The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best phone in the world right now, but that doesn't mean it's the best phone for everyone. After all, each phone user has their own set of requirements, preferences, and financial constraints. Our phone experts, on the other hand, have spent years reviewing smartphones, making them the ideal people to point you in the right direction.
We compiled this definitive list of the best smartphones available in 2022 based on their knowledge, experience, and recommendations. Choosing the best phone for you is a difficult decision, and you need options. If the aforementioned Android phone isn't for you, we have 14 other top picks, including the best iPhones and the best Android phones.
Keep in mind a few other factors aside from your preferred operating system as you browse. Consider the price, as we included everything from the best value to the ones worth the splurge. Your specific cell phone plan may also influence your decision, especially since some carriers frequently offer great cell phone deals while others do not.
Furthermore, if you can't find anything that suits you right now, come back later. There are always new phones on the way, such as the OnePlus 10 Pro and an iPhone 14 later this year. As a result, we're constantly updating our best phones list to ensure you're getting the best phone for your needs.
The best phone 2022 – chosen by our experts
1. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is currently the world's best-performing and most powerful smartphone. However, because of the price, its value ratio decreases. Furthermore, most people will be unable to take advantage of all of its advantages.
Why it is the best phone in general: The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra improves on everything that made the Galaxy S21 Ultra great, such as its excellent cameras and power, while also including a S Pen stylus as standard (and a slot to house it). If you have the cash, this is the ultimate smartphone and is ideal for fans of the Galaxy S or Galaxy Note series.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra features a 6.8-inch 1440 x 3088 AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a peak brightness of 1750 nits. In every way, this is one of the best smartphone screens available.
Battery life: The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a large 5,000mAh battery that we found would last for a full day regardless of how you used the phone. It also supports fast 45W charging, though there is no charger included.
Camera: The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a camera setup similar to the impressive Galaxy S21 Ultra, but significant improvements have been made, making this the best zoom snapper on the market. It has a 10x optical or 100x digital zoom capability, as well as three other lenses, including a fantastic 108MP main lens.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review to compare prices. Best Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra offers
2. iPhone SE (2022)
The iPhone SE 2022 is yet another successful upgrade to Apple's most affordable iPhone, with improved performance and connectivity. It also advocates for a thin and light form factor. iPhones are notoriously expensive, but this offers smartphone enthusiasts a more affordable entry point into the family.
Why it's ranked second: While this isn't Apple's most powerful iPhone, it's the best value for people who want to stick with iOS 15 without spending a fortune. Its screen technology isn't as impressive as that of the iPhone 13 Pro, and there's only one camera on the back, but the low price makes it difficult to beat if you're on a tight budget and don't want to switch to Android.
Screen: The new iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch screen similar to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8, so it's larger than the original iPhone SE but still fits in one hand. This has become critical for those who have been demanding a smaller phone. This is the one to get, even if the resolution and bezel aren't going to blow anyone away.
Battery life: If you're not a power user (who would likely choose the iPhone 11 series anyway), you'll be fine with what Apple has to offer in terms of battery life. It won't last you more than a day, but even with 5G running all day and nonstop use, you'll get up to 12 hours of battery life.
Camera: In good light, the iPhone SE 2022 takes excellent photos for the price. Outside of occasionally failing to nail perfect exposure levels and depth of field outdoors during the day, you won't notice much of a difference. When you dim the lights, you'll notice one glaring omission: the night mode found on more powerful iPhones. This necessitates at least an iPhone 11 upgrade.
3. iPhone 13 Pro / iPhone 13 Pro Max
At the time of writing, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are the best iPhones available, with better performance than ever before, improved cameras, 120Hz refresh rates, and surprisingly good battery life. However, not all iPhone users require all of the features and power that it offers.
Why they're ranked third: While the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are the best iPhones and excellent for creative pros, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a better design and a more versatile camera, but these phones are very close and are the obvious choice for iPhone fans. They don't have the biggest upgrades, but they're undeniably great. They have a higher refresh rate than the iPhone 12 range, a new macro mode, and a smaller notch.
Screen: Whether you get the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro or the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max, you'll get a sharp OLED screen with a variable refresh rate of 120Hz. The notch is still present, but it's slightly smaller this time and easy to overlook, especially when you consider the overall quality of the display.
Battery life: Apple has outdone itself with the battery life on the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which is truly exceptional rather than just exceptional for an iPhone. The iPhone 13 Pro's battery life isn't quite as good, but it's still adequate and an improvement over the iPhone 12 Pro's.
Camera: The iPhone 13 Pro lineup features the same lens types as last year, but with larger pixels and new modes, such as an impressive macro mode and a slightly less significant Cinematic mode. With all of this and their improved low-light performance, these cameras are fantastic.
4. Google Pixel 6 / Google Pixel 6 Pro
The Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro were released in October 2021 to much fanfare, with the company claiming that the new Google-designed Tensor chipset would enable incredible AI software performance. While we were too quick to expect Apple A-series Bionic levels of performance from Tensor - both Pixel 6 and 6 Pro benchmarks are significantly lower than the iPhone 13 and Samsung S21 - the cameras take the most color- and light-balanced photos we've ever seen from a smartphone.
Why they are ranked fourth: The Pixel 6 phones are a significant improvement over the Pixel 5, but there are some flaws that keep them from the top, such as mediocre battery life and a divisive physical redesign. Both phones have their fans: the Pixel 6 at its lowest price (which varies by carrier) is less expensive than the iPhone 13 mini and Samsung S21, while the Pixel 6 Pro includes premium features such as a periscope telephoto lens, a QHD screen, and an ultrawide selfie camera, all of which are less expensive than the iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus. However, both phones' 50MP main cameras and Google's photo software (which includes even more cool features) are unrivaled.
The Pixel 6 features a 6.4-inch OLED screen with Full HD Plus (2400 x 1080) resolution and a refresh rate of 90Hz for smoother app browsing and gaming. The Pixel 6 Pro increases the screen size to 6.7 inches with QHD (3120 x 1440) resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz for a sharper image, but only when compared side by side. Colors are vibrant on the OLED display, and the dual front-facing speakers make it a useful streaming device.
Battery life: The Pixel 4's battery issues have been resolved, but neither phone should last more than a day. The Pixel 6 has a 4,614mAh battery, while the Pixel 6 Pro has a 5,000mAh battery, but the difference isn't significant due to the larger display. Yes, there are battery-saving settings to extend battery life, and the 30W charger is an improvement over previous models, but it's still less than the 65W chargers that work with the OnePlus 9. Wireless charging is limited to a respectable 21W when using Google's first-party charger.
The Pixel 6's cameras are its strongest selling point. The main camera has finally been upgraded to a 50MP shooter, which when combined with Google's photo software produces incredibly lifelike photos. The 12MP ultra-wide feels more in line with the main camera's photo capabilities (they take similar photos), and if you opt for the Pixel 6 Pro, you'll get a periscope telephoto capable of 4x optical zoom for some truly amazing long-distance shots. For an ultra-wide effect, the Pro also replaces the 8MP selfie camera (with an 84-degree field of view) with an 11MP front-facing camera (with a 94-degree field of view). The Tensor chipset and AI software now erase unwanted objects and capture motion blur around a still subject, in addition to the best Night Mode we've seen.
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