8 Best Premium Smartphones You Can Buy Right Now

Looking for a splurge? Here’s our list of smartphones to consider packed with specs and reasons.

Published On Nov 04, 2022 | Updated On Mar 04, 2024

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It’s raining flagships and there’s probably no better time to upgrade. We round up some of the best smartphones your money can buy. Devices that are on the cutting edge of technology and deliver great cameras and new user experiences.

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The top-end iPhone duo has just arrived in a gorgeous new shade of ‘Deep Purple’. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are powered by Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores. The camera system has been upgraded over last year’s 13 Pro. It includes the first-ever 48MP main camera on an iPhone featuring a quad-pixel sensor, and Photonic Engine, an enhanced image pipeline that dramatically improves low-light photos.

X-Factor: Dynamic Island, a new pill-shaped cut-out has replaced the notch. It doesn’t just house Face ID components and the selfie cam but also offers a whole new, intuitive navigation experience.

Price: INR 1,29,900 onwards

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This one makes the strongest case for a book-type foldable phone. The 2022 Fold is more durable (it’s IPX8 certified for water resistance) and is also lighter than its predecessor. Think of it as a Mini Tab you can fold with its gorgeous 7.6-inch primary display (120 Hz/ 1812 x 2176 pixels/ 373 PPI) with a 90.9% screen:body ratio. This is aside from the 6.2-inch external or cover display. The Z Fold 4 is propelled by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor and comes with multiple storage options that stretch all the way to a 12GB/1TB variant.

X-Factor: Multi-tasking like never before. Its unique form factor and user experience make it the perfect blend of a small tab and a smartphone. 

Price: INR 1,54,999 onwards

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Speed has long been OnePlus’ calling card. The 10T consolidates that position. It’s one of the only smartphones with 16GB of RAM; you get three hardware options – 8GB/128GB, 12GB/256GB and 16GB/256GB. All variants are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset which makes it blazingly fast. The other highlight is the gorgeous 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The triple rear cam features a 50MP primary lens.

X-Factor: Fast charging — the 150W in-box charger can power up your device from 1 to 100% in under 20 minutes!

Price: INR 49,999 onwards

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This phone finds the perfect balance between form and function. It weighs under 180 gm and feels great in your hand. The two-tone finish adds to its premium vibe. The Pixel 6a is propelled by the Google Tensor chip, the first mobile chipset designed by Google. The rear cam combines a 12.2MP primary lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. There’s also an 8MP selfie cam in the mix. The camera has multiple tricks up its sleeve including Magic Eraser, which allows you to remove distractions or make objects blend right in.

X-Factor: PurePlay Android experience – the seamless blend of hardware and the uncluttered Google UI alone make it worth the purchase.

Price: INR 34,199  

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Vivo’s new stylish flagship challenger boasts a vivid 6.56-inch AMOLED display (2376x1080 pixels) with a 120 Hz refresh rate that peaks at 1300 nits. Vivo has bundled a 66W in-box charger that powers the devices from 1% to 40% in just 15 minutes. The triple rear cam is driven by a 64MP primary lens with OIS; there’s also an 8MP wide-angle lens and a 2MP Macro cam in the mix. At the heart of the V25 Pro is a Dimensity 1300 Processor. Vivo offers a choice of two hardware variants — 8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB.

X-factor: Its unique finish and design. Vivo has created a layer of crystals along with what it calls fluorite AG that changes colours at different angles.

Price: INR 35,999 onwards

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The device scores on key features that matter to most premium smartphone buyers. Colours are vibrant on the 6.7-inch AMOLED display (1080x2412 pixels) with a 120Hz refresh rate that peaks at 950 nits of brightness. It’s not just a stylish device but also has the firepower that most of us need thanks to a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 Processor that teams up with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The versatile camera set up combines a 50MP primary lens together with an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP macro lens. There’s also a 32MP selfie shooter in the mix.

X-Factor: Design – the big, bold camera lenses make this device stand out along with the flat-edge design. 

Price: INR 45,999

If you’re looking for the iPhone with the best battery, don’t look any further. It’s the first time Apple has used the iPhone Plus moniker since the iPhone 8. It lands right between the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro Max in terms of heft and is the perfect option if you want a large screen with a lighter form. It’s powered by the A15 Bionic chip and a new enhancement to the aperture in the primary 12MP camera that Apple claims impacts lowlight camera performance by 39%.

X-Factor: The best battery life on an iPhone.

Price: INR 89,900 onwards

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This is probably the Android mobile shooter to meet. Think of it as a blend of Samsung’s Note Series and flagship S Series. The Ultra comes with the fastest, most responsive (70% lower latency than the Note 20 Ultra) S Pen on any Samsung device. The other talking point is ‘Nightography’, Samsung’s lowlight photography solution. The rear cam features a 2.4um pixel sensor – Samsung’s largest pixel sensor ever, allowing the camera lenses to capture more light and data, optimising the lighting and detail of your video clips. The Ultra features an immersive 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1750 nits.

X-Factor: Experience superior zoom photography. With 10X optical zoom and 100X digital zoom, the S22 Ultra is in a league of its own. 

Price: INR 1,00,999 onwards


Photo: Samsung; respective brands