As we usher in a brand-new year and await new phones for 2023 from OEMs, Ogabassey looks at the TOP 8 PHONES OF 2022, the phones that have made the best impressions on our customers and us.

2022 was a big year for the smartphone industry. Smartphone photography was taken to a new level, efficiency (battery life) received a major boost, and processors received incremental upgrades. If you are on a budget and are looking to get a new phone in the new year, there is no better place to begin your search than here. The phones on this list are now cheaper than they were a few months ago and will also serve you considerably.

The iPhone 14 Pro (and 14 Pro Max)

We are tempted to say this list is in no particular order, but there can only be one number one, the iPhone 14 Pros were the phone to beat this year. The iPhone 13 Pros were already good phones. They were arguably the top dogs last year, and to top that, Apple needed something from the top shelf, and we strongly believe that the iPhone 14 Pros delivered. We particularly enjoyed the 48MP high-resolution camera (a first on any iPhone); the Dynamic Island has grown on us. While the battery was slightly less efficient than the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 14 Pro Max was still one of the phones with the best battery this year.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The choice between the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boils down to which OS you prefer, as both phones can lay claim to the “Phone of the Year” title. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is arguably the Android King, while the 14 Pro Max is the latest and greatest iPhone. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a true successor of one of our favourite phones from 2021, the S21 Ultra. The S22 Ultra picked some of the best things about the S21 Ultra and improved on them. The fact that it is the first S series with “full” support for the S-pen and its boxy design brings back the nostalgia of the now-discontinued Note series.

Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro

Google Pixels are not exactly popular in Nigeria for many reasons. It’s not officially sold here (Shey Google dey whine us ni?), and breaking the iPhone, and Samsung duopoly among the 1% is difficult. In Nigeria, the default option for most people who wish to buy a flagship device is usually a Samsung device or an iPhone. But for the true tech heads, the Google Pixel 7 and its more accomplished sibling, the 7 Pro, are Google’s finest devices in the smartphone world. The 6 and 6 Pro from last year were revolutionary devices, but like every first-gen device, they were plagued by bugs and shortcomings. But Google took the lessons from last year and built two devices that show what a well-refined and optimised software can do for user experience.

Samsung A53

For over half a decade now, Samsung has remained the brand to beat in the midrange market, and its success can be traced to how well-received its A series is. The Samsung A23 is incredible, the A73 5G with its upper midrange Snapdragon 778G 5G was delightful, but the middle child, A53, was the one that tickled our fancy. The A53 was built on the gains of the A52 and delivered with a great design, beautiful cameras, an okayish processor, and a lasting battery. The A53 was a favourite among those that shop in the midrange market.

Redmi Note 11

Xiaomi and its subsidiary, Redmi, continue to expand into the Nigerian smartphone market. They are becoming popular in the segments where Tecno and Infinix used to be kings. The Redmi Note 11 is a solid lower midrange phone that captured the imagination. MIUI is refined, the camera is great, and the design is one of the best we saw last year.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 4

At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 appear like an incremental upgrade of its predecessor, the Fold 3, but make no mistake; this is a well-designed and well-optimised device. Samsung went all out on the Fold 4; better cameras, great battery, better build, and software experience. The Fold 4 and the Fold 3 are our recommendations for users who want a tablet and a conventional smartphone in the same package.

Samsung S21 Ultra

A fan favourite and arguably the best Android phone of 2021, the Samsung S21 Ultra is an all-rounder that ticks all the boxes, and while the S22 Ultra has succeeded it, the S21 Ultra is far from obsolesce. And in 2023, especially for those on a budget, the Samsung S21 Ultra is one of the best options on the market; only a few devices can best its 108MP main shooter, and with Samsung’s generous update policies, the S21 Ultra will receive additional two major Android updates.

iPhone 13 series

The iPhone 13 series might have lost its crown as the greatest and latest iPhone to the 14 Pros, brethren, make no mistake, those phones are still capable even in 2023 and beyond. They are cheaper now, and depending on your budget, any of iPhone 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, or the mini will serve you going into the new year and beyond.

Is there any phone you think deserves to be here that we haven’t added? Tell us in the comment section.

All the devices listed here and more can be ordered from us. Click here to place an order; the good news is that you can also pay in instalments. Feel free to send us a DM on any of our social media pages for more information.