especially given its price—we wouldn’t expect to see most of its “missing” features in a $600 phone anyway. We do wish it could charge faster; at best, it gets a little less than half a charge in 30 minutes.

The Pixel 7 offers the best version of Android, with guaranteed security updates through fall 2027—plus the best Android smartphone camera we’ve ever tested. It also has excellent build quality and costs half as much as Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Google’s Pixel smartphones have always offered the best Android software experience, but the Google Pixel 7 proves that Google is taking the hardware seriously, as well. It has a crisp 6.3-inch OLED screen and a solid wrap-around aluminum frame. The Pixel 7 also offers the best camera performance of any Android phone save for its sibling, the Pixel 7 Pro, and Google’s custom Tensor G2 processor holds its own against the high-end chips in other phones. In addition, the Pixel 7 is more likely to remain secure for years longer than most Android phones thanks to its five years of guaranteed monthly patches. And at $600, it costs hundreds less than other Android phones that won’t last as long or perform as well.

The Google Pixel 7 Pro is similar to the Pixel 7 but adds a larger OLED screen with a higher resolution and refresh rate, more expansive 5G support, and a 5x telephoto camera. These improvements bump the price up to $900, so the value isn’t quite as strong as with the Pixel 7. But the Pixel 7 Pro is a more capable phone with the same excellent software and five years of update support.

For quite a bit less, the Pixel 6a offers the same excellent version of Android as the Pixel 7 with updates through 2027, and it has the high-end Tensor processor that debuted in the Pixel 6. The camera is a step down from those in new flagship Pixels, but it’s still better than those in some phones costing hundreds more.

The Google Pixel 6a is priced $150 lower than the Pixel 7 but still has almost every feature you might expect from a high-end phone. The Pixel 6a runs on Google’s clean, fast version of Android 13, with five years of guaranteed security updates. It also offers camera performance that surpasses what you can get from phones that may cost twice as much, though it’s not as good in that regard as the Pixel 7. On top of that, the Pixel 6a’s screen lacks the high refresh rate of the Pixel 7 and Samsung Galaxy S22 displays, so it doesn’t scroll as smoothly and isn’t as bright.

A fast processor, a huge screen, class-leading camera hardware, and even a stylus make the Galaxy S22 Ultra the most full-featured Android phone available. But you should buy it only if it’s on sale.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is essentially a Galaxy Note by another name. It has the biggest, brightest screen of any smartphone you can buy, and the included S Pen can help you take notes, mark up documents, and create art in ways you can’t do on any other phone. It offers the best build quality of any Android phone, with a custom aluminum-alloy frame that wraps around the edges, and the matte glass repels fingerprints. The S22 Ultra also has the best camera hardware in a phone, including a 10x “periscope” zoom lens and manual controls for more experienced photographers. Its primary drawback is its high regular price of $1,200—for $300 less, the Pixel 7 Pro is better at most things. While the S22 Ultra has better camera hardware, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro’s camera software helps them produce great photos without the need for fine-tuning. The S22 Ultra is ideal if you demand maximum versatility from your phone, but you should buy it only on sale—we recommend purchasing when it’s closer to $1,000, or if you have an older Samsung phone to trade in.

While Apple aims to give you a similar experience across its devices, Android embraces variety and offers phones from different manufacturers. The result is plenty of distinct personalities and features to pick between.

That means personal brand preference plays a big part, aside from the core Android experience. Pricing is hugely competitive, too, which presents you with a lot of choices.

We"re continuously reviewing all the top options, so here"s our rundown of the very best Android phones you can buy - and the reasons why they deserve your attention.

There"s a lot to like about the Pixel 7 Pro, and it more than justified its place as runner-up in the best smartphone category in the Pocket-lint Awards for 2022. It"s a stunning phone.

Ultimately there"s not a huge change from the Pixel 6 Pro, but it does have a more refined design, a great big display and a clean software experience which brings all the Pixel goodness to the surface without any bloat or needless additions.

The camera is still what defines this phone, taking it a step further than previous Pixel devices by extending the zoom range and giving access to closer macro shots too. The additions to the video don"t quite realise their potential, especially when it comes to sharing that HDR video.

