The Best Smartphone of Winter 2022 - 30 devices reviewed

Current smartphone rankings. At the beginning of the year, the new iPhones shook up our smartphone rankings. However, in addition to the super high-end devices, there are also a few surprises at the low-end. Read this article to learn what smartphones our reviewers think are the best.

Florian Schmitt, 👁 Florian Schmitt (translated by Stanislav Kokhanyuk), Published 01/12/2022 🇩🇪 🇷🇺

The best of the best - These smartphones got the highest review scores

We rated 6 smartphones as "very good" over the past 3 months. Among the "very good" bunch are all the Apple iPhone 13’s, the updated Xiaomi (Mi) Mix and the Asus ROG Phone 5s.

In the past, all we had was one iPhone, but now there are 4 models: iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini for those who like small things, iPhone 13 Pro for those who want the best cameras and the iPhone 13 Pro Max for those who want a huge screen and have a lot of money.

Current-gen iPhones offer up to 1 TB of storage space and cost anywhere between 800 and 1800 Euros. It bears repeating, though, that the iPhones are very high-quality smartphones. The Pro models now come with a 120-Hz screen. All in all, this generation's iPhones offer great software features, very fast SoCs and even better battery life. All iPhone models are available at online retailers such as amazon.com.

The Xiaomi Mix 4 is an interesting device, which features an under-display front-facing camera. This means that there is no notch or punch hole and that the entire screen area can be utilised. Of course, the selfie camera is not quite on the same level as the conventional front-facing cameras and the Mix 4 is certainly not the fastest Snapdragon 888+ smartphone, but for those who are interested in the latest technology, the Mix series has always been a must-have. However, in Europe and the US, the smartphone can only be purchased from electronics importers such as TradingShenzhen.

The Asus ROG Phone 5s and the ROG 5s Pro get only a slightly faster SoC, when compared to the previous ROG Phone 5 models. Of course, that does not change the fact that the 5s and the 5s Pro are two of the best gaming smartphones on the market right now. However, if you find the vanilla ROG Phone 5 at a significant discount, then do not hesitate to buy it: the differences in performance are mininal. The Asus ROG Phone 5s and the ROG 5s Pro can be purchased on Amazon and on eBay.

Our favourite - Editors’ Choice Awards Winter 2022

Each quarter we conduct a poll based on the review scores to determine the smartphones that are worthy of our Editors’ Choice Awards. Only smartphones that offer a great overall package, high level of performance in specific areas or a particularly good price-to-performance ratio come under consideration of our editors. Smartphones that receive an Editors’ Choice Award are very good buys in each category.

realme GT Neo 2

The realme GT Neo 2 may not offer the best camera system, but you can get it at some online retailers such as Amazon at a very inviting price. In our opinion, the GT Neo 2 is a real price-to-performance king: It offers a lot of CPU power, fast Wi-Fi, a 120-Hz AMOLED screen, 5G as well as great battery life and fast charging.

The only real problem is that the GT Neo 2 gets quite hot under load, and its camera system does not really impress. Overall, however, it is a great device for everyone who is looking for a high-end-feeling smartphone that does not cost a lot.

Google Pixel 6

Google's Pixel Phones did not do particularly well over the past few years, but things have changed with the arrival of the Pixel 6, which managed to impress with its custom SoC and its reasonable price. Google's custom SoC did well in our benchmarks. However, it is not quite on the same level as the high-end SoCs from Qualcomm and Apple.

A 90-Hz screen, a powerful dual-camera system and years of future software support are clear advantages of Google’s smartphone. The unusual design is also a breath of fresh air in the monotonous smartphone world.

The cheapest way to get the smartphone is currently directly from the manufacturer's website or from Amazon.

Note: For commercial use of the Award graphic a license is required. You can learn more about it here.

