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Best phone 2022: The 5 best smartphones to buy right now

The best phones offer great value but choosing the best one can be a chore. We've created this guide to make it easy

By King Osaghae |

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The best phones deliver value and performance that stand out in every area. They are also some of the most expensive out there. But, based on our research, you don’t have to spend a whole lot of money on a smartphone to get the best experience.

With all the different smartphones on the market, picking the best phone that meets your needs and budget can be a complicated and time-consuming decision — whether it’s Apple or Google-based Android phones such as Samsung.

This smartphone guide focuses on the best handsets you can buy right now, including our budget pick for the best cheap phone under $400, $500, and under $600.

Before you continue with the best phone guide, it’s worth bringing to your attention that we’ve been scouring the web for the best Black Friday smartphone deals so you can beat the rush and snag massive discounts while supplies last. Below are some early Black Friday phone deals with incredible savings you don’t want to miss:

The best phones 2022

This guide is a work in progress involving more best phones, so you can always check back for the full list — but for now, we’ve put together the 5 best options that offer exceptionally good value.

1. iPhone 13 Pro Max

Best Phone for 2022

iphone 13 pro max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the best smartphone of 2022. It has everything you will ever need in a phone, including amazing performance that packs a 120Hz refresh rate display, no mobile device on the market today can match such an incredible performance plus the superb battery life that can last more than 12 hours at a stretch without needing a charge.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max camera is one of the impressive features that truly puts it as the best iPhone and above any class of smartphone at the moment, thanks to the improved larger sensors and a new photographic feature that allows you to style and tweak your pics. You get an ultra-wide camera for close-ups and the ability to take macro shots, thanks to the new macro mode feature.

If you love photography and looking for a phone to use as your primary camera, getting the iPhone 13 Pro Max is definitely worth it. With the triple-camera LiDAR system, you get more details, stunning colors and clarity in all shots.

Price for the iPhone 13 Pro Max start at $1,099 for 128GB of storage and up to $1,199 for 256GB. You can get the 512GB for $1,399, while the colossal 1TB option will set you back at $1,599.

At base price, the iPhone 13 Pro Max cost $300 more than the iPhone 13 (Verizon for $26.66/month | AT&T for $22.23/month), and $100 more than iPhone 13 Pro (Verizon for $33.33/month | AT&T for $27.78/month), which are more affordable options with almost the same features at a cheaper price — especially the iPhone 13, that is if you don’t need a 120Hz display or telephoto lens.

Specifications:

Storage: 128, 256, 512, 1TB | Screen size: 6.7 inches | Resolution (ppi): 2778 x 1284 (458) | Adaptive refresh: Up to 120Hz | Battery life: 12 hours | Processor: A15 Bionic | Rear cameras: Pro 12MP (Telephoto, Wide, Ultra Wide) | Front camera: 12MP TrueDepth | Zoom: 3x optical / 15x digital | Colors: Gold, Graphite, Sierra Blue, Silver | Weight: 8.5 ounces | Size: 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches | Water resistance: IP68

$30.56/MO at AT&T
$36.66/MO at VERIZON
$1,099 at AMAZON

2. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

Best Android phone 2022

samsung galaxy s21 ultra 5g

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best Android smartphone in the world right now. The Galaxy S21 Ultra vision is to level up the experience as the best Samsung phone. The 5G device comes with a superior larger screen and a truly platinum design with five cameras, including a 108MP sensor, dual telephoto lenses, 100x zoom and 40MP selfies, plus incredible battery life of over 11 hours.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is a performance beast that’s easier to unlock using the larger fingerprint sensor. It comes with a great 6.8-inch display, 120Hz refresh rate, and sharp WQHD resolution. You also get the S Pen support, even though you’ll need to purchase the stylus and a case to hold it separately.

While the Galaxy S21 Ultra is a great smartphone, it’s quite expensive for the average consumer, you also don’t get a microSD card slot for expandable storage or a charger.

At $1,199 $999, the base-level 128GB storage with 12GB of RAM may not be enough for you, especially if you’re keen on taking lots of 8K 24fps or 4K 60fps video, meaning you’ll want to go for the 256GB of storage (12GB RAM), or higher at 256GB of storage (16GB of RAM).

Apart from the notable steep price, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best Android phone you can buy right now, unless you prefer smaller phones.