While the Google Pixel 7 Pro is at the top of our list, we know it won"t be the right phone for everyone. We all look for different things in a smartphone. Maybe you need top gaming performance, or maybe your top priority is camera quality. With that in mind, we"ve also selected the following devices for you to consider.

There aren"t many handsets on the market with the S22"s unique combination of all the top features and specifications. Plus, with the addition of the S Pen this year, it takes over the position once held by the Note series.

It"s got one of the best displays we"ve ever seen on a smartphone, and it"s packed into a really neatly designed - albeit quite large - body. There"s something quite unique about the squared corner, flat top and bottom edge combined with the rounded sides. It"s distinctive, and the camera design is fantastic too.

It does everything you"d expect from an ultra-premium flagship. It is - however - a little on the expensive side, plus its battery doesn"t perform as well under load as you"d hope from the supposed "king of the smartphones.

Not only does it ditch glass in favour of the harder, more durable ceramic, but has made the rear of the phone completely seamless. It"s moulded and compressed into one surface, including the camera protrusion that ramps up from the back.

Add to that a stunning display, fantastic battery life and strong cameras, and you have one of the best phones on the market. Plus, it comes equipped with fast wired and wireless charging.

There are some question marks over the software still, but - on the whole - it"s a phone we think will make anyone looking for a top flagship really happy.

The Google Pixel 6a is a nice-looking compact phone that offers considerable power for the price. There"s great overall build quality, and a decent display that"s nice and vibrant, only really let down by sticking to 60Hz, but the addition of an IP67 rating on a phone at this price will be welcomed.

Many are likely to be drawn to the Pixel 6a because of the camera. This is similar to the Pixel 5 camera arrangement so it doesn"t have all the advantages of the more expensive Pixel 7 phones, but still delivers great results thanks to Google"s AI approach to the cameras. It"s certainly one of the most straightforward cameras, producing the best results, that you"ll find at this price point.

Overall, the Pixel 6a is great value for money, delivering flagship power and camera performance at mid-range prices. There have been a few compromises to pull things in at this price, but there"s something of a no-nonsense approach from Google here, with the Pixel 6a hitting important performance and spec points to be a great all-rounder.

It"s got a fantastic big display with fast refresh rates, and its speedy gaming ability is powered by some top-tier processing and cooling components. Plus, it can"t be overstated how good the sound is on this phone. Its two individually-powered speakers deliver sound that"s so much better than any other phone we"ve tested.

With its QuadHD+ resolution display - complete with 120Hz adaptive refresh and great adaptive brightness - it has one of the best displays on the market. And with OnePlus" focus on delivering a fast and smooth experience, it"s really speedy and responsive too.

We were surprised the battery life wasn"t as strong as the Find X5 Pro, and the cameras aren"t quite as good, but it"s still a very complete all-round device and one that comes with the guarantee of software support for the next 4 years.

The Z Flip virtually stands alone in the flexible smartphone market. It"s got that undeniably cute form factor, bespoke colour options and a design that allows you to fold a big, bright display into a small, pocketable size. Its charm is irresistible.

The design is solid too, strengthened by impact and scratch-resistant glass on the outside, held in place by Samsung"s "Armour Aluminium", and comes with IPX8 water resistance, so it can even cope with being rained on or dropped in water.

While the camera performance is strong, it is lacking that third zoom lens, and the charging could be quicker. However, it"s available at a not-too-expensive price and has software that really makes the most of that flexible display. It"s a brilliant phone.

Despite its palm-friendly size, the ZenFone 9 offers a mostly compromise-free flagship experience. It has a great display and performance that equals the big name premium phones on the market.

Its design gives it the feel of something that"s designed to be held one-handed, and it"s so much more comfortable to hold than most other phones on this list. For that reason alone it stands apart.

It could definitely improve on the camera front - it"s lacking a telephoto zoom lens - and the software bloatware is irksome, but it"s still a phone we"ve enjoyed using and one that"s well worth considering, especially at this price point.

When trying to figure out what we believe to be the best Android phones currently available, we spent hours testing real-world performance, battery life and gaming; as well as getting out in the streets and snapping pictures. Then, we go over the results with a fine-tooth comb. We consider a range of factors when it comes to recommending devices - and also when a new device enters our top five selections. This isn"t just our own testing, either, with consumer reviews, brand quality and value all taken into account, as well.

