For the most part in 2022, big-name smartphone brands such as Apple,Samsung, and Google delivered evolutionary upgrades. There are still a lot of things to like about the phones.
Although they made have grabbed most of the headlines, these weren’t the only smartphones worth talking about. There were a lot of phones that didn’t get a lot of attention this year.
Asus Zenfone 9
Due to its lack of a carrier presence and relatively small market share, Asus is a perennial entry on these lists. The Zenfone 9 is no surprise to see it make the cut.
There was a verdict on the Asus Zenfone 9 review.
The Zenfone 9 offered familiar stylings like a compact design, a 5.9-inch 120Hz OLED screen, and a 3.5mm port, just like the predecessor. The package includes a 50MP main shooter with micro-gimbal stabilization, a 4,300mAh battery, and an upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC.
Some areas are ripe for improvement. It’s a shame that there isn’t a long update pledge in 2022. There isn’t a wireless charging or a camera on board. It wasn’t a bad buy at launch for $700, and is one of the few options out there if you want a pocket friendly flagship phone.
The Zenfone 9 is from the company.
$649.00 at AmazonSee reviewSee review
Nothing Phone 1
After its release, nothing came in with a lot of hype but it seems to have been forgotten by many people. It is not clear if that is due to the lack of a US release or a combination of the two. That is a shame because there is a lot to like about the device.
There was a phone 1 review.
The Nothing Phone 1 is an upper mid-range offering with a launch price of 469 or Rs. $33,999. There are some decent features here for the price, such as a striking design with Glyph lighting on the back, a large screen, and a battery with 33W wired and 15W wireless top-ups.
We criticized the 50MP ultrawide camera, barebone software, and ho-hum endurance. If you want a quality mid-ranger, it is worth a look. If you want to import it, make sure it is compatible with your network in the US.
Nothing phone.
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Realme GT 2 Pro
Realme is well-known for its budget-tier phones, but the company has been making strides in the flagship space as of late. The GT 2 Pro was lost in the shuffle after it was released in Q1 2022.
The Realme GT 2 Pro review had a good rating.
There are expected high-end features in Realme’s flagship such as a 5,000mAh battery and 65W wired speeds. The back cover is made out of bio-polymer and has a 120Hz QHD+ panel. The phone comes with a 50MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide shooter, and a 3MP microscope camera.
The GT 2 Pro isn’t a perfect phone, as it doesn’t have wireless charging, an IP rating, or a telephoto camera. It was a good deal at its launch price of 749, and it is a good deal today for as low as 555. You need to import it since it wasn’t officially launched in the US.
Realme GT 2 pro.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The most popular foldable phone is the Z Flip 4. There is a world of difference between being a popular foldable phone and being a popular smartphone in general, and the Z Flip 4 still flew under the radar by conventional standards.
There is a verdict on the review of the SAMSUNG GALAXY Z flip 4.
The Z Flip 4 is the closest the Flip series has come to a mainstream proposition. The device is an iterative upgrade, but the 3,700mAh battery and faster wired charging bring it in line with the baseGalaxy flagship.
The lack of a telephoto camera, limited external display, and a crease on the folding screen are some of the drawbacks of buying the Flip 4. The Flip 4 feels more like a genuine alternative to the S22 than a curiosity.
The Z flip is from the Z series of phones.
$849.99 at AmazonSee reviewSee review
Sony Xperia 5 IV
There was a lot of interest in the Sony Xperia 1 IV in the first half of 2022, but the price tag made it hard to swallow. The Xperia 5 IV was released by the Japanese giant.
There was a verdict in the Sony Xperia 5 IV review.
The $1,000 price point is what Sony’s second flagship of the year makes several concessions to hit. The Xperia 1 IV has a 4K display, a variable telephoto camera, and 12GB of RAM. You have an FHD+ resolution, 2.5x telephoto shooter, and 8GB of RAM instead. There are two OS updates, three years of security patches, and you are stuck with the update pledge for the Xperia 1 IV.
There are still plenty of upsides to make for an interesting proposition. There is a more pocket-friendly design, a 5,000mAh battery, wireless charging support, and an intellectual property rating of 65/68. The triple 12MP rear camera setup ensures a good level of flexibility, and you’re also getting Sony’s unique Pro camera apps.
The Sony Xperia 5 IV.
$799.00 at AmazonSee reviewSee review
Vivo X80 Pro
The X80 Pro certainly brought the goods in this regard, as Vivo has slowly been making a name for itself thanks to its smartphones. The company’s quad rear camera system has a 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 12MP 2x telephoto, and an 8MP 5x periscope lens.
The verdict was on the Vivo X80 Pro review.
The rest of the phone is high-end as well, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, 4,700mAh battery with 80W wired or 50W wireless charging, and a 6.78-inch QHD+ panel. The best in-display fingerprint sensor on the market is the one you are getting.
The high price in Europe, the lack of bloatware, and the ho-hum long-range zoom are just a few of the things that fall short in the Vivo’s flagship. Consumers in the US will need to import the X80 Pro if they want it to work with their network.
The X80 Pro is from the Vivo line.
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Our look at the most under appreciated phones of the year. Is there a particular phone that you think should have been on the list? You can let us know via the comments.
The votes were 49.
