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XDA's favorite smartphones and accessories of 2022
We at XDA have tested almost every smartphone that hit the market in 2022, and these are our picks for the best of the year.
This year was a strong one when it came to smartphones. So, with 2022 coming to a close and 2023 just around the corner, we've picked out the best smartphones and accessories that were released this year. From wonderful flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to the completely bonkers Xiaomi 12S Ultra, we've got a bit of everything here. We here at XDA have reviewed just about every smartphone released this year, so we took some time to reflect and asked all of our writers to choose their favorite smartphones of 2022.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: The two best smartphone cameras of 2022 battle it out
The Pixel 7 Pro is perhaps the pinnacle of smartphone computational photography, but how does it fare against the actual best mobile camera hardware?
When the Google Pixel 7 Pro hit the market, it soon became apparent Google once again crafted a digital imaging powerhouse, I was eager to test its cameras against other great mobile camera systems, including, naturally, the most current iPhone and Samsung Galaxy. However, the comparison I was most curious about was how the Pixel 7 Pro's cameras would fare against the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, which was the first and, so far, only phone with a true 1-inch image sensor.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun confirms a global release for the 12 S Ultra successor
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has declared that the company's next iteration of its flagship 12 S Ultra smartphone would be available in global markets.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun declared via Twitter that Xiaomi would be available in global markets. More specifically, Jun was talking about the next iteration of the Xiaomi 12 S Ultra. It is unclear whether Jun was talking about a true successor to the Xiaomi 12 S Ultra, or a 12 S Ultra that will be made specifically for the global market.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Battle of the 2022 Ultras
Take a deep dive comparison into two of the best Android phones you can buy today: the Xiaomi 12S Ultra vs the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra!
Xiaomi may not publicly confess it, but its Ultra series is clearly aimed to take on Samsung's own line with the same namesake, and it's a worthy comparison every year. I say this not just because of the "Ultra" signifier. Heck, ZTE has an Ultra phone too and I would not consider that phone a true competitor to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. To earn the comparison against Android's top dog, the new phone must bring the latest cutting-edge tech and back it up with polished software for an overall high-end experience. You have to walk the talk to be Ultra, and the Xiaomi 12S Ultra does so.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max Camera Shootout and Comparison: A back and forth battle
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the latest phone with impressive cameras, so it goes against the iPhone 13 Pro Max to see which phone does it better!
The iPhone is the most mainstream phone, which makes it almost seen as the "default smartphone." This means anytime a major Android smartphone arrives, it should be compared against the iPhone, even if they don't appeal to the same market. That's the case here, as the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has been grabbing a lot of attention for its 1-inch camera sensor with Leica optics, even though the phone is selling only in China for now. This means this comparison is more for enthusiasts and those curious about smartphones than an actual buying guide. It's also worth mentioning that the smaller iPhone 13 Pro has the exact same camera hardware as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so all camera results here apply to that phone as well.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra Review: Living up to the Ultra hype
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the company's most anticipated phone of 2022, and we find in our review that it lives up to the hype. Check it out!
For far too long, Xiaomi has been seen as a brand that made some pretty good, but not great, phones. The draw was that Xiaomi always priced its devices lower than what Huawei or Samsung charged, thus making them appealing for their value-for-money quotient. Xiaomi has done a remarkable job shedding that reputation in the last two years, as it is now seen as a brand that, while still offering great value mid-rangers such as the Xiaomi 12 Lite, is also capable of making absolutely premium flagship phones that can trade blows with, and even beat, the Apples and Samsungs of the world. Anybody who's used last year's Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra won't argue this, and the Xiaomi 12S Ultra continues this hot streak. In a year of mostly iterative smartphone updates so far, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a noticeable step up in some very important smartphone areas.
XDA forums now available for the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, 12S Pro, 12S, and Asus ROG Phone 6 series
The XDA forums are now open for the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Xiaomi 12S Pro, Xiaomi 12S, Asus ROG Phone 6, and Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro.
In terms of new smartphone releases, this week was absurd, with several new devices arriving from Xiaomi and Asus. Xiaomi announced four new handsets, three of which have new XDA forums for these devices. Asus also announced its ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro. We are happy to announce that XDA forums for both phones are also now open.
The new Xiaomi 12S Ultra aims to take smartphone photography to a whole new level
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra might have what it takes to be one of the best camera phones of 2022. Read on to learn more about Xiaomi's latest flagship.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra was undoubtedly one of the best Android phones from last year. It offered top-of-the-line hardware at a relatively affordable price point, making it a great alternative to flagships from Samsung and OnePlus. Due to this, we have been eagerly waiting for its successor ever since Xiaomi debuted the Xiaomi 12 series late last year. That phone is now finally here, but it's part of the new Xiaomi 12S series.