There"s a lot more to choosing an Android phone than there is to choosing an iPhone: Apple"s divisions are mostly around size, with all models offering a similar experience and few unique features.

Android phones are entirely different: there are many manufacturers, some well known and some more niche, there is a wide range of prices, designs, features - including phones with some specificity, like gaming phones, for example.

One of the considerations is how close to stock Android you want your phone to be. While all Android voices have the same underlying experience, the alterations that the manufacturer makes can bring character, it can also bring duplication and bloat.

Google offers its own phones - the Pixel phones - while only a few offer a "pure" experience. Those phones running Android One are as close to stock as you"ll get - included those from Nokia and a couple from other manufacturers, although they are rare.

Brands have generally been drifting towards Google in the last few years: there"s wider use of Google"s stock apps instead of duplicated alternatives, as well as the use of features like Google Discover on the home screen to enhance the experience.

The skin and the manufacturer will define the experience, with Sony often regarded as light touch, through to Samsung"s highly evolved reworking that"s packed with features. Brands like Oppo. OnePlus, Vivo and Xiaomi (and formerly Huawei) are often seen as slightly less advanced with software - but often offer better value for money.

This gap has narrowed recently, with mid-range devices offering an experience closer to a flagship, meaning the many day-to-day experiences are just as good on an affordable device as they are on a flagship phone.

Qualcomm dominates these devices, with Snapdragon 8 series at the top level and 7 series in a tier just beneath this. We"re now seeing new versions of older 800-series hardware reappearing for newer devices as a sub-flagship - while some devices will use slightly older hardware to make them better value for money.

RAM runs to the ridiculous - up to 18GB on some gaming devices, while storage matches the pricing, with microSD expansion included on some devices - but not all.

High-quality displays that were once the preserve of flagship devices are now common in the more affordable devices, where you can get an AMOLED display without paying top prices. Samsung Display is often considered the market leader, with many brands declaring a Samsung display to convince you to buy.

Refresh rate is the latest battleground, from the typical 60 frames a second to 144fps on some gaming phones. Many phones are settling around 90 or 120Hz, with lower refresh rates now being reserved for lower-positioned devices.

Curves are common, although they are slowly becoming the preserve of flagship phones, with some offering a flat display in a "normal" device and curved in a "pro" device. Although curved looks nice, some might find the touch response across the panel better from a flat device.

The camera is the most often talked about aspect of a modern smartphone and there"s no end of comparison between different devices, all claiming to be the best.

The most important thing is having the main camera that will take a good photo in all conditions - that"s the one you"ll use the most, so that"s the one that needs to work. There"s a lot of overselling: high resolutions, supporting sensors, fancy functions. The most important thing is point-and-shoot performance - which is why the Pixel phones often do so well.

Camera performance is a big differentiator too, with flagship phones having better-performing cameras and mid-range devices often having secondary or tertiary sensors that aren"t good quality or not really needed.

The best thing about Android is that Google underpins the same thing, so you can move from one brand to the next and almost immediately you know where things are, you can have seamless access to your emails and contacts but still have plenty to choose from.

Picking a phone that fits your budget is important, but also consider that you might not need all those flagship features. If you just use your phone for messaging and browsing social media, do you need four cameras on the back and all the power in the world?

The best phone is going to be the phone that fits your requirements the best - and while we test and evaluate all the Android phones we recommend, you have to make the decision and the phone that"s right for you.

A phone is something you use all day, every day, so we"ve used all the options on this list extensively to see how they hold up in the real world. We"ve tested battery life, gaming performance, connectivity, camera performance and everything else you could possibly need to know. Then we"ve given you all the data you need to help with your buying decisions.

As with any roundup, it"s not possible to deliver a list that works for every type of user, but we lean on the experiences and opinions of the wider Pocket-lint team - as well as thoroughly assessing the areas above - in order to do our best in this regard.

The theme of this year"s smartphone releases seems to be iterative upgrades instead of wholesale changes. From the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to the OnePlus 10 Pro to the Google Pixel 7 Pro, the flagships of 2022 so far seem to be very similar to their 2021 counterparts -- many of them even sport the same camera hardware. But look a bit deeper and we can see each phone has become even more polished and well-rounded than before. While this may sound unexciting, fine-tuning the little things to make for an even more enjoyable experience shouldn"t be overlooked. If you"re in the market for a new smartphone, we here at XDA have tested just about every phone, and these are our picks for the best in each category depending on your need or budget.

