The Galaxy S22 Ultra doesn’t feel like an S22 at all – in fact this is more like a covert revival of Samsung’s once-loved Note brand, with a distinct design from its S22 siblings and a built-in slot to store the included S-Pen stylus.

The camera is one of the best in any phone, with a 108Mp main shooter backed up by an ultrawide and two telephoto lenses at different zoom levels – with the zoom performance particularly improved on previous models.

The expansive 6.8in LTPO AMOLED display delivers both high WQHD+ resolution and adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, and with S-pen stylus support it comfortably fills the productivity niche of the former Note phones.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review

Pixel phones are usually all about the camera, and in that sense not much has changed this year. Which isn’t to say the camera’s stayed the same – now packing a 48Mp main lens along with an ultrawide and a periscopic telephoto, this is the most powerful Pixel camera yet.

It’s bolstered by AI smarts driven by Android 12 and Google’s new Tensor chip, and few phones can rival the photographic output here.

You’ll have to put up with slow charging (and buy your own charger to boot), and accept the fact that this is a big phone with a divisive design – you may well love it, but there are plenty out there who don’t.

Read our full Google Pixel 6 Pro review

Samsung’s first few attempts at foldables were fun, but felt like novelties. With the Galaxy Z Flip 3, the Korean tech giant has unequivocally got it right.

A revamped design not only looks much better, but incorporates waterproofing and is more useful thanks to the larger cover display.

Core specs are solid throughout, with a Snapdragon 888 in tow, and the 12Mp main and ultrawide cameras are solid if not exceptional – though you may miss having a telephoto lens.

The big drawback is battery, with the Flip 3 only just lasting a full day’s use. But if you can live with that, this is the first foldable that feels absolutely competitive at its price point.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G review

The Oppo Find X5 Pro is a phenomenal phone by any measure. The 6.7in 10-bit 120Hz QHD+ panel is one of the best displays in any phone right now and Oppo backs it up with 80W wired and 50W wireless charging, a 5000mAh battery, and a top-tier camera that boasts 50Mp sensors on both the main and ultrawide lenses.

You’ll have to live without a periscopic zoom lens – the telephoto here is a measly 2x zoom – but results across all three rear lenses are exceptional. The design is unique too, thanks to a seamlessly sloped camera module built right into the ceramic of the phone’s body.

For pure performance the Find X3 Pro is also hard to beat, with all of the above plus a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, 256GB storage and 12GB RAM. You just have to be willing to pay the price, as it doesn’t come cheap.

Read our full Oppo Find X5 Pro review

Don’t think of the S22+ as a poor man’s S22 Ultra – Samsung has used its Goldilocks model to strike a super balancing act of specs and features that comes with few flaws.

As a result, you get some of the best performance found in an Android phone currently, a glass-bodied design, and the latest Android 12 (dressed in Samsung’s own One UI 4.1, at launch) with a commitment to years of software support.

The battery life is a little inconsistent, and some of the camera features will likely benefit from firmware fixes over time, but this remains an excellent example of what we can hope for from 2022’s Android flagships.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22+ review

OnePlus’s second proper Nord phone is a worthy follow-up, powered by a custom version of MediaTek’s 5G-capable Dimensity 1200 chipset.

The Nord 2 also totes a 90Hz AMOLED display, a great primary 50Mp main camera, and nippy 65W fast charging.

Software-wise, the company’s OxygenOS user experience is also a major highlight – bringing responsive interactivity and a clean interface to the table that lends itself to the phone’s powerful, premium feel.

OnePlus has also recently launched the Nord CE 5G, which takes most of these great specs but wraps them in a plastic body – with a few other key downgrades elsewhere. Overall we prefer the Nord 2, but the CE 5G is well worth a look if you’re on a tighter budget.

Read our full OnePlus Nord 2 review

The Realme GT 2 Pro offers a heck of a lot of phone for your money.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset is paired with the fastest RAM and storage around, with 65W wired charging and a 120Hz AMOLED display to seal the deal – all essentially flagship specs.

Of course, this isn’t a flagship price, so there are omissions elsewhere – no wireless charging or waterproofing for starters, and while the main camera and ultrawide are solid enough, there’s no telephoto zoom option.

If performance is your priority then the value here is near-unbeatable however – and the fact that it’s all wrapped in a slick, understated design (albeit in plastic) doesn’t hurt either.

Read our full Realme GT 2 Pro review

The Xiaomi Mi 11 is a rock-solid performer thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, which comes paired with 8GB RAM and plenty of storage.

Throw in a WQHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display (quad-curved, no less), 108Mp rear camera, and 55W fast-charging paired with 50W wireless charging, and you can see that the Mi 11 won’t be beaten for specs at its price.

There are minor downsides – you won’t get an IP rating, there’s no telephoto camera, and Xiaomi’s MIUI software still has room for improvement. But if pure performance is what you’re looking for, then look no further.

There’s also the more expensive Mi 11 Ultra, which upgrades to faster charging and a more powerful camera, but with a massive trade-off: that camera is big and ugly, which is why we prefer the regular Mi 11.

Read our full Xiaomi Mi 11 review

The Redmi Note 10 Pro is one of the best phones you can buy at its price point, with Xiaomi delivering exceptional value for money.

Highlights here start with the stunning screen, offering AMOLED technology and a 120Hz refresh rate, and continue with an excellent set of cameras. The headline is a 108Mp whopper which is backed up by a reasonable ultra-wide and a surprisingly decent telemacro.

Core specs are decent, hinging on the Snapdragon 732G to ensure smooth performance. However, the Redmi Note 10 Pro doesn’t support 5G, which might be a deal breaker.

MIUI is also a downside with its overly complex interface that’s simply not as stylish or easy to use as many rivals – even if you can make it a lot better than default with some tweaking.

Read our full Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro review

The Vivo X60 Pro is the only phone in the X60 series to launch in the UK and Europe, but it’s probably the Goldilocks of the lot anyway.

It’s two biggest strengths are its design and camera. At 7.6mm thick and 177g heavy, it’s one of the thinnest and lightest phones you can find right now, despite still featuring a 6.56in display (120Hz AMOLED, for what it’s worth). The frosted glass finish completes the effect, available in Shimmer Blue (pictured) or a more subdued black.

As for the camera, the 48Mp, f/1.5 gimbal-stabilised main camera is one of the best in any phone, especially in low light or for video. 13Mp wide-angle and 2x zoom lenses complete the set, and they’re more than capable of holding their own too.

There’s no waterproofing or wireless charging, and the display caps out at Full HD – but if you can overlook those drawbacks, this is an exceptional Android flagship.

Read our full Vivo X60 Pro review