The Best Smartphones - Winter 2022

Overall score	Device	Housing score	Size	Thickness	Weight score	Weight	Display score	Display type	Resolution	Pixel density	Aspect ratio	Screen-to-body ratio	Screen brightness	DeltaE Colorchecker	Refresh rate	Camera score	DeltaE Colorchecker lowlight	DeltaE Colorchecker daylight	Performance score	PCMark for Android Work 2.0 score	Gaming score	3DMark for A. Sling Shot Ext. (ES 3.1) Un.	GFXBench Aztec Ruins H.T. Onscreen	PUBG Mobile HD	Battery life score	Battery life Wi-Fi 150 cd/m²	Temperature score	Front temp when idle	Front temp under load	Audio score	max. Audio Output (dB)	Touchscreen score	Connectivity score
84.7 %	Samsung Galaxy M52 5G SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L	84.6 %	6.70"	7.4 mm	90.3 %	173 g	90.7 %	OLED	2400x1080	393 PPI	20:9	86.4 %	674 cd/m²	2.28	120 Hz	64.4 %	43.78	12.28	73.3 %		52.5 %	5032	19	40	90.8 %	777 min	88.3 %	23.2 °C	44.6 °C	72.8 %	80.3 dB	92.2 %	48.6 %
76.9 %	Vivo Y33s Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2	83 %	6.58"	8 mm	89.5 %	182 g	84.4 %	IPS	2408x1080	401 PPI	20:9	83 %	424 cd/m²	3.14	060 Hz	50.4 %	46.4	10.52	71.1 %		16.2 %	1364	5.1		91.3 %	1009 min	91.6 %	22.8 °C	40.8 °C	56 %	80.9 dB	85.6 %	43.8 %
85.3 %	Huawei Nova 9 SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L	85.7 %	6.57"	7.77 mm	90.1 %	175 g	91.1 %	OLED	2340x1080	392 PPI	19.5:9	90 %	632 cd/m²	1.7	120 Hz	63.6 %	27.64	6.93	77 %	8501	51.1 %	5435	22		88.6 %	652 min	92.9 %	31.2 °C	34.1 °C	78.6 %	90.5 dB	95 %	51.7 %
79.1 %	mobilcom-debitel rephone Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2	87.4 %	6.30"	10.5 mm	87.9 %	208 g	81.2 %	IPS	2340x1080	409 PPI	20:9	84 %	471 cd/m²	8.54	060 Hz	64.2 %	46.82	12.28	65.4 %		15.8 %	1441	5.5		90.5 %	898 min	92.5 %	22.4 °C	39.1 °C	64 %	81.2 dB	92.8 %	47.7 %
74.9 %	Samsung Galaxy A12 Exynos SM-A127F Exynos 850, Mali-G52 MP1	77.7 %	6.50"	8.9 mm	87.9 %	205 g	83.1 %	IPS LCD	1600x720	270 PPI	20:9	86 %	423 cd/m²	4.94	060 Hz	50 %	44.65	14.98	47.5 %		9.7 %	867	7	28	90.5 %	879 min	93.2 %	23.1 °C	37.5 °C	68.8 %	86.4 dB	88.3 %	40.7 %
85.5 %	Honor 50 SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L	85.7 %	6.57"	7.78 mm	90.1 %	175 g	88.8 %	OLED	2340x1080	392 PPI	19.5:9	90 %	722 cd/m²	3.1	120 Hz	62 %	47.26	5.87	79.8 %		52.7 %	5375	20		90.6 %	907 min	91.8 %	33.6 °C	34.7 °C	79.2 %	92.7 dB	95 %	51.4 %
86.4 %	Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L	86.1 %	6.55"	6.81 mm	91.6 %	158 g	93.6 %	AMOLED	2400x1080	402 PPI	20:9	85 %	800 cd/m²	0.9	090 Hz	64.8 %	47.17	13.15	77.6 %		53.1 %	5236	20	40	90.3 %	705 min	93.8 %	29.4 °C	33.4 °C	77.2 %	89.3 dB	92.8 %	53.8 %
78.4 %	Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2	83.7 %	6.30"	8.4 mm	88.9 %	190 g	84.5 %	IPS LCD	2340x1080	409 PPI	19.5:9	81.7 %	491 cd/m²	5.5	060 Hz	59.6 %	44.1	10.23	57.9 %		15.5 %	1453	5.5	29	89.6 %	748 min	91.3 %	22.9 °C	40.9 °C	72 %	86.9 dB	90.6 %	46.9 %