Considering that Samsung"s Galaxy S21 Ultra held this spot for almost all of 2021, Samsung didn"t need to do much for the Galaxy S22 Ultra to claim this spot immediately upon release. But Samsung didn"t rest on its laurels. It brought perhaps the most radical change to a Galaxy S phone yet by making it essentially the new Galaxy Note.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra brings back the awesome and versatile camera system of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but with superior software processing and computational photography smarts for an even better camera system: shots in low light are less noisy and better balanced, particularly with the main camera; videos are more stable, the zoom prowess even more epic. This is a phone that can grab super sharp and clean 10x zoom images, and even respectably decent 30x zoom images. And while the 100x shots are still not great, they have improved tremendously as well. The ultra-wide camera also offers one of the widest field-of-view around for sweeping landscape shots. Samsung"s portrait mode has improved by leaps and bounds over previous years too thanks to the combination of a strong 3X telephoto lens and excellent computational photography.

There"s a 2022 Qualcomm chip of course -- the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the US, China, and India; Exynos 2200 in Europe and many other regions -- along with a superior LTPO 2.0 screen that"s more energy-efficient, despite pushing out a higher maximum brightness than last year. The 5,000 mAh battery can go longer this year -- this is an all-day phone for all but the most extreme users. Though to be fair, because the phone is well over six months old, the chipset here aren"t the most powerful around anymore, as the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is even more capable. Still, don"t let this be a dealbreaker.

But it"s the addition of the S-Pen stylus that has changed things fundamentally. Unlike the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which supported an S-Pen that required a separate purchase and had no good place to stay, the Galaxy S22 Ultra"s S-Pen is included with the package and stored in a silo at the bottom of the device, just like the Galaxy Note. In fact, when you consider the design language of the Galaxy S22 Ultra and how it strays from the other two Galaxy S22 devices, it"s clear that this is a Galaxy S phone in name only. In spirit, this is a Galaxy Note.

Throw in Android 12 with four guaranteed years of Android updates and then another year of security updates, and great Samsung software features like Samsung DeX and you have a do-it-all, well-rounded flagship that offers more than what any other phone has to offer.

Granted, the Exynos 2200 has some minor performance issues in heavy gaming; the 45W wired charging has no practical time benefits over 25W charging; and the phone"s pointy corners aren"t the most comfortable shape to hold. But other than these gripes, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has no other real weakness. This is the so-called "kitchen sink" phone -- Samsung threw everything they had at it.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the absolute best slab phone right now and it should hold this spot for a long time, thanks to a beautiful screen, awesome cameras and the S-Pen!

If you find the Galaxy S22 Ultra"s $1,200 price just a tad too high, the Galaxy S22 Plus offers a lot of what made that phone great at a penny under $1,000. You won"t get the S-Pen stylus, nor the 10x Periscope zoom lens, but you still have a beautiful 120Hz OLED screen, an excellent 50MP main camera with a respectable sensor size, a good 12MP ultra-wide lens that can grab sweeping landscape shots; and an excellent 3x telephoto zoom lens. In other words, this is a phone that can still capture some very top-notch images, even if it can"t grab those insane zoom shots of its more Ultra sibling.

We"re also fans of the striking back design with the camera module that spills over the sides and blends into the aluminum chassis. The front and back glass are protected by Gorilla Glass, of course. The Galaxy S22 Plus is every bit as premium as the Ultra in terms of construction.

Another reason you may want to consider the Galaxy S22 Plus is it"s a bit smaller -- the screen is "just" 6.6-inches -- without the pointy corners of the Ultra, so it"s almost objectively a more comfortable phone to hold. That panel is still brilliant, a 120Hz Samsung AMOLED 2X panel that will be just about the best possible screen you can find anywhere. Measuring 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6 mm and weighing 195g, the Galaxy S22 Plus can be considered the right size in 2022 -- it"s not huge, but not too small either. Some people may also like that it has a flat panel instead of a curved one.

