Here are the winners of the Digit Zero1 and Best Buy Awards for the Best Performing Premium Phone of 2022 (Over ₹50K)
The iPhone 14 Pro Max bagged the Digit Zero1 Award 2022 in this category amidst fierce competition
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 clinched the Digit Best Buy Award 2022 for offering the best price-to-performance ratio
2022 was an interesting year for the smartphone industry. After a difficult 2021, we saw the major players shift focus from fixing supply chain issues and go back to what they do best – innovate. As a result, we saw a number of interesting phones launched throughout the year, with many of them pushing the boundaries of smartphone technology. This was particularly true for the premium segment of the market, where the likes of Apple, Samsung and Vivo raised the bar for the entire industry. From the Galaxy S22 Ultra to the iPhone 14 Pro and Vivo's X80 Pro, we saw strong offerings which made it very difficult for us to recommend just one phone from the segment. But as always, there has to be a winner. So read on to find out which phone won the winner's title for the best premium segment smartphone at this year's Digit Zero1 Awards.
Zero1 Winner: iPhone 14 Pro Max (Buy link)
Apple’s latest and greatest, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the company’s current flagship which flaunts the best Apple, and arguably the industry has to offer in terms of mobile phone technology and design. Built around Apple's new in-house A16 Bionic SoC with a 6-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, the iPhone 14 Pro Max stood tall in our Zero1 performance testing to emerge as the most powerful phone in the premium segment. The device also offers increased brightness over its predecessor, and also gets Apple's ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate feature. Then there’s also the Dynamic Island, an improved camera system, good battery life, long software support, a stunning display, and a strong ecosystem, which makes the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max not only one of the fastest phones in the market but also one of the most well-rounded devices you can get your hands on in the market.
Price: 1,39,900
Runner-up: Vivo X80 Pro (Buy link)
The Vivo X80 Pro is Vivo’s most premium phone to date which offers a big 6.78-inch AMOLED display and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. However, t’s the hardware under the hood that helped it emerge as the second-fastest phone in our Zero1 testing. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, the Vivo X80 Pro proved to be more than adequate for anything and everything we threw at it. However, that’s not all you get when you decide to purchase the Vivo X80 Pro. It is a premium phone which is one of the best, if not the best camera phones around at the moment. At the heart of its camera performance, is the 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GNV primary sensor, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide Sony IMX598 shooter, and a 12-megapixel Sony IMX663 sensor with a portrait lens. There is also an 8-megapixel sensor with a periscope-shaped ultra-telephoto lens That helps the phone click some brilliant shots. The Vivo X80 Pro also promises good battery life, with lights on the device kept on using a 4,700mAh pack that supports 80W Flash Charge and 50W wireless charging.
Price: Rs 79,999
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 (Buy link)
While not the most affordable phone in the list, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 still managed to emerge as the most value-for-money offering in the premium segment as it brings to the table a lot of interesting features and powerful hardware for the money being asked for it. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 acts as more than just the company’s flagship productivity device, as it offers major upgrades over its predecessors in the camera and performance department. It features a 6.2-inch AMOLED display on the outside and offers all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a flagship phone, including brilliant cameras and powerful hardware. However, its biggest selling point is the fact that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes with a 7.6-inch foldable AMOLED panel. The display also hides a 4MP in-display camera. The phone offers fast refresh rates on both screens as they support 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. This is paired with plenty of RAM and fast storage. All these combined make the Galaxy Z Fold 4 not just one of the best phones in the segment, but also arguably the best foldable phone in the market
Price: Rs 1,54,999.
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Sushant Talwar
Sushant Talwar is a full-time foodie who reviews cool gadgets and binges on TV shows when he is tired of playing video games. He is also in love with football and thinks Manchester United is a religion View Full Profile