73.6 %	Samsung Galaxy A03s Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320	77.3 %	6.50"	9.2 mm	88.3 %	196 g	81.8 %	PLS	1600x720	270 PPI	20:9	81 %	354 cd/m²	5.09	060 Hz	44 %	47.24	9.77	45.5 %		5.8 %	522	4.7		92.4 %	1193 min	91.8 %	25.2 °C	38.2 °C	54 %	86.5 dB	91.1 %	36.7 %
79.2 %	Samsung Galaxy M22 Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2	79.7 %	6.40"	8.4 mm	89.2 %	186 g	90.4 %	Super AMOLED	1600x720	274 PPI	20:9	82 %	542 cd/m²	1.21	090 Hz	57 %	45.57	13.28	58.8 %		15.2 %	1368	9.8	30	92.1 %	1126 min	89.4 %	24.1 °C	42.1 °C	68 %	85.8 dB	93.9 %	46.5 %
79.5 %	Gigaset GS5 Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2	86.9 %	6.30"	10.4 mm	87.8 %	210 g	81.8 %	IPS	2340x1080	409 PPI	19.5:9	82 %	517 cd/m²	7.2	060 Hz	64 %	46.95	4.96	70.1 %		17 %	1427	5.5		90.3 %	868 min	91.8 %	32.1 °C	36.6 °C	76.8 %	89.6 dB	89.4 %	49.4 %
87.6 %	Xiaomi 11T Pro SD 888 5G, Adreno 660	86.4 %	6.67"	8.8 mm	87.9 %	204 g	91.6 %	AMOLED	2400x1080	395 PPI	20:9	85.2 %	782 cd/m²	1.6	120 Hz	68.6 %	46.94	10.16	82.5 %		63.8 %	7176	42	60	91.3 %	834 min	93.2 %	27.7 °C	34.6 °C	82.4 %	88.4 dB	94.4 %	54.8 %
88.7 %	Asus ROG Phone 5s SD 888+ 5G, Adreno 660	84.6 %	6.78"	9.9 mm	87.4 %	238 g	92 %	AMOLED	2448x1080	395 PPI	20.4:9	82 %	750 cd/m²	1.4	144 Hz	70.6 %	47.07	10.27	92.6 %		70.4 %	9553	41		89.2 %	734 min	90.2 %	27.2 °C	41.5 °C	80 %	90.5 dB	98.9 %	73.1 %
87.7 %	Xiaomi Mix 4 SD 888+ 5G, Adreno 660	88 %	6.67"	8.02 mm	87.6 %	225 g	93.2 %	AMOLED	2400x1080	395 PPI	20:9	88 %	808 cd/m²	1	120 Hz	72.8 %	39.47	10.09	87.7 %	12692	63.4 %	7906	37	30	90.5 %	925 min	94.6 %	27.7 °C	31 °C	73.4 %	88.8 dB	93.3 %	54.4 %
74.9 %	Motorola Moto E20 T606, Mali-G57 MP2	79.9 %	6.50"	8.5 mm	89.4 %	184 g	83.8 %	IPS	1600x720	270 PPI	20:9	83 %	374 cd/m²	4.31	060 Hz	42.4 %	46.98	9.24	64.1 %	7100	9.3 %	969	6.1	30	90.3 %	867 min	93.7 %	23.5 °C	35.7 °C	62 %	86 dB	87.2 %	38.8 %
77.1 %	Motorola Moto E40 Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2	81.6 %	6.50"	9.1 mm	88.2 %	198 g	85.1 %	IPS	1600x720	270 PPI	20:9	83 %	431 cd/m²	4.15	090 Hz	48.4 %	43.3	9.83	61.1 %		18.5 %	1554	12		91.2 %	995 min	93.3 %	22.2 °C	37.1 °C	60 %	84.7 dB	92.2 %	40.8 %
87.4 %	Google Pixel 6 Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20	90.1 %	6.40"	8.9 mm	87.9 %	207 g	92.8 %	OLED	2400x1080	411 PPI	20:9	83 %	805 cd/m²	1.4	090 Hz	79.2 %	33.94	7.28	80.9 %		58.4 %	6606	40	40	90 %	627 min	90.8 %	30.2 °C	38.8 °C	76 %	86.3 dB	91.1 %	54 %
85.2 %	Realme GT Neo 2 SD 870, Adreno 650	82.3 %	6.62"	8.6 mm	88 %	200 g	87.4 %	AMOLED	2400x1080	398 PPI	20:9	84 %	767 cd/m²	3.47	120 Hz	67.4 %	43.08	13.58	80 %		58 %		34		91 %	962 min	88.2 %	22 °C	44.8 °C	75.8 %	89.3 dB	94.4 %	50.7 %
78.5 %	Nokia G50 SD 480, Adreno 619	82.4 %	6.82"	8.9 mm	87.7 %	220 g	83.4 %	IPS	1560x720	252 PPI	19.5:9	81 %	525 cd/m²	5.31	060 Hz	47.2 %	45.82	13.92	72 %		29 %	2587	18		91.1 %	972 min	93.9 %	22.7 °C	36.1 °C	52 %	87.7 dB	93.9 %	46.6 %