On the software front, you still get Samsung"s excellent OneUI with all the bonuses that come with it including Samsung DeX; and you also get a 2022 flagship SoC (either Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 depending on your region) too. The 4,500 mAh battery here, while not as large as the one in the Ultra, is still enough to power the phone all day, and it"s also rated IP68 for water and dust resistance.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus may not pack all the bells and whistles of an Ultra, but it"s still a very capable flagship with great cameras, screen, and performance.

This category is tricky because the phone that tops this list isn"t usually the best phone per se in terms of having all the most premium features. But it"s the best phone for most people, the phone regular consumers should consider first because of the combination of performance, features, and value for money.

And starting at $599, the newly released Google Pixel 7 takes this category. Despite costing almost half of the typical flagship phone, there are several key flagship features in the Pixel 7, including Google"s second gen silicon Tensor G2 and a flagship 50MP main camera, that when paired with Google"s camera software prowess, makes for arguably the best main camera around. You also get a 6.3-inch OLED screen (slightly smaller than the Pixel 6"s 6.4-inch), IP68 water resistance, and a gorgeous, unique design with some very fun colors.

Of course, there are areas of compromise to get this phone down to this price range: the display only refreshes up to 90Hz (but Google"s UI optimization is so good that animations feel smoother than that anyway), there"s no dedicated zoom lens, and relatively slow wired and wireless charging. But these compromises are very easy to accept for those who want a phone that looks and feels like a flagship but costs half the price.

But let"s get back to that camera: the Pixel 6 brought much needed camera hardware improvements to the Pixel series, and the 7 brings back the same 50MP GN1 sensor that has better synergy with Google"s Tensor-powered computational photography smarts. Whether it"s day or night, expect jaw dropping images that produces lively colors, accurate white balance, and plenty of details. This is a phone that you can point and shoot and get a great shot almost every time. The ultra-wide camera is also excellent, and despite not having a zoom lens, the Pixel 7 can pull off above average looking 8x digital zoom thanks to Google"s "Super Res" zoom that uses in-sensor cropping and computational photography trickery.

All that and we haven"t even talked about another major Pixel selling point: this is a pure Google phone, so you can expect to get exclusive Android-Pixel features and the fastest software updates too. And with Android 12 getting one of the biggest visual overhauls in years, now is the best time to have first dibs on all things Android 12. Simply put, the Pixel 7 is the best overall value on this list and the best phone for most people.

The Google Pixel 6a brings many of the strengths of the Pixel 6 (and even the Pixel 7), including the unique back design, Google"s own silicon, and that useful and awesome Pixel software. But it is more affordable than those other phones.

Up until this point, I would argue most of the above "shortcomings" don"t matter much unless you happen to drop your phone often or like to take your phone into the swimming pool. Otherwise, for most casual consumers, the difference between 60Hz and 90Hz isn"t a dealbreaker, IP57 is more than enough protection against rain and accidental dunks in toilets, and 6GB RAM is fine.

Where the Pixel 6a does lose out to the Pixel 6 is in the main camera sensor: the 6a uses the older 12.2MP Sony IMX sensor while the Pixel 6 uses the newer GN1 sensor with a larger image sensor. Now while Google"s computational photography is so good that the Pixel 6a can still produce beautiful-looking images, the Pixel 6 is just a bit more capable with the larger sensor. You get more depth of field in shots, and there"s just more light information for Tensor to play with.

We must stress again: the Pixel 6a"s cameras are still really good and easily the best in this price range. But if we are to compare it against the Pixel 6, the noticeable difference comes in the camera sensor. And of course it"s falling short to the Pixel 7 too.

If you"re in the market for a phone and you really do not want to pay more than $400, the Pixel 6a is probably the best choice. If you"re not hampered by that budget? Then sure, the Pixel 7, or any other phone listed earlier, are more capable devices.

The Google Pixel 6a is the best mid-range phone right now, particularly in North America. But we"d argue even globally, Google"s computational photography is enough to push it to the top spot too.

Every Android flagship offers a 120Hz refresh rate these days, but OxygenOS" (and ColorOS") animations just zip around noticeably faster and smoother than, say, Samsung"s OneUI, which sees dropped frames from time to time. Google"s Pixel UI has pretty smooth animations, and a case can be made for that software taking this spot, but OxygenOS is just a bit more customizable, with a better Always-On Display and more useful shortcut gestures.