Specifications:

Weight: 227g | RAM: 12GB / 16GB | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Dimensions: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm | Resolution: QHD (3200 x 1440) | Display size: 6.8-inch | Refresh rate: 120Hz | Pixel density: 515ppi | Chipset: Snapdragon 888 / Exynos 2100 | Rear cameras: 108MP + 10MP + 10MP + 12MP | Front camera: 40MP | Video: 8K 30 fps/4K 60 fps | Wireless: 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, UWB | Size: 6.5 x 2.97 x 0.35 inches

$1,199.99 $599.99 at SAMSUNG
$33.34/MO at AT&T
$39.99/MO at VERIZON
$799 at AMAZON

3. Apple iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 mini

Best iPhone bargain

iphone 12

Apple’s iPhone 12 still remains one of the best all-round iPhones that most people should buy. It’s basically the iPhone12 pro repacked at a more affordable price. The iPhone 12 Pro’s over-and-above material design and photo/video capturing capability is the major difference between both phones, which may not be necessary for most buyers.

Furthermore, the iPhone 12 is an excellent improvement on last year’s iPhone 11 — from the new OLED display to the magnetic MagSafe feature that allows for faster and easy connection to other mobile accessories. There is also the iPhone 12 mini, which is the smaller version of the iPhone 12.

The iPhone 12 is budget-friendly, costing $799 – that makes it relatively cheaper than the iPhone 12 Pro, which starts at $1,000. You also get the fast A14 Bionic processor, impressive dual rear cameras, and 5G connectivity. The iPhone 12 is an incredible all-around device for the price, making it fully deserving second place on this list.

Specifications:

RAM: 16GB – 4GB | CPU: A14 Bionic | Storage: 4GB/128GB/256GB | Operating system: iOS 14 | Screen: 5.4-inch / 6.1-inch | Weight: 5.78 ounces | Rear camera: 12MP wide (ƒ/1.6), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4) | Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/2.2) | Battery life: 8hrs:25mins (5G), 10hrs:23mins (LTE)

$15/MO at AT&T
$8.75/MO at AT&T (Mini)
$23.33/MO at VERIZON
FREE ($0) at VERIZON (Mini)

4. Samsung Galaxy S20 / S20 Plus

Best Android phone under $600

samsung galaxy s20, s20 plus

The Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus are some of the best Android phones you can buy right now. It’s got great performance, fantastic design, and impressive features, including 5G and a microSD card slot for expandable storage.

Both the S20 and S20 Plus have a great battery life with a 4,000mAh and 4,500mAh capacity respectively, enough to go through a day without recharging. Both phones come with the Infinity-O AMOLED displays with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, excellent for smooth interaction and gaming.

Both devices have 64MP ultrawide telephoto cameras that really shine with 3x optical zoom, providing a lot of flexibility when taking photos. Though, not quite as good as the iPhone 12 or 12 Pro Max cameras, but good enough for creating excellent photos and videos.

The only difference between the S20 and S20 Plus is the screen; the S20 has a 6.2-inch screen while the S20 Plus has a massive 6.7-inch screen, which looks gorgeous.

Specifications:

RAM: 12GB | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | Storage: 128/512GB | Operating system: Android 10 | Screen: 6.7-inch | Weight: 6.56 ounces | Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP

$27.78/MO at AT&T
$33.33/MO at VERIZON
$699.99 $349.99 at SAMSUNG
$701.69 at AMAZON (S20)
$1,049.99 at AMAZON (S20+)

5. Apple iPhone SE (2020)

Best budget phone under $500

apple iphone se 2020

The iPhone SE 2020 is the best phone under $400, striking the balance of design, impressive battery life, and great speed. It’s not the best from the range of iPhones but offers the best value for people who want to stick with the iPhone brand without spending a lot of money.

It has a 4.7-inch LCD screen that Apple used on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8, but the SE’s stand-out feature is its processor, Apple’s A13 Bionic (the same on iPhone 11), and an excellent camera. Old-school iPhone users will also value the return of TouchID and the home button.

The iPhone SE 2020 is a great choice for a phone under $500 if you’re on a budget and don’t want to make a switch to Android.

Specifications:

RAM: 3GB | CPU: A13 Bionic | Storage: 4GB/128GB/256GB | Operating system: iOS 13 | Screen: 4.7-inch | Weight: 5.22 ounces | Rear camera: 12MP (f/1.8) | Front camera: 7MP (f/2.2) | Wireless charging: Yes (Qi)

$11.12/MO at AT&T
$384 at VISIBLE
$399 at VERIZON
$399 at AMAZON

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