84.2 %	Motorola Edge 20 SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L	86.7 %	6.70"	7 mm	91.2 %	163 g	89.1 %	OLED	2400x1080	393 PPI	20:9	87 %	480 cd/m²	2.06	144 Hz	68 %	45.9	13.82	78.1 %		50 %		19	40	90 %	716 min	88.1 %	27.6 °C	42.2 °C	54 %	84.5 dB	91.7 %	50.1 %
79 %	Xiaomi Redmi 10 Helio G88, Mali-G52 MP2	81.6 %	6.50"	8.92 mm	89.6 %	181 g	87.6 %	IPS	2400x1080	405 PPI	20:9	83 %	518 cd/m²	3	090 Hz	56.6 %	46.42	4.79	62.6 %	8248	15.7 %	1416	5.9	30	90.2 %	858 min	91.7 %	34.2 °C	35.8 °C	80.8 %	88.9 dB	87.8 %	50 %
86.6 %	Xiaomi 11T Dimensity 1200, Mali-G77 MP9	85 %	6.67"	8.8 mm	88 %	203 g	91.5 %	AMOLED	2400x1080	395 PPI	20:9	85 %	782 cd/m²	2	120 Hz	68.2 %	45.99	6.03	78.6 %	8845	59.8 %	7256	33	30	91.4 %	813 min	91.4 %	32.3 °C	37.1 °C	77.8 %	88.6 dB	94.4 %	54.1 %
77 %	Oppo A16s Helio G35, PowerVR GE8320	83.6 %	6.52"	8.4 mm	88.9 %	190 g	86.9 %	LCD	1600x720	269 PPI	20:9	83 %	586 cd/m²	3.1	060 Hz	50.6 %	47.12	5.21	61.4 %		6.4 %	539	5		91.7 %	1053 min	92.5 %	33.4 °C	34.1 °C	75.4 %	92.1 dB	85.6 %	47.6 %
90.5 %	Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max A15, A15 GPU 5-Core	92.7 %	6.70"	7.7 mm	87.4 %	238 g	94.2 %	OLED	2778x1284	457 PPI	19.5:9	87 %	1060 cd/m²	0.78	120 Hz	81.2 %	6.28	11.57	95 %		65 %	5782	54.8	59	92.6 %	1067 min	88.2 %	25.7 °C	43.1 °C	80 %	80.2 dB	97.8 %	60.3 %
89.8 %	Apple iPhone 13 mini A15, A15 GPU 4-Core	91 %	5.40"	7.65 mm	93.1 %	140 g	94 %	OLED	2340x1080	477 PPI	19.5:9	85 %	847 cd/m²	1	060 Hz	76.2 %	43.01	10.31	94.9 %		61.8 %	5724	56.6		90.3 %	849 min	91.3 %	33.3 °C	34.6 °C	74 %	87.7 dB	93.9 %	60.3 %
90.8 %	Apple iPhone 13 Pro A15, A15 GPU 5-Core	92.7 %	6.10"	7.65 mm	88 %	203 g	94.4 %	OLED	2532x1170	457 PPI	19.48:9	87 %	1058 cd/m²	1	120 Hz	81 %	43.07	7.4	94.9 %		65.1 %	5956	60	59	92.2 %	993 min	90.8 %	33.6 °C	35.1 °C	79.8 %	90.2 dB	98.3 %	60.8 %
88.7 %	Apple iPhone 13 A15, A15 GPU 4-Core	89.7 %	6.10"	7.7 mm	90.3 %	173 g	93.8 %	OLED	2532x1170	457 PPI	19:9	86 %	830 cd/m²	0.77	060 Hz	78.2 %	7.68	11.2	94.3 %		64.6 %	5713	54.9		91.5 %	1019 min	89.2 %	25.7 °C	41.7 °C	66 %	83.2 dB	95 %	48 %
81.5 %	Motorola Edge 20 Lite Dimensity 720, Mali-G57 MP3	83.3 %	6.70"	8 mm	89.3 %	185 g	87.2 %	AMOLED	2400x1080	385 PPI	20:9	83.2 %	428 cd/m²	3.15	090 Hz	64.2 %	44.69	14.3	64.1 %		29.2 %	2745	9.6	30	92 %	972 min	86.8 %	35.6 °C	40.9 °C	74.8 %	84 dB	91.7 %	48 %
86.9 %	Motorola Edge 20 Pro SD 870, Adreno 650	86.7 %	6.70"	8 mm	89.3 %	185 g	91.6 %	OLED	2400x1080	393 PPI	19.5:9	89 %	644 cd/m²	1.4	144 Hz	71.6 %	43.99	17.19	81.9 %		61.6 %		31	60	90.8 %	774 min	90.2 %	25.8 °C	40.4 °C	66 %	82.8 dB	95.6 %	46.4 %
87.1 %	Sony Xperia 5 III SD 888 5G, Adreno 660	89.9 %	6.10"	8.2 mm	90.7 %	168 g	89.4 %	OLED	2520x1080	449 PPI	21:9	81.4 %	559 cd/m²	2.22	120 Hz	70.2 %	40.62	8.17	85.9 %		57 %		37		89.2 %	727 min	85.4 %	31.7 °C	44.1 °C	75.4 %	79.7 dB	95 %	53.8 %