The OnePlus 10 Pro itself is a fine phone too, running on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, with a visually striking design that sees the camera module spill over the sides and blend into the chassis, and a very good "Hasselblad" camera system headlined by a 48MP, f/1.8, 1/1.43" main camera plus a 50MP ultra-wide shooter and an 8MP 3.3x telephoto zoom lens. Photos captured by the OnePlus 10 Pro are vibrant with punchy colors and excellent dynamic range. If we must nitpick, it"s in the ultra-wide sensor, the image sensor is smaller than last year"s OnePlus 9 Pro, so you get ultra-wide shots that are actually softer on details.

OnePlus" camera app is still arguably the best in Android -- one of the few Android camera apps that can actually switch between lenses without the herky-jerky animations that you"d see when doing the same action in a Samsung or Sony phone. The OnePlus 10 Pro is still a very, very fast phone all around, from the camera app all the way to charging speeds.

The OnePlus 10 Pro ships with an 80W fast charging brick (65W in the US) that can top up the phone from 0-100% in around 27 minutes, and the phone also supports wireless charging up to 50W, which can pump the phone from empty to full battery in 43 minutes. You will need the official OnePlus wireless charger to get those speeds, however.

OnePlus is a brand that"s always been about speed, and the OnePlus 10 Pro definitely delivers if you"re looking for animations that appear buttery smooth and seem to zip around as fast as you swipe your fingers. The thing is, the other bits of the phone, from screen to cameras to processors, are all top-notch too.

The first three Google Pixel phones were hands-down the best still camera phones around, mostly because Google"s computational photography was so far ahead of the game at the time. In the years since, other phone brands have stepped up their computational photography game. Add in the fact that Google didn"t bother upgrading its camera hardware for the Pixel 4 and 5, that meant the Pixel was no longer the undisputed best camera phone around by 2019 or so.

Google regained the crown last year with the Pixel 6 Pro (at least in this category of best point-and-shoot) because it finally upgraded camera hardware to keep up with the competition. This year"s Pixel 7 Pro brings further refinement to that Pixel 6 Pro system.

The main camera of the Pixel 7 Pro is identical to the 6 Pro in terms of hardware -- a 50MP Samsung GN1 sensor with a 1/1.31-inch image sensor and fast aperture. But the Pixel 7 Pro"s new silicon the Tensor G2 improves performance, particularly in low light scene where the Pixel 7 Pro no longer takes a long time to snap a night shot.

While the Pixel 7 Pro still lacks the awesome video capabilities of an iPhone 14 Pro, or the huge sensor magic of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, it"s arguably the best phone for people who just want to point their phone, tap shutter button, and then get a shot they can post to social media immediately without tweaks or edits. The reason for this is software. Google"s software smarts -- aka computational photography -- make taking photos a joy, in that you don"t really stress too much, just point and shoot and you"re going to get a shot that"s almost always perfectly balanced, with just the right amount of boosted colors and contrast (without going overboard like Samsung), accurate white balance, and enough sharpness. Even if you didn"t frame properly and accidentally captured some unwanted people, Google"s "Magic Eraser" trick can help you fix that in post with a couple of taps. Real-time dials to adjust the lighting in both subject and background are also huge bonuses. There"s no minor shutter lag like you"d get in a Galaxy S22 Ultra, or that slightly artificial over-processed look from a Huawei and, surprisingly, the iPhone 14 Pro. This is a camera that just works.

But there"s more to a phone than just the camera, so you can rest assured that the Pixel 7 Pro offers top-tier performance in all the other bits too. The 6.7-inch, 120Hz display looks great, and because it"s an LTPO panel, it has a variable refresh rate to conserve battery. All of us at XDA are also fans of the unique design of the device, particularly that striking visor and the bold colors.

I know we just waxed poetically about the Google Pixel 6"s camera prowess, but the best overall camera goes to the Vivo X80 Pro in my opinion because it has a more well-rounded system.

The X80 Pro"s 50MP main camera is only a hair behind the Pixel 6 Pro"s in terms of consistency and shutter speed, but the X80 Pro"s 48MP ultra-wide camera produces superior ultra-wide shots than the same lens in the Pixel 6 (or iPhone 13 Pro or Galaxy S22 Ultra, for that matter). Then there are the two zoom lenses: the Vivo X80 Pro has a 12MP 2x optical zoom lens along with an 8MP 5x Periscope zoom lens. While we think the Galaxy S21 Ultra"s 3x and 10x are better dual-focal length setups, Vivo"s 2x and 5x still beats the Pixel 6 Pro"s sole 4x zoom lens in terms of focal length versatility, and there"s a new cinematic mode that produces somewhat convincing artificial bokeh in video.

But the best part about the Vivo X80 Pro"s cameras is perhaps Vivo"s self-developed ISP inside the V1+ chip, which allows the X80 Pro to produce uncanny HDR photos that almost never blow out any light source. Trust me -- I have pitted the X80 Pro against several top smartphones and if we are just going by still photos, the X80 Pro beats everyone.

Elsewhere, the Vivo X80 also packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, with 12GB of RAM, and a vibrant, 120Hz 6.8-inch OLED screen. This panel doesn"t get as bright as the absolute best screens on the market, but it"s still very, very good and likely better than 99% of screens you have at your home or office.

If there is a complaint to be had, it"d be software. FunTouchOS is far from perfect, as it has jankier animations compared to, say, OxygenOS, and its multi-tasking system is oddly limited, in that some apps like Chrome can"t open in a resizable floating window (even though Chrome can open this way in Oppo or Samsung"s UI). There"s also some third party bloatware in the European and Asia units of the phone but they can be deleted.

The only downside to the Vivo X80 Pro is that the phone is not on sale officially in the US, which means many readers can"t buy this officially. Still, we cover smartphones on a global scale -- we can"t just pretend a phone doesn"t exist just because it doesn"t sell in North America -- and the Vivo X80 Pro has arguably the best overall camera system that deserves a spot here.

2021"s ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate was our pick for gaming phone of the year, and its 2022 update is even better -- thus making it an easy favorite for the best gaming phone of the year so far.

So what makes the ROG Phone 6 Pro a gaming beast? Let"s start with the 165Hz display, which can run at the highest refresh rate full time without micro-stutters. Do note the panel isn"t an LTPO panel, however, but it"s not a big deal for a game-centric phone. The screen is also entirely uninterrupted because the selfie camera is situated in the thin bezel above. The display also has a touch sampling rate of 720Hz, which means it scans for input every 1.4ms, and Asus says that thanks to the increased touch sampling rate, the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro has a touch latency of 23ms.

Throw in a massive 6,000 mAh battery to handle that variable refresh rate, which means you won"t have to worry about finding a charger mid-day. In our testing, this phone can last a day and a half easily if used as a "normal smartphone," and even if you do game on it, unless you"re pulling marathon sessions, it can last you through a day on one charge.

Because this is a gaming phone, the ROG Phone 6 Pro offers functional shoulder buttons named "AirTriggers" that give extra control to first-person shooters in ways most normal smartphones cannot. There"s also a rear display, named "ROG Vision," which allows you to display graphics on it for some flair.

On the camera front, you have the main system consisting of a 50MP IMX766 main sensor, 13MP ultrawide (f/2.4) and 2MP macro setup, and a 12MP selfie camera. Photos captured by this phone are sharp, punchy, and overall good, but video recording isn"t the greatest, as footage suffered from poor stabilization and dealing with sudden shifts in lighting.

First, Samsung shaved a few millimeters off the hinge"s bulkiness, so it does not protrude from the side of the phone as much as before. Samsung then gave that extra bit of space to the outer display, so the screen is ever so slightly wider. This is a good thing as the Fold series" outside screen has always been a bit elongated and cramped.

Then, Samsung improved the camera hardware. The Fold 3"s trio of 12MP shooters were decent at best, but this year, the Fold 4 gains a 50MP image sensor with a larger 1/1.53-inch image sensor size. The 10MP zoom lens has also been improved to a 3X telephoto lens. The ultra-wide remains the same, however, at 12MP, but Samsung"s superior computational photography has improved performance a bit.

Samsung also fine-tuned the software to further take advantage of the larger display. One of our favorite new features is the taskbar, which is a bar that runs along the bottom of the phone listing your most used or last used apps. From this bar, you can quickly cycle through apps without ever jumping back out to the homescreen. You can, of course, get rid of this bar if you don"t need it or don"t want the distraction.

Samsung also furth