The above table shows all smartphones that have been reviewed in the given time period. It shows the overall scores and all subscores, which can be used to select the best device in specific areas. You can learn all about these devices by clicking on them, which will take you to the review of the specific device.

Other Interesting Smartphones - Winter 2022

Such great smartphones as the Xiaomi 11T, which offers an impressive price-to-performance ratio, and the Motorola Edge 20 Pro, which has a super-fast display and a periscope lens, made a lasting impression on us.

The Rephone from mobilcom-debitel offers a completely different, but no less interesting concept: With the final stages of production in Germany and a back made of recycled plastic, it wants to be very environmentally friendly. The manufacturer has also focused on recycling and repairability.

The Samsung Galaxy M52 was popular with our readers : The review was only published a few days ago and it is getting a whole lot of pageviews.

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Editor of the original article: Florian Schmitt - Managing Editor Mobile - 1134 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2009

I initially wrote about gaming laptops when I joined Notebookcheck in 2009. I was then involved with the setup of the comparison portal Notebookinfo and worked with social media concepts for large companies like BMW and Adidas, while also returning to work for Notebookcheck in 2012. Nowadays, I focus on smartphones, tablets, and future technologies. Since 2018 I have been Managing Editor for mobile device reviews, working alongside my colleague Daniel Schmidt.

contact me via: @FloSchmi26, LinkedIn, Xing

Translator: Stanislav Kokhanyuk - Translator - 78 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021

I am a big fan of technology, which is why I try to keep up with it. Among my other passions are literature and writing, and so it should not be surprising to anyone at all that I have a four-year bachelor's degree in philology. However, my interests are not limited just to the world of technology, or, for that matter, the world of literature. I am also interested in people and the stories they have to tell. And more recently, I took an interest in artificial intelligence.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > The Best Smartphone of Winter 2022 - 30 devices reviewed

Florian Schmitt, 2022-01-12 (Update: 2022-01-17)